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This Saturday: Ottawa Eco Fair

04-15-09
Darryl Bandoro

For those of you who love learning about all things green, you should find plenty of opportunity to discover the latest and greatest this weekend! There are two major green events this weekend, both of which will be filled with activities and exhibitors. This Saturday the 5th annual Ottawa Eco-Stewardship Fair is being held at the RA Centre on Riverside Dr. This celebration of Green Living ideas, products and services will feature:
  • Free give-aways and door prize;
  • Cooking Demonstrations & Tastings;
  • a Children's Eco-Carnival;
  • Speakers giving presentation on everything from vermicomposting to solar water heating;
  • Local volunteer organizations;
  • Dozens of Green Businesses.
Admission and Parking are FREE and doors are open from 10 am to 5 pm. Make sure to come by The Mortgage Group booth and say hi! To find out more, please visit www.OttawaEcoFair.ca
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Coming Soon: The Ottawa Home & Garden Show

03-11-09
Darryl Bandoro


You know that Spring is on its way when you start seeing advertisements for all the home-related shows, festivals and events that start popping up. One of the upcoming events is the Ottawa Home & Garden Show, which will be held at Lansdowne Park at the end of the month (March 26-29).

There are a number of exciting special events to take in at the show this year. Bonneville Homes will be presenting their 'Eco-Conscious Dream Home', which is made of longer lasting recycled natural materials and incorporates various eco-friendly solutions.

Other features to watch out for include presentations by a variety of experts: from home stagers, to eco design consultants to interior decorators. Mag Ruffman, "Canada's Tool Girl", will be there to show off the top new gadgets that improve your indoor environment.

Also at the show, you'll be able to watch Scott Blair, a recent carpentry graduate, build a backyard gazebo from scratch. The structure will be auctioned off at the end of the show to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity.

Tickets to the show are available at the door for $11, but you can buy them online for less. You can get a $3 dollar discount by using the promo code: RENO DECOR. Enjoy the show!
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Green Mortgage Update: TD Boosts Rebate

02-26-09
Darryl Bandoro


Late last year one of my blog postings focused on TD Canada Trust’s Green Mortgage product. One of the main features of TD’s ‘Green Mortgage’ is that it provides a cash rebate on the purchase of any Energy Star products, such as a furnace, windows, doors, appliances, etc.

Today TD announced that it will be increasing its rebate from 1% to 1.5%. That means if you get a $200,000 Green Mortgage, you will be able to get a rebate for up to $3000 worth of upgrades. When you combine this with some of the other rebates out there, such as the new Home Renovation Tax Credit, the ecoEnergy program, and CMHC’s insurance rebate, you can literally get thousands of dollars of renovations and upgrades for free!

At the moment, the interest rate on the 5-year fixed rate version of the Green Mortgage is 4.79%, which is really a great deal if you are able to use the 1.5% rebate.

To learn more about TD’s Green Mortgage, take a look at my previous blog posting. Have you had any experience with this mortgage product? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
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Home Renos, Mike Holmes and One Million Acts of Green

02-17-09
Darryl Bandoro
We at GreenMortageSolutions.ca are all about helping everyday homeowners and buyers find the right mortgage to meet their needs, and also guide them to programs and services that will make their homes energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Of course, we're not the only ones trying to make it easier for you and your neighbours to 'go green'!

CBC's George Stromboulopoulos has been promoting the website/social movement "One Million Acts of Green" for some time now. This site has been encouraging Canadians to sign up to taking everyday acts to help the environment, including everything from air drying laundry, to carpooling, to sealing drafty windows. The campaign has been so successful that in just 105 days, Canadians from across the country have pledged to make OVER one million acts of green.

Just last week on George's show "The Hour", he interviewed famous home contractor Mike Holmes about greening homes. Most people can make the biggest impact on the environment by improving their homes. This is because our homes are responsible for most of our environmental and carbon footprint. In the interview, Mike talked about how the public needs to stop buying "the cheap stuff" and instead invest in quality materials that in the long run will be cost effective and good for the environment. Specifically he mentioned the need to use paints with little to no VOC (volatile organic compounds), mold resistant drywall, and low-flush toilets. Luckily there are dozens of government rebates for eco-friendly renovations, such as the Ottawa Toilet Replacement program.

Contact us for details on all the rebates!
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Budget 2009: Green for You and Your Home

02-05-09
Darryl Bandoro


While Canada's federal budget may not have been as 'green' as Obama's stimulous package, there are a few goodies for homeowners, along with some additional funding for the government's green reno program.

A total of $7.8 billion dollars in the 2009 budget is directed towards housing tax credits and programs. The Home Renovation Tax Credit has been getting a lot of press lately. This program is aimed to help about 4.6 million families by giving a 15% rebate (in the form of a tax credit) for any type of renovation made to a home. The maximum credit amount is $1,350, making it a great time to do some renos.

First-time home buyers get a number of bonuses in this budget. The RRSP First-time Home Buyers’ Plan withdrawal limit was increased to $25,000 from $20,000. This allows first-time home buyers to borrow more money from their RRSPs to make a downpayment on their first home. In addition, first-time home buyers can get up to $750 in tax credits to compensate for their closing costs (legal fees, disbursements and land transfer taxes). For more great tips for first-time home buyers, request our Guide for First-time Home Buyers.

Finally, there are the green renovations. The ecoEnergy program, which we mention often, can provide up to $10,000 in rebates to homeowners in Ontario (the federal government funds half of that). The 2009 budget provides an additional $300 million in funding over two years for the ecoENERGY Retrofit program to support an estimated 200,000 additional home retrofits. Combining this retrofit program with the Home Renovation Tax Credit mentioned above and other 'green rebates', can save you thousands of dollars and gives you a great incentives to make your home green!
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