Quebec farming co-op sees interest jump amid 'buy Canadian' push
Natalie Childs of the Agricola Cooperative Farm in Papineauville, Que., says they've seen a 20 per cent increase in sign-ups for their community-supported agriculture baskets amid the trade war with the U.S., similar to the rise that occurred in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Vancouver Sun
19 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
'What are we building for?': Aiming to boost development, Vancouver may delay amenity, infrastructure upgrades
Vancouver's planning department says real estate development is so challenging now that it's recommending allowing developers to defer paying millions in fees to city hall. Otherwise, say city staff, there's a real risk many projects may never proceed — and this money would never be collected and homes never built. The proposal would force the city to borrow money or draw from reserves over the next 10 years to cover costs for infrastructure and amenities that have traditionally been covered by developer fees. The city says borrowing to bridge the funding gap will bring no financial impact to taxpayers, because it's expected to be covered by future development contributions. The one-time shortfall of more than $140 million could, however, mean the city may need to delay the delivery of some amenities and infrastructure upgrades, or reduce their scope. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'What we're trying to do is make sure that projects can move forward. If projects can't move forward, we get no payment, we get no infrastructure,' said Josh White, Vancouver's general manager of planning. 'Costs have risen dramatically faster than revenues. And we want prices and rents to tail off, but it also means that if we want projects to move forward, costs also need to tail off. Or else the arithmetic doesn't work.' Construction has been booming for so long that many in Vancouver seem to have a 'sense of disbelief' that the market is now so challenging, White said. 'Like: 'How could this be? It's Vancouver!'' The Vancouver market has enjoyed '40 years of sustained buoyancy,' where events like COVID-19 and the 2008 financial crisis were little more than 'blips on the radar,' White said. But White is the former co-chief planner of the City of Calgary. Alberta was always 'so boom-and-bust, that there was always a sense of fear, so there was discipline,' he said. That meant every policy was evaluated through a lens of: ''It might be viable now, but tomorrow it may not be.' … But here, it was like: 'Oh, it'll always work, because the price just goes up.'' For years, Vancouver heaped more expectations and costs on developments, White said, 'and the price did always bail us out. But when the music stops, and you still have all those costs layered on top of each other, then it stops making sense anymore. And we are at that reckoning point.' City council has already approved a few individual requests from developers looking to change projects in a shifting market, including delaying millions of dollars in city fees, and one developer's recent request to pay $55 million in cash to get out of a commitment to build 102 below-market rental units. Those were individual examples, but the city will likely continue to look at systemic changes to make things work, beyond next week's recommendations on levy deferrals. Other cities, like Surrey and Coquitlam, are looking at development viability measures, too. Some Vancouverites worry this could be a troubling trend of the city giving too much away to the private sector, while extracting less in public benefits. This week also happened to bring one of Vancouver's highest-profile recent rezoning decisions, and a recurring concern raised in the public hearing was about the city giving away too much and not getting enough in return. On Tuesday, council approved a rezoning application from Westbank Corp. and Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust to build three rental towers at the property at East Broadway and Commercial occupied by a Safeway. Many of the project's opponents complained about its level of affordability. While many recent major residential rental developments in Vancouver include 20 per cent of units at below-market rents, this Broadway-Commercial project had only 10 per cent of homes with 'citywide average' rents. Council supported the project, except Green Coun. Pete Fry who abstained and COPE Coun. Sean Orr who voted against. Orr and Fry said they want density at this major transit hub but worried about the reduced affordability. Fry cited several other recent major projects approved by council with significant public benefits, including many with the 20-per-cent, below market component, and said 'this particular project represents a shift away from those expectations.' 'I worry that we're setting a precedent here,' Fry said. 'We're diminishing the expectations of affordability.' Orr said he worried 'we're not seeing the full public benefits that we could be seeing,' and 'transit-oriented density can't be a blank cheque to real estate investment trusts.' Craig Ollenberger, chairman of the Grandview-Woodland Area Council, expressed similar concerns this week to city council about the project's affordability. After the meeting, Ollenberger said: 'They've set a whole new and much lower bar.' Ollenberger understands that Vancouver's ABC-majority council was elected on a promise to build more housing faster, and they need to adapt to market conditions. But, he said, a series of recent decisions 'seems like part of a trend to abandon the effort to ensure public benefits for these projects.' 'They seem to be not minding the store.' 'It comes down to a fundamental question: If we're building, what are we building for? If we're not getting affordability, if we're not getting public benefits — and if we're now, in fact, even taking on debt to build these things?' Ollenberger said. 'What are we doing it for? You don't build for the sake of building, that's not good enough. You have to build to make improvements in some of these things that matter.' White has heard this worry, too. 'It will continue to show up in community amenity contributions that are less than we've become accustomed to. And that's the economic reality of the viability crunch that we're in,' White said. White sees his role at city hall coming with 'a healthy tension' acting as both 'a regulator and facilitator.' 'And we don't get the outcomes we care about, if they don't build,' he said. 'It's about the art of the possible.' dfumano@
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Toronto Star
‘My heart started pounding': Etobicoke consultant wins $65 million in Lotto Max jackpot
When Mohit Sharma scanned his Lotto Max ticket and saw the words 'Big Winner' flash across his phone screen, he could not believe it — so he put on his shoes and went for a walk. Then he came back, scanned it again, and saw the same thing. Sharma, a consultant from Etobicoke, is Ontario's newest multimillionaire, winning $65 million in October's Lotto Max jackpot, a game he began playing regularly in 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a small weekly ritual to have something to look forward to during the lockdowns has paid off, he said in a news release from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Over the past five years, Sharma has been purchasing Lotto Max and Lotto 6-49 tickets with a set budget, always adding Encore and relying on Quick Pick numbers. 'I don't pick the numbers, so, knowing that a random number that the lottery computer picked for me the winner — and my name was on that ticket — is just unbelievable!' he said. After hearing the news that the winning ticket was sold in Etobicoke, Sharma pulled a few tickets from a drawer and scanned them using the OLG app. 'I couldn't believe it and my heart started pounding,' he said. 'My phone screen lit up as the words 'Big Winner' flashed across the screen I thought to myself, 'I guess that person I heard about on the news was me!'' Instead of calling his family right away, Sharma waited until everyone was home so he could share the news face-to-face. 'To say they were shocked is an understatement,' he said. 'It was an emotional moment with lots of trembling hands and elevated heart rates all around.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW With the new-found financial freedom, Sharma says he is ready to make his dream of riding trains across the globe a reality. He has long admired the world's most iconic railways and intends to experience all of them, from the high-speed Shinkansen in Japan to the Indian Pacific that goes from Sydney to Perth, Australia. While the opportunity to ride trains across the world is what Sharma says 'will excite me the most!' the happiness he is sharing with his family is the best part of winning the jackpot. The next Lotto Max jackpot draw is Friday, with an estimated $20-million payout.
Cision Canada
3 days ago
- Cision Canada
PointClickCare Pledges $75,000 to the Senior Living CaRES Fund in Support of Education Grants for Senior Living Workers
Leading health tech company commemorates National Long-Term Care Day with three-year commitment aimed at strengthening and empowering Canada's senior living workforce TORONTO, June 13, 2025 /CNW/ -- PointClickCare, a leading health tech company helping providers deliver exceptional care, today announced a three-year philanthropic partnership with the Senior Living CaRES Fund. The company will contribute $25,000 annually — totaling $75,000 — to fund educational grants that support professional development for workers in long-term care and retirement communities across Canada. Founded in 2020, the Senior Living CaRES Fund has provided over $3 million in emergency financial assistance and educational grants to frontline workers. The fund recognizes the vital role senior living professionals play in caring for older adults and is committed to fostering a stronger, more resilient workforce. "At PointClickCare, we believe that investing in people is the most meaningful way to drive lasting impact," said Angeline Pleunis, Vice President, Workplace Experience & Social Impact at PointClickCare. "The individuals working in senior living communities play an essential role in the health and well-being of our aging population, and they deserve every opportunity to grow, thrive, and succeed in their careers. Our partnership with the Senior Living CaRES Fund reflects our deep commitment to supporting this incredible workforce through education and development." The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant challenges in long-term care and heavily burdened frontline staff. These workers showed, and continue to show, remarkable resilience and compassion, often making personal sacrifices. It's clear that investing in their education and development is essential. PointClickCare's support enhances access to continuing education and training, equipping staff to excel in their careers and improve care quality. "We are incredibly grateful for PointClickCare's generous commitment to the Senior Living CaRES Fund," said Rebecca Scott Rawn, Executive Director at Senior Living CaRES Fund. "Their support will directly empower frontline workers with access to education and professional development opportunities – tools that not only enhance individual careers but strengthen the quality of care for seniors across Canada. Together, we are investing in the champions who make compassionate care possible every day." On National Long-Term Care Day, PointClickCare and the Senior Living CaRES Fund are proud to honour the dedication of those working in senior living communities. Together, they are investing in a future where every senior living worker feels valued, supported, and empowered to make a lasting impact. To learn more about PointClickCare's award-winning culture and philanthropic programs, visit the website here. For more information on the Senior Living CaRES Fund, visit the website here. About PointClickCare PointClickCare is a leading health tech company with one simple mission: to help providers deliver exceptional care. With the largest long–term and post–acute care dataset, we power AI-driven healthcare to deliver intelligent transitions, insightful interventions, and improved financial performance. Enhanced by our marketplace of 400+ integrated partners and trusted by over 30,000 provider organizations and every major U.S. health plan, we're redefining healthcare, so it doesn't just survive — it thrives. About The Senior Living CaRES Fund Established in May 2020 by founding partners Chartwell Retirement Residences, Revera Inc., Extendicare, and Sienna Senior Living, the Senior Living CaRES Fund was created in recognition of the extraordinary efforts of senior living sector employees whose passion, commitment and resilience while caring for the most vulnerable is nothing short of heroic. Since its establishment, the Fund has assisted over 970 employees across the country, distributing more than $3.1 million in emergency financial aid and bursaries for education.
