Understanding Canada’s hate laws

Virtually all residents of Ward 32 are familiar with a publication delivered to their doors by Canada Post, deceptively titled Your Ward News. Many have labeled it a racist and hateful publication. The publication features anti-Semitic rants about “ZioMarxists,” “parasites,” and the classic “illegitimate Zionist apartheid state of Israel that holocausts Palestinians.” Other targets include […]

New real estate rules provide clarity

New rules and guidelines came into effect on July 1 that are meant to add a higher level of transparency to the offer process Ontario real estate brokerages and sales representatives follow. Introduced in the Ontario Legislature through a revision to the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA 2002), these new regulations (Bill 55) […]

‘Coming soon’ a sign of spring

We’ve had hints of an impending spring season, yet as May arrives, it only now appears that spring intends to stick around. It seems that Mother Nature had been toying with us regarding her intentions of raising the curtain on spring. A handful of warmer sunny days last month really felt like we’d turned the […]

No farmers’ market for Kew

Is it right that a private corporation enjoys a monopoly over our public park lands and can decide which groups use a public park and on what terms? What if, for example, a group wanted to establish a weekly farmers’ market at Kew Gardens? On or about June 2, 2010 the City of Toronto granted […]

Beach market just starting to thaw

Brrrrr … February arrived like a mountain lion. The forecasts were mixed, but some weather pundits did predict a harsh winter. And this month has proven those predictions right. It came later than expected, but a real old fashioned Canadian winter has set in. These cold temperatures have provided almost perfect conditions for building and […]

Charities offer a way for a will

A resolution for the New Year that you may have considered is making your will. Depending on your estate, there may be an enormous cost to passing without one. Your estate may be burdened with legal expenses and court fees for appointments of executors. There may be uncertainty and disagreement between possible beneficiaries exacting a […]

A look back at the year in real estate

As I pen my last column of 2014, the winter solstice bears down upon us and the remaining weeks of this year wind down. The winter weather has swirled menacingly around us, with a couple short volleys across the bow from Old Man Winter to rekindle memories of last December’s quick and decisive wintery incursion […]

Road laws accident waiting to happen

On July 22, I witnessed a white truck race out of the building site of the Glen Condominiums on Kingston Road right across from my law office. A moment later I heard the horrific scream of a dog being hit, and watched as the shaken owner and neighbours rushed to an emergency veterinarian office. He […]

On home inspections and sales tactics

The business of selling real estate has evolved through the years, in step with the changing demands of society and influenced by advances in technology. The actual process of listing and marketing a house is quicker and easier for sellers, although it can be argued that the process of buying might not be considered quick […]

Note the details when buying a condo

Toronto continues to be the condominium boom capital of North America. The boom shows no signs of letting up during this busy spring market. Sales remain strong and we are seeing more condominium projects than ever before in the Beach, from Kippendavie to the Glen Davis Ravine, from the old Lick’s building on Queen Street […]