Ontario REALTORS support grow ops registry bill
November 25, 2010 - Ontario REALTORS® support private members Bill 139, Clandestine
Drug Operation Prevention Act, 2010, introduced by MPP Lisa MacLeod to establish a
marijuana grow operations and clandestine drug laboratory registry.
“Grow-ops are major problem for homebuyers in the province and we have been urging the
Ontario government to establish a registry to protect consumers for almost ten years,” said
Dorothy Mason, President. “We urge the government to pass this bill in order to protect
homebuyers.”
REALTORS® are obligated by law to disclose to potential homebuyers if a home has been used
as a marijuana grow-operation or a drug lab. Ontario REALTORS are hindered by the lack of a
central registry which is crucial to protecting homebuyers from the potential health and safety
hazards of properties formerly used to manufacturer clandestine drugs.
Bill 139 defines a clandestine drug operation to be an illegal operation where any substance
listed in the schedules I through IV in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of Canada can
be obtained by any method or process.
Clandestine drug operations cause significant damage to homes. For example, physical damage
done to the house by excessive moisture leading to mould, chemical contamination, structural
alterations and electrical rewiring leading to fire hazards.
Often these homes received cosmetic renovations to disguise the fact they were marijuana growoperations
and consumer unknowingly purchases these homes. This can lead to loss of insurance
for the property and exorbitantly high remediation costs.
The Ontario Real Estate Association represents 49,000 brokers and salespeople who are
members of the provinces 42 real estate boards. OREA serves its members through a wide
variety of publications, educational programs and special services. The association provides all
real estate licensing courses in Ontario.
OREA was founded in 1922 to organize real estate activities and develop common goals across
the province. These goals included promoting higher industry standards, protecting the general
public from unscrupulous brokers and salespeople, and preserving private property rights.

GTA REALTORS® Report Monthly Resale Housing Market Figures
TORONTO, November 3, 2010 -- Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 6,681 sales
through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in October 2010.
This represented a 21 per cent decrease compared to the 8,476 sales recorded in October
2009. Through the first ten months of the year, sales amounted to 75,582 – up one per cent
compared to the January through October period in 2009.
“The annual change in sales and average selling prices has been quite uniform across the GTA
and by property type as the market has balanced out from record levels of sales in the second
half of 2009 and first few months of 2010,” said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President
Bill Johnston.
“The composition of GTA home sales does differ depending on location. Condominium
apartments accounted for 42 per cent of total sales in the City of Toronto and almost 60 per cent
of sales in TREB’s central districts,” Johnston continued. “In regions surrounding the City of
Toronto, in contrast, low rise home types accounted for almost 90 per cent of transactions.”
The average price for October transactions was $443,729 – up five per cent compared to the
average of $423,559 reported in October 2009. The average selling price through the first nine
months of the year was $430,802.
“The average selling price in the GTA has continued to grow relative to 2009 because home
ownership has remained affordable,” said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board’s
Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “A household earning the average income in the GTA can
comfortably afford the mortgage payments associated with the purchase of an average priced
home.”
“The outlook for mortgage rates and income growth over the next year is favorable. The
average home selling price could increase moderately next year and remain affordable for the
average GTA household,” continued Mercer.
Housing charts continued…

Real Estate market updates

GTA Housing Market Conditions Remain Healthy in September

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 6,310 sales through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in September 2010. This represented a 23 per cent decrease compared to the 8,196 sales recorded during the same period in 2009. Through the first nine months of the year, sales amounted to 69,069 – up four per cent compared to the first three quarters of 2009.
"The level of sales in the second half of 2010 has been lower, representing a balancing out period following record levels of sales in the latter half of 2009 and first few months of 2010. We remain on track for one of the best years in history for existing home transactions in the GTA," said Toronto Real Estate Board President Bill Johnston.
The average price for September transactions was $427,329– up five per cent compared to the average of $406,877 reported in September 2009. The average selling price through the first nine months of the year was $429,657.
"Resale homes in the GTA remain affordable," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Senior Manager of Market Analysis.
"It is important to consider the positive impact of declining mortgage rates over the past two decades. Simply considering home prices relative to incomes does not allow for an accurate analysis of affordability," continued Mercer. "The share of average household income going toward a mortgage payment on the average priced home in the GTA remains within accepted lending guidelines. This is why the average home selling price has continued to grow."
MEDIAN PRICEIn September, the median price was $360,325, from the $347,000 recorded during September of 2009.
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