Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti isn’t usually shy about dressing the part to be in the spotlight.
But don’t expect to see him on skates Saturday for the grand opening celebration of the Civic Centre outdoor ice rink — the largest of its kind in the GTA.
“I’ll leave that to more professional skaters,” Mr. Scarpitti said.
The inaugural skating season on the $4.1-million artificial ice rink, which features the state-of-the-art Eco Chill system from Cimco Refrigeration, will be given a workout by Toronto Maple Leaf Mike Komisarek and Carlton the Bear, former Olympic skater Steven Cousins, 2010 Team Canada player Becky Kellar and former Maple Leaf Steve Thomas.
Other skating performances will be presented by the Markham and Unionville skating clubs, with speed skating relay and ice sculpting demonstrations as well.
Australian tenor Tim McCallum will set the mood and a community skate and fireworks will follow.
The party, previously budgeted at about $20,000, is expected to attract about 2,000 people.
Mayor Scarpitti said while the construction of the ice rink was aimed to increase recreational opportunities in the community, he anticipates other people from the region, North York and Scarborough will use it, too. It will be a cultural and local tourism destination, the mayor said.
The Civic Centre celebration is 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by public skating to 10 p.m.
Bring your own skates.
The rink will remain open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, December to March.

Asif Khan, ABR
www.asifkhan.ca
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.
Re/Max Hall of Fame

CBC News: Dec 6, 2011 The Bank of Canada on Tuesday has held its benchmark interest rate steady at one per cent, with the central bank warning that the country's economy is performing slightly better than expected but will soon change.

It's the 10th consecutive policy meeting that the central bank has stood pat."Uncertainty around the global economic outlook has increased," the bank said in its latest policy decision. "Conditions in global financial markets have deteriorated as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe has deepened."

The bank's target for the overnight rate is the rate at which banks borrow for short-term loans. Many other interest rates in the consumer sphere are correlated to it, so it is the central bank's best weapon for heating up or cooling down the economy.

Although the bank has held the benchmark interest rate steady, it also added a cautionary note.

"The weaker external outlook is expected to dampen GDP [gross domestic product] in Canada through financial, confidence and trade channels," the bank said.

"The economy also continues to face competitiveness challenges, including persistent strength of the Canadian dollar.... Reflecting all of these factors, the bank has decided to maintain the target for the overnight rate at one per cent."

Bank to monitor global economy
Choosing to hold steady is another signal that the bank remains concerned about the state of the global economy, but not enough to make credit cheaper to obtain than it already is.

"The bank will continue to monitor carefully economic and financial developments in the Canadian and global economies …and set monetary policy consistent with achieving the two per cent inflation target over the medium term," the bank said.

The central bank raised its target for the overnight lending rate to its current level from 0.75 per cent in September 2010.

The bank meets every six weeks to decide on its interest rate policy. Its governors are next scheduled to meet on Jan 17.

Asif Khan, ABR
www.asifkhan.ca
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.
Re/Max Hall of Fame

Mississauga, ON (December 6, 2011) - Canadian residential real estate defied conventional logic and outperformed expectations in 2011, posting another solid year of housing activity virtually across the board. The trend is expected to carry forward into 2012 as Canadians continue to demonstrate their faith in homeownership, despite concerns over the European debt crisis and its impact on the global economy, according to a report released by RE/MAX.

The RE/MAX Housing Market Outlook 2012 examined trends and developments in 26 major markets across the country. Eighty-eight per cent (23/26) anticipated average price increases by year-end 2011 - with percentage hikes ranging from one to 16 per cent. The forecast for 2012 shows the upward trend moderating, but still ahead of 2011 figures. Overall home sales are expected to remain on par or ahead of last year's levels in 85 per cent (22/26) of markets in 2011 - including Saskatoon with a year-over-year percentage increase of 13 per cent and an eight per cent uptick in Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton-Burlington and Sudbury. Almost half of Canadian markets will match the 2011 performance, while the remainder should post increases ranging from one to five per cent next year.

Asif Khan, ABR
www.asifkhan.ca
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.
Re/Max Hall of Fame

Here's something special that Wilf, a good friend of mine, forwarded to me earlier this evening. The Late Andy Rooney saw day-to-day life in its simplest terms. He had a gift of being able to say so much in so few words. He was a true student of human nature and, should we choose to heed his simple words of advice, we'll most probably find ourselves content, accepting and happy. His words are now known as Rooneyisms. Take the time to read these and you'll come away with an enlightened perspective on day-to-day subjects.

Enjoy - his words are golden.     
 

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned.... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile..

I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned..... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

I'm sure that by just reading the above words of a great man, you've been enlightened just as much as I have been. Sometimes we forget to enjoy the important things in life while getting caught up in the not so important. All the above sayings tug at our heart strings. Which one got you the most? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Asif

Asif Khan, ABR
Re/Max Hall of Fame
Re/Max Chairman's Club
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc., Brokerage
905-888-6222

Battered Research in Motion is hoping to leverage its’ shining reputation for wireless security, even if it means letting competitors into the fold.
RIM announced that it will be upgrading its’ Global Enterprise server. This server is generally used by companies to make sure that sensitive information does not go beyond their employees’ reach.

In addition to RIM products, this server will accommodate iPads, and iPhones, as well as Google’s Android.

“Building on years of leading enterprise mobility management solutions from RIM, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will simplify the management of smartphones and tablets running BlackBerry, Google Android and Apple iOS operating systems.”

The hope is that customers, no matter what their product allegiance will come to rely on the security of RIM’s server.

“We are pleased to introduce BlackBerry Mobile Fusion – RIM’s next generation enterprise mobility solution – to make it easier for our business and government customers to manage the diversity of devices in their operations today,” said Alan Panezic, Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at Research In Motion.

“BlackBerry Mobile Fusion brings together our industry-leading BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology for BlackBerry devices with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices, all managed from one web-based console. It provides the necessary management capabilities to allow IT departments to confidently oversee the use of both company-owned and employee-owned mobile devices within their organizations.”

RIM is also banking on the release of this new server to help buoy Playbook sales, which have been considerably limper than they had hoped. The launch of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, slated for early 2012, is set to coincide with an upgrade to the Playbook, which will likely now offer its’ own email application.

Asif Khan, ABR
www.asifkhan.ca
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.
Re/Max Hall of Fame

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kevin Frayer

TORONTO — The safest place to drive in Ontario -- it's Brockville.

An insurance company says Brockville has the lowest collision rate of 45 Ontario communities surveyed in its Ontario Safe Driving Study.

Rounding out the five safest communities in the Allstate Canada survey are Welland, Chatham, Amherstburg and St. Thomas.

Five Greater Toronto Area communities -- Bolton, Markham, Toronto, Thornhill and Brampton -- had the highest collision rates in the province.

Northern Ontario continues to be the region where drivers have the lowest crash frequency rate, with Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Greater Sudbury all in the top 10.

Belleville topped the previous list but dropped to 13th place, while North Bay dropped from 14th spot to 32nd.

The Ontario Safe Driving Study looked at collision frequencies and ranked them based on Allstate Canada claims data for 2009-2011 and also compared them to data from 2007-2009.

Only communities where Allstate Canada insured a minimum of 900 cars between 2009 and 2011 are ranked and rankings were based solely on Allstate Canada's car collision frequency data.

Allstate said collision rates in the province dropped seven per cent from 2007-09 to 2009-11.

"We are pleased to see the overall decrease in Ontario's collision rate and hope to see this trend continue," said Tony Irwin, spokesperson for Allstate Canada.

There will be an event Tuesday in Brockville to congratulate the city's drivers for having Ontario's lowest collision rate.

Remember last week when I saw the under-cover York Region Police minivans? Here's an article from the Economist & Sun on the very subject.....
 

Bernie O'Neill
Markham Economist & Sun

Do we really need cops in soccer mom vans?
 
Do you ever wonder what the state of modern policing is or, in fact, what the state of Canadian society is, when you see a driver pulled over by a car that is not your typical police car?
And I don’t mean an “unmarked car”, in the sense it is a police cruiser with more subdued markings.
I mean a car that is just like your car or my car.
I’ve noticed a silver Dodge Caravan that has pulled over any number of drivers in Markham.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think some soccer mom had pulled over to help a hockey dad or ballet mom whose GPS had broken.
You get the idea parents have this sort of mental telepathy for each other.
“That guy looks like he’s looking for the arena,” you say to your passenger.
“How can you tell?”
“You mean other than the hockey sticks in the back of the van, the Leafs vanity licence plate, the dealership sticker from Georgina, the Tim Hortons mug on the dash and the incredible wear and tear on that thing, which looks like it has been driven all over York Region the past three months? Plus, he’s slowing down near every large building he passes. I can tell he’s lost. I can feel his anguish as if it were my own.”
At the stop sign, you roll down your window and offer, “Are you looking for the hockey rink?”
However, inside this soccer mom/hockey dad van is a York Regional Police officer. He’s not looking for the hockey rink. He’s looking for other people looking for the hockey rink who are trying to get there an hour before game time as per team policy and who may have broken the speed limit (or called home on the cellphone in a panic for further directions).
From what I have seen, this more-or-less undercover police officer (his cover being he is just a regular van driver) is doing quite a brisk business.
Because the truth is people don’t follow the speed limits or other laws, for any number of reasons.
I’ve already stated in a previous column I think in a lot of places the speed limits are too low.
At the same time, I’m not a fan of people who drive as if they are on their video game console playing Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.
When people driving like that get pulled over, it brings me joy. Same for armed robbers, violent thugs, fraud artists, terrorists and the like.
I just suspect it is a lot of people who are law-abiding citizens being nabbed in minor violations of the law by these acts of stealth by our own police force, who we’re paying to protect us from real law breakers.
It’s as if they decided they have probable cause to spy on every one of us.  Is this what we want our police force doing?
I’ve always thought the police should be visible, in clearly marked vehicles — that is a deterrent to crime as much as anything else, and an inspiration of confidence in the community.
We’ve paid a lot for these police officers, so where are they? They should be out in the open, in uniform, in clearly marked vehicles for all to see — not hiding behind the trees or billboards in unmarked cars or vans.
I also believed in the notion that, if you were ever to need a police officer, you could find one if one was in the area. You could see the clearly marked car or officer in uniform.
Now I suppose if you’re being mugged or assaulted or see a crime has been committed, you look for the silver soccer mom van on the assumption there’s a police officer inside (or that a highly capable soccer mom could save you, which is probably true).
Not to be too melodramatic, but you see people all over the world risking their lives for their freedoms. Yet our freedoms seem to be chiselled away bit by bit here without much justification.

Markham Economist & Sun

Seven Markham schools were recognized as being among the best elementary schools in the province at the annual Awards for Excellence in Education Thursday.
École élementaire catholique Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys was second runner-up in the category Excellence in Language Arts and received a $1,000 prize.
Other Markham schools named Schools of Distinction in this category were St. Justin Martyr Catholic Elementary School, William Berczy Public School, Roy H. Crosby Public School, Bayview Glen Public School and Stonebridge Public School.
Coledale, Bayview Glen, Roy H. Crosby, St. Justin Martyr and William Berczy also received recognition in the category of Excellence in Mathematics.
The awards, presented by the Fraser Institute since 2005, are based on an analysis of student results data from the Education Quality and Accountability Office assessment.
Out of 2,733 elementary schools whose test results were analyzed, only the top 30 performers in each category were invited to participate in the awards.
Honourees include school teams from public, private and Catholic schools, urban and rural schools, and schools serving families with moderate incomes as well as those serving more affluent families.
Check out the complete list of winning schools at www.forexcellenceineducation.org.
 

Asif Khan, ABR
Member of Re/Max Hall of Fame
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc., Brokerage
905-888-6222

Markham Economist and Sun November 24, 2011

Buttonville airport could close as early as 2013 to make way for a massive redevelopment that will include a cinema, office and retail space, residential and possibly a 60-storey tower.
The $4-billion joint investment between Cadillac Fairview and the Sifton family’s Armadale Properties calls for a transit-oriented downtown ambiance with an iconic building for Markham, planning consultant Don Given said Tuesday.
If Markham council wanted it, a 60-storey “elegant point tower” can be erected on the site to become “a beacon at the end of (Hwy.) 404”, Mr. Given told town councillors.
“That’s not Markham,” Mr. Given said of the building height. “But if you want one, we can do it.”
Local Councillor Alan Ho said he would like the 60-storey tower to become a good example in Markham of how parking wouldn’t be a problem.
The Buttonville concept plan includes more than 8 million square feet, which could also include a hotel, health club and convention space. It also features a lake abutting Hwy. 404.
The proposed water feature could be used for recreational activities, such as dragon boat races and kayaking, Mr. Given said.
“It’s going to be more than a business park — it’ll have character,” he said, adding the site will remain largely in private ownership, with Cadillac Fairview footing costs of future programming there.
While Mr. Given describes the lands as “the last truly great site” in the GTA, access to Hwy. 404 and transit will be challenges, he added.
Solutions could include Viva routes through the Buttonville site and to the TTC’s Don Mills Station, the extension of Allstate Parkway, widening of 16th Avenue, direct connection from Hwy. 404 interchange to the site and a new east-west connection from Woodbine Avenue, Mr. Given said.
The plans also includes an aggressive construction start in 2013 and occupancy by 2015, in time for the Pan Am Games.
He said employees and tenants of the Buttonville airport have already been notified of the airport’s 2013 closure.
He also said the not-yet-built Pickering airport is intended to replace Buttonville airport.
“The two can’t compete with each other,” Mr. Given said, adding other locations in the play for Buttonville airport’s relocation include Barrie and Oshawa.
Last summer, Transport Canada identified the contentious Pickering lands as a prime location in the Golden Horseshoe for a new airport as early as 2027.
However, Derek Sifton, president of Toronto Airways Ltd., which owns and operates Buttonville airport, said at the time his family would like to transfer Buttonville airport to Pickering as soon as operations end in Markham.
The Buttonville redevelopment plan was well received by town councillors, with Deputy Mayor Jack Heath asking staff to report back on transit and Pickering airport issues.
 

Asif Khan, ABR
Member of Re/Max Hall of Fame
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc., Brokerage
905-888-6222