Category Archives: Info Updates

Three Ontario REALTOR® Associations Integrate MLS® Systems

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The REALTOR® Associations of Grey-Bruce Owen Sound, Muskoka-Haliburton-Orillia (The Lakelands) and Southern Georgian Bay recently completed the database integration of their respective MLS® Systems providing a combined membership of over 1,500 with the ability to seamlessly search property listings across all three Boards. The integrated systems are hosted by Millennium Real Estate Solutions, a subsidiary of Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies.

From left to right, Presidents: Kevin Woolham, Southern Georgian Bay Association of REALTORS®, Karen Cox, REALTORS® Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound, Mike Stahls, Muskoka Haliburton Orillia – The Lakelands Association of REALTORS®

This project represents a huge benefit for buyers. It removes the technology-imposed borders which previously restricted property search capabilities of Buyer Representatives to a single Board jurisdiction. Property Sellers will also benefit as their listings will now have greater exposure to potential buyers, without the added cost of placing listings on multiple MLS® Systems.

The data integration represents a substantial undertaking for the three participating Associations and Millennium Real Estate Solutions, who performed the integration. Unrestricted access for the REALTOR® members of these Associations now covers a vast area of central Ontario. The searchable area includes properties in Bruce and Grey Counties, parts of Simcoe County, the District Municipality of Muskoka, Haliburton County and portions of Parry Sound District. The boundaries include Lake Huron in the west from Point Clark in the South and Tobermory in the North; along the shorelines of Georgian Bay from Tobermory down to Collingwood and back up to Go Home Bay, Sundridge to the north; Wilberforce in Haliburton Highlands to the east, Gamebridge to the south-east of Orillia, with Clearview, Grey Highlands and upper Wellington County to the south.

It’s now mandatory. Do you have one?

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A new law making carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in all Ontario homes went into effect last Wednesday.

The new regulation, which became effective on October 15, updates Ontario’s Fire Code following the passage of Bill 77 last year. These updates are based on recommendations from a Technical Advisory Committee which was led by the Office of the Fire Marshall and Emergency Management and included experts from fire services, the hotel and rental housing industries, condo owners and alarm manufacturers.

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week will take place November 1-8, 2014

Bill 77 is also known as the Hawkins-Gignac Act. It is named after a Woodstock family. OPP Const. Laurie Hawkins, her husband Richard and their two children, Cassie and Jordan died in a tragic carbon monoxide leak in their home in December 2007. They did not have a carbon monoxide alarm.

Carbon monoxide detectors will now be required near all sleeping areas in residential homes and in the service rooms, and adjacent sleeping areas in multi-residential units. Carbon monoxide alarms can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into the wall.

Quick Facts

  • Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and tasteless.
  • More than 50 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning in Canada, including 11 on average in Ontario.
  • Bill 77, an Act to Proclaim Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week and to amend the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, received royal assent in December 2013.
  • The first Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week will take place November 1-8, 2014.
  • The Ontario Building Code requires the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in homes and other residential buildings built after 2001.

Safety Tips

Below are some carbon monoxide safety tips, provided by the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education:

  • Install at least one CSA-6.19.01 approved carbon monoxide detector outside bedrooms. However, it is advised to install one on every floor.
  • Check the expiry date of existing detector and replace any devices built before 2008. Alarms need to be replaced every 7-10 years depending on the brand.
  • Have a licensed technician inspect your fuel burning appliances (re. furnace, range, fireplace, water heater) annually, to ensure they are in proper working order and vented correctly.
  • For families with older parents or relatives, help them inspect their detectors.
  • Replace batteries in your detector annually, or opt for models with 10-year sealed lithium batteries that never need to be changed.
  • When a detector sounds, make sure everyone is out of the house and call 911. Exposure to carbon monoxide reduces a person”s ability to think clearly, so don”t delay clearing out.

Kidde Canada has published a very helpful CO information sheet and law guide in PDF format. It is available on their website.

Another great website with valuable information is safeathome.ca. They also have a very good CO Safety Guide in PDF format.

CREA update – changes to REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca apps

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CREA has updated REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca apps. These upgrades will be rolled out throughout April on the following schedule:

  1. REALTOR.ca for iPad v1.2 (available April 7)
  2. REALTOR.ca Android v1.2 (April 7)
  3. ICX.ca iPhone v1.2 (April 8)
  4. REALTOR.ca iPhone v2.0 (April 10): Note that this release is a completely new design that fully leverages the Apple iOS7 user experience and more responsive Apple maps.

The following new features, and many more, have been included in all the apps:

  • Ability to switch between metric & imperial at a touch;
  • User Education overlay, to more easily introduce new features;
  • Support multimedia links from REALTORS® such as additional pictures, videos and house tours;
  • The REALTOR.ca apps have a new mortgage calculator. If you save your settings, we’ll show you potential mortgage payment for every property you view. This feature is not available on the ICX.ca app.

Check out the latest version of the mobile apps in April by visiting the mobile page on the REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca websites.