This December experience the magic of the season at Casa Loma’s spectacular Holiday Light Tour. Wander through a dazzling lighting display in the gardens and tunnels, all decorated for the festive season. Designed as a self-guided walk, guests stroll through the property’s grounds while enjoying the spectacular decorations and outdoor lighting displays in a safe environment.

Casa Loma’s Holiday Light Tour runs from December 3rd, 2020 – January 3rd, 2021 (including Christmas Day, December 25th) and opens at 4 PM (ET) Daily.

Don’t miss out on Front Of The Line® Presale tickets.
Tickets* on sale between NOW and Tuesday, November 17 until 11:59 PM (ET) to American Express Cardmembers.

https://www.ticketweb.ca/…/casa-loma-holiday…/10773865

Though the pandemic has put a damper on everyone’s holiday plans — and really, all plans in general — this year, organizers have been getting pretty darn creative with festive events.

One of the big trends of 2020 has been drive-thru versions of anything from zoos to Halloween installations to Christmas lights shows, and Toronto is about to be home to yet another one, this time at the Scarborough Bluffs.

The Bluffs Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru Experience is set to include an entire kilometre of more than 50,000 wintry lights around the iconic natural attraction that residents can meander through from the warmth and safety of their cars.

Hit up Reindeer Way, Snowman City, the Enchanted Forest and Santa’s House, where they can stop to snap pics and have a distanced meet-and-greet with the big man himself.

Kids will also have a chance to leave a personal letter to Santa in his mailbox at the end of the exhibit in lieu of the tradition of sitting on his lap, and they will actually receive a response from him in the mail a few weeks later.

Entries will be pre-booked and timed so that participants can enjoy what feels like a private, fully contact-free show while also maintaining plenty of physical distancing.

The entire experience, organized by the Toronto Beaches Lions Club, will be complemented by a special radio station dedicated to cheery holiday tunes to keep everyone in the spirit as they drive by 100 decorated Christmas trees, through a light tunnel, and past a whole slew of illuminated Yuletide fixtures including reindeer, snowmen, and sleighs.

Tickets are $25 per car for the event, which will only be running on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings after dark. It officially kicks off on Nov. 27 and will end shortly before Christmas, on Dec. 20. — blogTO

If someone in your building tests positive for the coronavirus, management is not legally required to inform you – Richard Trapunski for NOW Magazine

Q: What do I do if someone in my condo community tests positive or is self-isolating because they have symptoms of COVID-19? Is there a requirement for my landlord or building management to inform me?

This question is top of mind for many Torontonians – and pinned to the top of condo residents Facebook groups. Canadians are being instructed to practise safe physical distancing, but with so many people living in high-rises it’s all but impossible to stay completely distant from your neighbours.

Even if a community decides to close shared amenities, there are still common spaces everyone uses – hallways, elevators, mailboxes and garbage chutes.

So if someone in your building tests positive for the coronavirus, is management required to tell you? Not legally, no.

According to Toronto Public Health spokesperson and associate medical officer of health Dr. Vinita Dubey, living in the same building as someone with COVID-19 does not officially put you at risk. But contact tracing is a critical part of TPH’s response to the virus.

“When a positive COVID-19 case is confirmed in Toronto, we immediately begin an investigation to interview the person and determine where they may have gotten the infection and identify their close contacts. We follow up directly with the person’s close contacts to assess potential risk and provide further instructions, as needed,” she says in a statement to NOW.

That includes potentially asking close contacts to self-isolate for 14 days and call Telehealth Ontario, their local health care provider or health unit. But just living in the same community or building is not considered close contact, though COVID-19 has started to spread through community transmission.

“Since COVID-19 is not spread through the air, other residents in a building are not considered at risk if there is a case in a building,” she continues. “Only those who have close and prolonged contact with a case are considered at risk.”

TPH put together an Infection Prevention and Control fact sheet for property owners, managers, hotel management and cleaning/facilities staff for commercial and residential buildings. Recommendations include asking staff to regularly wash their hands and stay home if sick, wear gloves and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in common areas like light switches, door knobs and elevator buttons – above and beyond routine cleaning, twice per day and when visibly dirty. Officials also suggest providing hand sanitizer in common areas and for staff and avoiding the unit of anyone self-isolating (for repairs, showings, etc).

“We recognize that living in close proximity in a condo community can increase the risk of transmission,” says a spokesperson for the Condominium Authority of Ontario, which provides services, resources and training for condo owners, directors and residents.

The CAO encourages condo communities to take extra steps beyond what’s required, including closing amenities and shared facilities, postponing condo board meetings (or conducting them electronically) and regularly communicating with owners and residents.

Privacy is a factor that also has to be weighed, which can sometimes cause confusion. City bylaws require tenants to be properly notified about things like emergency contacts and service disruptions, but not a specific person’s health or well-being.

At CityPlace, a large master-planned downtown condo community and one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Toronto, residents of the four buildings known as Harbour View Estates were sent a notice that there was one confirmed case of COVID-19. The initial letter did not specify which building the person lived in, citing privacy advice given by the property management company, but was later amended to specify the address.

Geordie Dent, executive director of the Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations, agrees with TPH and the CAO that tenants deserve transparency in communication, but says the specifics aren’t the issue.

“The thing that people have to understand is: you shouldn’t worry if somebody in your building has this virus, because somebody in your building does have this virus,” says Dent. “Unless you’re living in a one-unit building, the nature of asymptomatic carriers means that someone’s probably got it and they don’t know and they could be spreading it around.”

For Dent, who represents the rights of tenants in the city, landlords should be acting as if someone in their building has the virus whether or not they actually test positive – especially considering the province is only testing so many people.

His association has received a variety of complaints from tenants about improper cleaning and unsafe behaviour by landlords, barring residents who have travelled from their units to closing shared laundry rooms and forcing people onto the subway and out into public laundromats. (The organization has put together a collection of resources for renters.)

In 2017, the city established RentSafeTO, a bylaw enforcement program to ensure safety and maintenance standards for tenants in buildings that are three or more storeys and 10 or more units. The program includes a bylaw requiring landlords to develop and implement a clear and direct cleaning plan and keep records of cleaning activity, including inspecting common areas daily for cleanliness.

A representative from the city says they’ve requested landlords and owners adopt new health and safety measures to respond to COVID-19, including: placing hand sanitizer or hand-washing stations at building entrances, posting signage limiting the number of people in common areas to retain two metres of distance between people and ensuring the building is equipped to handle essential deliveries.

RentSafe has been criticized by people like city councillor Josh Matlow for neglecting to audit the buildings registered in the program, which means cleaning plans have not been enforced at many condos and apartments. And, Dent says, that’s left them woefully unprepared for COVID-19.

“The city implementation of that has been a disaster,” he says. “I’m sad to say that, given the timing, unfortunately their failure on that has consequences.”

One thing you can do as a tenant is call or email your landlord, condo board or property manager and ask if they’re following TPH and RentSafeTO’s guidelines or if there is a specific plan for your building. And make sure you’re following the guidelines yourself: limit physical contact with other tenants, wash your hands for 20 seconds after touching any surface and self-isolate if you’ve been travelling or are exhibiting symptoms.

Some residents’ associations have even created ad-hoc volunteer boards to help out with groceries and other support for fellow tenants who might need it – elderly or immunocompromised people or even those in quarantine. We’re all in this together.

See the details, colors and materials found in the kitchen photos that captivated Houzz users most this year

In looking at the most popular kitchen photos uploaded to Houzz in 2019, it’s clear that quartz countertops, Shaker-style cabinets and large islands are major design favorites. Those elements are featured in almost every kitchen in the following countdown of the top 10 kitchen photos. Kitchens that mix it up with two-tone cabinets and multiple counter materials also have a strong showing in the high spots. See which kitchen is your favorite.

 

10. Teal and Taupe
In Pittsburgh, this renovated kitchen designed by You-Neek Designs and built by Prime 1 Builders radiates classic style with Shaker cabinets and polished cup pulls.

The two-tone cabinets (painted in Jasper Stone for the lowers and Mindful Gray for the uppers, both by Sherwin-Williams), mixed-tile backsplash and artisan-made pendant lights are unexpected, contemporary touches.

 

9. Black-and-White Jewel Box
This kitchen by Victoria Highfill in Bowling Green, Kentucky, nails a dramatic black-and-white cabinet color combination. Black also acts as an accent, outlining the upper cabinets and windows, emphasizing the range hood and making the hardware and accessories pop.

Gold-tone light fixtures, bar stool bases and other decorative accessories further elevate the drama and elegance.

 

8. Fifth-Wall Drama
This kitchen in Kansas City, Kansas, by KC Drafting & Design commands attention with its eye-catching wood-paneled tray ceiling. The counters, cabinets and backsplash are done in soft, muted colors that recede and allow the ceiling to stand out, while the wood floor echoes the ceiling’s warm hues.

You can see that the adjacent dining room also features a dramatic tray ceiling, but with a slightly different treatment that creates a distinct space.

 

7. Cozy Layers and Textures
If you’re thinking you might be ready to go dark with your cabinets and counters, this stunning white kitchen by Marianne Simon Design may convince you to stick with lighter hues.

A beamed ceiling, woven bell pendants and rich floor coverings pop against the white backdrop, adding layers of texture and warmth. The cabinet and sink’s gold-colored hardware echoes that of the La Cornue range and elevates the design.

 

6. Rustic Farmhouse Refresh
After a fire destroyed the 18th-century farmhouse on this Massachusetts property during the renovation, designer Jess Cooney worked with the homeowners to create a new home that perfectly suits their style and also nods to the site’s history. Cooney worked with the architects at Clark + Green, who transformed her vision into drawings.

The designer used plastered walls (painted in Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore) and unfinished reclaimed-wood beams and flooring to give this new kitchen in the Berkshires a classic farmhouse feel. Other elements, including the overhead lanterns and reclaimed-wood island, add to the rustic country aesthetic.

Pietra Cardosa stone, a resilient natural stone that resembles soapstone, was used for the island and custom farmhouse sink. Danby marble from nearby Vermont covers the perimeter counters and backsplash, its veining picking up the dark hue of the Pietra Cardosa.

Cabinet paint: Ammonite, Farrow & Ball

 

5. Natural Brick Accent
Designer Lisa Furey used Savannah Grey brick, sage-green cabinets and quartersawn oak flooring to give this new-build home in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a heritage feel.

An interior window painted an inky gray (Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore) overlooks a homework room and allows the homeowners to check on their kids while in the kitchen. The counters are white quartz.

 

4. Crisp White Meets Dramatic Black
Black hardware, light fixtures and appliances stand out against crisp white cabinets and quartz counters in this kitchen by The TomKat Studio in Chandler, Arizona. Designer Kimberley Stoegbauer used black-and-white marble tile for the backsplash, tying the design’s two dominant colors together with one pattern.

Dark engineered-hardwood flooring, which flows into the adjacent rooms, warms up and enriches the space.

 

3. Model-Home Standout
To make this model-home kitchen stand out in a housing community in Frisco, Texas, Christina Wilcocks with design assistant Elena Liz, both of Normandy Homes, started by giving the cabinets a dash of drama with nearly black paint (Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams). They used the same color on interior doors and other accents around the house.

Natural dolomite countertops — with veining that picks up the cabinet color — and a Calacatta marble backsplash brighten the room and heighten the drama. The designers painted the wall next to the range and the interiors of the glass-front cabinets in Extra White by Sherwin-Williams to create a smooth transition for the marble backsplash in a cost-effective way.

Custom cabinets: Chandler Cabinets

 

2. Open and Fresh
Crisp white Shaker cabinets, glossy subway tile, floating shelves and European oak flooring give this kitchen uploaded to Houzz by Cornerstone Construction and Property Services in Newport Beach, California, a fresh, classic feel. (The panoramic waterfront view doesn’t hurt, either.)

The dark island (Charcoal Smudge by Dunn-Edwards Paints) features a light Cardellino marble countertop, and the white perimeter cabinets are topped with a dark gray quartz. The same quartz runs along the edge of the range hood.

 

1. Light, Bright and Dressed Up
This kitchen in New Braunfels, Texas, by MSA Architecture + Interiors has had a lot of people dreaming — and saving — this year. It’s the most popular kitchen photo uploaded to Houzz in 2019. It’s also the most popular photo overall uploaded to the site this year.

Ceiling-height white Shaker-style cabinets (painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams) and black granite perimeter cabinets offer a clean backdrop to the dark island (Gravel Gray by Benjamin Moore) and dramatic Florida quartzite island countertop.

Gold-tone hardware, glass globe pendants and a glossy herringbone tile backsplash dress up the space, while engineered wire-brushed European oak flooring anchors it.

This is the personal home of Keith Wing, owner of Keith Wing Custom Builders in New Braunfels, Texas. For a time Wing had his office in this home, so clients visiting him often remarked on certain design features and requested those from Wing in their own homes. “From the kitchen to the gym, it’s replicated a lot,” Wing says. Personally, Wing’s favorite part of this kitchen is the 60-inch Thermador range with a griddle.

Quote from: October 18, 1929, Lord Sankey, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain

October 18 is Persons Day in Canada!

Famous 5 Foundation: ‘Persons’ Case 90^th Anniversary, October 18^th, 2019.
Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney & Emily Murphy will be celebrated in Olympic Plaza, Calgary.

Persons Day

Courtesy of Government of Canada — Status of Women Canada

It marks the day in 1929 when the historic decision to include women in the legal definition of “persons” was handed down by Canada’s highest court of appeal. This gave women the right to be appointed to the Senate of Canada and paved the way for women’s increased participation in public and political life.

Each year, the Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case are awarded in the fall as part of Canada’s Persons Day celebrations.

The History of the Persons Case

In Canada, the British North America Act (BNA Act) of 1867 set out the powers and responsibilities of the provinces and of the federal government. The Act used the word “persons” when referring to more than one person and “he” when referring to one person. Many argued the Act implicitly stated that only a man could be a person, which prevented women from participating fully in politics or affairs of state.

Governments also used the “persons” argument to keep women out of important positions. If the word “person” applied only to men, then the stipulation that only “qualified persons” could be appointed to the Senate of Canada meant that only men could be appointed.

In 1927, five women – who have since become known as the Famous Five – launched a legal challenge that would mark a turning point for equality rights in Canada. Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards were journalists, politicians, reformers and activists from Alberta who asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the following question: does the word “person” in Section 24 of the BNA Act include female persons? After five weeks of debate, the Supreme Court decided that the word “person” did not include women.

Although shocked by the Court’s decision, the Famous Five did not give up the fight and took their case to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of Great Britain in London, which was then Canada’s highest court of appeal.

On October 18, 1929, Lord Sankey, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, announced the decision:

“The exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours. And to those who would ask why the word ‘person’ should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it not?”

With this milestone victory, the Famous Five not only won the right for women to serve in the Senate, but also helped pave the way for women to participate equally in all aspects of life in Canada.