Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Toronto Life

CREATED FOR Many Torontonians are seeking additional living space—whether for a home office, for multi-generational housing or as a rental property for supplementary income. An ideal scenario would be to build an additional dwelling in your backyard that could meet this need with a stress-free, sustainable and design-focused solution. Enter: Happi Builds. As Toronto’s leader in prefabricated backyard housing, also known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs) or garden and laneway suites, Happi Builds, in collaboration with R-Hauz, uses innovative climate-friendly technologies to deliver a seamless customer-focused experience. From initial consultation, property assessment, design and permit approvals, to assembly, construction and delivery, Happi Builds offers a full-service solution for sustainable backyard housing. And the timing could not be better to consider an ADU in Toronto. In February 2022, the city passed…

Every month, TL Insiders enjoy terrific experiences and events across the city. More than 1,000 Torontonians have already signed up, and you can too! Members get front-of-the-line access to cultural events and private dining experiences plus exclusive invitations to Toronto Life’s salon-like discussion series. Membership is only $75 a year—so sign up today and rediscover the city as a member. Don’t miss out. Sign up at: members.torontolife.com COFFEE KLATCH: Barocco Coffee hosted a fun evening filled with coffee knowledge and home-brewing recipes from their head roaster, Noah Walker. TL Insiders learned all about brewing techniques and took home an Aeropress as well as a fresh bag of limited-edition Barocco Coffee beans. SLICE OF LIFE: At an intimate multi-course pizza party hosted by Danny’s Pizza Tavern, under the instruction of head…

First phase of construction complete WHEN WESTBANK CORPORATION announced that it would raze Honest Ed’s to make room for a new development, Torontonians let out a collective sigh—yet another downtown institution demolished to make room for what we assumed would be yet another soulless condo tower. But Mirvish Village is an indisputable improvement. The site will feature hundreds of affordable rental units, its own indoor-outdoor entertainment complex, and a collection of buzzy restaurants and bars housed inside a building aptly dubbed “The Kitchen.” Westbank also recreated the spirit of the original neighbourhood with a neon-laden alley where 25 retailers can hawk their wares from micro-storefronts. Saying goodbye to Ed’s may not be so bittersweet after all.…

BRENDAN AND DEVINA SAMIS knew that their dream home didn’t exist. Brendan, a software salesman and avowed techie, imagined a space so futuristic that it would still feel cutting-edge in 50 years. Devina, a manager at a tech company, was on board—so long as their new home didn’t look like a Star Trek set. To get it right, they decided to create it themselves. In 2020, the couple bought a 1,200-square-foot corner bungalow in Etobicoke for just under $1 million and set aside another million to transform it into a stylish, state-of-the-art smart home. Their vision: a space brimming with ultra-modern tech concealed within sleek, timeless decor. “Neither my wife nor I are designers or builders,” says Brendan. “But we are problem solvers.” Some of the home’s high-tech features are…

Everyone within a 200-kilometre radius of Toronto has an opinion about the Greenbelt. Some people believe that its two million acres of farmland, rivers, forests, wetlands and lakes are an irreplaceable natural resource and must remain protected at all costs. Others argue that the Greenbelt limits the supply of housing and drives up real estate prices. It’s the most polarizing issue to hit the GTA since amalgamation. When the province created the Greenbelt, in 2005, the goal was to limit urban sprawl and prevent further loss of farmland. After years of promising to uphold the policy, the Ford government reneged last November, announcing its intention to free up land from the Greenbelt to build 50,000 new homes—part of its More Homes Built Faster Act. The objections came fast and furious.…

First of all: What do you drive? I’ve been driving a Tesla Model 3 since 2019. I bought it because Tesla has the most experience with EVs and I was a fan of the founder back then. Now, he’s a lot more polarizing. What are the best and worst things about EVs? The best are that they’re climate friendly, quiet and smooth, and you don’t have to pump gas outside in sub-zero temperatures. As for the worst, wait times to purchase EVs can be long. What’s the coolest innovation to cross your desk in the past year? Many EVs on the market now have a very solid range—we’re talking over 400 kilometres. Drivers used to have this idea that they could end up stranded on the highway during a long…

ART An organic study of history and power KAPWANI KIWANGA: REMEDIATION Until July 23 | MOCA REMEDIATION IS THE FIRST major exhibition in Canada for Canadian-born, Paris-based artist Kapwani Kiwanga. Building on her acclaimed 2021 Flowers for Africa exhibition, this one takes stock of Kiwanga’s artistic output with a combination of new commissions and essential archival works. Through a selection of installations, sculptures, performances and multimedia pieces, Kiwanga continues to explore the relationships between botany, exploitation and resistance, illuminating the role of plant life in rejuvenating contaminated environments. A comedic show with a searing critique THEATRE Sizwe Banzi Is Dead May 25 to June 18 | Young Centre for the Performing Arts IN THE 1970S, long before he became known as T’Chaka in Marvel’s Black Panther and Captain America: Civil…

Star Struck Toronto Life readers apparently have strong feelings about the Toronto Star and its ownership—and they had thoughts about Jason McBride’s coverage of the fight for control of the paper. “No doubt about it. The business of journalism in this country is every bit as salacious and money-driven as corporate endeavours.”—@sophienadeau, Twitter “Looks like the Toronto Star is on life support.”—@Canadabuster, Twitter “This was one of my favourite issues of Toronto Life. Keep them coming!”—jenmckennitt, Instagram “Great article. Jason McBride tells a true story well. Filed under ‘not a happy couple.’”—couple.co, Instagram “Oh, rich, privileged white men with huge egos grabbing power. Like that story hasn’t been done to death. Don’t give them space, they don’t deserve it!”—blythe1spirit, Instagram “It’s perplexing that traditional media can’t get digital right. It’s…

If tennis is your uncle in a pressed shirt with a wine subscription, pickleball is your other uncle who wears Crocs and listens to Weird Al. It’s easy to learn, highly social and seriously fun. Demand for courts surged last summer, and the pickleball gods complied. Between public parks, rec facilities and dedicated clubs, there are now dozens of places to play in and around Toronto. Here’s everything to know before hitting the courts this season—and how best to swat the competition. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT Pickleball players are generally an easy-going bunch, but they do observe an unwritten code of conduct. Here, a few dos and don’ts of the sport DO: BE SOCIAL. Pickleball is about community. Bring the kids and the parents. It’s accessible for people of all ages…

ANDY BERRY Amazon’s The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh Dream job growing up: “A painter.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “A lot of people used to say that I look like Morrissey.” Favourite TV show right now: “I really enjoyed The Last of Us.” You wish you had worked on… “The Mandalorian. It would be great to have the chance to create a world like that.” Best place to film in Toronto: “Abandoned buildings, TTC tunnels, rooftops of towers—the kinds of places that few others get to see.” What people get wrong about your job: “Pretty much everything. Not even my mom understands what a production designer does. When you’re watching a film or TV show, everything except the actor and their costume was chosen or created by one of us.” First thing you do…

Construction to start in 2025 THE ORBIT is a futuristic smart community that wants to change the way we think about the burbs. The development will be located in Innisfil, about 100 kilometres north of Toronto, and early design plans look like something straight out of The Jetsons. Picture self-driving vehicles, drone ports, and every street, sidewalk and building interconnected by a fibre-optic network. The new neighbourhood will also be dense, packing 90,000 people into roughly 1,000 acres and preserving the surrounding agricultural land. The first step is to complete the new Innisfil GO train station, around which everything else will be built. Construction on the $29-million transit project is expected to start this year. Once it’s finished, trains will whisk commuters downtown every 15 minutes.…

Construction to start in 2024 THE NEW PROPOSED 11-storey building at Victoria Park and Lawrence Avenue East is designed to look like a laid-back vacation destination in Florida. The purpose-built rental complex is completely open air, with all of its corridors exposed to the elements. There’s a leafy courtyard at the centre of everything and vertical gardens throughout. The beach vibe is meant to encourage residents to socialize instead of just shuttling into and out of their units, studiously ignoring their neighbours. Now that’s a radical idea.…

IN 2018, I wanted to exchange our family Prius for a fully electric vehicle, but the wait time was so long that we opted for a Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid, using the provincial rebate of up to $14,000 (which was nixed later that year). In 2020, we took advantage of the $5,000 federal rebate and bought a fully electric Chevy Bolt for around $40,000 before discounts. We love the car, not only because it doesn’t pollute as much but also because of how affordable it is. I’m saving a ton of money on maintenance: there’s no need for oil changes, and it has fewer mechanical parts that are prone to break down than most gas-powered cars. I also save a lot on fuel. When I drive to work events,…

“I cut out the LCBO, restaurants and bars to save money” ZAC LOFEUDO, 29 WHAT HE DOES Mortgage broker WHAT HE MAKES $240,000 WHERE HE LIVES A three-bedroom condo at College and Spadina REGULAR EXPENSES MORTGAGE AND PROPERTY TAXES: $3,350 a month. “I bought my condo for $850,000 in June 2022. Now, I’m planning to sell it and purchase a detached home.” PHONE, INTERNET AND TV: $150 a month. “I have a basic plan with Bell for high-speed internet and unlimited phone data. I got a good deal for switching over from Rogers.” GROCERIES: $350 a month. “I buy lots of meat and vegetables, and cauliflower rice is one of my go tos. I also enjoy hosting friends and making something more exciting, like a roast or a lasagna from…

Our neighbour’s outdoor cat, Bowie, is a major nuisance. He terrorizes our dog, claws at our patio furniture and sneaks in the front door when we bring in groceries. The last time he intruded, he peed on our $1,200 rug, and other neighbours are having the same sorts of problems with him. When I texted the owners to complain, they asked if we were sure it was Bowie (we are) and then ghosted us. What now? —Herding Cats, Humewood UD: Bowie is marking his territory, but he should absolutely not be invading your property. Consider investing in home-security cameras, as video evidence may convince his owners of his crimes. You could also collaborate with your other neighbours. But, if multiple overtures fail, you’ll need to break out the cat repellent. Scents…

TORONTO’S REAL ESTATE game has been feeling pretty grim. The list of problems is long, bleak and all too real. Rents are skyrocketing. Home ownership feels increasingly out of reach. The city desperately needs more housing options, but where and what kind? Meanwhile, large-scale construction is expensive and environmentally fraught. Solutions—and action—seem to be in short supply. In light of these realities, it’s easy to be pessimistic. And yet, there are also reasons for optimism. The new Mirvish Village, which will be ready this year, is a master class in community-building, with more than one-third of its units designated as affordable housing. Waterfront Toronto finally has a plan to fix the city’s saddest stretch of shoreline, and it includes a one-acre rooftop farm, a new arts venue and a mini…

Construction to start in 2024; projected first occupancy in 2026 AFTER JENNIFER KEESMAAT left her job as Toronto’s chief urban planner in 2017, she travelled around the world, working in Vienna, Oslo and Shanghai. She returned to Toronto two years later to start her own development company, Markee, along with business partner Jason Marks, who was previously the CEO of Shiplake Properties. Their mission is to build affordable rental housing in our increasingly unaffordable city. One of Markee’s first projects is Tyndale Green, a 12-building, 1,500-unit development located on the Tyndale University campus, near Bayview and Steeles. Here, Keesmaat tells us more about her dream community. Travelling the world is a sweet gig. Why come back to Toronto? I wanted to build housing in my own city. All of Markee’s…

JACKSON WYATT has always had a thing for sustainability. His first company manufactured compostable alternatives to single-use plastic. The seven years he spent running it, before its sale in 2021, and the one year he spent stuck inside during the pandemic, helped spark his next big idea: sustainable affordable housing. “Everybody wants to do the environmental thing,” Wyatt says. “But, if it’s too complicated or expensive, they won’t stick with it.” In 2021, he launched CABN, which builds net-zero homes that don’t come with astronomical price tags. The prefabricated houses are available in four sizes ranging from one to four bedrooms. Their smallest house measures 540 square feet and costs $219,000; their largest is 1,850 square feet and costs $549,000. All their models are move-in ready in five weeks, in…

THE CASE AT THE HEART OF THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE A handgun is a finicky machine. About 50 components, some as small as a sesame seed, must work in perfect harmony to send a bullet screaming out of a barrel at 1,100 kilometres per hour. If any one of these screws, springs, pins or plugs is even a millimetre out of place, a gun may misfire or jam. If things are really out of whack, it will blow up in your hand. To keep their firearms in tip-top condition, hundreds of hunters, police officers, soldiers and sport shooters across southern Ontario trusted a grizzled septuagenarian gunsmith named Rodger Kotanko. He wore the same outfit every day: work boots, jogging pants, a T-shirt and a frayed plaid button-up. He operated at…

FOR TECH-HEADS Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4matic PRICE: $200,000 RANGE: 450 km SIZE: Four-door sedan SEXINESS SCALE: 7/10 FUN FEATURE The battery is in the vehicle’s underbody, resulting in a lower centre of mass and a sports car feel BIGGEST PITFALL The back seat ceiling is low; tall passengers are better off riding in the front BEST PERK The Hyperscreen—three monitors spread across the dashboard with entertainment features, basic driving information and a navigation system with augmented reality FOR PRAGMATISTS Ford F150 Lightning XLT PRICE: $80,000 RANGE: 370 km SIZE: Full-size truck SEXINESS SCALE: 8/10 BIGGEST PITFALL The wait list, which is currently anywhere from four months to a year BEST PERK Versatility: it can tow 7,700 lbs, drive for 370 km between charges and comfortably fit a family of five.…

IN 1978, I WAS A TOO-SERIOUS 18-year-old with a troubled home life chasing my acting dream. I’d performed in high school productions of Shakespeare, but my only TV experience was in a McHappy Day commercial, so I was thrilled when I was cast as Tess, one of five Irish girls in the CBC’s A Gift to Last, starring Gordon Pinsent. Gift was a three-season drama set in 1900, in the fictional town of Tamarack, Ontario. Gordon played the roguish Sergeant Edgar Sturgess, and his romantic interest, the Irish housemaid Sheila, had brought the girls from Ireland to work in town. We shot interior scenes in the CBC studios and exteriors in Kleinburg. On our first day, the Irish girls were led onto a soundstage where Gordon was in the middle…