muchmor

Canada issue 29 april 08

Subscribe for FREE at readmuchmor.com for your chance to win $50 Quickpay Tim Hortons Card

Ottawa’s Tulip Festival

we tiptoe through the tulips
Sandbanks Provincial Park
Prince Edward County, Ontario
Explore the Sunshine Coast
B.C’s stunning coastline
Lethbridge, Alberta
What can it offer you?
Moving with kids
will it make or break your family?
Attracting birds
tips for attracting birds to your garden
Plus muchmor.....

www.readmuchmor.com
2 Zoom Airlines

Up to 20%
discount on all Zoom
flights if you use our
discount code
MM2007ZA when
booking

This discount
offer will end April
28th 2008 - book now
to secure your
discount
 Contents 3

From the Editor.....

muchmor This month we have made a few changes to the content of muchmor
which we hope you will like. We will continue to give you as much
Muchmor Media information as possible about Canada and what this fabulous country has
17 Woody Woodward Lane
Corbyville RR1 to offer from motoring to recipes, travel to where to invest your money. If
Ontario
K0K 1V0 you have any ideas for articles or want to promote your community or local
Canada festival let us know.
Tel: 1 613 396 5531 This month we have feature articles such as how to attract birds to your
Fax: 1 613 396 5531 garden and moving with kids. We also explore the Sunshine Coast and
take a look at life in Lethbridge Alberta. The Ottewell family continue their
www.muchmormagazine.com story of moving to Canada from the UK and we offer you some tempting
Advertising: recipes to try at home.
sales@muchmormagazine.com
This month is the last opportunity to take advantage of the Zoom
Editorial: Airlines discount offer as it will end on April 28th. It is sad that Zoom have
editor@muchmormagazine.com
decided to withdraw their discount, but over 2,500 of you have taken
advantage of it in the last year, so many savings have been made by
Muchmor Magazine is a
publication of Muchmor Media. muchmor readers. We thank Zoom for this opportunity.
All rights reserved in all media. Happy reading…. Ed
No parts of this publication can
be reproduced in any form,
copied of stored electronically for
commercial use without prior
permission in writing from the Contents…
publisher. Storing for personal
use is acceptable.
Features
We are happy to make every The Sunshine Coast 6 Careers
effort to verify all the information
we publish, but products and Choose Lethbridge, Alberta 20 Working from home 32
prices do change. Muchmor Moving with kids 28
Magazine cannot accept
responsibility for any errors or Attracting birds to your
omissions or for any losses that Money
may arise as a result, but it is our garden 38
policy to correct any errors of Line of credit or a load? 34
fact whenever we can. Saving, the tax-free way 35
Discover Canada
The opinions of readers and their Tiptoe through the tulips 4
letters are not necessarily the Health and Wellness
opinions of Muchmor, and we Sandbanks Provincial Park 10
cannot be held responsible for Head Smashed in Buffalo A good night’s sleep 36
their comments.
Jump 14 New pap testing for women 37
MedicAlert funding for kids 37
Lifestyle People with diabetes 37
Let’s wet your appetite 15
Top Canadian… 17 Home and Garden
Protect yourself against Realtor v’s sale by owner 43
identity theft 18 Staging your home to sell 44
Winter storms affect real
Moving to Canada estate sales 46
Nova Scotia Bound, part 2 24 Buying a house with a well 48
Canada needs immigrants 26 Saskatoon housing market 51
Amendments to immigration Calgary BeerFest 54
system 31
4 Discover Canada

Tiptoe
through the
tulips….
Discover Ottawa’s
Tulip Festival
 Discover Canada 5

Ottawa is a great place to visit twinning with the Netherlands, France, blooms will amaze you. Another great
at any time of year, but in the first United Kingdom, Australia, United States, location to see the tulips is Parliament Hill
Japan and Turkey. This theme of which gives an impressive backdrop to
two weeks of May this year you
international friendship and celebration the spectacular floral display.
will have even more reason to visit has carried on over the years and will be This year Major’s Hill Park will form
as this is when the annual Tulip the main theme for this year too. the centerpiece of the festival and will be
Festival takes place. So, what can you expect to see at the the location of the before mentioned
festival this year? Well first you need to International Pavilion.
know when to come and that is between Canadian Tulip Festival Chairman
For fifty-five years Ottawa has been
May 2nd and 19th. Activities take place in David Luxton said, "The International
celebrating this important symbol of
various locations around the city and local Pavilion will provide programming and
international friendship, but why? Well, we
accommodation is available, although at entertainment that is meaningful and fun
have to go back to 1945 for the answer. In
this busy time you should book in for residents, visitors and families that
this year Princess Juliana of The
advance to avoid disappointment. reflects the legacy of the Tulip Festival
Netherlands presented Ottawa with a gift
If you like music you will want to take and the tulip as a symbol of international
of 100,000 tulip bulbs in appreciation of
part in Music in the Tulips. Lots of friendship."
the city giving safe haven to members of
entertainers, both local and international Admission to the festival is
the royal family during the Second World
can be found as you stroll among the completely free, although visitors can
War.
tulips. So if tulip busking is your thing, purchase an International Friendship
The first Canadian Tulip Festival took
then this is not to be missed. Passport which includes food sample
place in 1953 and was an instant success
Families are catered for with several coupons for the participating countries in
with photographs of the event featuring in
activities including the International the International Pavilion. Passport
news coverage worldwide. The festival
Pavilion which will feature culture, food holders will also receive a souvenir Tulip
grew in size over the coming years with
and entertainment provided by fifteen Pin and other coupons for gifts and
over two-million flowers on show.
embassies. Adults and children alike will discounts for festival partners. The cost of
Over half a million people from
be able to take part in activities such as the International Friendship Passport is
around the world visit the show each year.
origami from Japan, soccer from $20 plus GST.
Royalty and celebrities alike have visited
Argentina as well as lots more.
and performed at the festival over the
Of course the main reason to be For more details about the Canadian
years.
there is to see the tulips and these can be Tulip Festival visit the official website at
During the 1990’s the tulip was
seen in many locations including www.tulipfestival.ca.
celebrated as a symbol of peace and
Commissioners Park where 300,000
international bonds were established by
6 Discover Canada

Explore the
Sunshine
Coast
B.C’s stunning coastline

Porpoise Bay, Sechelt by P.M.Graham


Along the British Columbia
coast you will find a coastal road
called Highway 101. It is the
world’s longest highway extending
from Castro in Chile to Lund in
British Columbia, a total of 15,020
km. The section between Gibsons,
north of Vancouver to Lund, some
150 km northwest is known as the
Sunshine Coast offering tourist and
locals alike stunning scenery and a
truly beautiful drive (with a couple
of ferry crossings thrown in).
If you are planning on touring the
Sunshine Coast you will probably be
starting your journey from the Vancouver
area, so will need to take a ferry from
Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver across
to Langdale. The journey will take
approximately 40 minutes and will cost
around $10 per adult depending on the
time of year. Make sure your camera is
Discover Canada 7
handy as you sail between islands such Gibson
a Howe Sound and Bowen Island.
Once you reach Langdale you drive
south along Highway 101 to Gibsons
which is known as the “Gateway to the
Sunshine Coast.” It is also known as the
location of the TV series The
Beachcombers. Although filming no
longer takes place some of the places
seen in the series are still there to see
such as Molly’s Reach restaurant and
the pier. Although not a huge tourist
destination it is perhaps worth spending
Gibsons Harbour
a little time here to explore the harbour
front and take in the views.
The town is home to around 4,000
people and has recently undergone a
revitalization which included the
downtown area and the harbour as well
as creating the Winegarden Waterfront
Park which opened in 2001. This area
includes ponds, play areas, walkways,
boardwalks, wetlands, watercourse and
is wheelchair accessible with beautiful
views over the coast.
Once back on the 101, your next
stop will be Roberts Creek, a quaint
Winegarden Park
8 Discover Canada
P.M.Graham
Roberts Creek Provincial Park
town which has become a haven for artists
and craftspeople. It is known as the
“Gumboot Capital of the World” a symbol
adopted by the Gumboot Acoustic Society
and the Gumboot Garden Cafe.
Whilst here, apart from visiting the
town itself you will want to take a look at
Roberts Creek Provincial Park located a
couple of kilometres north of the town. The
park covers an area of 40 hectares with
cedar forests. The park has several trails
as well as campsites and is wheelchair
accessible. The beach area offers
excellent picnic facilities where you can
Smuggler’s Cove
watch the ocean and if you are lucky see
seals and whales pass by.
The next place you will come to is
Sechelt which itself is not an especially
stunning location, however just north of the
town is Porpoise Bay Provincial Park
which is definitely worth a visit. The park
has easy to walk trails and access to
Angus Creek known for its salmon
population. The park covers an area of 4
hectares and includes campsites,
playgrounds, picnic areas and facilities
such as toilets and showers.
Once you have taken in the beauty of
Porpoise you can continue north to
Pender Harbour
Halfmoon Bay. This bay is protected from
the open sea by Thormanby Island making
Porpoise Bay, Sechelt
it a peaceful location to watch the world go
by. Here you will find a pretty coastline,
harbours and wooded shores. This area is
known for its arts and crafts and is home to
several galleries as well as many home
studios that locals open to the public.
The next location on your trip will be
the equally romantically named Secret
Cove which has become a popular
summer destination for tourists. The town
offers some of the best fishing available
along the coast and this alone attracts
many visitors and locals alike.
Smuggler’s Cove Marine Park is also
located here and is another favorite. There
are several hiking trails which are easy to
navigate as well as campsites and other
facilities.
Back on the road and your next stop
off will be the area known as Pender
Harbour, if you can find it! This area
consists of many islands and three
communities: Madeira Park, Garden Bay
and Irvines Landing. Even the locals have
trouble getting their bearings in this area
as it forms a complex maze of inlets,
coves, lakes, islands and reefs. There are
freshwater lakes and salt water coves and
where one begins and another ends is
open to much guess work.

The harbour is home to many boats
and yachts which are moored here and
the deep clear waters are world renowned
for excellent diving and underwater
photography opportunities.
This is a great location for kayaking
and other water sports as much of the
water is sheltered making it ideal for
leisurely boating.
If you visit during May be sure to plan
your visit round Victoria Day when the
area celebrates May Day with games,
activities, crafts, music and an outdoor
barbecue. Fun for all is guaranteed.
Goat Lake, Powell River Okay, so if you did manage to find
Pender Harbour you can now return to
Highway 101 which now travels inland and
heads towards Earl’s Cove. Here you will
need your sea legs again as another ferry
journey is in order. You will need to get on
the ferry to Saltery Bay which crosses the
Jervis Inlet and takes around 50 minutes
and again costs around $10 per adult. .
You will not need or want to stop at
Saltery Bay as it really is just a ferry
terminal. Instead you will get back on the
road and continue northwest to Powell
River. This is an area made up of several
Willingdon Beach
communities including Cranberry,
Wildwood, Lang Bay and the largest,
Westview.
Westview is the main destination for
travelers as it offers the most amenities
with hotels, restaurants and stores. If you
visit during August you may experience
the Blackberry Festival which has nothing
to do with personal electronic devices but
more to do with those lovely berries we
pick from the many bushes located here.
The festival coincides with the peak of the
blackberry season and is a week-long
Lund Hotel party featuring music, dancing, crafts and
a street party.
From Powell River you can also take
ferry trips to Texada Island or across to
Vancouver Island to the town of Comox.
The area north of Powell River leads
up to Lund which is the last destination on
Highway 101 and the gateway to
Desolation Sound. The most famous
landmark here is the Lund Hotel which
overlooks the ocean. Lund is used by
tourists as a staging point for trips to the
northern British Columbia coast, Savary
Island and Desolation Sound.
Desolation Sound
Discover Canada 9
Desolation Sound Marine Park is
known around the world s a premier
sailing area. It offers stunningly beautiful
scenery with bays, coves and waterways
that attract boaters and paddlers
worldwide.
There are lots of camping
opportunities along the coast as well as
activities such as kayaking, canoeing and
backpacking. If you don’t have your own
equipment, there are plenty of places
where you can rent everything you need
for a few hours or a few days.
The Sunshine coast not only offers
tourists an excellent place to visit, but it
also offers an excellent way of life for
those who choose to live here.
Many of the communities, particularly
those to the south are close enough to
commute to Vancouver if you have a job in
the city. You can get the best of both
worlds by living in relative isolation, but
still have all the amenities you need close
by or be a short hop to the city.
There are many types of real estate in
the area from single family homes to
condominiums. Some offer cheaper
alternatives to those seen in Vancouver,
however for that special waterfront home
you really can expect to pay in excess of a
million dollars for that million dollar view.
Although the area is great for families
with schools and local amenities, many
also choose to retire here. The relaxed
way of life along with great health care,
recreational facilities and social
community gives seniors exactly what
they are looking for without being too far
away from city life. The Sunshine Coast
certainly has something for everyone.
Useful Links:
www.bigpacific.com
www.lundhotel.com
www.bcferries.com
www.sunshinecoast.ca
www.scrd.bc.ca
www.sunshinecoast-bc.com
10 Discover Canada

Sandbanks
Provincial
Park
Some of the finest beaches
in Ontario

Sandbanks Provincial Park
It may be hard to believe that
just two hours east of Toronto you
can find some of the best beaches
in Ontario at Sandbanks Provincial
Park. Located on the shores of
Lake Ontario in Prince Edward
County, a small island off the
Quinte Isle region of Ontario, it is
a mecca for wildlife and a place
popular with vacationing
Ontarians.
The park has the largest freshwater
baymouth sand dune system in the world
giving the area some of the largest and
most beautiful beaches in Ontario.
You can be forgiven for thinking you
are in the Caribbean when sunbathing on
the clean sandy beaches and paddling in
the warm, shallow waters. In fact the park
boasts three impressive beaches:
Sandbanks Beach is the most open of the
beaches making the water cooler here
and often rougher. Dunes Beach is the
smallest but it has large sand dunes
which make it fun to explore especially for
children. Finally there is Outlet Beach
which is the most sheltered of the three
with warn shallow water suitable for
Sandbanks Provincial Park
children. This is the most popular of the
three beaches meaning it can get very
busy during the summer months. It is
worth noting that none of the beaches are
supervised, so parents do need to keep
an extra eye on their children.
If all you want to do all day is relax
and laze on the beach then this is the
place to do it. However if you want to be
a little more adventurous then Sandbanks
has much more to offer.
Hiking
There are several trails to explore
such as Cedar Sands Trail which is about
2 km in length taking around an hour to
navigate. It is an easy, interpretive trail
with two viewing platforms. Along the way
you will learn about the ecology of the
dunes and the park itself.
Woodlands Trail is another easy trail
around 5 km in length and taking two to
three hours to complete. Starting at Outlet
Beach and ending at Dunes Beach it
features excellent views and wanders
through wood and pasture giving many
wildlife spotting opportunities. You can
also cycle this trail should you choose.
Discover Canada 11
Swimming
Of course being close to water there
are many swimming opportunities. The
shallow waters are heated by the summer
sun making it ideal for adults and children
alike to paddle and swim. Because Dunes
Beach is sheltered the waters warm up
much quicker and the swimming season
starts much sooner than the other
beaches. However, this beach does have
a steep drop-off at the end of the
shallows.
Boating
There are many areas that are ideal
for various boating activities. Small sail
boats and motorized boats will find the
waters around the park to be ideal for
leisurely boating activity. Canoes, kayaks
and paddle-boats are also welcomed in
the park with rental facilities available.
Fishing
If you love to fish then you will have
come to the right place as West Lake and
East Lake have plentiful supplies of mouth
bass, walleye, perch and pike. Indeed the
nearby Bay of Quinte area is known as
12 Discover Canada

one of the best places in North America to
fish for walleye.
Winter Activities
Don’t think that Sandbanks only
offers summer activities, it doesn’t. If
visiting in the winter you can take
advantage of over 11 km of cross country
skiing trails. The trails are suited to
beginners and intermediate skiers and
professionals may find the area a little to
easy. However there are other cross
country skiing trails nearby which will
cater to the the needs of the more
experienced skier. Snowshoeing is also
popular in the park.
Camping
If you are visiting Sandbanks you will
want to stay longer than a day, so
camping may be your answer. The park
has five campgrounds with 549
campsites. every campsite has a picnic
table and fireplace grill and some have an
electrical service too. All sites also have
drinking water taps, washrooms and
shower facilities nearby. Some are also
wheelchair accessible.
If you are traveling in a group you can
take advantage of the two group camping
sites. The first site accommodates up to
thirty people and has facilities such as
fire-pit, picnic tables, water tap, outhouses

Sharon Armitage Betty Burns

Broker of Record Sales Representative
(email) and Associate to Sharon Armitage
sharon@quinteisle.com (email)
betty@pictonrealty.com

YOUR LOCAL BROKER

Situated in the Heart of
Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Serving ALL of Prince Edward

County & Quinte District

www.quinteisle.com
 Discover Canada 13

and parking. The second accommodates diving. There are quite a few shipwrecks
up to fifty people with the same facilities. in the area and you can charter a boat to
take you to them. This month’s winner
Day use Areas Several conservation ares are also of a $50 Tim Horton’s
close by and worth a visit such as
If you want to use the facilities for the Macaulay Mountain, Beaver Meadow and TimCard™ is
day you can at Dunes Beach, Sandbanks Little Bluff.
Beach, Lakeshore Lodge and Outlet Nearby towns include Wellington and
Picton in Prince Edward County. If you
M.B. Merrick of Orillia,
Beach. Here you will find picnic tables
and other amenities. Check which area want somewhere a little bigger then the Ontario
offers you the amenities you require as city of Belleville is a short drive away.
they do differ.
Accommodations Subscribe to Muchmor
Amenities Magazine and not only
Accommodations are available close
There is a park store which sells to the park as well as nearby locations in will you be reminded
everything from camping equipment to Picton, Wellington etc. You will find hotels, when every new issue is
souvenirs. You will also find a restaurant bed and breakfasts, inns, RV parks and
camping facilities all within easy reach of
published but you will
which serves light meals, fast food and
breakfast. the park. also be placed into a draw
The visitors centre is open daily
Next Month we will be looking in
to win a $50 TimCard™
during the summer months and sells
snacks, souvenirs, clothing books etc. more detail at Prince Edward County
You can also rent kayaks, canoes, and what it has to offer both residents
bikes and paddleboats from the Wood and visitors.
Yard and Boat Rental Facility on Outlet readmuchmor.com
River.
Both Outlet River Campground A and
Woodlands Campground have laundry
facilities. I have helped many newcomers find a home
in the Prince Edward County, Quinte area and
Wildlife now offer my services to Muchmor readers
- give me a call today!
During the spring and fall migration
the area is swarming with birds who use
this area as a staging post. In fact year- Carol Brough
round over 240 species of birds can be Sales Representative
found in the park. During the migration
period birds such as pileated 102 Main Street
woodpeckers, the largest woodpecker in Picton
Ontario can be spotted along with orioles, Ontario
kinglets and many more. K0K 2T0
Reptiles and amphibians are also
found in the park with several snakes (all Tel: +1 613 476 2100 (Office)
harmless) calling the place home as well Tel: +1 613 476 8039 (Home)
as many frogs, toads and turtles including
Fax: +1 613 467 3482
the rare musk turtle.
email: carolbroughc21@hotmail.com
Nearby
Lanthorn Real Estate Ltd. www.century21lanthorn.com
Brokerage
Each Office is independently Owned and
Operated
Whilst at Sandbanks Provincial Park
you might also want to check out the local
area.
I make it happen
If you like diving you might want to
check out the Wellington Bay area which You make it home
is fast becoming a popular spot for scuba
14 Discover Canada

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Well that title probably got your The site was first discovered by
attention and for good reason. archeologists in 1938 and during
excavations buffalo remains were found to
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is
be 10 metres deep - that’s a lot of buffalo The site is open all year (opening
certainly a mouthful, but it sums over a long time-span. times vary) and costs only $9.00 for
up exactly what this attraction in As well as being able to explore the adults, $5.00 for children or a family ticket
Alberta is all about - Buffalos jump site itself, you can visit the Interpretive can be purchased for $22.00.
and get their heads smashed in, Centre which is built into the sandstone You can find Head-Smashed-In
cliff. It consists of five levels depicting Buffalo Jump on Highway 785, 18 km
lovely!
ecology, mythology, lifestyle and northwest of Fort Macleod, Alberta. Visit
technology. It also has a reconstruction of their website for more information at
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the buffalo jumping off the cliff with www.head-smashed-in.com
one of the world’s largest, oldest and best informative talks about the history of the
preserved buffalo jumps. If you are still site.
wondering what a buffalo jump is all
about, we will explain.
As you know buffalos a pretty big
creatures and can be hard to kill. For
almost 6,000 years Blackfoot hunters
used this site to heard the buffalo towards
the cliff which was 300 metres long and
over 10 metres high. When the buffalo got
to the cliff they could not stop in time and
simply fell over the edge landing in a huge
pile at the foot of the cliff. The carcasses
were then taken to a nearby camp to be
processed. In those days not much of the
animal was wasted as the hide was used
for clothing and shelters, the meat for food
and even the bones and horns were used
for tools.
 Lifestyle 15

Let’s wet your appetite

Spring onion chicken
Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 chicken thighs
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 stalks spring onion
a few slices of ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp rice wine
1 pieceof rock sugar
1/4 cup water or chicken broth

De-bone chicken and cut into pieces. Marinate with dark soy sauce
and set aside for about 15 minutes. Heat up 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a
wok. While doing so, cut spring onion on the bias into one and a half
inch pieces. Cut ginger into slices. Stir fry garlic and chicken until
chicken changes color. Set aside. Stir fry ginger and spring onions
until fragrant. Add chicken, rice wine, rock sugar and water (or chicken
broth). Mix well, cover wok and allow to braise over low heat for about
10 minutes.

Rhubarb crumble ice cream

Ingredients

Ice cream: Crumble:

1 lb (450 g) trimmed rhubarb 3 oz (75 g) plain white flour
8 oz (225 g) sugar 2 oz (50 g) butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 oz (50 g) light brown muscovado sugar
15 fl oz (425 ml) whipping cream ½ level teaspoon ground ginger

Place all the crumble ingredients together in a bowl and combine together
using hands so mixture resembles large bread-crumbs. Sprinkle evenly
into baking tin and set aside. Cut rhubarb into 1cm lengths and place in
large baking dish with sugar and lemon juice. Place the rhubarb dish in a
pre-heated oven (375F) on the lower shelf. Now place the crumble dish on
the shelf above. Bake crumble for 10 minutes and remove to cool, leave
rhubarb in until tender, perhaps another 10-15 minutes. When rhubarb is
cooled a little, mix in blender or processor until it forms a smooth puree.
Place in fridge to chill. The crumble mixture will now need re-crumbing by
hand. Mix the rhubarb puree with the whipping cream until it resembles ice
cream. Pour in the crumble mixture and stir. Place in freezer box and
freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
16 Lifestyle

Potato-crusted halibut
Ingredients (serves 4)

4 skinless halibut fillets

1 cup flour
salt and pepper
6 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped
3 eggs slightly beaten
4 Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and shredded

Dip fillets in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Add parsley to eggs and
season with salt and pepper. Squeeze out any excess liquid from potatoes.
Spread potatoes over a flat surface. Dip each floured fillet in egg mixture
then place on top of potatoes and coat on both sides. Heat oil in a large
skillet. Add fillets and brown on both sides and when cooked in the centre,
serve on top of grilled leeks. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges

Blueberry Pancakes
Ingredients (approximately 18 pancakes)

1/2 cup whole grain red wheat flour

1/2 cup emmer flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, stir together the flour(s), baking powder and

spices. In a second bowl, combine the milk, cream, brown
sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and lemon zest. Pour the liquid
ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix until batter just
comes together. Leave a few lumps; they’ll take care of
themselves. Fold in the blueberries. Let the batter rest for 20.
Griddle on a medium-low heat, using 1/4 cup of batter for each
pancake, flipping when the bubbles begin to pop on the top.
Approximately 2-3 minutes on either side.
 Lifestyle 17

Top Canadian…
TV shows
1. American Idol (Tue) - 2.66 11. Celebrity Apprentice - 1.18
2. American Idol (Wed) - 2.28 12. Jeopardy - 1.15
3. Survivor: Micronesia - 2.13 13. Medium - 1.14
4. Law & Order - 1.80 14. CTV Evening News (wkd) - 1.04
5. Lost - 1.58 15. C.S.I. - 1.03
6. Law & Order: SVU - 1.44 16. Cold case - 1.02
7. CTV Evening News - 1.41 17. Curling - 0.98
8. Two and a Half Men - 1.35 18. Oprah’s Big Give - 0.98
9. Corner Gas - 1.23 19. The Moment of Truth - 0.94
10. N.H.I.C. Game 1 - 1.22 20. Two and a Half Men - 0.92

CD’s
1. Sleep Through the Static, Jack 5. Simple Plan, Simple Plan
Johnson 6. Step Up 2 Soundtrack, Various
2. Thriller - 25th Anniversary, Michael 7. Hannah Montana 2, Soundtrack
Jackson 8. Good Time, Alan Jackson
3. Nos Lendemains, Isabelle Boulay 9. Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
4. Ego Trippin’, Snoop Dogg 10. Baroness, Sarah Slean

DVD’s
1. I am Legend 6. Bee Movie
2. Enchantment 7. Dan in Real Life
3. Atonement 8. Into The Wild
4. No Country for Old Men 9. Awake
5. Hitman 10. American Gangster

Fiction paperbacks
1. King Leary, Paul Quarrington
2. Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
3. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
4. The Gathering, Anne Enright
5. The Good Husband of Zebra
Drive, Alexander McCall Smith
6. Obsession, Jonathan Kellerman
7. Icefields, Thomas Wharton
8. The Other Boleyn Girl, Phillipa
Gregory
9. Atonement, Ian McEwan
10. Memory Keepers Daughter, Kim
Edwards

Fiction hardback
1. Remember Me, Sophie Kinsella
2. Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled
Hosseini
3. The Appeal, John Grisham
4. Late Nights on Air, Elizabeth Hay
5. World Without End, Ken Follett
6. Gods Behaving Badly, Marie
Phillips
7. Honor Thyself, Danielle Steel
8. Mistress of the Sun, Sandra
Guliand
9. Duma Key, Stephen King
10. Strangers in Death, Robb/
Roberts
18 Lifestyle 34 Tea Break

Protect yourself against

identity theft
Over the last few years the “Dumpster Diving” is another way see if any transactions show up which are
tern “identity theft” has become thieves get hold of your details. They will not yours. Make sure you sign new credit
resort to going through your trash looking cards as soon as you receive them.
more and more prevalent. Most
for old credit card statements. If they find Always shred statements, pre approvals
Canadians are now aware of what one, they can phone the credit card and receipts etc that are no longer
identity theft is and the possible company and get the address details required. Never give out your credit card
consequences, but many still changed and have new cards issued. to others or loan them to friends of family.
choose not to take preventative because the statements are going to a Never share your PIN number and never
new address, you may not be aware of write them down. Do not reply to phone or
measures.
the problem straight away, but they will be email solicitations for credit cards, always
happily spending on your credit card. go through the official company website or
When someone acquires your You should always shred credit card speak to them in person. When paying by
personal information and uses it to statements before throwing them away. credit card always make sure your card is
commit fraud it is known as identity theft. Another item that should always be only swiped in the official machine. If the
In today’s electronic age it is becoming shredded are pre-approved credit card card is swiped twice and you are told the
increasingly easy for criminals to get hold offers you receive. Thieves use these first swipe did not work, get a receipt
of your personal information and use it to letters to return to the card company and which records this transaction.
commit any number of crimes. have the card issued to their address and
PhoneBusters, the Canadian Anti- once again they
fraud Call Centre reported 8,000 victims in are happily
2006 which resulted in losses of over $16 spending your
million. More recent figures estimate that money.
figure to be nearer $2 billion. Another
An Ipsos-Reid survey found that 73% way that thieves
of Canadians were concerned about can get hold of
becoming victims and 28% had already your credit card
become a victim or knew someone who details without
had. you knowing is
Identity theft is the fastest growing by “skimming.”
crime in North America. By simply going This is when
about your daily routine you are your card is
constantly putting yourself at risk of swiped in a
identity theft, so you need to be aware of skimming
how it occurs and what you can do to help machine which
prevent it happening to you. records all your
card details.
Credit Cards You can
help to make
Credit card theft is the most common yourself less
form of identity theft. There are several likely to be a
ways a criminal can get hold of your credit victim of this
card details. Theft is an obvious one and crime by taking
anyone who has their wallet or purse some simple
stolen should report it immediately to the measures. Make
police and cancel all credit and debit sure you On line shopping coming in May
cards so that any misuse is kept to a monitor your
minimum. statements to
www.crosmazandbrown.com
 Lifestyle 19

Email and website spoofing

Spoofing is when a thief creates an

email or website which appears to be a
legitimate business, but is in fact a fake
used solely to get your details.
Many of these emails ask you to
verify your information such as from a
financial institution asking your to verify
you banking details, or popular sites such
as Ebay asking you to update your
information. Many take you through to
official looking websites which are very
hard to spot as fake.
This type of identity theft is easy to
avoid if you follow some very simple rules.
Never click on links in these emails,
always delete them. If you think the email
many be genuine i.e. it comes from a
bank you have an account with, log into
your account using the bank’s official
website (do not use the link in the email)
mymuchmor - social networking brought to
and check for messages. Likewise if the
email suggests an offer that you are you by muchmor - connecting canada
interested in, again do not use the link to www.mymuchmor.com
get to the offer, go to the company’s
official website and check there.
Many times you will notice that the
stored. It might be the theft of a computer You should also contact the credit
email is not addressed to you personally,
disk, a “bad” employee or a hack into the reference bureaus to alert them. The two
but to ‘dear customer” or no one in
database that means your personal main agencies in Canada are Equifax:
particular. This is a good sign that the
information is compromised. 1-800-465-7166 and Trans Union:
email is fake as most financial institutions
If you find out that a company you 1-877-525-323. Get each agency to send
and companies such as PayPal and Ebay
have had dealings with has been violated you a copy of your credit report and ask
use your name in all communications.
in this way check your statements and about getting a fraud alert placed on your
notify the authorities of any possible file.
Shoulder Surfing problems such as unauthorized payments Get items such as your Social
and use of your accounts. Insurance Number (SIN), drivers licence
This is when someone looks over and health cards replaced in case they
your shoulder to see your PIN number too are used against you. Call 1-800-O-
If you are a victim
when you are in a queue or at the ATM. Canada to discuss your options.
The card can then be stolen by a If you find that your mail is missing,
If you suspect you have become the
pickpocket or can even be skimmed by report this to Canada Post by calling
victim of identity theft, act immediately.
devices fitted to ATM’s allowing the thief to 1-800-267-1177.
Notify your financial institutions of the
use your card and spend your money.
problem and cancel all accounts and
Always cover the keypad when
cards that have been compromised. Summary
tapping in your PIN number, never let your
Report the problem to the police as
card out of your sight and never use an
you may be required to have supporting Stay vigilant, check your credit report
ATM that looks as it it may have been
documentation such as police reports to at least once a year, shred all personal
tampered with.
substantiate any claims you may later documentation before discarding. Check
make or to correct your credit file. bank and credit card statements for
Database Theft Report the theft immediately to the discrepancies and guard your cards and
Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre by PIN number. Avoid keeping SIN cards,
The average consumer can do little to phoning PhoneBusters toll free on passports and Permanent Residence
prevent this type of theft as it occurs in 1-888-495-850. Cards in your wallet.
large companies where personal data is
20 Lifestyle

Choose
Lethbridge,
Alberta

High Level Bridge


When considering a location
within Canada to call home, look
no further than Lethbridge,
Alberta. Well-known for its
affordability and low cost-of-
living, short commute times and
world-class educational
institutions Lethbridge is one of
the sunniest locations in the
country. This vibrant city boasts a
strong arts and culture
community, plenty of sports and
recreational opportunities,
exceptional facilities, parks and
pathways.
Affordability is one of the key
attributes of Lethbridge. Comparatively
low housing prices, reduced commute
times and affordable consumer goods all
contribute to the cost advantage of living
in Lethbridge. According to the Canadian
Mortgage and Housing Corporation,
average home prices in Lethbridge are
the lowest of all the major cities in Alberta,
a trend that is expected to continue into
the future. In addition, the selection of
outstanding housing in Lethbridge only
adds to the appeal of the city. New
architecture and design concepts include
the first “Built-Green” community in
Canada.
While most Lethbridge residents own
their own home, there is a quality
selection of rental units and smaller
houses also available for rent. The
average monthly rate for two-bedroom
and three bedroom units is $675 and
$705 per month, respectively.
Newer subdivisions and mature
neighbourhoods offer safe and
comfortable surroundings and are close
to the many amenities the city has to
offer. There are also maintenance-free
Lifestyle 21
developments suitable for those
preferring an adult-living environment.
The City of Lethbridge Transit Department
(LA Transit) provides public transportation
service to all residential areas of the city.
Reasonably priced parking also adds to
the low cost of living Lethbridge residents
enjoy.
Due to the city’s location within the
province, Lethbridge residents are not
required to pay provincial sales tax,
saving residents at least five percent on
their goods and services when compared
to other provinces. In addition, a low
single-rate tax system, couple with the
highest basic and spousal exemptions in
the country, provides a significant
personal tax advantage for all Albertans.
Albertans also enjoy the lowest gasoline
tax rate among the provinces and low
property taxes.
Lethbridge has pursued balanced
growth of approximately two percent
annually over the past ten years. This
growth allows Lethbridge to keep pace
with the needs of the local economy and
the demand for essential services much
more efficiently than most cities in Alberta.
Lethbridge boasts a young, well-educated
and diverse population of 81,692
individuals, a community that actively
contributes to the economic growth and
prosperity of the city.
22 Lifestyle
The favorably temperate climate of
Lethbridge has attracted many people to
the city. The warm winters and mild
summers are heavily influenced by the
Chinook winds that occur approximately
11 times throughout the year. In addition,
the proximity to the mountains ordinarily
protects Lethbridge from the influence of
the strong northwest and southwest winds
associated with blizzard conditions. A
comparatively high elevation combined
with the periodic Chinook conditions,
results in a reduction of the severity and
duration of winter cold periods and also
alleviates extreme summer heat. The
Lethbridge area also enjoys one of the
highest amounts of sunshine in the
country, with more than 320 days of
sunshine per year.
As a result of the favorable climate,
Lethbridge has long been the centre of
southwestern Alberta’s rich agricultural
region. In addition to the opportunities
available in this primary area of
commerce, the wide variety of industry
sectors offers a good selection of
employment opportunities in trade and
service, manufacturing, public service,
construction, transportation and finance.
The number of employment opportunities
available and the level of employee
satisfaction has resulted in Lethbridge’s
unemployment rates consistently rating
lower than the Canadian average.
Employers in Lethbridge and the
surrounding region also experience direct
benefits of the large student population.
Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
Home to both the University of Lethbridge
and Lethbridge College, Lethbridge is one
of a handful of Canadian cities with both a
college and university that attract
students from national and international
locations. The city’s smaller size and safe
environment create an exceptional
environment for student learning and
development.
The University of Lethbridge is
grounded in a curriculum liberal education
and is committed to providing students
with a personal and engaging learning
environment. The University of Lethbridge
is strongly committed to community-
minded research and the development of
centres of excellence and including
students in research endeavours. Offering
more than 150 degree/program options
through six faculties and schools – the
University of Lethbridge attracts more
than 8,100 students from 58 countries
and has more than 25,000 alumni
worldwide.
Opened in 1957 as Canada’s first
publicly-funded community college,
Lethbridge College maintains its tradition
and reputation of meeting the educational
and training needs of southern Albertans.
Lethbridge College attracts over 7,500
students from national and international
locations each year. Offering over 70
career programs including options in
Agriculture, Engineering and Industrial
Training, Applied Management, Criminal
Justice, Environmental Science, Health
and Human Services, and Media and
Computing, Lethbridge College also
provides opportunities for companies and
industry to ensure their employees have
the up-to-date skills and training they
need in a competitive business
environment.
Lethbridge College continues to
enhance existing relationships with other
educational institutions and businesses,
while developing new, mutually beneficial
partnerships.
For those students who have not yet
reached the post-secondary level, the
Lethbridge public school system includes
19 elementary and secondary schools for
children and youth as well as six outreach
programs for children in special
circumstances. In addition, the public
system also includes a French immersion
school. Educational options also include a
separate (Roman Catholic) school system
that is comprised of 13 elementary and
secondary schools in the Lethbridge area.
Schools in both the public and separate
systems are free of charge.
In addition to the wonderful
employment and educational
opportunities, Lethbridge residents enjoy
the wide variety of quality recreational
facilities and amenities that have been
designed for all age groups. Lethbridge
boasts an excess of 70 parks,
playgrounds and sports fields that are
dotted throughout the city and feature
extensive facilities for both baseball and
soccer.

Geographically, Lethbridge is
intersected by the Oldman River valley
and coulee formations, a landscape that
makes it truly unique. The present river
valley was formed when glacial run-off
carved the 100 meter deep valley when
the last continental glacier retreated from
southern Alberta, some 10,000 - 15,000
years ago. Sloping into the valley is a
series of short, v-shaped valleys leading
to the floor of the main valley. These are
the coulees; smaller post-glacial drainage
channels cut by surface runoff as the
main valley deepened. With 755 hectares
of protected land, Oldman River valley
has been turned into one of the largest
urban park systems in North America.
Another significant landmark in
Lethbridge is the High Level Bridge.
Constructed in the early 1900’s to meet
the needs of the growing coal mining
industry and the growing population, the
High Level Bridge is part of the CPR rail
system developed and it is still used
today with numerous trains crossing daily.
The trestle bridge stretches across the
Oldman River valley and is considered
the longest and highest bridge of its type
in the world. Its girders provide nesting
sites for Canada geese, red-tailed hawks
and great horned owls while the shade
cast by the bridge encourages lush shrub
growth favoured by pheasants and white-
tailed deer.
Five scenic golf courses, located
directly in the city, capitalize on the
Lifestyle 23
High Level Bridge
breathtaking Lethbridge landscape and and attractions at a number of local
an additional 12 regional golf courses can facilities.
be accessed within a short half hour With a booming economy, a wide
drive. Lethbridge is also home to several variety of employment and educational
public and private fitness clubs that offer opportunities, enviable recreational
first-rate equipment and facilities. The city choices and affordable living, it is no
has five indoor pools, one outdoor pool wonder that so many people Choose
and six indoor ice arenas. The 5,000 seat Lethbridge as their new home.
ENMAX Centre hosts world-class
concerts, multicultural events, national
curling tournaments, international
Useful Resources
basketball games, banquets, skating
events and a major WHL franchise, the City of Lethbridge
Lethbridge Hurricanes. A wide range of www.lethbridge.ca
annual sporting activities are also
available to spectators including Dragon
Lethbridge Economic
Boat Races at Henderson Lake, Horse
Racing at Exhibition Park, Intervarsity Development
Sports featuring the University of www.chooselethbridge.ca
Lethbridge Pronghorns and Lethbridge
College Kodiaks. Lethbridge Chamber of
When its time to relax, enjoy the
Commerce
social and cultural experiences
Lethbridge offers: a full complement of www.lethchamber.org
familiar franchise eateries as well as
niche restaurants with traditional and University of Lethbridge
ethnic menus. Residents are well served www.uleth.ca
by shopping malls, specialty shops and
markets as well as national chains and
“big box” stores. Lethbridge boasts three Lethbridge College
shopping malls with more than 200 www.lethbridgecollege.ab.ca
stores, several power centres and a
vibrant downtown. The culture and arts Nikka Yuko Japanese
scene thrives in Lethbridge with easy
Garden
access to a wide variety of performing
and visual arts, and other cultural events www.nikkayuko.com
24 Moving to Canada
.
Nova Scotia bound
This month we continue the story of the Ottewell family who are planning to move from the United Kingdom
to Nova Scotia. Last month we got the background to their move and this month Vanessa continues the
story leading up to their fact finding family holiday next month.
Well, loads has happened since I last
wrote. It is now 9 weeks until we go to
Canada (my first visit!!) and for Steve to
attend his interviews. We booked the
flights a while back, taking full advantage
of the 20% discount that you receive
through Muchmor magazine and Zoom
Airlines. It made it significantly cheaper,
which is great when you are on a budget.
The family are finally getting used to
us emigrating, which is a bonus as at
least everyone is pleased for us, although
I know they will miss the children terribly.
Everyone is already making plans to
come out and visit, which is really nice.
We will probably end up seeing more of
them when we move out to Canada than
we do now!
We have now had our Police Checks
returned. These cost £10 each. It normally
takes about 40 days from when you send
off your applications. Both me and Steve
had to do them, so that is another thing
ticked off the list.
As I write this (hopefully I am not
The Family
tempting fate!) we have sold our house.
Luckily for us it is a private sale, so we
Steve (35), Vanessa (37),
are saving on estate agents fees. Our
next door neighbours mother has bought Connor (11) and
it off us. There are two people in the Lauren (5)
chain before her, so as we have never
been in a house buying chain before, I
am hoping that there shouldn't be too UK Location:
many problems. They have requested
that it go through as quickly as possible,
with us potentially moving out by the end Bedhampton, Havant,
of April – no pressure there then!!!!! (near Portsmouth)
My parents have said that we can
move in with them, which is great, as the Hampshire
last thing we wanted to do is to have to
get into a short-term lease in a flat or
house, as that’s extra money that we
Canadian Destination:
could be saving towards Canada.
We have started the ball rolling with
Nova Scotia
regards storing our furniture
while we are living with my
parents, and its not as bad
– START SAVING BOXES!! Because
as we first thought price-
when the time comes you won't be able to
wise. We are going to go
find any for love nor money.
and have a look around a
We have already sourced a container
storage depot over the
company. Fortunately for us we know
weekend. We have used
someone who knows someone with their
one in the past, but we only
own company, so it will be half the price,
put half our house in it, not
which is great. We are just waiting for
the whole lot. One thing to
information as to how to pack all our
bear in mind is how much
belongings, as we have been told by our
boxes cost for packing your
friends that the Canadian authorities are
belongings into. One
very strict with container contents. The
company to buy shares in is
last thing we want is for them to rip the
definitely a “box supplier”. It
whole container apart because we'd
costs about £75.00 for
packed something the wrong way, or put
packing boxes to do a 3-4
something in that shouldn't be there.
bedroom house – and you
Not much more to do really. We have
just know that its not going
to book the taxi to the airport for when we
to be enough so you will
go out in May, but that’s nothing major.
have to buy 2 lots! So my
Our friends have been saying that it
advice for anyone starting
is still cold out there (I know this as well
the emigrating process now
 Moving to Canada 25

as I am sad enough to check the weather

daily!). They live about 10 minutes from a
Ski Resort (how cool is that!) and their
boys have been learning how to ski and
snowboard, and they have taken to it like
a duck to water. They have also
purchased quad bikes (boys toys), so you
can imagine what my husband now wants
– bless... the little things!
Steve is already on the slippery
slope, he had his first snowboarding
lesson last weekend, see photos. He
loved it, but looked shattered by the end
of the day. I'm not convinced it’s fun, so
am happy to watch from the sidelines with
a hot chocolate!
Thats it for now.... Hopefully will have
a bit more to say next month (and
hopefully it will all be good!).
The Ottewells (the Canadian Soon-
To-Be's)
.

Nova Scotia Fact File

• Nova scotia is the second

smallest Canadian province
• Population of 935,106 (Oct 07)
• Capital city is Halifax
• Provincial motto “One defends
and the other conquers” Donna McNeil
• Land area is 53,338 km² Exit Realty Metro
• Entered the confederation 1st 2055-1658 Bedford Highway, Bedford Nova Soctia, B4A 2X9.
July 1867 Cell: 902-222-4937
Fax: 902-835-4539
• Nova Scotia is 580 km long and email: donnamcneil@exitmetro.ca
an average width of 128 km. email: donna@relocationnovascotia.com
Web: www.halifaxdartmouthrealestate.com
• It has over 10,000 km of shorline
• Nearly 80% of Nova Scotians Moving to Nova
can trace their ancestry back to Be one of theScotia
many?families that I have
Lots ofsuccessfully
Questions? helped relocate to the
the British Isles
For Information meet mearea.
Halifax at Emigrate 2008
• Nova Scotia is in the Atlantic
Standard Time zone March 1 & 2 - 2008
Stand
I can118
assist from your first fact finding trip to
Sandown theRacecourse
purchase of your new home.
Esher, Surrey
26 Moving to Canada

Canada needs immigrants, so

why keep them waiting?
Last month we discussed the
problem with immigration
processing times and thought we
would take a closer look a the
figures produced by Citizenship
and Immigration Canada (CIC).

Every few months CIC produces

figures relating to past processing times
for each type of application from each visa
office. Obviously past figures cannot be
used to forecast accurate future
processing times, but you can at least get
an idea of how long the process will take
from you location. Processing times vary
depending on the visa office used and the
type of application processed.
We will take a look at the top ten
source countries of immigration to
Canada. All figures are based on 2007
data.
China
Lets look at China to start with as
many more immigrants are now coming
from China. The visa office in Beijing
processed 30% of skilled worker
applications in 53 months, but took 68
months to finalize 80% of applicants.
If you were applying via a business
category then it took 29 months to finalize
30% of applications and 67 months to
finalize 80%.
Family class applications are much
quicker with 80% of spousal/partner
applications taking just 4 months to
finalize, children 5 months, other family
members one month and parents and
grandparents taking longer at 19 months,
although 30% are processed in 12
months.
Provincial Nominees processed
through Beijing took 8 months to process
30% of cases and 15 months to process
80%.
India
New Delhi processed 30% of its
skilled worker applicants in 68 months,
but took 73 months to finalize 80% of
cases.
Business class applications were
much the same with 30% being
processed in 56 months and 80% in 70
months.
Again family class applicants can
expect a quicker turnaround with 80% of
spouse/partner cases being finalized in 6
months, children in 8 months and parents
and grandparents in 33 months, although
50% were completed in 12 months. Other
family members took as long as 53
months to process 80% of cases.
Provincial Nominees were processed
in under 6 months for 80% of cases with
50% being completed in 9 months.
Philippines
The Manila visa office took an
average of 58 months to clear 30% of
skilled worker applications and 65 months
for 80% of cases.
Family class applicants took an
average of 6 months to finalize 80% of
spousal applications, 7 months for
dependent children, 18 months for
parents/grandparents and 22 months for
other family members.
Provincial Nominee applications took
11 months to finalize 80% of cases
although 50% were completed in 8
months.
No figures were available for
business applicants.
Pakistan
Islamabad saw skilled worker
applicants waiting 70 months for 80% of
the cases to be finalized. Their 30%
figures were just as bad at 65 months.
Business applicants fared a little
better with 30% of cases being finalized in
29 months and 80% finalized in 54
months.
Family class applications took 9
months for 80% of spousal/partner
applicants and dependent children, 15
months for other family members but 38
months for parents an grandparents,

.
however 50% of these cases were
cleared in only 12 months.
Provincial Nominees processed from
Islamabad took 6 months to process 30%
of cases and 14 months to complete 80%.
United States of America
The visa office in Buffalo took 25
months to process 80% of skilled worker
applicants and 19 months to process
50%.
Business applicants took a lot longer
with 50% being processed in 46 months
and 80% taking 56 months.
80% of spousal and partner
applicants were processed in 9 months,
with dependent children taking 6 months
for the same percentage. Parents and
grandparents took 13 months to process
80%, whilst other relatives took just 9
months.
50% of Provincial Nominees were
processed in 6 months and 80% in 8
months.
Iran
All Iranian applications are processed
through Damascus and on average skilled
workers were processed in 63 months for
30% of cases and 71 months for 80% of
cases.
Business applicants are slightly
quicker with 80% of cases being finalized
in 67 months and 30% within 30 months.
Spouses and partners waited an
average of 4 months for 50% of cases
and 6 months for 80% of cases.
Dependent children took 8 months for
80% of cases and parents and
grandparents took 33 months. Other
family members took 23 months for 80%.
Provincial Nominees can expect to
wait 14 months for 50% of cases and 17
months for 80%.
United Kingdom
The visa office in London takes 33
months to process 50% of skilled worker
cases and 38 months to process 80%.
Business applicants wait much longer
with 80% of cases taking 61 months to
complete, with 50% being finalized in 33
months.
Family class applicants using the
spousal route took 9 months for 80% of
cases whilst dependent children took 13
months. Parents and grandparents took
12 months to complete 80% of cases and
other family members 8 months.
Provincial Nominees waited on
average 9 months for 80% of cases and
just 6 for 50%.
Korea
Seoul processes skilled worker
applications in 28 months for 50% of
cases and 31 months for 80%.
80% of business applications took 33
months with little difference being seen
with 30% processed at 29 months.
Spousal and partner applications took
just 5 months to process 80% of cases
and dependent children took 4 months.
Grandparents and parents were
processed in 18 months for 80% of cases
whilst other family members were
processed in just 3 months.
Applicants for Provincial Nominee
took 8 months for 80% of cases.
Columbia
In Bogota skilled workers were
processed in 34 months for 30% of cases
but the majority of cases (80%) took 75
months.
Family class applicant using the
spousal route took 12 months for 80% of
cases and dependent children a little
longer at 15 months. Parents and
grandparents were in a similar timeframe
of 17 months with other family members
taking 5 months.
Provincial Nominees waited 16
months in 80% of cases, however 50% of
cases were finalized in just 11 months.
No figures were available for
business applicants.
France
Paris takes on average 62 months to
process 80% of its skilled worker
applications.
Business applicants are much the
same with an average of 80% being
processed in 64 months.
Moving to Canada 27
Spouses and partners took an
average of 9 months to finalize 80% of
cases whilst dependent children took 7
months. Grandparents and patents can
expect to wait 21 months for 80% of
cases and other family members 3
months.
Provincial Nominee applicants waited
an average of 5 months for 50% of cases
and 9 months for 80%.
Averages
Across all visa offices across the
world the average time for 80% of
applicants under the skilled worker class
to process was 68 months. The shortest
waits were in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Lima,
Peru. Both had processing times of 18
months. The longest wait was in Kiev in
Ukraine where it takes 77 months for 80%
of cases.
The average time for business
applicants to be processed across the
world is 63 months. The shortest
processing times for 80% of cases was
Berlin, Germany which took 25 months
and the longest Cairo, Egypt with 74
months.
Provincial Nominees take an average
of 11 months with the shortest wait being
in Taipei at only 5 months.
Spouses and partners take an
average of 8 months to process with
Beijing,China taking just 4 months and
Accra, Ghana taking 18 months.
Dependent children take an average
of 10 months across the offices with the
shortest waits seen in Seoul, Tel Aviv and
Vienna at 4 months each. At the other end
of the scale both Abidjan and Nairobi take
25 months to process 80% of cases.
Parents and grandparents average
21 months with Cairo leading the pack at
11 months and Nairobi and Buenos Aires
both trailing at 46 months.
Remember past performance is no
indication of future processing times.
Correction: Last month we produced
a chart of processing times, please note
the column titles should have read 30%,
50%, 70% and 80% respectively. We
hope the above article will further clarify
this information. We apologize for any
confusion.
28 Moving to Canada

Moving with
kids, will it be
the making or
breaking of
your Family?
When you make the decision to move to a new country, you are
entering a stage of life in which there will be lots of decisions, massive
change, excitement, uncertainty, and there may be times when you
wonder what you are doing! Why do you want to put yourselves
through all that? Everyone has their own personal reasons for
emigrating, what would your children say if asked the same question?

By Louise Green, expatriate and migration coach


If you are feeling such a roller
coaster of emotions, having
initiated your emigration, imagine
what it would be like to have no
control, no say and little clue on
what’s happening, except that
everything is changing. It can be
a bewildering time for children,
you are busy dealing with your
own personal transition, and
children can sometimes find it
hard to express what they are
feeling about the move.
They will have a very different set of
priorities, requirements and concerns
that are very important to them. Our five
year old, didn’t want to go because he
was going to miss his granny. Whatever
their age they cannot fail to be affected in
some way, by such an enormous change.
You have their best interests at heart, but
to them life is about to change beyond
recognition and they may not share your
vision of what a great life you are creating.
It can be well worth the effort to help your
children prepare, adjust and actively get
involved in the migration process. You are
creating a better life for you and your
children, to give them new opportunities,
and by including them in the decisions
and planning to create your new exciting
life can make everyone’s life easier,
during and after you move.
Keep everyone informed
Schedule time to sit down as a family
and go through what’s happening, what
tasks need to be done, give everyone a
chance to express their views in a non
judgmental way, ask questions, and treat
all concerns with equal importance. It can
be a good chance for you to review where
you are, and the children will feel
involved. You might want an agenda, set
actions for everyone, set the next
meeting. At a surprisingly young age,
kids have the ability to pick up on things
and understand a lot more than we credit
them with. Make sure your kids are
involved with the migration process and
let them know what is planned, what is
going to happen and when. Minimize the
unexpected, and help them to prepare
and understand what is happening.
Holding regular discussions to review
progress, set out goals and actions, can
be a great way to get everyone involved.
It provides a great opportunity for you to
review where you are at, and what’s next.
Case study: A client, Rachel was
feeling overwhelmed by the whole
process and feeling like her husband and
four kids were just waiting for her to
organise and arrange the whole move,
they were not involved and not really sure
if they wanted to go or not. By holding
regular meetings she was able to
unburden herself and the kids and John
volunteered to take on the responsibility to
get certain tasks done. The kids had a
little competition on who could get their
tasks done first and it really brought them
together and excited about the emigration.
It became a team effort.
Define what everyone wants
This is a fun activity for the whole
family to brainstorm and list all the things
everyone would like to have in their lives.
Younger kids can draw pictures. It’s a
Moving to Canada 29
good chance for you all to discuss the
changes, opportunities, activities you will
have in your new country. Focus on
learning something new about each other.
The kids will learn more about why it’s
happening and you may be surprised
what you learn about your kids. Create a
collage of the drawings, pictures, and
lists, it will be a unique piece of family
history, to look back on and review how
you are moving towards your goals.
Case study: Tim and Shona, two
kids Sam and Richard, were not sure of
what they wanted from emigrating they
just knew they want something better than
what they had. We worked on creating a
visual record, a wish list of all the things
they wanted to have and do. The kids
drew a pictures of the type of house they
would like to live in, they stuck pictures of
activities, cycling, skiing they wanted to
do. Wrote paragraph about the type of
work they loved. The board was pinned up
in their kitchen, and when they came to
move got packed away and forgotten
about for several months, until they finally
got around to opening the last few boxes,
they were amazed at how much their life
included many of the things they had
visualised way back in the early stages.
30 Moving to Canada

Listen to their concerns you arrive, which friend to be pen pals of excitement and anticipation. Once you
with. arrive follow it up, and make sure it
Put aside some regular time to really happens. Your kids will have fun, begin to
listen to your children, give them the Get motivated into action make friends and you will meet parents
opportunity to tell you how they feel about and start making contacts too.
the move. Listen with the view to Get kids involved with some of the
understanding what they are feeling. Use tasks needed to be done before moving. If Keep to a routine
open ended questions: what exactly is they are fully on board they will want to
bothering you about that? Tell me how you help, and it will be easier to get Children especially at younger ages,
feel about that.” this encourages volunteers. If there is resistance to the love routine. It provides them with
discussion not one word answers. Refrain move, challenge them to put forward their security, gives them familiarity and helps
from jumping in with a dismissal of their case. You can discuss the results them understand where they fit in.
concerns, what may seem a small issue together. Forcing them into chores they Keeping that routine as much as possible
to you can be very important to them. don’t want to do, and with kids especially during your move, will help them to adjust
Give them the chance to tell you they are is just not going to work. Whereas to new situations more quickly. Keep
worried about starting a new school; they allowing them to come up with ideas, some familiar toys, bedding, books
don’t want to leave their friends, etc. Avoid suggesting actions they want to help with available to keep little ones feeling
replying with the ‘yes but, you’ll make new and giving them the responsibility to get secure.
friends….’ etc they don’t want to hear it at on with things, works wonders at creating Case study: Lisa, Patrick and Olivia
this point, however much you know it will excitement and self importance. Get (18months) decided to get a travel cot that
be right. All that is telling them is that you agreement from all parties and set Olivia could get used to sleeping in
don’t understand and are lowering the guidelines so you can leave them to it. several weeks before moving, to allow her
importance of their concerns. Ask them The sense of achievement could be the time to get used to new cot in their own
who specifically they will miss, get to the one thing that tips the balance in your home. It turned out they made several
real issue, and ask them how they could favor if there are differences of opinion short moves before buying their new
resolve it. Explaining the reason why you over the whole move. What tasks can you home and Olivia remained settled
are moving and that will not change but delegate? throughout. They kept her favorite toys
what options can you generate between and night-time routine.
you to overcome their concerns. Kids Have a day off to do
have an amazing imagination they will something fun Starting new schools
come up with ideas. It will bring you closer
and they will love that you recognise their During your research for possible
During and after the move you will
concerns as important enough to spend schools, you will visit each to have a look
have a very long list of jobs to be done.
time resolving them together. around, but this may be well in advance of
It’s all too easy to get focused on getting
organised, housing, jobs, finances etc. your children actually starting school. Plan
Every Opinion Counts You and your whole family will benefit a visit to the school just before they are
immensely from taking a day off to due to start, so they can remind
We all know how it feels when our appreciate your new country and take themselves what it’s like and creates
opinions are valued. It’s good to know our some time to enjoy the rewards of your some familiarity. Ask the school if they can
views are being considered, there is a real hard work. Younger children will love the put you in touch with other students in
sense of contribution and belonging. In fact you are spending time with them, and their class, that live locally to you, to see if
situations where insecurity, and change it will give older children an insight into it is possible to meet up with parents and
are happening, getting your children what your new life can offer them. Plan new class mates, before the big day. Just
involved in the decision making process something together give the children a having a face you know can make that
can help them to feel connected and give say in where you go or what you do. first day a little less daunting.
them a sense of control over their destiny.
It may not be possible to let them decide Look for a new activity they Louise offers migration planning and
where you are going to live! But they can coaching to help you get where you want
can join
add their requirements and wishes on the with less stress and more focus. Contact
list for consideration. Give them the Louise or visit www.theexpatcoach.com
This can be something you decide on
opportunity to put forward their case. for more details.
in advance of moving, get the children
From the previous activity you will know “You will get where you want, with
involved in thinking about what they would
what may be worrying them, create a new perseverance and determination, I know
like to do when you arrive. Investigate and
issue for them, deciding what toys of you can do it!”
research options, or get them to find out
theirs will go in the removal container,
for themselves. It will help create a sense
what activities they might like to do after
 Moving to Canada 31

Amendments to the Are you new

to Ontario?
immigration system
In March an announcement was made by

Do you need help?

the Government of Canada relating to
amendments to the immigration system. The
new measures are designed to address the
problem of backlogs in the application process
Are you helping
and give the government greater flexibility in newcomers to settle?
processing new applications.
Once passed, the new measures will apply Settlement.Org provides
to applications received on or after 27th February you with information and
2008. answers to settle in Ontario.
The new measures will allow Citizenship
and Immigration Canada (CIC) to select and Visit www.settlement.org for information about
choose the applications that best meet Canada’s Finding a Job, ESL Classes, Housing, Health and much more...
labour market needs.
A spokesperson from CIC said “Canada
remains open to immigration, and anyone can
apply to immigrate. The proposed legislative
amendments give the department the flexibility to
be more selective – to take certain candidates
quickly, hold some applications, and return Funded by: Citizenship and
Immigration Canada
Citoyenneté et
Immigration Canada
others. That shouldn’t deter good candidates
Managed by: Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
from applying, unlike the current system which
deters many well-qualified skilled workers from
applying because they have to wait so long.
“Skilled workers are selected for their ability final changes June 2, 2005
to contribute to our economy and establish
themselves successfully in Canada. They are the
most skilled and highly educated immigrants that
Canada accepts.
“Research shows that the demand for highly
qualified workers in Canada is growing.
“Within the next decade, immigration is
projected to account for all net labour force
Canadian Relocation Solutions Ltd.
growth in Canada. Two-thirds of the available Canada’s only full service immigration company!
jobs will require post-secondary education. Jobs We handle everything from our first meeting to your family’s
that require a university-level education are the permanent residency in Canada.
fastest growing types of jobs.
* For your family’s protection *
“Skilled workers do well in Canada. With
All immigration information is provided by our lawyers
their generic skill set, they are better able to
weather downturns in the economy. They are FREE ON LINE ASSESMENT
also more successful in the labour market than ONE CLICK DOES IT ALL!
other immigrants, catching up to their Canadian
counterparts more quickly and earning the
www.canadianrelocationsolutions.com
highest average incomes.” OFFICE: 001 306 373 4686 FAX: 001 306 384 7298
Muchmor will provide more information
office@canadianrelocationsolutions.com
about this matter as and when it becomes
RELOCATION/IMMIGRATION-LEGAL REPRESENTATION-RESIDENTIAL &
available. COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE-MORTGAGES-TRANSPORTATION
FINANCIALCONSULTATIONS-BANKING-BUSINESSES-INSURANCE-EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT-STUDY PERMITS
32 Careers

10 jobs that let you work from

home
By Kate Lorenz,
CareerBuilder.ca

How would you like to work

from home? No hustling out the
door 10 minutes late, no fighting
your road rage or battling for the
last seat on train, no fast food
lunch and no noisy co-workers.
Sounds like heaven doesn't it?

More than ever, workers are

attracted to the 30-second commute,
thanks to social and economic trends.
Technologies necessary for setting up a
home office are widely available,
relatively inexpensive and getting easier
for people to use. In addition, more
workers are seeking flexible schedules to
care for children and aging parents.
The number of Americans whose
employer allows them to work remotely at
least one day per month increased 63
percent, from 7.6 million in 2004 to 12.4
million in 2006, according to a 2007 report
issued by WorldatWork. In total, the sum
of teleworkers (both employed and self-
employed) working remotely at least one
day per month has risen 10 percent from
26.1 million in 2005 to 28.7 million in 2006.
Many people associate working from
home with starting a home-based
business and becoming an entrepreneur,
but more and more employers are offering
this option to workers in order to attract
and retain top employees.
Don't fret; there are jobs that you can
find with established employers. Search
using terms including “work from home,”
“home office” and “telecommute.” In
addition, even if the job is advertised as
office-based, here are 10 positions are
telework-friendly and could be in your
future.
Administrative Assistant
Administrative assistants and
secretaries comprised 4.2 million U.S. jobs suggested for the quickly evolving industry.
in 2006 (according to the latest data from
the BLS), one of the country’s largest
occupations. Also known as virtual
assistants, home-based administrative
assistants use office experience and
computer skills as support personnel.
Many skills easily transition into this
position, which offers many part-time and
temporary opportunities.
Advertising Sales Agent
According to eMarketer, the number
of dollars spent on advertising is expected
to exceed $295 billion in 2008. Advertising
sales representatives sell or solicit
advertising space in print and online
publications, custom-made signs, or TV
and radio advertising spots with online
advertising is growing rapidly.
Computer Software Engineer
The BLS projects computer software
engineer to be one of the fastest-growing
occupations between now and 2016.
Duties include design, development,
testing and evaluation of computer
software, and continual training is
Corporate Event Planner
Employed by a private company
rather than a hotel or convention facility, a
corporate event planner coordinates staff
activities including group meetings, client
presentations, special events, conventions
and travel. The BLS projects this
occupation will add 10,000 new jobs by
2016.
Copy Editor
Copy editors mostly review and edit a
writer's copy for accuracy, content,
grammar and style. This is a competitive
field; however, the growth of online
publications and services is spurring the
demand for writers and editors, especially
those with Web experience.
Desktop Publisher
Desktop publishers use computer
software to format and combine text,
images, charts and other visual elements
to produce publication-ready material.

Duties of this fast-growing profession
include writing and editing text, creating
graphics, converting photos and drawings
into digital images, designing page layouts
and developing presentations.
Data Entry Clerk
Like administrative assistants, job
prospects should be best for those with
expertise in computer software
applications. By typing text, entering data
into a computer, and performing other
clerical duties, these workers ensure
companies keep up with information and
technology.
Insurance Underwriter
Insurance underwriters serve as the
main link between the insurance carrier
and the insurance agent. Underwriters
analyze insurance applications, calculate
the risk of loss from policyholders, decide
whether to issue the policy and establish
appropriate premium rates.
Subscribe to Muchmor Magazine and
not only will you be reminded when
every new issue is published but you
will also be placed into a draw to win
a $50 TimCard™
read muchmor for the latest winner
and to subscribe at
readmuchmor.com
Careers 33
Market Research Analyst If you want to make the case to a
Market research analysts, whose job potential employer or your boss to let you
numbers are expected to grow 20 percent work from home, keep a few things in
by 2016, gather data on competitors and mind. If possible, provide concrete
analyze prices, sales, and methods of examples of how this arrangement was
marketing and distribution. They often successful in the past or how it will
design surveys, compile and evaluate the succeed. Suggest that you ease into it --
data and make recommendations to their spending a few days to a few weeks in the
client or employer based upon their office at the outset, meeting people and
findings. getting to know procedures. Then, during
the first three to six months on the new
Paralegal job, make frequent visits.
While lawyers assume ultimate
Kate Lorenz is the article and advice
responsibility for legal work, they delegate
editor for CareerBuilder.ca. She
much of their work to paralegals.
researches and writes about job search
Paralegals not only assist in preparation
strategy, career management, hiring
for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate
trends and workplace issues.
meetings, they also perform a number of
other vital functions including draft
contracts, mortgages, separation
agreements, trust instruments and may
assist in preparing tax returns and
planning estates. With employers reducing
costs by replacing duties once tended to
by lawyers with paralegals, growth of this
profession is expected.
CareerBuilder® is one of
Canada’s top job sites
allowing you to get the best
and most up-to-date
employment information
available.
Sign up completely free to
receive job
recommendations or add
your resume to allow
employers to search for
you.
34 Money

Line of credit or great as it means you get the whole

loan?
When you decide you need a little
extra cash, and who doesn’t, the first
place you will probably go is your financial
institution for a loan. But is a loan the right
thing to ask for? If you are a home owner,
you will be borrowing against the equity in
your home, essentially a second
mortgage. You should discuss with your
financial advisor the differences between
loans and lines of credit. Depending on
what you need the money for will
determine which options will be best for
you.
Loans
With a loan you agree to borrow a set
amount of money which you repay by
fixed installments over a fixed period of
time. For homeowners this is referred to
as a Home Equity Loan (HEL). This is
amount up-front to do with as you please,
but you are making payments on the
whole amount, even if you don’t use it all
at once. By this we mean that if for
example you borrow $20,000 but only use
$10,000 initially and keep the rest in the
bank for a rainy day, you are still paying
interest and repayments on the whole
$20,000.
Generally a HEL is more suitable for
these one-off payments such as a car
purchase or major home renovation.
Line of Credit
A Home Equity Line of Credit
(HELOC) works in a different way and is
much more flexible. You still have to agree
to an amount you can borrow and the time
period it is available, but you will only pay
interest on the amount you borrow. This is
especially useful for someone who wants
the security of knowing the money is
available but wants to be able to use it as
and when they need it.
If you agreed to a line of credit of
$20,000 for a ten year period, you can dip
into that money as and when you need it
and only pay interest on the amount used.
Use $10,000 and pay interest on $10,000.
If you pay back the $10,000 then you have
the $20,000 still available to you. This is
basically a revolving credit similar to a
credit card.
This type of credit is useful for
ongoing needs such as tuition payments,
ongoing renovations,or perhaps a holiday
each year.
With either of these options you home
is at risk if you default on the payments.
Both can be set as fixed rate or flexible
rates of interest and interest on both types
of loan are usually tax deductible.
Always consult with an advisor before
taking on either type of loan to be sure
you are opting for the one which suits your
circumstances.

Location,
location,
location.
Fluctuating exchange rates could put
your dream property out of reach

To minimise the risk of paying more when

moving or buying abroad, call us now and
speak to one of our expert advisers or visit
www.hifx.co.uk

0845 370 5133

(all calls charged at standard local rates)

Currency Specialists
Morgan House Madeira Walk Windsor Berkshire SL4 1EP
 Money 35

Savings - money was invested in an unregistered

the tax-free way
In the federal budget a new tax-free
savings plan was announced. We all want
to pay as little in taxes as we can, so what
can this new plan offer the average
Canadian?
The new Tax-Free Savings Account
(TFSA) will start in 2009 and will allow
Canadians to earn tax-free investment
income. Each person will be allowed to
contribute up to $5,000 annually, with the
ability to carry forward unused
contributions. Any withdrawals from the
account will create contribution room for
future savings.
The government gives an example of
someone investing $200 each month for
20 years accumulating approximately
$11,045 more in savings than if the same
account.
transfered to a spouse or partner upon
death.
The advantages of the new TFSA is in
its flexibility. You will be able to withdraw
money as and when you need to without
penalty. The amounts you withdraw open
up your future contribution room to allow
you to take full advantage of the tax-free
status. This means that if you save $5,000
in years one and two, but then need to
withdraw $7,000 at the start of year three,
you will then be able to make up the
$7,000 in future years as your finances
allow. You will never loose out on your
contribution room.
Spouses and partners can also
contribute to each others TFSA, subject to
the contribution room available. This
means a person who does not work or has
a low income can still take advantage of
the TFSA via contributions from their
spouse. Assets from TFSA’s can also be
In summary:
• $5,000 can be invested each year
• Unused contributions can be
carried forward
• Contributions are not deductible
• Investment income and capital
gains earned will not be taxed
• Income and withdrawals will not
affect eligibility for income-tested
benefits and credits
• Withdrawals create future
contribution room
• Spouses and partners can
contribute to each others account
• Annual contribution limit will be
indexed to inflation in $500 increments

D’s Bookkeeping
Service

for small business and

independent
contractors

mobile payroll
training at all levels

Denise 613-398-7964
denise@xplornet.com
36 Health & Wellness

A good night’s sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is the day. So what can you do to give If you find you cannot get to sleep
one of the most important factors yourself the best opportunity for a good straight away, you might want to get up
night’s sleep? and walk about, read a little or do
for keeping all round good health.
Your bedroom should be a place that something relaxing until you feel tired.
Many people underestimate the is compatible with sleep. Your mattress If getting enough good sleep is a
need for good quality sleep and should be comfortable and supportive as problem for you try keeping a sleep diary.
their overall health can suffer as a should your pillows. Sheets should be Note the times you go to bed and get up,
result. So what can we do to make cotton to allow your body to breathe. Have whether you had a good or bad night’s
the right type and amount of covers so sleep, how often you woke up during the
sure we get a good night’s sleep?
your are neither too hot or too cold. night and how long it took to get back to
The bedroom itself should also be at sleep. Keep track of what you eat and
The amount of sleep we need varies
the right temperature, often a few degrees drink and also any medications you take
from person to person. Some people cope
cooler than the daytime temperature. Use so that you can see if any patterns
very well on just four hours sleep a night,
heavy curtains or blackout curtains to emerge. It may be that having a coffee
whereas others need at least eight hours
prevent early morning light from creeping after a certain time in the evening means
in order to function the following day. Our
into the room and waking you. Another your sleep is disturbed and by keeping a
age plays a part in our sleep pattern too:
useful tip is to hide your clock so that you diary you will see this pattern and be able
children need more sleep that adults and
are not fixated on it during the night. to address the problem.
older adults often need fewer hours than
There are things that you can do It goes without saying that stress can
younger adults. Your activity levels will
during the day which will impact on your interfere with sleeping and you should try
also impact on your sleep requirements. If
sleep such as not taking a nap, avoid to keep stress levels low before bedtime.
you are a very active person then you may
alcohol and caffeine in the hours before Some people find that writing down the
need less sleep than someone who has a
going to bed and don’t smoke. All these things that are bothering them with
very sedentary lifestyle. So as you can
can prevent you from sleeping well. possible solutions helps them get a more
see there are no hard and fast rules about
Try to go to bed at the same time restful sleep.
how much sleep you should be getting,
every night and wake up at the same time You should always bare in mind that
your body will be the best guide.
in the morning. Oversleeping, even once taking medication for sleep disorders
An important thing to remember, is
can seriously interfere with your sleep should be the absolute last resort and
that just because you get eight hours of
pattern. Try to relax before sleeping, either should be done so under medical
sleep it is not always “good” sleep. The
through meditation, reading or perhaps a supervision.
quality of sleep is also very important in
warm bath.
order that you feel rested and ready for
37 Health & Wellness
New advances
in Pap testing
for women
Most women are aware of the
Pap smear test which is taken to
assess the cellular changes in the
cervix which can lead to a
diagnosis of cervical cancer or
detect early stages of the disease.
You may also have heard of
the human papillomavirus (HPV)
which is now know to be the
primary cause of nearly all cervical
cancers. In fact there are over 30
type of HPV and thirteen of these
are known to be high risk, leading
to cervical cancer.
Now an alternative to the Pap
test is available to women. It is
called a HPV DNA test and it is
40% more sensitive than a Pap
smear. It can detect the very early
stages of the HPV virus which if
detected early enough can be
treated and may avoid the onset of
cancer.
A study undertaken by McGill
University in Montreal found that in
a screening of 10,154 women ages
30-69 the HPV DNA test detected
94% of the cancers and pre-
cancers compared to 55.4% of
those found by Pap testing.
A second study of 12,527
women in Sweden found the new
DNA test to be 51% more accurate.
“What we found, with very
strong results, is that HPV testing is
more sensitive than Pap testing -
almost twice as much," lead author
Dr. Marie-Helene Mayrand said in
an interview from Montreal.
HPV DNA testing is available in
Canada, but access across the
country varies. Women can request
this type of test, but will probably
have to pay privately for it and may
need to travel to a participating
clinic for the test and the results.
The test is available to women who
have had a suspicious Pap test.
Funding for free
MedicAlert
bracelets for
children
announced
“Over the next five years, the No
It is estimated that one in ten
Child Without campaign will be taken to
children in Canada have severe allergies,
every one of Canada’s 12,000 elementary
asthma, epilepsy and other conditions that
schools,” Prime Minister Harper said. “I
can be life-threatening. In light of this
want to congratulate MedicAlert for this
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has
tremendous initiative, and I also want to
announced the government’s support of
applaud their new partner in the
the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation’s No
campaign, the Lions Club of Canada,
Child Without campaign.
which is providing funding and
“This is a constant worry for parents
community-based support as the program
of kids with medical conditions that are
expands across our country.
potentially dangerous,” said the Prime
The announcement provides an
Minister, himself a father of two young
additional $3 million to the No Child
children. “That’s what prompted the
Without campaign. The Budget 2008
creation of the MedicAlert program, which
commitment, combined with $2 million
came to Canada 45 years ago. Countless
allocated to the campaign in Budget 2007,
children and adults have received life-
brings the federal government’s total
saving emergency treatment thanks to
contribution to the No Child Without
their membership in the program.
campaign to $5 million.
ISAGENIX
Numbers
with diabetes
Newfoundland: World leader in
30,668
Prince Edward:
nutritional cleansing™
7,427 Cleanse Your Way to
Nova Scotia
52,882 Better Health
New Brunswick:
38,146
Quebec:
332,822
Recruiting Network
Ontario:
510,253
Marketers, Health & Wealth
Vann Gouweleeuw
Manitoba:
41,152 705 632-0072
Saskatchewan:
40,072 vanng@trentconnects.ca
Alberta: http://gocleanse.com/vanng
105,242
British
Columbia:
Lose Pounds and Inches Naturally
164,010 Through Nutritional Cleansing
Finally .. A program That Works
for Weight Loss!
38 Home and Garden

Attracting
birds to
your
garden

Eastern Bluebird
39 Home and Garden
There is nothing that tells us
it’s spring more than the arrival of
birds such as blackbirds and
robins. Nearly everyone
appreciates the beauty and
enjoyment of watching birds
feasting on your garden treats. So
what are the best ways of
attracting birds to your garden?
Birds not only provide colour and
beauty to a garden they also perform
important functions such as pest control
and plant pollination.
In order to attract birds you need to
know what they want from life mainly:
food, shelter and water. If you can provide
their needs they will come.
Food
Depending on where you live will
depend on the type of birds you are likely
to attract. If you live in Ontario you will be
very familiar with the Blue Jay, whereas in
British Columbia the Grey Jays and
Stellar’s Jay are far more numerous.
Like humans, birds have their favorite
food types and each species has its own
preferences. Some like seeds, some nuts,
some like nectar and others like insects or
fruit. If you are prepared to offer a wide
selection of foods then you will be
rewarded with a wider selection of birds. It
is also worth knowing what food each
species feeds to its young as this can
determine if you have nesting birds
nearby.
Shrubs and trees: The type of
shrubs and trees you have in your garden
will have an impact on the species you
attract. If you try to plant those which offer
berries, fruit, seeds and nuts you will see
far more birds than a garden with just one
or two tree types. Evergreens are
excellent as not only do they offer year
round colour for your enjoyment they also
offer food sources and shelter to birds all
year round.
Unless it is unsafe, try to leave any
dead wood and trees in your garden as
many insects use this as home and thus
you will attract more birds. Woodpeckers,
nuthatches and chickadees love nothing
more than hiding their food in tree bark,
so by leaving the odd bit of dead wood
about you will be providing a larder for
them.
You might also want to provide an
area of dead limbs and leaves such as a
compost as this will attract ground-
dwelling birds such as towhees and
sparrows. These little birds will spend
hours rummaging through such areas for
insects.
Plants: The type of plants you use
are also important. Using wildflowers
native to your area is always a good idea Steller’s Jay
as they will in turn attract native birds.
Wildflowers will also attract insects so you
will then be appealing to insect eating
birds. Remember many birds who feed on
seeds, nuts etc as adults feed their young
on insects, so to have both options in the
garden will encourage them to stay
nearby and nest.
Flowers such as sunflowers, daisies
and coneflowers can be left to go to seed
as the seeds are very attractive to many
bird species such as finches, sparrows
etc. Remember too that they are also very American Goldfinch
attractive to squirrels and chipmunks, so
be prepared to be raided!
Note: With all trees, shrubs and
plants it is important to get a mix of
conifers, grasses, nectar producing
plants, fruiting plants, nut producing plants
and evergreens.
If you include mulch or bark chips
round your plants and trees this will
encourage insects too. Birds love to
rummage around in this type of surface
digging out tasty treats.
Feeders: Another important step to
take in attracting birds is to provide Black Capped Chickadee
feeders in key locations throughout your
garden.
Bird feeders come in many shapes
and sizes and can be made to be squirrel
proof if this is an issue to you. You will find
that there are different feeders for different
types of food. Some hold seeds and nuts,
some fruit and some will hold suet bars or
nectar, many hold any number of things.
Your feeds should be large enough to
hold a good amount of food as you don’t
want to be running out filling it up every
hour. It should also be sturdy to withstand
Downy Woodpecker
 Home and Garden 40

both the weather and the weight of larger

birds. It should keep food dry and clean
and should be easy to refill and look after
and keep clean.
You will want to use several different
types of feeder in order to attract the
greatest variety of birds. If you have a
small garden which does not allow you to
landscape for birds then feeders will be
your way of attracting birds to your home.
Likewise if you live in a property without a
garden, you might consider using feeders
outside your window or on a balcony to
attract as many birds as you can.
Tray feeders will appeal to many
birds. They are basically a raised, flat
surface onto which various foods can be
placed. Some have a roof to offer
protection from the weather, but many are
open. This type of feeder should have
drainage holes to allow water to escape.
Hopper feeders are basically a box
forming an enclosed food hopper. Some
Bobolink
have clear fronts so birds can see inside.
Most birds will use a hopper feeder and it
feed from the top. Nectar feeders should box, some birds like a lot of room, others
will also keep food dry and clean.
not be placed in direct sunlight as it will want a small cozy space. The height the
Window feeders are useful if you
cause the nectar to spoil too quickly. box is placed is also a factor to be
want an “up close and personal” view of
considered.
your birds. They are clear boxes that
Shelter When buying a nesting box many will
attach to a window by way of a suction
have details of the type of bird it is likely to
cup to allow you to see the birds.
Shelter comes in many forms, both attract an the optimum placement for it.
Cylinder feeders are long hollow
natural and artificial. Birds rely on shelter A Chickadee will like a box that has a
cylinders which can be filled with food.
They can have several feeding holes and not only to protect them from the elements hole of 3 cm diameter and the hole should
and predators, but to provide a secure be 15 cm above the bottom of the box.
perches to allow many birds access at the
location to nest and bring up their young. The box should be between 2 and 5
same time. They can be made from
Natural shelter is in trees and shrubs, metres above the ground.
anything from metal, plastic or wood and
particularly evergreens that can offer A Hairy Woodpecker will require a
encourage smaller birds to feed. These
shelter in the winter months. Dense hole 4 cm diameter and 25 cm above
feeders are not good at attracting larger
wooded areas are great for birds as it bottom of the box. This box should be
birds as they are space restrictive.
offers protection from both the elements placed 3 to 5 metres above the ground.
Suet feeders can be found as
individual items or attached to other and predators. By providing different types
feeders. They are a mesh cage or bag of foliage you will be providing shelter for Water
which holds suet cakes. Woodpeckers, many types of birds.
nuthatches and chickadees will enjoy this Artificial shelter comes in the form of Water is not only used for drinking,
type of feeder. nesting boxes which can be placed in but for bathing. Water can be in the form
Nectar feeders are plastic containers strategic locations in your garden of a pond, stream or an artificial bird bath.
which hold artificial nectar or sugar encouraging birds to nest. If the source is natural make sure it is
solution. They often have red flower like Not all birds will use nest boxes, but easily accessible. This might mean adding
feeding ports to allow hummingbirds to species such as chickadees, nuthatches some stones or rocks for birds to stand
hover and feed. They should have bee and woodpecker may. on as water more than a few centimeters
guards to prevent bees from entering the The type and location of the nest box deep will be off-putting to smaller birds.
container. This type of container needs to is crucial. The entrance size is very The water source should also be close to
be cleaned frequently, so make sure it is important as a bird will obviously want to shelter as this will allow the bird to escape
easy to clean. Some nectar feeders are be able to enter and exit easily, but will not any predators.
saucer shaped allowing hummingbirds to want other birds to get in the box. Other Bird baths should have a rough
important factors are the actual size of the surface with sloping sides and shallow
 Home and Garden 41
.

water. trough. The bath should be refilled

regularly and kept clean.
Birds love running water, so a Plants that attract birds and
fountain or waterfall will be an added
bonus for them. butterflies
As well as bathing in water birds love
to bath in sand or fine soil. If you can
provide an area of this type you will find Aster
many birds dusting themselves off very Bellflower
happily. Black-eyed Susans
Coneflower
Nesting Materials
Malva
As well as providing the actual Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)
nesting boxes for birds it is also worth Yarrow
trying to provide the nesting materials Sedum
they will need to make a comfy nest. Honesty
Again this will depend on the type of bird,
Sweet Rocket
but things such as twigs, leaves and Bellflower
general garden debris will all be Honeysuckle
welcomed. We mentioned before the use Candytuft
of an area of dead branches and Michaelmas Daisy
compost, well this can also be a good Nicotiana
source of nesting products for birds.
Arabis
Other things to consider providing are
straw, string, yarn, dead twigs, feathers, Dwarf Phlox
bark and pine needles. Don’t let your Alyssum
household waste go unused either. Things Rosemary
such as animal fur and shredded paper Hyssop
will also be used by birds to make their
Lavender
nests.
Bergamot
Butterflies Thyme
Thistles Butterfly Bush
As well as attracting many types of Dogwood
birds to your garden, you will also be Bittersweet Vine
attracting butterflies.
Sumac Trees
Butterflies like many of the plants and
flowers you will be planting to attract the Maple Trees
birds. They particularly like strong scented Holly Trees and Shrubs
plants and brightly colored plants, Winterberry
particularly blue ones. Wisteria
If you plant your garden with different
Buckeye
height border plants butterflies will love to
fly between the different blooms. They Hibiscus
also need the sun to warm their bodies, Lobelia
so if you place some flat stones in sunny , Verbena
wind-less spots this will encourage Honeysuckle Winterberry
sunbathing butterflies.
Lilac
Berbaris
and any berry producing tree or bush
42 Home and Garden

MLS: 2080320 Price: $425,000 Province: Ontario

City: Wellington Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1

Well established Pub/Diner - Buy your Family a Living!!! This successful Pub/Diner includes
the building and business. Very GOOD SALES! Same owner for 18 years, wishes to retire!
Licensed for 60 people, main floor 2500 sq. ft with 1100 sq. ft. 3 bedroom apartment
upstairs. Excellent downtown location within minutes to Provincial Sandbanks! Owner will
hold Mortgage. Financial statements available to serious offers. List of chattels and
inclusions available on offers.

MLS: 2075898 Price: $375,900 Province: Ontario

City: Prince Edward Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 2
Grand Century Home situated on a 12 acre parcel of land with great Privacy! Large barn in
good condition. This home boasts many original features, 9 1/2 foot ceilings, extra wide
baseboards, original trim and most doors. Over 3400 sq. ft. with great potential. Spacious 4
bedrooms upstairs, original wood bannister. Large room on main floor could be master
bedroom or Parlor. This all brick home is set back from Road with long driveway going into
property, offers a wonderful Privacy!

MLS: 2080554 Price: $198,000 Province: Ontario

City: Hillier Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2

Solid Brick/Stucco Century Home - on large lot. 4 bedrooms, spacious kitchen with newer
cabinetry , main floor laundry, 200 amp service. Basement has been insulated. Ultra Violet
light/water filter, water softener. Single Detached garage.

MLS: 2071638 Price: $299,000 Province: Ontario

City: Hillier Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 1
Solid bungalow with 33 acres of good clay loam soil. Close to many wineries. 40' x 60'
cement block building with 14' ceilings, 200 amp service. Deeded access to well

www.quinteisle.com
43 Home and Garden
Realtor v’s sale by owner
Many people looking to sell a house
these days are faced with the option of
selling the property themselves or enlist
the services of a Realtor.
For years Realtors have been the
number one option when selling your
home and many people never thought of
selling by any other means. These days
with the growing use of the World Wide
Web across Canada, more and more
people are debating whether to do it
themselves.
There are advantages and
disadvantages to both and these must be
weighed up before choosing which model
to choose.
Realtors
Realtors are licensed real estate
professionals and will be members of their
local real estate board, their provincial
association and the Canadian Real Estate
Association. They will have trained
extensively and be knowledgeable and
experienced in the real estate market.
A good Realtor will know your area
well and will be able to guide you through
the legal maze of selling your home. They
will know exactly how much you should
ask for your property, guide you regarding
changes you need to make before selling
and will get you to sign a Listing
Agreement to cover both parties.
Marketing is a major reason for
choosing a Realtor. They will have a
database of clients that they can contact
as well as an office to promote your sale.
They may organise a Realtor open
house in which they invite other Realtors
to your property so they can see it first
hand and be able to market it to their
clients too.
Another big marketing tool only
available to Realtors is the Multiple Listing
Service (MLS). When they enter your
property onto MLS, not only is it available
for all potential buyer to see, it is also sent
immediately to local agents so that they
know instantly that your property is on the
market.
Realtors offer advice and guidance
throughout the process, they deal with all
the marketing and paperwork. They may If you oraganise open houses or
offer open houses and will always show private viewings, you will have to show
potential buyers around your home. people around yourself.
When you find a buyer your Realtor All paperwork and legal
will be the one doing all the negotiating documentation will need to be done by
between the parties. You will not have to you and you will also be dealing directly
communicate with the buyers and this with the buyer and be responsible for
means that all personal issues are negotiating the selling price, inclusions
removed. The Realtor will be working for and conditions of sale.
you to get the best possible deal.
Realtors typically charge around 5% Summary
of the selling price to market and sell your
home. Obviously if a sale is not achieved If you are in no hurry to sell your
you will not incur a cost. home you might want to try to sell it
yourself to start with. You may be lucky
Sale by Owner and get the ideal result - you sell for the
price you need and pay little or nothing.
Many websites and companies have However you might find the whole
sprung up over the years allowing you to process too daunting and too personal
advertise and sell your home yourself. and prefer to hand over the reigns to a
The costs involved are sometimes professional. Many people feel the price is
free, but usually amount to a few hundred worth paying for the peace of mind a
dollars depending on the service offered. Realtor can bring.
This may seem like an excellent way Either way, the choice is there, you
of selling your home without the costs of a just have to find the one that fits your
Realtor, but are you ready to sell your own needs and requirements.
home?
You will need to decide how much to
market your property for and you will also
be responsible for all marketing.
MOVING 2 ALBERTA
Contact Helen Parnell a property relocation
specialist who has helped many
expats settle here after making
the move herself.
Free assistance on • Accommodation
• Real Estate • Insurance
• Mortgages • Airport meet and greet
• Serving Calgary and South Alberta
Tel: 001 403 932 5670
Email: Helenparnell@shaw.ca
www.moving2alberta.com
44 Home and Garden
Staging your home to sell
When looking to sell your
home you obviously want to get
top dollar and in order to do that
your home needs to be presented
in such a way that buyers cannot
resist.
Staging is a process by which you
present your home in the most appealing
way in order to attract buyers. It need not go. Remember buyers will be opening
cost very much or take too long to do, but cupboards, looking behind things, looking
can mean the difference between getting
an asking price offer or even multiple
offers or not getting any interest at all. home is sparkling clean, inside and out.
Even if you are not aware of it,
builders use staging when presenting
show homes to the public. They “dress”
the house to appeal to the market they
are trying to attract.
So how can you benefit from staging
and how is it done? There are lots of
people and companies around that offer
Subscribe to Muchmor Magazine and
not only will you be reminded when
every new issue is published but you
will also be placed into a draw to win
a $50 TimCard™
read muchmor for the latest winner
and to subscribe at
readmuchmor.com
staging to home owners. If you have no applies to outdoor items too, so if you
idea where to start or what to do they can have some shingles that need attention,
be a good option, but they do cost money fix it. Buyers will use these things to try to
and you can do this yourself. negotiate lower offer prices. A thing that
may have cost you a few dollars to
Simple rules of staging correct can end up costing you
thousands .
Clean your home: This may seem Neutralise: If it a fact that buyers
obvious but can be overlooked, especially are more inclined to picture themselves in
in those places where you don’t always a home that has neutral decor. If you
have bright red walls, many buyers will be
put off. Even if you love your purple
through windows and in your garage and bedroom, a buyer might not and so if you
outhouses. Make sure every part of your neutralise you will have a better chance of
appealing to more people. Neutral colours
De-Clutter: It is vital that you get rid also tend to make rooms look bigger.
of any clutter in your home before you Curb appeal: As the saying goes,
sell. You don’t have to throw it away, you “you only get one chance to make a first
can put it in storage for future use, but impression.” If a buyer drives to your
you do need to remove it whilst selling. home and is immediately put off by the
By removing clutter you are weeds in your flower bed, the peeling
presenting your house as a clean and tidy paint on your front door or the old rusting
home. De-cluttering will also make the car in your drive then you can bet
home seem bigger. however nice your home is inside, they
Make sure kitchen will have already decided not to buy.
and bathroom Clean up the front of your home to make
countertops are it as appealing as possible. Plant flowers,
clear of clutter paint woodwork, replace the old mailbox
too. and remove unused vehicles. Put other
De-personalise: vehicles in the garage.
This should be Overall: Do not cook anything strong
part of your de- smelling before accepting viewings. You
cluttering don’t want buyers referring to your home
as “the garlic house.”
process.
Removing Empty wastebaskets before
personal items viewings. Make sure all plants are healthy
looking. Make sure your closets are clean
will mean
potential buyers and tidy. If you have carpets are they
can picture clean? If not get them cleaned. Are your
themselves in windows clean? Is your refrigerator tidy
your property and and not full of beer or rotting cheese? Are
not be the towels in your bathroom clean?
overwhelmed by Leave lights on for viewings and
your personal make sure all light-bulbs are working.
photos, religious Get advice from your realtor. They
artifacts or are in the business of showing homes
and know what works and what doesn’t. If
knickknacks.
Do fixes: By this they suggest changing something, do it.
we mean fix that After all they want to sell your house as
dripping tap, or much as you do, they want the
broken cupboard commission!
handle. This
 Home and Garden 45

Donna McNeil Exit Realty Metro

Tel: (01) 902-222-4937
Exit Realty Metro 2055-1658 Bedford Highway Bedford NS B4A 2X9

MLS: 00570739 Price: $269,900 Province: Nova Scotia

City: Wellington Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1

If a park like property and privacy is what you are looking for, well take a closer look.
This one of a kind gem has one of the most private settings available in the area. Beds
of perennials fill the property and line the paved driveway. The home sit on
professionally landscape lot that measures almost an acre in size and backs on over 7
acres of unused HRM Parkland. Inside you will be equally impressed with new
hardwood floors, fully finished basement with walkout, 3 bedrooms and open kitchen.
Truly a pleasure to view!

MLS: 41238866 Price: $469,000 Province: Nova Scotia

City: Hammonds Plains Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3

Stunning two storey in Cox Lake Ridge, Hammonds Plains new luxury living community.
Deeded lake access, and fabulous views of the lake. Minutes to all amenities.

MLS: 41116138 Price: $374,900 Province: Nova Scotia

City: Halifax Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4
This absolutely stunning 2 storey cape cod home has a very unique layout and is
situated in desirable St. Andrew’s Village; one of Metro’s most popular subdivisions! You
will be impressed by the cozy and yet elegant styling which includes walnut stained
birch floors, mushroom glazed kitchen cabinets with center island, and the brick wood
burning fireplace. The 3216 sq ft of finished living space offers 4 bedrooms, 4 full
bathrooms, home office, den, media room, and more.

MLS: 41115593 Price: $339,900 Province: Nova Scotia

City: Fall River Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3
Stunning 4 bedroom home has everything you’re looking for. Sunken family room with
stone propane fireplace, eat in gourmet kitchen that’s great for entertaining. Double
French doors to formal living room. Double doors that leads through to master bedroom
with walk in closet, 5 piece en-suite, bay window seat with storage. Main bath with
laundry. 10 year New Home Warranty. HST rebate back to builder. Please note that the
listing agent is related to the vendor. Commission payable on sale price minus HST.

MLS: 40841470 Price: $344,900 Province: Nova Scotia

City: Hammonds Plains Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3
This exceptional three bedroom home with 2500 sq ft of living space is located on quiet,
friendly, sought after Carmel Cres., in Highland Park Subdivision. The home is brand
new using quality materials. Built with extreme thought and care at every stage of
construction. The home features a huge double car garage, private 22x10 pressure
treated rear deck, maple kitchen cabinets with island, desk, pantry and garden doors to
the deck.

www.halifaxdartmouthrealestate.com
46 Home and Garden

Winter storms
blamed for downturn
in real estate market

An immigrant, helping NEW immigrants

find their NEW HOME or an investment
property for the past 18 years.

email or call me TOLL FREE TODAY

Tel: 1-877-256-0006
email: stef@lukasgrouprealty.com
This winter all across Canada the
weather has taken its toll on the housing
market. Many places have seen record
www.lukasgrouprealty.com
snowfall and severe bad weather for an
extended period of time and this seems to
have put off both buyers and sellers.
The Canadian Real Estate Association
reported that across the country’s major
centres sales fell in February by 9.6%
compared to the same time last year.
The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) accounts
for a third of all major markets and it saw
sales fall by 18% on last year.
“It’s important to recognize that we have
endured the snowiest winter since 1939 and
this has undoubtedly affected the market,”
Let me help you find your
said Maureen O’Neill of the Toronto Real
Estate Board. “The storm that pounded the
ideal home
GTA during the second weekend of March
Claudia Hancott
likely had more people focused on shoveling
Sales Representative
sidewalks than house hunting.”
Other areas of Ontario were also hit, the
264 Front Street
Quinte area reported sales dropping by 25%
Belleville
on the same time last year. “The harsh winter
Ontario
has impacted negatively on our sales, that's
K8N 2Z2
for sure," said Doug Row of the Quinte Real
Estate Board.
Tel: +1 613 967 2100
Ottawa was also hit hard by excessive
Fax: +1 613 967 4688
snowfall but managed to weather the real
email: chancott@c21lanthorn.com
estate storm with a decrease in sales of only
www.claudiahancott.com
4.5%, considerably less than other areas. Lanthorn Real Estate Ltd.
In Alberta, Calgary sales dropped 35.4% Brokerage
Each Office is independently Owned and Operated

in February and Edmonton saw drops of

31.8%. By contrast these two areas also saw
huge rises in new inventory with Calgary
listings up 38.9% and Edmonton 65.1%.
Saskatoon, as we report on page 51, was
an exception to the rule with increases in
sales. Regina also saw increases of over 27%
on last year.
If you are looking at moving to the Belleville and
surrounding area of Ontario, then give me a call. I
am fluent in both English and German and as an
immigrant myself I know the importance of finding
the right home!
 Home and Garden 47

Helen Parnell
Tel: 403-932-8888
www.moving2alberta.com

MLS: C3307045 Price: $599,000 Province: Alberta

City: Cochrane Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 2
This unique walkout bunglow in a cul-de-sac location has a rare LEGAL 2 bedroom suite in
the basement with own private entrance and patio. Rental income from this suite can be
used as income when appying for a mortgage. The main entrance has a great slate floor
and den/home office. Upstairs you have a good size kitchen with island come kitchen table.
Family room has cosy fireplace already fitted with wood surround. There is also a formal
dining room or this could be the home office! hardwood flooring throughout. At the front is a
huge 36' deck with doors off the master and family room and partial mountain views.

MLS: C3305603 Price: $297,500 Province: Alberta

City: Cochrane Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2
This amazing 3rd floor condo is one of the few PREMIER suites. Placed on the corner
you have extra windows making it a bright spacious apartment. The kitchen has some of
the many upgrades with maple cabinets and breakfast bar lighting. There are two good
size bedrooms with the master having a walk though closet and 4 peice ensuite. The
ensuite was upgraded with a soaker tub and tiling to the ceiling. The second bedroom is
large enough for a double bed or even an office.

MLS: C3297692 Price: $279,500 Province: Alberta

City: Cochrane Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2
Great private, secluded and quiet place to call home. This home has it all. Nice size family
room to cosy into on these cold nights. The kitchen is bright with dining area and new
laminate flooring installed earlier this year. The kitchen faces west so great for the evening
sun. A two-piece washroom completes this level. Upstairs you have a good size master and
then two further bedrooms. The 4-piece washroom is all new with tiling all the way to the top
of the wall by the deep soaker tub. The walkout basement needs your finishing touches but
walks out on to a nice deck on private fenced yard.

MLS: C3312425 Price: $347,000 Province: Alberta

City: Cochrane Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3
LOCATION, location, Location. On the banks of the Bow River in a quiet cul-de-sac. This
walkout bungalow has everything for a growing family. The location is superb with a
oversized, huge, south-facing yard with great views of the river with the added bonus of
being in the golf community of Riverview. The main floor boasts recently tile foyer, large
family room with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The bright county kitchen features two
skylights and leads to the large covered deck (16'x20') and steps to the yard. The
basement has two more bedrooms and a full bathroom, an office (which could be a 6th
bedroom or den) plus family room with corner gas fireplace. The walkout basement leads
to one of the largest yards in Cochrane and has access to the 'red' paths along the river.

MLS: c3315110 Price: $562,500 Province: Alberta

City: Cochrane Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3
Enter the main floor family room and admire the rich Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors
throughout. The main floor contains the Master bedroom with 5 piece en-suite, 2nd
bedroom/ flex room, re-modeled kitchen with granite worktops and brand new appliances,
mudroom and 4 piece guest bathroom. Panoramic views of the golf course can be enjoyed
on those long sunny evenings whilst cooking on the gas line BBQ. The walkout basement
has an excellent design; a further 3 large bedrooms, 4 piece bathroom, storage rooms and
lounge with French doors leading to a large cobblestone patio and spacious garden.
48 Home and Garden

Buying a house with a well

Last month we discussed the
issues surrounding buying a
house with a septic system. Well,
if you are going to be buying such
a property chances are that it will
also have a well as the main
source of water supply.

If you have always lived in a city or

town in Canada, or are new to Canada
then you might not be familiar with what a
well is and how it works.

What is a well?

In simple terms a well is your own

personal water supply which means you
are responsible for it and best of all, like
having a septic system you will not be
paying any municipal charges for water
and sewage treatment. Many rural
properties in Canada rely on wells for
domestic water supply as they are not
connected to municipal supplies.
Wells are dug to a depth allowing
them to penetrate an aquifer, an area of
saturated permeable rock or soil. The
type of soil or rock will have a baring on
the type of well you will require.
Generally gravel and bedrock make good
aquifers whilst clay and silt do not.
Dug or bored wells: This type of
well is used when the ground will not
allow for a deep well or the aquifer is
shallow. As their name suggests they are
holes dug into the ground to a depth of
less than 15 metres. Because they are
shallow they have the highest risk of
contamination. They are also more
susceptible to water shortages when the
water table drops during a drought.
Sand point wells: This type of well
is constructed by driving lengths of pipe
into the ground to depths of less than 15
metres. They are used in areas where
there is loose soil, sand or gravel and
they suffer the same contamination and
water shortage problems as dug wells.
Drilled wells: Drilled wells are the
most expensive to construct but provide
Drilled well diagram courtesy of Government of Ontario
a much better and safer source of water.
They are constructed using precision
machinery and can go to depths of 300
metres, although depths of around 60
metres is more usual.
Well location
Because a well is providing you with
your water, including drinking water you
will want to know that it is located in such
a position as to prevent contamination as
far as possible. You can see, even with
an untrained eye if some of the key
points have been addressed even before
you employ a professional to look at the
system.
The well cap, which provides the
access point to the well should be at
least 30 cm above ground level and be
watertight. The well should be a good
distance from any form of contamination
including septic systems, roads,
agriculture fields, fuel storage areas etc.
As long as the casing is watertight to at
least 6 metres then the distance from
contaminants should be at least 15
metres. If the watertight level is less than
6 metres then distances should be
increased to at least 30 metres.
Buyers tip
There are three things you should
make a condition of the sale: well
inspection, water recovery test and water
quality test. Always have a well inspected
before you buy a house by a licensed
well contractor. The contractor will check
for things such as water level, pump
performance, water-tightness, pressure,

water quality, contaminants as well as the However, you should be aware that
general condition of the well itself. softeners increase sodium content in the
The contractor will also issue you water which can be a health risk for
with a Water Recover Test which will tell people with heart or circulatory problems.
you how much water can be drawn from You can install a system which bypasses
the well. Ideally a minimum of 14 litres per drinking water but softens other water in
minute for a duration of 120 minutes the home such as shower water, washing
should be recorded. machine water etc.
You should also obtain a well record Iron & manganese: If you have
from the owner or the Ministry of the these in your water you might notice a
Environment. The record will include metallic taste or find coloured staining
details such as when the well was built around plumbing fixtures. A water softener
and of what construction, the depth and can help with this problem as will aeration
diameter, pump rate and recommended (adding oxygen to the water). There are
settings. also new synthetic mediums which can be
You might also want to contact added to reduce this problem.
neighbors to see if they are aware of any Nitrates: Nitrates can come from a
problems in the area such as water variety of sources including septic
shortages, known contaminants etc. You systems, farm waste, fertilizers etc.
can also contact local well contractors to Exposure to nitrates can cause health
see if they are aware of any issues which problems and is a particular problem for
might concern you. young children under six months of age.
Levels of 10 mg/L or higher need to be
Water quality investigated immediately.
Although there are treatments for this
Obviously the most important thing type of contamination, the first thing you
about your well is that it provides safe need to do is remove the source of the
water for your household. Wells can problem. Once the reason behind the
become contaminated with any number of nitrates is removed you should not have
things such as bacteria, chemicals, runoff, any further problems, but should get water
septic systems and such like. checked regularly incase of reoccurrence.
You should always have the water E.coli: If levels of E-coli are found the
quality tested before committing to buying you have a problem with human waste.
a property. Once you are the owner you Perhaps the septic system is leaking? Any
should continue to have the water E-coli presence should be investigated
checked at regular intervals. Ideally water immediately as only a level of 0 per 100/
should be tested at least annually, ml is acceptable. Even a count of 1 can
particularly in the spring after any snow- be lethal.
melt. If any concerns are felt such as a Total Coliform: A measurement of
bad taste or discoloration then the water coliform in your water suggests that
should be checked immediately. surface water is getting into the system. If
The results of the test will indicate if the measurement is between 1-5 then you
there is a problem with the water that should get this checked immediately. Any
might need attention. measurement higher than five means your
Hard water: This is the most water is unsafe.
common problem with well water and Sulfur: The presence of sulfur can
although it doesn’t cause any health give off a rotten egg smell to your water
problems can be a problem for the health as well as leave a bitter taste. It can
of your house. Hard water is caused when cause corrosion to plumbing and
there are high levels of calcium and appliances and can have a laxative effect
magnesium in the water. This causes on humans.
scaling in appliances and pipes and you There are several methods for
will also find it harder to form a lather with treating sulfur: aeration, ozone, hydrogen
soap. You might want to consider peroxide, and chlorine (best followed by
installing a water softener in your home if filtration) are effective against dissolved
the hard water causes problems. hydrogen sulfide or gas. Reverse osmosis
Home and Garden 49
systems can also be effective against
sulphur build-up.
Lead: This can be a problem with old
systems and any trace of lead in water is
dangerous and should be investigated
immediately.
Whatever the results of your water
test, always get the inspector to go
through them with you to ensure any
problems are easily correctable.
Care of a well
As a well owner you will want to look
after your water supply and this means
some simple maintenance such as having
the well inspected on a regular basis and
having the water quality checked regularly
- at least once a year, especially after a
winter thaw or a flood. If you ever discover
an unusual taste, smell or discoloration of
your water, contact a qualified contractor
immediately to assess the problem.
Do not use any chemicals, fertilizers,
pesticides etc near your well as these can
get into the water table. Make sure you
keep other contaminants away from your
well such as animal waste, septic waste
etc. Always make sure your septic system
is in good working order so that it will not
compromise your water supply and
ultimately your health.
Make sure the area around your well
cap slopes away from the well so
rainwater etc flows away from it. If water
is allowed to pool around the well it can
potentially seep into it causing problems.
If you ever need to have work dome
around your well such as landscaping etc
make sure you contact a well contractor
for advice to make sure you are not going
to be doing anything that harms your well.
The cost of installing a new drilled
well to a depth of 60 metes, depending on
location and conditions can cost in the
region of $10,000, so they are worth
looking after.
It is also worth remembering that if
you have a well, you have a well pump
which runs on electricity. If you have a
power failure you will lose your water
supply, so you might want to consider
having a backup generator in order to
maintain your water supply during
outages.
50 Home and Garden

MLS: Exclusive Price: $286,000 Province: Alberta

City: Calgary Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1
Beautifully renovated 1 bedroom apartment in Bankview! Hardwood Floors, Italian tiles,
Laundry hook-ups, new bathroom and kitchen, stainless steel appliances. Heated garage and
much more! Assumable Mortgage, No Qualifying, Through RBC. The payment is $1418.00 P.I.,
at 5.19% interest rate.

MLS: Exclusive Price: $363,000 Province: Alberta

City: Calgary Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2
THIS PROPERTY IS OFFERED BY CAROLINA HOMES EXCLUSIVELY FOR STEF AT THIS
PRICE AND RETAILS FOR 420K. Adjacent to Coventry Hills in the city's North-Central area,
Panorama Hills is the model of accessibility and design. With Deerfoot Trail only moments
away, you are only 25 minutes from the Downtown Core, and have easy access to the rest of
the city. A future LRT station is planned for the area as well, further increasing your ability to get
around. However, you may not have much need to go outside of your community for your
leisure and recreation needs, as a the heart of Panorama Hills is the e-community Centre
available to residents, that will provide a space for homeowners to host social, educational and
recreational events in it's beautifully equipped and landscaped environment.

MLS: Exclusive Price: $365,000 Province: Alberta

City: Calgary Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3
THIS PROPERTY IS OFFERED BY CAROLINA HOMES EXCLUSIVELY FOR STEF AT THIS
PRICE AND RETAILS FOR 425K. Adjacent to Coventry Hills in the city's North-Central area,
Panorama Hills is the model of accessibility and design. With Deerfoot Trail only moments away,
you are only 25 minutes from the Downtown Core, and have easy access to the rest of the city. A
future LRT station is planned for the area as well, further increasing your ability to get around.
However, you may not have much need to go outside of your community for your leisure and
recreation needs, as a the heart of Panorama Hills is the e-community Centre available to
residents, that will provide a space for homeowners to most social, educational and recreational
events in it's beautifully equipped and landscaped environment.

MLS: Exclusive Price: $395,000 Province: Alberta

City: Calgary Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3
THIS PROPERTY IS OFFERED BY CAROLINA HOMES EXCLUSIVELY FOR STEF AT THIS
PRICE AND RETAILS FOR 436K. Adjacent to Coventry Hills in the city's North-Central area,
Panorama Hills is the model of accessibility and design. With Deerfoot Trail only moments away,
you are only 25 minutes from the Downtown Core, and have easy access to the rest of the city.
A future LRT station is planned for the area as well, further increasing your ability to get around.
However, you may not have much need to go outside of your community for your leisure and
recreation needs, as a the heart of Panorama Hills is the e-community Centre available to
residents, that will provide a space for homeowners to host social, educational and recreational
events in it's beautifully equipped and landscaped environment.
 Home and Garden 51

Saskatoon housing market just

keeps soaring

Last year the Saskatoon
housing market really took off and
many new records were set within
the real estate industry. This year
is shaping up to follow suit.
February 2008. Martensville and Warman During the first two months of the year a
see prices similar to those of Saskatoon total of 376 housing starts were recorded.
whilst communities such as Clavet,
Dundurn and Dalmeny have much lower
average selling prices.
The demand for

Realtors
homes is so high that
During February this year the average many vendors are
selling price set new records at $265,269 receiving multiple offers
and 367 properties were sold. This price is on their homes, giving
41% above the average selling price for them the luxury of
the same time last year. The number of getting the best possible
listings entering the market was also up deal. Get your properties
Buyers are being
40% on last year.
Much of this recent activity has come forced to place offers in listed in Muchmor for
from Albertans wanting to move to excess of asking prices
in order to secure their
less than $10 per
Saskatchewan as they see far better value
for money than can be seen in Alberta. dream house. week.
Many are cashing in on the huge profits Another sign that
Saskatoon is on the up
they are seeing on their Alberta homes
and buying for much less in Saskatoon and up are the new Contact us now for
leaving them money in the bank. housing starts. During more information
Even though Saskatoon has seen February there were
large increases in average selling prices, 175 new housing starts
properties are still seen as great value for in the city. The majority info@muchmormedia.com
money to Albertans and indeed other of new starts were either
Canadians. single family homes or
Saskatoon’s nearby rural communities condo’s. This number is
have also seen a steady rise in prices. 94% higher than the
Average prices in these areas have risen previous record set in February 2007.
37% to an average of $218,931 in
52 Home and Garden

MLS: 301679 Price: $279,900 Province: Saskatchewan

City: Saskatoon Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 1
Immaculate 2-storey home in move in condition and located in the heart of city park. This
solid well-build 1928 character home boasts bride of ownership throughout. Gleaming
hardwood floors, great yard lots of improvements. Includes storage shed with electric supply,
ideal for artists studio, handyman, potter etc. Also boasts garden, patio and two parking
stalls.

MLS: 301693 Price: $247,900 Province: Saskatchewan

City: Saskatoon Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 1
Great opportunity in Caswell Hill !.Charming 829 sq ft 2 bdrm character home.Features
hardwood floors, crown mouldings in livingroom , a bright front veranda, a huge master
bdrm and main floor laundry. Upgrades include hi efficiency furnace, H2O tank and
shingles done recently. Built in hot tub on deck. Close to schools and downtown.

MLS: 301457 Price: $369,900 Province: Saskatchewan

City: Saskatoon Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3

Excellent bilevel style home in the Arbor Creek area. Spacious european style kitchen with
eat-in nook. Master bedroom with walk-in closet and a full bath. Bright with large windows in
this professionally finsished basement, developed in a contemporary decor. Features
vaulted ceiling, direct entry to garage, two tiered deck, and a maintenance free exterior vinyl
siding. Fully fenced with lawn in the front and back. Move in condition!

MLS: 301522 Price: $469,900 Province: Saskatchewan

City: Saskatoon Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 1
This beautifully maintained two storey features large living and dining areas with gleaming
hardwood floors, a main floor family room with patio doors to the deck and an updated
maple kitchen. Extra features include an oak living room wall unit with gas fireplace, newer
central air conditioning, five appliances, many upgraded windows and recent exterior paint
and shingles. You'll love living in one of Saskatoon's most sought after areas with easy
access to Broadway Avenueand the river - this home is located just steps to everything
with easy access to the University of Saskatchewan.

MLS: Various lots Price: $60,900 - $139,900

Province: Saskatchewan City: Prince albert
These beautiful lake lots come in a variety of dimensions and elevations and are
conveniently located just 10 minutes west of the town of Big River on highway 55. Power &
phone service to be run upon completion of roads. Marina to be located on the south west
corner in the phase one of the development. This is your chance to get in at phase one
prices. Lots being sold first come first serve. Investor package available..
 Home and Garden 53

MLS: 2076639 Price: $975,000 Province: Ontario

City: Picton Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 4

Located on prestigious Loyalist Parkway overlooking Picton Bay stands this fifties vintage
structure renovated & added to in a "Southwestern" style. Prince Edward County Glenora
Road lakeside living at it's best. Beautiful sunsets, easy access to sheltered water,
substantial lake activity(birds, sailing school, kayaking, world class fishing, seaplanes, power
& sailing yachts), an award winning saltwater pool & hot tub & a myriad of lake facing rooms
including the substantial in-law suite. The custom designed large well equipped commercial
kitchen is a Chef's dream. B&B potential

MLS: 2081511 Price: $649,000 Province: Ontario

City: Prince Edward Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2

Custom Built home on 2.73 Ac. with approximately 190' of waterfront on East Lake.
Laminate, ceramic tile and carpet floors, 11 sets of French doors plus double hung windows.
Large lliving room with propane fireplace, ensuite bathroom with heated floor, 6x8 wallk-in
closet and claw foot slipper tub in main floor bath. There is also an outbuilding that has
potential for a studio. Minutes to Sandbanks, wineries and local artist studios.

MLS: 2077012 Price: $339,000 Province: Ontario

City: Prince Edward Waterfront plot, build your dream home

Beautiful waterfront lot overlooking the sand dunes at West Lake. Great swimming and
boating. Lot size is irregular with 127 feet being the shoreline. Build the house of your
dreams here and view the fantastic sunsets.

MLS: 2076824 Price: $229,000 Province: Ontario

City: Picton Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2

Brick century home in good area of Picton. Owners have completely renovated kitchen, 2
baths [one with clawfoot tub], newer roof, electrical upgrade including breaker panel plus
gas furnace. All pine floors, 9' ceilings, 3 season sun room, back stairway, 10' x 10' deck
plus insulated garage/workshop.
 Discover Canada 54

Get-A-Life Events Inc. is proud to present the 4th Annual Calgary Beerfest. On top of the multitude of
beers available, the event will feature some of Calgary’s premier eateries, nightclubs, pubs, live music,
massage therapists, clairvoyants, games, prizes and of course an even more amazing selection of world
class beers. We are proud to be supporting the Autism & Aspergers Friendship Society – http://
members.shaw.ca/aafs - helping to provide respite care in a recreational environment while promoting
socialization among children-teens-adults on the Autism/Aspergers/PDD spectrum in the Calgary area.

When is Calgary Beerfest?

Calgary Beerfest will take place Friday, April 25th: between 4 pm and 10 pm and Saturday April 26th between 3 pm and 10 pm.

Where is Calgary Beerfest?

Last year’s festival was a huge success - so much so, that this year we’ve decided to keep the event at the large and very
accessible Lower Big 4 Building ~ Stampede Park, Calgary.

What is Calgary Beerfest?

Calgary Beerfest is an amazing sampling event that allows you to sample beers and other beverages from all over the world,
meet great people, play games, enjoy entertainment, and basically have a great time! Patrons will enjoy the amazing beers,
succulent food, incredible interactive entertainment, great live music, air-brush tattoo artists and a lot more! Play games, learn
about beers, meet people; there’s never a dull moment!

Ticket Information

Tickets can be bought in advance for $19 through our website - www.CalgaryBeerFest.com - through Ticketmaster.ca, or select
Liquor Depot locations. Tickets at the door are $25 and entrance is subject to capacity. Sample tokens can be purchased inside
for $0.50/each. Upon entry attendees will receive the official Calgary BeerFest sample mug to keep!