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Kenora issues evacuation order amidst severe flooding

Photo by Shutterstock/Kat72

On May 13, the city of Kenora in northern Ontario issued an evacuation order for residents in the Black Sturgeon Lake area due to severe flooding.

Rising water levels are washing out rural roads in the northern city, making it impossible for emergency services to reach residents in the affected areas. “There are a number of roads that are about 26 to 28 inches underwater,” says Kenora Mayor Dan Reynard.

The flooding is occurring in rural sections northeast of the city, above the Highway 17 bypass, affecting approximately 250 properties, Reynard says, many of them cottages. The cause of the flooding is linked to snowmelt, rainfall, and a cool spring.

“We had so much snow over the winter, especially the last two, three months,” Reynard says. “We had a very late spring, so we had all this rapid melt. And then last week, we had two major rain storms within 24 hours. That dropped a significant amount of water not only in Kenora but throughout the entire Lake of the Woods watershed.”

The Winnipeg River system, which Black Sturgeon Lake flows into, is above the 95th percentile, according to the Lake of the Woods Control Board. That means there’s more water in the Winnipeg River now than there has been in 95 per cent of the years the Lake of the Woods Control Board has monitored the system. This has caused a back-flow in Black Sturgeon Lake, resulting in overland flooding.

Three days before the city issued its evacuation order, Kenora declared a local state of emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, 1990. According to Reynard, declaring a state of emergency helps spread awareness about the flooding while allowing the city’s Municipal Emergency Control Group to tap into provincial funding that can go towards combating the flooding and dealing with any damage.

To help mitigate flooding, the city obtained 100,000 sandbags that residents can pick up for free from the local firehall. For people who aren’t residents of the municipality, such as cottagers, they can pick up free sandbags from the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry office. Contractors have also been brought in to raise roads in affected areas.

For those displaced by the flooding, the city has set up an evacuation shelter at the Kenora Recreation Centre. Although, Reynard says, as of now, no one’s had to use the shelter.

“That tells us a couple things. Number one, a lot of these are recreational properties, so people aren’t here,” he says. “Number two, people can still get to their property if they have a boat. You could be going back and forth as long as you can get to a main landing by boat. And the other factor is that people are staying with families and friends outside the area that’s been designated for evacuation.”

8 things every cottager can do to get ready for the next flood

Road entry points into the evacuation area are being monitored by OPP officers. Once a resident or cottager has evacuated, they will not be allowed back into their property due to the risk that the gravel roads in the area could have been washed away by the water.

Reynard says the city is continuing to provide support for those affected, but predictions indicate that the water levels will continue to rise.

“Based on historical data, it will drop at some point,” he says. “But the Lake of the Woods Control Board is saying that there’s twice as much water coming into Lake of the Woods than they can dump into the Winnipeg river system. The dam is wide open. So, it’s going to take some time for water levels to get back to where they would normally be at this time of the year.”

Is your cottage at high risk for flooding? Consider “wetproofing”

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Tick talk: Ontario Lyme Disease Map 2022

Photo by Public Health Ontario

Are you heading to the cottage and thinking about visiting parks and wooded areas? Maybe you fancy going hiking, golfing, hunting, camping, bird-watching, or fishing. Before you jump into this season’s fun, stay safe by checking out Ontario’s annual Lyme Disease Map for 2022: Estimated Risk Areas. The map highlights common high-risk areas, where blacklegged ticks (ticks that have the potential to carry the bacteria causing Lyme disease) are typically found. Many popular cottage spots are on the map.

What exactly is the Ontario Lyme disease map?

The Ontario Lyme disease map is released annually by Public Health Ontario in an effort to assist public health professionals and clinicians to make informed decisions on testing and treatment. According to Public Health Ontario, the risk areas are calculated “as a 20 km radius from the centre of the location where blacklegged ticks were found through drag sampling.” Drag sampling is a surveillance method which involves dragging a white flannel cloth over vegetation to determine if ticks are present. Public Health Ontario decides where to conduct drag sampling based on historical location data of black-legged ticks, assessment of exposure from local human Lyme disease cases, and evidence of  suitable tick habitat. Drag sampling is completed over a three-hour period between May and October where ticks have previously been found, and is conducted twice a year where ticks have not been previously found.

If I’m not in a high-risk area, can I still encounter a blacklegged tick?

You may encounter an infected blacklegged tick almost anywhere in Ontario. They thrive alongside forest edges and in shrubs, leaf litter, wood piles, and long grass. These ticks also feed on and can be transported by migratory birds. The map is not intended to be a fulsome list of where black-legged ticks are found in Ontario, but rather to highlight high-risk exposure locations. 

Is the problem getting worse?

While there is an uptick in trends of Lyme disease for all ages and sexes, according to Public Health Ontario, there was a decrease in cases from 2019 to 2020 (the last year of trend data) in Ontario. Moving to the broader Canadian scale, reported cases of Lyme disease did rise from 1,615 in 2019, to a preliminary case count of 2,851 in 2021. 

Lyme disease rates and cases for all ages for all sexes in Ontario
Photo by Public Health Ontario

There is minor variation in comparing the Ontario Lyme disease maps between the years of 2019-2022, however, similar estimated risk areas have been identified. 

Follow these three simple tips to help protect yourself against Lyme Disease.

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Cottage Life

A guide to buying and building on Crown land in Ontario

Photo by Jason Empey/Shutterstock.com

Location is everything for cottagers, and choosing the spot for your home away from home is a big deal. But, no need to fret–-we have a solution for you. Have you tried exploring public land? Eighty-seven per cent of the province is Crown land, managed by the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. While there can be a lengthy process in place, it may be worth taking a peek into what Ontario has to offer. Cottagers can find Crown land location, policies, and amendments through the Crown Land Use Policy Atlas. This map represents more than 39 million hectares of land and water. 

So, you are interested in buying Crown land. Here’s everything you need to know. 

According to the ministry, it “will consider selling public land for residential and cottage development within municipal boundaries. Land is sold to the municipality or a developer working closely with the municipality.” Interested individuals would then purchase the Crown land from the municipality. 

But, wait! What’s the catch?

There may be conditions, restrictions, and prioritizations. Requests to buy Crown land are decided on a case-to-case basis. Crown land is sold at market value. Before selling, the ministry considers everything from economic advancement and environmental impact, to Indigenous consultation. Applications are subject to legislation, provincial policies, and planning direction. For those with specific questions, contact your local district office.

What is the process for buying Crown land?

A guide to cottage lot development on Crown land highlights the steps a municipality takes. It leads public consultations, often speaking with Indigenous communities, sustainable forest licensees, the public, various entities (trappers, baitfish harvesters, resources-based tourism operators, bear management area operators, etc.), government ministries, and other municipalities. An environmental assessment will follow, leading to a disposition review period, where the application will be approved or denied. 

After the municipality has acquired the land, individuals may purchase it directly from the municipality. 

What can I do with my property once I get Crown land?

You will need a Crown land-specific work permit. You’ll need one if you want to work on an erosion control structure, determine the placement of fill on shore lands, create or expand a dredge, construct a building, road, trail, or watercross, and remove native aquatic vegetation in certain areas.

There are some activities where you are not required to have a work permit. Such activities include minor road maintenance, placing a registered ice hut on ice, installing a waterline, servicing cable or heat loop for residential use, removing a dock or boat house, and constructing or placing structures that are in contact with 15 square meters or less of the shore lands.

See Crown land work permits for more information.

Let’s get to the nitty-gritty. What other regulations will I need to follow?

If a municipality chooses to sell Crown land for private use, then you’ll of course have to comply with local planning regulations, the Ontario Building Code, and potential provincial and municipal inspections.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a guaranteed timeline for these compliance measures. It’s best to speak with your local district office or municipality to better understand the process.

When you’re ready to build that cottage, don’t forget to check out Cottage Life’s Project Plans for everything from simple weekend DIYs to more detailed builds. 

 

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It’s time to finally fix that wobbly chair leg

Photo by Liam Mogan

Who hasn’t had the annoying experience of using a wobbly table or chair? Let’s upgrade from jamming beer coasters and salt packets under the culprit leg to adding nail-on furniture glides with washers as shim-stock. Choose a glide diameter to suit the leg, along with washers of various thickness (no larger than the glide).

The first step: determine which leg needs lengthening. Set the wobbly item on the flattest surface available—tablesaw tops are ideal for chairs and small tables. Get eye level with the bottom of the legs, and inspect for gaps between them and the flat surface. Place a washer or two under the short leg until the wobble is calmed. If the gap is large, divide it in half by placing some washers under the gapped leg and others under the leg diagonally opposite.

Next: mark the centre of each leg bottom to locate the glide nail. Hammer home the glides with washers looped on the nail—one glide for each leg, but washers only where needed. At last, your furniture should now be wobble-free.

For hardwood floors, choose furniture glides with felt pads to prevent scratches.

This article was originally published in the May 2022 issue of Cottage Life magazine.

Big sister makes chair for fishing-obsessed brother

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Cottagers encouraged to ‘be wake aware’ ahead of May long weekend

Photo by Shutterstock/Maksym Fesenko

As we approach the May long weekend, the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA), in partnership with the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA) and Safe Quiet Lakes, is promoting its #WakeAware campaign, reminding cottagers to be wake aware and conscious of the damages motorboat wakes can cause to a lake.

The group first launched the campaign in 2021, prompted, in part, by a major increase in the use of Ontario’s waterways during the pandemic. In 2020, the number of new Pleasure Craft Operator Cards (PCOCs) issued in Ontario reached an all-time high of 237,000. In 2021, there were an additional 200,000 new boating licenses issued.

More motorboats on the water threaten other recreational users, said the #WakeAware group in a statement. A large wake can swamp swimmers, kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders, posing a drowning risk.

In addition to threatening other recreational users, a study published in the North American Lake Management Association’s journal, Lake and Reservoir Management, found that the wake generated by motorboats can erode the shoreline, damage docks, and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. This is particularly concerning for loons, which create nests close to the shoreline at this time of year. A series of large waves caused by a boat could flood the nest, sweeping away the eggs. Due to loons’ low reproduction rate, the loss of any eggs has a major impact on the species.

The study reported that during one summer season on Whitestone Lake near Magnetawan, Ont., motorboat wakes accounted for 61 per cent of total wave energy generated on the lake.

The most damaging wakes, said the ‘be wake aware’ group, are caused when you plow away from a dock, boat launch, or marina with your bow up, when you decelerate quickly, or when you make a turn close to shore. To avoid causing any damage, the group suggests reducing your speed any time you’re near the shore or approaching narrows.

You also want to limit the amount of time driving with your bow raised out of the water. This occurs when you transition from a slow speed to a fast speed or vice versa. Position your passengers throughout the boat to evenly distribute weight so that you don’t spend unnecessary time in this transitional phase, said the #WakeAware group. And if you plan to waterski, wakeboard, or tube, start the activity in the middle of the lake, at least 200 metres from the shoreline.

To help promote the ‘be wake aware’ campaign this year, the group has introduced a Marine Ambassadors program, which involves marina operators joining the group’s coalition to promote wake awareness among its customers.

“A lot of people don’t realize when they whip out of here how much damage their wake does to docks and other boats,” said Dawn Campbell of Balsam RPM, a Haliburton County marina, in a statement. She was one of the first Marine Ambassadors to sign up for the program.

If you want to find out more about how boats’ wakes are affecting your lake, you can check out the #WakeAware group’s website.

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Cottage Life

Pro tips for using a trolling motor at the cottage

If you’re new to fishing at the cottage, perfecting your cast is half the fun. But when you’re ready to up your game out on the lake, a trolling motor is the perfect next step. With a lightweight, battery-powered trolling motor, you’ll be able to move through the water at a slow, steady pace, taking full advantage of your lures without firing up your noisy engine and frightening away the fish.

Even better, once you find a hot spot, you’ll be able to hold your position without the hassle of an anchor, even on a windy day or in choppy water. And by investing in a trolling motor that fits into a full battery-powered-tool platform, like the Greenworks 40v Trolling Motor, you’ll have the option to use its battery in plenty of other cottage-maintenance tools, from blowers and chainsaws to snow throwers and powered wheelbarrows.

Once you’re ready to upgrade your fishing experience, here’s how to get the most out of your trolling motor so that you never have to head back to the dock early.

Choosing the right size for your boat

The power of a trolling motor is expressed in terms of thrust, which is measured in pounds. To know how much thrust your boat requires, you’ll need to do a bit of addition. First, try to figure out the dry weight of your boat. If your boat is fairly new, it may be listed on the manufacturer’s website. Next, figure out how much weight you typically carry, from the motor and fuel on board to the water in your live wells. And don’t forget to include your passengers and gear. Once you have a rough estimate, you can apply a general rule: for every 50 pounds of weight, you need one pound of thrust in a trolling motor. For most small and medium boats—especially aluminum fishing boats—a lightweight trolling motor with at least 30 pounds of thrust should be a good fit.

Setting the right depth for your lake

If you’re fishing with a trolling motor, your focus should be on stealth—the last thing you want is to frighten the fish. But if your motor’s shaft is set to an improper length, you could be doing just that. Without enough depth, your propeller won’t be fully submerged, leading to excess noise. On the flip side, if your shaft is too long, your trolling motor could create extra turbulence deeper in the water. The sweet, stealthy spot you want for your setup is to have at least six inches of water above your propeller blades at all times. Most cottage lakes aren’t particularly wavy, so you shouldn’t have to account for too much bobbing up and down. That’s especially true if you’re using a transom-mounted motor, as the back of your boat will be more stable. But if you’re fishing at the cottage, you’ll likely be dealing with weeds beneath the surface. Avoid tangles by not setting your prop too deep—and by choosing a trolling motor with a weedless propeller.

Conserving your battery

No angler wants to cut a day of fishing short because of a dead battery. And while a trolling motor powered by a lithium-ion battery will be brimming with reliable power, a little extra maintenance will ensure it doesn’t let you down before you’ve reeled in your final catch. First, most manufacturers recommend keeping your battery topped up. That means charging it right away once you’re back on shore. And while a quality battery charger will always have an auto cut-off function, it’s still a good idea to remove the battery from the charger—and even unplug the charger from the wall—so that it can reset each time it’s used.

When you’re not using the battery, you should also store it indoors, away from direct sunlight. Always store it with a full charge, and if you’re not using it for your trolling motor (or any other compatible tools) for long stretches, be sure to check the charge every couple of months. If you’re using a Greenworks 40v lithium-ion battery, you can easily do this by pressing the “battery life indicator” button on the end of its case. You should also make sure your battery isn’t too warm or cold before use. An overly cold battery may not function properly, so try to return it to room temperature before you head out.

Maintaining your motor to make it last

If you’re putting your trolling motor to good use, you can expect it to take plenty of abuse, from encountering stumps and rocks beneath the surface to colliding with the dock after a day on the water. But with a little TLC, you can ensure your motor operates reliably, season after season. First, inspect the prop after every use, and remove any weeds or bits of fishing line that have become wrapped around it. You should also clean out any build-up that’s accumulated. That step is crucial when it comes time to store your motor during the off-season. End-of-season is also a good time to coat all metal parts with a water-based silicone spray applied to a soft cloth. That way, they’ll be sure to function smoothly when boating season returns.

Ready to take your fishing to the next level? Learn more about the Greenworks 40v Trolling Motor, and how it fits into the complete suite of Greenworks 40v tools.

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The answer to your tick problem may lay in your kitchen

KPixMining/Shutterstock.com

Did you know that vampires and ticks have something in common? They both hate the smell of garlic! Since 2018, the City of Kingston has been applying a 100 per cent natural garlic-based spray to the city’s public parks and dog parks to combat tick and mosquito populations. This spray is not harmful to humans and pets, but it can keep your family safe from tiny, terrorizing ticks. It’s applied every six weeks during the spring, summer, and fall and repels ticks and mosquitoes that can carry Lyme disease or West Nile Virus.  

How effective can garlic really be? 

Garlic is a natural defence because “ticks have a sense of smell that is 10,000 times more sensitive than ours and, lucky for us, they don’t like garlic,” says Troy Stubinski, the operations manager of the Public Works Department for the City of Kingston. Further, Stubinski says that “the product has not been proven to be 100 per cent effective, but certainly is very effective. Our residents have been very happy, especially in regards to the use of the spray in our dog parks. Residents are finding that dogs are no longer bringing ticks home with them.”

But garlic smells! Will my dog and I reek of garlic?

No need to worry about garlic’s pungent odour because the product only smells immediately after application. In good conditions, the product dries in 30 minutes and does not smell thereafter. The City of Kingston prioritized education of the initiative, making residents aware of the product’s safety and short period of which someone may detect a smell. 

Will this program be extended?

The city must consider where the spray will best protect the public from the risks of ticks and which settings are most cost effective to maintain. The city is partnering with local universities, who are conducting drag testing studies to determine the number of ticks. For private businesses and organizations who are interested in partnering with the City of Kingston to reduce ticks on their property, the city is “open to anyone who has an interest and is willing,” says Stubinski. 

Can I use this at home?

Yes, individuals are able to purchase a garlic-based spray or contact a pest control company. Stubinski recommends that residents “make a decision based on cost and the number of ticks located on the property.” While individuals may wish to explore this option, there is a cost and reapplication factor to consider.  

For those looking for more information, details can be found on the City of Kingston’s website including a safety data sheet. 

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Far from home: two minke whales spotted in Montreal waters

Photo by Awana JF/Shutterstock

On May 8th, a minke whale was spotted near the Cosmos bridge in Le Moyne channel off the St. Lawrence river in Montreal. Just a day later, a second minke was also seen around the same area. Minke whales are usually found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the North Atlantic ocean, but not this far upriver. A team of volunteers from the Québec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) have been observing the whales out of concern for their safety. 

Minke whales are not an endangered species, and their North Atlantic population is classified as “not at risk.” However, there is still a great deal of effort going into the protection of these wayward whales, as it is dangerous for them to be swimming in freshwater environments for long periods of time. There is also an increased risk of them being injured by the frequent boats that occupy the St. Lawrence. QMMERN is reminding boaters in the river to stay at least 100 metres away from the whales when out on the water. 

This isn’t the first time a whale has strayed from its regular habitat and into the waters of Montreal. Back in 2020, a humpback whale also found its way into the St. Lawrence, with sightings in Québec City and Montreal’s Old Port—unfortunately, it did not survive, and its death was attributed to a potential collision with a boat and prolonged exposure to freshwater. The humpback’s presence was documented for just over two weeks before its body was found.

As for why whales are straying into unfamiliar waters lately, there’s no definitive reason. Sometimes whales wander because they are sick or injured, or because they are young and prone to exploring—the stray humpback in 2020 was between two and four years old. QMMERN has reported that they believe the minke whales in Montreal to be young as well. 

A study published in the September 2021 issue of Oceanography suggests that ocean warming as a result of climate change has been known to alter migration and foraging patterns of endangered right whales in the North Atlantic region. Over the last ten years, changing temperatures in the Gulf Stream current has affected food sources of North Atlantic right whales, causing them to venture into the Gulf of St. Lawrence where they can encounter life-threatening fishing-gear entanglements and collisions with boats. 

QMMERN has been monitoring the minke whales closely, and you can find updates on their status here. The latest update as of May 16th suggests that at least one of the whales may be traveling downstream, back towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence. If you are in the area and spot the whales, witnesses have been encouraged to notify QMMERN by calling their emergency hotline at 1-877-722-5346.

Excessive noise may be killing beluga whales, Canadian scientists find

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Cottage Q&A: Should we disclose that we’re renting out the cottage?

By ViDI Studio/Shutterstock

We’re no longer using our cottage as frequently as we used to, but we aren’t ready to sell. We want to start renting it out. Should we tell our neighbours that this is our plan?—Torrie Samson, via email

Yes. A million times, yes. Reverse the situation: “Would you want to be advised?” asks Suzanne Nourse, an etiquette consultant with the Protocol School of Ottawa. “Well, then, there’s your answer.”

We certainly understand why you’re asking. Renters get blamed for all kinds of lakeside sins: playing loud music, partying late, drinking too much, setting off fireworks, attracting bears, owning poorly trained dogs, parenting children who shriek all of the time while swimming…You’re probably dreading a tense and uncomfortable conversation. But telling them “is 100 per cent the polite thing to do,” says J.T. Lowes with All-Season Cottage Rentals in Haliburton, Ont. “We encourage all of our owners to let their neighbours know that they are renting.”

That said, you’re best not to open the door to a discussion by making it seem as if you’re asking their permission (“Would you be okay if…”). Instead, say something like, “ ‘Just giving you a heads-up, the cottage is being rented for the first two weeks of July,’ ” says Nourse. If the neighbours respond that they’re not comfortable with that plan, “I would bite my tongue from saying, ‘Well, that’s not up to you,’ ” says Nourse. “And ask them, ‘Is there anything in particular that you’re concerned about?’ Ask them to be specific, but don’t be confrontational.”

Assure your neighbours that you’ll be vetting the renters and that you’ll have clear rules in place about noise, music, pets, water safety, etc. (Because you will, right?) 

“And let them know that they can alert you when someone is not following those rules, or if they feel that things are getting out of hand,” suggests Jay Simpson, the owner of A Shuswap Holiday in Lee Creek, B.C. One snag: this could backfire if something does go wrong, and the neighbours call expecting an immediate response—not realistic if you live far away. 

In that case, “it’s best to have someone local involved—for example, a property management company,” says Simpson. “That way, if there’s a problem at any time, the neighbours can call someone to go over and have a talk with the renters if need be.” (Bonus? It would also give the renters someone local to call: “We don’t know what’s wrong, but now the toilet just won’t flush!”) 

Good luck, and happy renting.

Got a question for Cottage Q&A? Send it to answers@cottagelife.com.

This article was originally published in the May 2022 issue of Cottage Life magazine.

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CREA announces pilot project that will show buyers bids in real-time

Photo by Shutterstock/Elena Berd

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is launching a pilot project that will allow buyers to see registered offers placed on a property as they are submitted.

In partnership with Australian software company Openn Negotiation, CREA, which is in charge of setting national standards for Canadian realtors, has created Openn Offers; a management software that will track real estate offers in real-time, displaying them on a property’s REALTOR.ca listing.

The goal of Openn Offers is to increase transparency and provide buyers with more information when purchasing a property, says Pierre Leduc, media relations spokesperson for CREA. The project is still in the planning process, but Leduc says the association’s aim is to test Openn Offers in select markets across Canada this summer.

Which markets will be selected is still up in the air. Since Canadian real estate is governed at a provincial level each province has its own rules around how a real estate transaction is conducted and what information is allowed to be disclosed. CREA is currently in talks with 11 real estate regulators across the country to determine how Openn Offers will operate in each province.

“Our first step is to define the provincial [regulations] that actually allow this project to be more transparent,” Leduc says. “Then it’s finding boards within the province that are willing to host.”

If Ontario is selected as a host, Leduc says that at a minimum, Openn Offers will show buyers how many offers have been made on a property and what the highest offer is. A recent announcement made by the Ontario government could expand these parameters, though. As of April 1, 2023, sellers in Ontario will have the option to disclose offer amounts in a multi-offer scenario. This option will be voluntary, but it could give buyers a sense of where they rank among the bids and ensure they don’t overpay for the property. This feature wouldn’t kick in on Openn Offers until next year.

Leduc adds that for an offer to be recognized by Open Offers, the buyer needs to be working with a licensed realtor who can process their bid through the system.

CREA’s announcement came only a week after the federal government released its 2022 Budget, in which the feds pledged to eliminate blind bidding from real estate transactions in an effort to make housing prices more affordable.

Blind bidding is the default practice used by real estate agents across Canada in multi-offer scenarios. It requires buyers to bid for a property without knowing the amout of competing offers—a common scenario seen in Ontario’s cottage country over the last two years. The crackdown on blind bidding comes after some critics have pointed to it as a culprit in driving up real estate prices. But Katie Steinfeld, broker of record for real estate agency On The Block, disagrees.

“There are situations where one buyer will significantly overpay versus everybody else, and in those situations, I would say for sure that will not help decrease prices.” But this tends to be an exception, Steinfeld says. On The Block operates its own auction platform, providing similar information to what Openn Offers plans to disclose. When the size of competing bids are disclosed in auctions, Steinfeld says she found that prices jumped higher.

“A lot of buyers, their argument is when they’re in a blind bidding situation, they don’t want to go up any higher because they don’t know what the next highest offer is. They don’t want to overpay,” she says. “But if they know what they need to pay in order to get the home, that can push them up even higher.”

Steinfeld says she doesn’t believe eliminating blind bidding will suddenly tame Ontario’s runaway real estate prices, but she does think that CREA’s attempt to provide buyers with more information is a step in the right direction.

“I don’t think this will have an immediate impact. I think opening things up and making things more transparent is going to be a process. But I think it will start helping [the market] out and bring more opportunities and options to buyers and sellers,” she says. “Having more information at their disposal is always a good thing.”