Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ontario

Bike camping gear in northern Ontario

Lemurrhea — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:17:40 -0800

Help me prep for a 7-day, 700k bike trip through low-populated terrain! I'm out of shape/overweight but a pretty comfortable cyclist. I ride a 2009 Kona Ute (modified to a 21-speed, one of those orange panniers on each side). Used to ride 50k 2-3 times a week without stopping, no problem. Have ridden 120k in 6ish hours, no major problems, all on that bike (although without the panniers on). Haven't ridden much this winter except at the gym.

I'll be taking it from Timmins, ON to Ottawa - This route. Leaving Saturday, June 8, and I absolutely positively must be in town by mid-day Saturday June 15. I know the first third of the route very well, and it's reasonably unpopulated - most of the rest is the same way, from what I understand. I'm riding solo. And I've read this thread.

Questions:

1. Does anyone have recommendations for good puncture-resistant tires in the larger sizes? I'm willing to spend some money on that - this is at the moment my only transport, so it's used for city riding and shopping, which means I'm often in areas with foreign objects.

2. I need a helmet-mounted mirror - I've tried the handlebars ones, and due to the configuration of my bike & girth, they're not very workable.

3. Specific recommendations for gear beyond that:
a) I need a tent/hammock/tarp. What's good for these types of things?
b) Front light and back light - the rear light will likely be duct-taped to the deck (because mounting to the seat is...in the wrong location for the dimensions of my bike, and more importantly gets blocked by things I carry, and the tube at the very back is narrower than most clamps as well as horizontal rather than vertical) but a helmet-light would be fine. Battery, rather than chargeable.
c) What else do I need? I will of course have patch kits/tubes/pump/tools and my maintenance book; sunglasses/baby wipes/sunblock; bike shorts/underwear and good cycling shirts. What am I missing?

4. Food: suggestions? I have a great deal of space in my giant panniers, but will quite frequently be 50km from the nearest anything. My current plan is to buy lots of peanut butter/jam and a loaf or two of bread as needed to fuel me, and bags of apples/bananas when I'm able. Will carry about 4-5L of water to fill up my bottle. I'd prefer to avoid stoves and such - I'm gonna buy a better touring bike soon, and will get a stove and such when I can plan out space requirements.

5. Any other advice - I've never done overnight rides, although I do have a decent amount of camping experience from when I was younger.

Bonus 6. Anyone know of a good battery-to-(mini-)usb charger? I will take my cell with me - I plan to have it off most of the time, but just in case it drains and I end up in a crunch.

On preview, I notice that the google maps directions are different for bike than car. I am doing the car route - down to North Bay and then skimming the north of Algonquin park.

Is a photocopy of the green car ownership paper legal? ON edition

MeatheadBrokeMyChair — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:49:02 -0800

I have a question about whether having a photocopy of your green Ontario car ownership document is accepted by the police if you ever get stopped. Also have conflicting info about where to keep your ownership / insurance. In the car? In your wallet? What if two of you use the car? Small snow bank inside Mr Meathead and I just picked up our new car from a dealership in Toronto (huzzah!). Tonight, the sales dude handed us our green Ontario ownership along with a photocopy of it and said the copy was to be put in our glove box. I have never been given a photocopy of the ownership before.

Have the laws in Ontario changed regarding what you give to the police? I live in York Region, and don't need the YRP's hassle if I ever get stopped. What is the point of the photocopy?

Second question: Do any of you leave your insurance and ownership in the car? If not, where? Your wallet? If you keep it in your wallet how do you account for multiple drivers? (ahem, and forgetful husbands...)
MTO site isn't too helpful in answering my questions.
Thanks!

How do I get rid of a used car in Toronto, Ontario?

jacquilynne — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:33:42 -0800

I am contemplating getting rid of my car, as it is expensive to insure and there is car sharing available in my building, and I mostly use public transit these days anyway. But I don't really know how to actually do that. It's a 2001 Honda Civic Sedan, with some moderate body damage (a dent in the passenger side door) and the usual assortment of minor nicks and scrapes a 12 year old can be expected to have. It is also overdue for a timing belt change, but I'm hard-pressed to want to do a $1000 service to a car that's probably not worth much more than that.

A possible complicating factor is that I don't know if I actually have the title to the car. Some things I've read suggest that Honda would have kept it until I paid off the car and then mailed it to me. Other things have suggested that there is no title separate from the green and white papers I've been thinking of as 'the registration'. If there is a different title document, how can I get one? If it exists it's likely that Honda mailed it to the wrong address 8 years ago, since they had my addresses super screwed up (buying a car the day before you move confuses people).

So, what are my options for getting rid of this thing? Would a Honda dealer just buy it outright rather than take it in trade? Or some other dealer? Can you recommend a specific place in Toronto? How pain-in-the-assy is selling it as a private sale, and if I go that route, what's the usual protocol for test drives, not getting scammed, etc?

If the car has some residual value, I'd like to realize that value, but I'm not necessarily looking to make the most money possible if there's a lower hassle way to get this done. The main reason I even still have a car is that the whole thought of dealing with this just ramps my social anxiety up to about an 11, and I don't want to think about it at all. But I also don't want to keep paying $130 a month to insure a car that I drive so little that I don't even put gas in it once a month. I occasionally daydream about ways to crack it into a tree without hurting myself so my insurance company will just write it off, if that gives you any indication of how much I don't want to deal with this. (Dear Insurance Company: I wouldn't actually do that. I know it's both dangerous and illegal. Love, Me.)

Fight a Mandatory Arbitration clause in new employment contract?

Imperfect — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:14:11 -0800

Looking to start a new job that looks otherwise awesome. But the employment contract has an arbitration clause in it and I'm hesitant. Ontario. On the one hand, I don't anticipate any problems with this company and am hesitant to cause further troubles down the line. All the current employees seem happy and well-adjusted.

But on the other hand, mandatory arbitration feels a little skeezy, especially since the contract states I would pay half of the cost of arbitration. Thankfully, Ontario's Arbitration Act states that a court will appoint the arbitrator, so I don't have to worry about being subjected to an arbitrator that will by necessity favour my employer, but there's no appeal to arbitration, no "discovery" phase where my employer can be compelled to provide evidence, and no review of the decision to ensure that the relevant laws are followed or the decision is fair. Heck, the arbitrator doesn't have to be aware of or follow law at all when making their decision.

I like this place, and I'd really like to work there but I don't need the job - in fact I have other interviews I'll have to cancel if I decide to accept the contract.

I guess I'm mainly wondering - am I completely off on arbitration? Are there benefits to me, the employee, that I'm not seeing? Or should I actually make an issue of this?

(When) should I buy a house, Hamilton, Ontario edition

the dief — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:23:57 -0800

I'm in the very early stages of house-hunting in the Hamilton, Ontario area, but I'm not sure how fast I should be going. Tomorrow I have a visit with a mortgage broker to talk over options for mortgages, but other than that, I haven't done anything of note -- no realtor, no house tours, etc. About 90% of what I read suggests that Canada is way overdue for a correction in the housing market like the US had in 2008; however, I *also* read a bunch of stuff suggesting that Hamilton itself may not be a part of any near future correction and in fact might keep stable or increase while other parts of Canada get their justified comeuppance. I'm 40, emigrated here in 2007, and this will be my first home purchase in Canada. Given around a 200k price point, I can probably end up scrounging around a 50k down payment. But if prices are going to go down in summer 2013, or 2014, or 2015, I could use the extra time to save up a better downpayment which would be great, especially if prices fall during that time. Any wisdom, house-savvy Canadian folks?

Super extra bonus - if anybody's got pointers on awesome research methodologies that can be employed in the service of house-hunting *without* talking to a realtor, I'm all ears. I know about Zoocasa, for instance, but I'd love to see a way to, say, easily/freely search property records to find data about houses, etc.

Working from home

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:20:21 -0800

Dear Hivemind: Please help me become qualified to work from home. I have a BA, a thesis-based MA and, currently, an entry-level office job that does not seem to be going anywhere. I have given a few lectures in my academic career, and edited/graded a whole lot of undergraduate papers. I enjoyed these aspects of TA-ship, and I love doing research. I am in Ontario, Canada, and I am 27 years old.

I am currently looking into some college courses that may lead to viable career options which would allow me to work from home (which would give me the freedom to move into a more rural area in the future, which is something my partner and I have considered). TESL certification seems like an option, as well as editing/proofreading for textbook publishers or similar (both have online course options at colleges in Ontario).

So, a few questions:
- Would TESL certification or a publishing certificate from a recognized college be the better investment?

- For editing/proofreading, would it make sense to get a college certificate in publishing, or just focus on relevant editing/proofreading courses to add to my resume?

- What other options might be open to someone with good research and writing skills who would like to work from home?

Help me make sense of my EI entitlements

Felicity Rilke — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:21:49 -0800

Can someone explain the EI benefits period to me? I'm finally caving and applying for EI sickness benefits after my latest chemo regimen kicked my ass and landed me in the hospital for two weeks. I'm not doing too badly now and we've stopped the drug that led to the hospitalization, but my energy is still pretty compromised and I may have to change to a different chemo protocol in a month if this trial isn't working to stabilize my progression.

I have a good top-up program through work (95%) so I'm not concerned about a significant income reduction. But I don't quite understand the benefits period. I'm allowed to take a maximum of 15 weeks in a 52-week period. Say I start sickness benefits on November 1, 2012 and take eight weeks of leave. This means I can take another seven weeks of leave at any point between February 1, 2013 and October 31, 2013, right?

Assuming that understanding is correct, how does it work if I want to take another leave in the following 52 weeks? Am I entitled to do that as long as I've worked 600 hours in the previous 52-week period? Could I take the remaining seven weeks of my EI sickness benefits from September 7, 2013 until October 31, 2013 and then roll into another 15 weeks of benefits beginning November 1st, 2013? (Essentially taking 22 consecutive weeks of EI benefits.)

Basically, I'm not sure what my options are if I am splitting up my 15 weeks throughout a 52-week period rather than taking them all at once. The government website doesn't provide a lot of clarity on this matter.

Relevant info - I'm in Toronto, ON, employed full-time with the same company for three years.

How do I sell My Car between Canadian Provinces?

foxinsocks — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 06:35:58 -0800

How do I sell a car between provinces? I live in Montreal, QC and my friend in Toronto, ON. She wants to buy my car. What do I have to do to sell it to her? I am selling my car. I live in Montreal. My friend lives in Toronto. caHow do I sell a car between Canadian provinces? Do I need to do anything special to sell my car to my friend? Do I just sign over the vehicle registration to her? Does she get plates? What happens? Does anyone know?

Cut off.

Evstar — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:02:42 -0800

I gave two weeks' notice at my work last Friday after over two years of committed service. The next day I received a phone call from my boss telling me I wouldn't be needed. I am paid by the hour and had these two coming weeks factored into my budget. I need the income to pay my bills. I live in Ontario and I wonder what I'm owed, if anything. The book keeper agrees I should be paid out for the time I've been shut out, but doesn't know how to determine what to pay me since my hours vary greatly from paycheck to paycheck.

Legal requirements for firing someone from a retail job in Ontario...

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:27:30 -0800

I run a retail business in Toronto, Canada. It's an independently owned business--like a mom and pop store. I need to fire someone because he's incompetent and his presence actually makes more work for the other staff. I have emailed and texted with this staff member (who has worked with us for 13 months) regarding his considerable transgressions but we do not have "paperwork" or "forms" in the traditional sense. His work never improves. What exactly do I have to do to fire him without worrying about legal issues? Two weeks pay? Three? Does the firing need to be written in addition to verbal or is just verbal fine? What's the best way for me to cover my ass? I have fired numerous staff in my time at this job (the business is about 40 years old), but this is the only one who I feel could be litigious.

I think that legally I have to give two weeks pay but I don't wish ill on him and have no problem giving 3 or 4. However, I'm worried that doing so gives him some sort of leg to stand on in the "obviously you need to give me more because you have no right to fire me" department. IE, being sympathetic to his situation makes it look like I'm in the wrong.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

Tell me why I should or should not incorporate in Ontario, Canada

maudlin — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:46:03 -0800

I'm a web developer in Toronto who is currently operating as a sole proprietor. A prospective new client would really like to hire me for a major new project, but they can only deal with incorporated companies and cannot hire a sole prop. I'm looking for advice on incorporating from a) people in Canada and especially Ontario, but also from b) anyone who has any relevant advice about the experience of becoming an Inc., even if you are not Canadian. Yes, I will be engaging an accountant or lawyer for specific advice if I do decide to move forward, so I'm not worried that some specific advice may not be appropriate for my jurisdiction: I'm just trying to get a broad picture of what it's like (and some recommendations for lawyers/accountants). My main concerns are the ongoing costs and complexity of running as a corporation given the kind of work I do. I would be the sole owner and employee, I don't anticipate hiring anyone as a sub-contractor, let alone an employee, and I expect to continue working out of my home office rather than a store front. I'll be paying taxes and CPP but no EI, as, of course, I would not be eligible for EI payments as owner/sole employee. If it weren't for this client, I'd probably be staying sole prop.

Arguments FOR incorporation: Are there any other advantages that I'm missing?

1) This project alone could bring in as much money over the next few months as I've made all year so far. The hourly rate will be the highest I've ever charged. The work is well within my comfort zone and I know that I can deliver something really good. I have worked with my main contact before and we got along very well.

2) This may open the door for further work with the same company, but it could also make me eligible to work for crown corporations and other companies who also require that you be incorporated.

3) The usual reasons why people say that incorporation offers advantages: you can offset income to years where you can take less of a tax hit and it protects your personal assets in case of legal action.

Arguments AGAINST incorporation:

1) Incorporating, a name search (if I don't choose to operate as a numbered corporation), consulting with an accountant and/or lawyer, getting accounting software and setting up a bank account and cheques could cost (I'm estimating) $500-1000. Are there any other start up costs that I'm missing?

2) I could do my own corporate taxes, but I'd feel more secure going to a good accountant, so that's probably another $500+ a year. (This fellow has been recommended here before: any other feedback or recommendations for Toronto accountants or lawyers?).

3) As a sole prop, tax writeoffs for software, other business purchases and use of my home office have been pretty straightforward. This may be best answered by a professional, but if you have experience in this area FOR CANADA, let me know.

4) Liability insurance: another client has asked that I get liability insurance to continue working for them as a sole prop already, so I expect that I should get this if I go coprorate. My first round of quotes (for a sole prop) put that at $800-1000, but from what I can see, a corporation doing the same kind of work would be charged closer to $2000. Canadian incorporated web/IT people: does that sound about right? And are there any insurance companies you would recommend?

I think that's about it. Thanks!

Help me grow delicious produce!

torisaur — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:15:00 -0800

I am in Guelph, Ontario. My partner and I just bought a house, so I have a yard of my own for the first time ever. Point me to some resources for a gardening novice in this part of the world to dig into (no pun intended) over the cold months! My house is on a slope, and I have a fairly large (12 or 15 feet, I'd say) apple tree and a quince bush, of all things. I want to grow fruit and vegetables and herbs; I don't care much about ornamental flowers. My back yard is quite large, and I'd like to make the most productive use of it that I can. Please recommend some books (or websites or blogs or whatever) which will help me, a complete gardening beginner, accomplish this next spring/summer!

Road trip routing

miles1972 — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:06:37 -0800

When driving a roadtrip from Toronto / Buffalo to Newfoundland should I go through Canada or the US? I'm planning on a roadtrip from the Buffalo / Toronto area end of August. I'm going to Cornerbrook Newofoundland and back.

I'm wondering which way you would consider the most interesting, and fun. I could rent a car out of either city and return it there, it seems like rental rates are pretty comparable for both countries. I'm thinking gas is slightly cheaper in the States. Other then that, my consideration is what would make the most awesome roadtrip. I suppose one option would be to take two different routes there and back?

Other than that, I'm looking for advice from people that know these parts of the world. Great sites, great restaurants, hotels. Etc. General road trip stuff that makes them memorable.

Strange Fruit

torisaur — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:02:24 -0800

What is this fruit-bearing bush in the yard of my new house, and can I eat the fruit on it (when it ripens)? Here is the bush. Here are the fruits on the bush, and here is a fruit cut open so you can see the inside. The outside is very smooth, and it doesn't have any particular smell other than sort of...green when it's cut open. I am in Guelph, Ontario (about an hour away from Toronto). Tell me this is something delicious and/or useful!

Looking for a last-minute place to camp in Ontario near Toronto or Kingston or between

Dreadnought — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:41:12 -0800

We're looking for a place to camp in Ontario either near Toronto, or near Kingston or inbetween the two - last minute (aka tomorrow or the day after), probably car-camping. Due to other plans falling through, we are trying to take a last minute camping trip for a few days before spending the weekend in Kingston (coming from Toronto). Ideally, we would like to camp in the wilderness, but as we are travelling with a disabled person (mildly intellectually and physically disabled teen) and a not very fit older person (mid-fifties, overweight), we aren't able to do any serious hiking or canoeing to the backcountry sites that we are familiar with. Also, it being the long weekend coming up, just about every single provincial park we have called is booked solid.

So we are looking for suggestions for any sort of place to camp - provincial/national park, conservation area, town campground, private campground. More private/wild is better, but we understand that we'll be limited in options.

We need a place that we can drive to, or at least where the walk in is less than 1/2 hour. But we don't require any kind of amenities - we are happy without electricity or running water. We have the equiptment to get by without anything being provided (water pump, camping stove, etc). Ideally, there would be a river/lake to get water from to pump clean and to swim in.

Also, if we can't be in the middle of nowhere, being somewhere historic would be awesome (our Kingston plans already include a night sleeping at Fort Henry in the 19th century barracks).

Chino or Ontario? Which is better? Or less bad?

skewed — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:35:45 -0800

One month work assignment, need a place to stay: Chino or Ontario, CA? I'm going to be in Southern California for about a month, working sometimes in Claremont and sometimes at UC Riverside campus. Where should I stay? My options are Ontario and Chino. I've never been any of these places, but in my time off (which I'll have plenty) I like to hike, swim, go to parks, go to cheap Mexican/Indian/Vietnamese/etc. restaurants. Mostly, I want to be whichever town has a better outdoor life, or at least, easier to drive to a place with a nice outdoor life.

Cost of living is not an issue, I'm choosing between two boring, but acceptable long-term stay hotels. Commute seems to be bit a bit worse from Chino, but only about 10-15 minutes, so I don't think that'll be a factor.

Also, any recommendations on things to do, things to avoid? Thanks!

Where's the best nature in upstate New York and Ontario?

Ziggurat — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:35:07 -0800

Where should we go for a nature-filled long weekend within 4 hours of Toronto, Canada? My wife and I are feeling city-bound, and looking for some (quick) nature for the first weekend in August. We'd be happy camping or at a hotel/lodge/B&B type thing, as long as its close to or in something resembling wilderness.
Things to consider:
- Within 4-ish hours drive from Toronto. Locations in upstate New York and southern Ontario seem the most likely. (happy to cross the border into the US)
- Ideally, we'd like some combination of scenery, wildlife, hiking or walks through the woods, and maybe some water. Being somewhere a bit separated from crowds would be nice too, though may not be possible.
- As a reference, the area around Parry Sound in Ontario, and Killbear Provincial Park, were on our short-list, but the campgrounds are all booked and the lodges are all fishing type places, which are not ideal.

Any ideas? Thanks a lot, in advance.

Northeast US and Atlantic Canada roadtrip suggestions

sinical — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 11:29:45 -0800

Road trip from Toronto - Vermont - New Hampshire - Maine - New Brunswick - Prince Edward Island - Quebec in late July/early August. Goal is to have fun and lots of it - help us out! I've read through several other road trip questions and they're always full of great nuggets (such as prompting me to explore California's lost coast on a trip last year. Looking for similar things for this upcoming trip.

This year myself and a friend are doing an 8 day road trip starting from Toronto and looping through the northeast US, into New Brunswick and PEI, and then back west through Quebec. I've been in many of these areas before, but only briefly and it was when I was a kid.

Our general route looks like this. Working itinerary looks like this:

Saturday - drive Toronto to Burlington, VT
Sunday - time in Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine
Monday - time in Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine
Tuesday - drive from where ever we end up to Moncton, NB
Wednesday - Moncton, NB to PEI
Thursday - PEI
Friday - PEI to Quebec City
Saturday - Quebec City to Montreal

I'm aware that there is a lot of driving involved here in a short amount of time, and that in particular the drive from PEI to Quebec City is long and not particularly interesting. It also seems that this entire area is going to be busier than usual when we're there (July 28 - Aug 5) because it's the second half of the Quebec Construction Holiday.

We are a platonic 30ish guy and girl. We are looking for cost effective places to stay (or camp, we'll have a tent). We are looking for places with great beer, nice places to stop and have a swim, beautiful roads, nice hikes, waterfalls, etc. We're less into craft fairs, kitschy attractions, places swarming with young children, really obvious tourist things, etc. We're budget aware (ie no 5 star, 9 course meals) but don't want to hamstring ourselves to save $10 either. I'd say our route is pretty set but could be slightly adjusted and we're open to where exactly along it to stop and stay. I have family in Moncton and we have a family cottage to stay at on PEI and I need to be in Montreal on the last day, but other than things are changeable.

Specific questions:
- where to stay the first night? I'd thought Burlington, VT because it looks like a neat place but hotels there seem sparse and expensive.
- where else to spend time in the Northeast US before we get to Moncton? (any neat events going on during our dates?)

A city filled with infinite possibilities

jadepearl — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 07:48:17 -0800

Will be flying into Toronto this Saturday for a conference until Wednesday. I will be in the Front St. area. I like to walk, transit and wander, so tell me where to go. I combed through the other Toronto questions with the most recent being a year old. I know that I need to hit Kensington Market and the shoe museum what else should I see? Any favorites?

Imagine you are choreographing a perfect few days to fall in love with a city and someone where would you place this romance of the city?

The rules of the romance: just by foot and transit; starts at Front St. on Saturday afternoon; never say sorry for quirky, thirfty or splurging with discretion; no fear of fat, sugar or deliciousness; day and night locales and ends at the airport on Weds. afternoon.

Searching for an old drive in and motel in southern Ontario.

davebush — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 06:06:42 -0800

Looking for 2 film-shoot locations anywhere in southern Ontario: an old (ideally, abandoned) drive-in theater and a small shabby motel.

What sort of plant is this?

stealthy_hippo — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 17:16:56 -0800

Please help me identify this Northern Ontario plant. My thumbs are anything but green. This plant has been growing in a mostly shady fenced-in area of my backyard for years, and has survived despite my neglect. It has very pretty flowers and everybody asks me what it is. Please help me answer the next time I'm asked!

Hey there. What are you?

256 — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:30:26 -0800

Entomology filter: I've lived in Southern Ontario most of my life and I can't recall ever seeing this guy before. He's about half a centimeter long.

tech start up concerns

slipperywhenwet — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 19:57:15 -0800

What should I look for in an employment contract for new startup? I'm in Toronto. I've been working for a small tech startup since fall last year. The company's bread and butter is software, but I've been heading up a new hardware project. I believe the plan is to eventually spin this hardware project off as a separate division.

We just finished applying for the communitech Hyperdrive accelerator program and we've already file a couple of provisional patents on the work I've been doing the past 6 months, but at the moment this project is not in any way a separate business and hasn't brought any money in.

We're getting to the point where I'm going to assign the IP formally to the parent company and I've mentioned in a friendly way that I'm only comfortable signing over IP once I also have an employment contract in front of me to sign.

For the most part I'm happy with a boiler plate employment contract, although there are a couple of small tweaks I'd like to suggest. One thing that will be an issue is my stake in the company -- I'm basically getting paid peanuts right now, with the understanding that I'll get a stake in the company. Most of the material I've been able to find on employee stock options is very U.S. / silicon valley oriented and I'm not sure how well it translates to Ontario/Canada. There seem to be some fairly esoteric tax implications that are regularly discussed in the US context. I haven't yet found anything that covers a Canadian/Ontario context.

What other things are worth thinking about?
Recommendations for good resources, particularly in the Ontario/Canada context?

What level of car isurance benefits?

feelinggood — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:29:53 -0800

Are these levels of car insurance benefits common these days? Our car insurance is up for renewal and out agent is suggesting "Enhanced benefits" (in the GTA area in Ontario). I guess my basic question is, If I buy these suggestions, will I be paying for more coverage than anyone would need? I consider myself a typical driver.

I'm trying to get a sense of what I'm being offered here. I don't want the "gold-plated-Cadillac" level of coverage, but I don't want to fly in the face of conventional wisdom (not being an expert on these topics). Is this the coverage most people are buying in Ontario these days?

Not at issue is the price of this coverage. I'm assuming it's not out of line, but the point of the question is not to shop for cheaper coverage.

1. Medical & Rehabilitation coverage limit for non-catastrophic claims increased from $50,000 to $100,000 for $80 per year
2. Attendant Care coverage limit for non-catastrophic claims increased from $36,000 to $72,000 for $5 per year
3. or increase both of above coverages to $1,100,000 for $160 per year
4. Caregiver, housekeeping and home maintenance coverage for non-catastrophic claims for $130 per year
5. Tort Deductible on legal settlements for not At Fault accidents decreased from $30,000 to $20,000 for $39 per year

Anyone with experience or a non-conflict-of-interest opinion, please comment.

Thanks.

What essentials do I need for spring camping in Ontario?

iona — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:57:07 -0800

I'm going camping in Algonquin Park in the first week in May. It's going to be cold. What do I need to bring to stay warm? I've gone camping before, so I already own a fair bit of gear, but previous camping trips have mostly been in July and August. I'm going to bring long underwear, warm socks, a polar fleece, etc but I want to make sure I'll be warm and happy on this trip, not cold and miserable. I'm thinking I'll either buy a bag liner or a warmer sleeping bag, but I'm not sure if there's other things I'm missing.

What essentials do I need for spring camping in Ontario?