Saskatchewan

Mortgage insurance: Not always a sure thing

If you have a mortgage on your home, chances are good you also have mortgage insurance. The idea is that if you should become seriously ill or die before paying off the mortgage, the coverage will kick in and pay it off for you. It's meant to offer peace of mind and to reassure you that your family will be able to stay in your home if anything should happen to you.

The reality falls a little short of that. In this week's Marketplace investigation, we meet two families who bought the coverage and thought they were protected, only to have their claims denied when they became sick or died. In each case, the insurer said the applicant person had lied on their initial application form.

It turns out a routine test at the doctor could be reason to deny your claim, if you don't mention it. Had a cuff inflated on your bicep? That counts as being tested for high blood pressure.

As Erica Johnson reports, the bank staffers selling mortgage insurance are unlicenced and rarely trained to explain the details and legalities of those insurance products. The result is people who pay premiums and think they are covered, only to realize later that they are not.

click below to watch video and read some comments.

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2008/02/06/mortgage_insurance_not_always/

Government of Canada and Province of Saskatchewan Break Ground on New Affordable Housing Project in Prince Albert

PRINCE ALBERT, SK, August 25, 2009 - Ten low-income families will have access to quality, affordable housing with the development of five new duplexes in Prince Albert.

The $1.2 million project was made possible by the federal and provincial governments and the River Bank Development Corporation, a non-profit organization.

"The Government of Canada is committed to making affordable housing available in Saskatchewan and across Canada for those who need it most," said Randy Hoback, Member of Parliament for Prince Albert, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). "Through this investment we are stimulating the local economy and creating jobs. We are also making an important difference in the lives of individuals and families in Prince Albert who are working towards building a stronger and better future for themselves."

"This is going to be a welcome addition to Prince Albert," MLA for Prince Albert Darryl Hickie said, on behalf of the Honourable Donna Harpauer, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation. "We're building brighter futures for families by creating additional affordable housing for people in Saskatchewan."

The federal and provincial governments will each contribute $465,000 to the project. The River Bank Development Corporation, through a mortgage and "in kind" contributions, will make up the rest.

The project consists of the construction of five three-bedroom duplexes, for a total of 10 units. Work will be completed in April 2010.

In addition, the Government of Saskatchewan is giving conditional approval to the construction of a separate eight-unit complex, to accommodate youth-at-risk with chronic mental illness. The Canadian Mental Health Association will receive nearly $680,000 through the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation's Rental Development Program and the federal Affordable Housing Trust to finance the $1.2 million project.

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November 14, 2007
OTTAWA -- Buildings in Canada will become safer than ever for Canadians and their families as a new professional certification program for Building Officials gets underway.For the first time, Building Officials -the people who review all plans and inspect homes, apartments, hospitals, office towers, shopping malls, and many other types of buildings to make sure they comply with current building codes -- will be certified to a National Standard as qualified professionals.
"The result is safe, code-compliant buildings right across the country," says Mannie Withrow, who will award the first 14 certifications at a special event today at the Sheraton Hotel in Ottawa. Mr. Withrow is President of the Alliance of Canadian Building Officials'Associations (ACBOA)".
"It is high time these professionals who are knowledgeable and well-trained get the credit and recognition they deserve," adds Mr. Withrow, noting that Building Officials, whowork behind the scenes to provide a level of comfort and safety for all Canadians, often did not get the respect they deserve because of the lack of national standards for this profession. "When we do our job right, nothing happens and Canadians get to enjoy the use and occupancy of all buildings across this great country."
Over the past couple of years, the Construction Sector Council (CSC) has partnered with ACBOA, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and other industry stakeholders to develop national occupational standards and a certification process that measures Building Officials' qualifications against an approved standard.The CSC's Executive Director, George Gritziotis, says "Another important result is that the new national program means Building Officials' credentials will be recognized in all jurisdictions allowing them to work in any province."
"The initiative addresses the challenge of an aging workforce and the inadequate supply of skilled labour," he says. "It will provide greater worker mobility, a wider variety of job opportunities and maintain the high level of professionalism required of this important occupation in the construction industry."
Established in 2001, the Construction Sector Council (CSC) is a not-for-profit national labour management organization mandated to address the human resource issues facing the construction industry in Canada. The CSC is supported by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program

Please help me welcome my 80th Invitee to the ActiveRain Community: Eragorn Northe.

Eragorn is from, uh, well, his last name says it all: The North -- Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.

It's pretty obvious that Eragorn has that Canadian propensity to misspell certain words, like not knowing how to spell North! I suspect he likes to add extraneous U's to words like favor and honor, and probably even misspells check.

Nonetheless, since Eragorn is a fellow member of the world's largest -- and best -- association for home inspectors -- THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED HOME INSPECTORS -- with over 9,000 members, I'm quite confident that not only does he do a great job providing his Clients with a thorough home inspection, I'm sure he'll make a great addition to our ActiveRain community.

He already has many blog posts up, so go check them out, tell him hello, and tell him Russel Ray sent you his way.

Our ActiveRain community will be the more powerful and better for all if we can make newbies feel welcome and get them significantly involved in our community.

You can even encourage him to vote in the ActiveRain Nature & Marketing Contest, join groups (send him an invitation from your favorite groups), blog, comment, meet new people, learn, teach, and have fun!

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Click here to see the contest entries and to vote.

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Fifteen most recent posts

1. Sibling love between young flamingos at the San Diego Zoo
2. San Diego home inspection FAQs with Russel Ray: Do you have any advice for renovating the property?
3. Where to go when you come to the 2009 NAR Convention this November
4. How to include cartoons and comics in your ActiveRain blog
5. A slide show of one specific flower at the San Diego Zoo
6. Even if times are tough, don't strangle yourself
7. What you can see if you walk slowly....
8. Smoke from fires create beautiful sunsets
9. San Diego home inspections with Russel Ray: Exploding your water heater
10. Is playing with matches a rite of passage for young boys?
11. Landscaping with Russel Ray: Petunia slide show
12. Wildlife with Russel Ray: Kingfishers slide show
13. Do you ever regret helping someone?
14. San Diego home inspections with Russel Ray: Keeping in touch
15. Foto Friday: Feral parrots

Need help with marketing? Join the Guerrilla Marketing Tactics Group.

Inspired by nature? Join the Inspired By Nature Group.

Classical music lover? Join the Classical Music Group.

Want to share a good book? Join the Active Rain Book Club.

Making the decision to buy a home and make a move is a big one. Here are 6 ways to tell whether you are ready to take the plunge and move.

1. You have outgrown your neighbourhood or it is declining fast. When you first moved into your hip borough, you loved the lifestyle of the nearby clubs and the convenience of shopping just blocks away. It was fun to have your neighbour's stereo loud - the party atmosphere made for fun times. Now, you long for some peace and quiet, a renewed sense of safety, and more space

2. You have a never ending list of home improvement projects, but never seem satisfied. Sometimes no amount of renovation cures what is really wrong about the home you're in.

3. Your family is growing. If you're finding that you are growing out of your current home, that is a sure sign it may be time to consider a move. And, if you are in an area that isn't as family friendly as it could be, you'll want to make the change sooner rather than later.

4. Your job has changed, and your commute is not what it used to be. If you find that you are now spending too much time getting to and from work, it may be time to consider finding a closer place that will give you what you are missing - time.

5. Your home is too big for you. If your family has changed because the kids have moved away, you may not need all that extra space. While leaving the home where you've built family memories may be difficult, downgrading to a smaller home will pay for itself, both by freeing up your finances, and saving you extra work (less bathrooms to clean!).

6. You look for open houses and scan the paper for homes for sale. If you're dreaming about moving or looking to see what is out there, you may just be ready for that bigger or smaller home, with the location you've often wished for.

It's time to find a professional real estate agent to help you find what you're looking for.
Whether you're looking for your first home or your next, give Clair Whittington a call. I am an expert in the Regina real estate market and make it my priority to offer you the best service available. I am also backed by Exit Realty Fusion, one of Canada's largest growing real estate companies. I'm here to serve you!