Impact!

Canada’s #1 Association Newspaper
Impact!
Vol. 22 Issue 6 December 2016
Greater Ottawa Home
Builders’ Association
www.gohba.ca
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Lu xury
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GOHBA reno
council members
cheer on Ottawa
Redblacks ahead
of Grey Cup
victory
GOHBA Sales and Marketing Awards
Uniform Urban Developments PAGE 5
wins Grand SAM award as
TRUEdotDESIGN gathers 10 trophies
PAGE 2
Industry relationships improve at City
Hall as Ottawa prepares to select
new planning, infrastructure and
economic development leader PAGE 3
OMB reform:
‘The status quo
cannot continue,’
says Yassir Naqvi
PAGE 6
2016 Year in Review:
It was a very good year PAGE 8

GOHBA reno council members cheer on
Ottawa Redblacks ahead of Grey Cup victory
Staff writer
Impact!
GOHBA renovator council members
got about as close to Ottawa’s
Grey Cup winning Redblacks as anyone
in the city, with field level seats at
the Nov. 4 renovators’ evening event.
While the team lost that game –
having clinched the East Division final
and their playoff position, team management
wisely rested the leading
players and allowed back-up players to
face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers –
you could feel the energy that would
lead to the ultimate CFL victory on
Nov. 27.
There were also plenty of opportunities
for socializing, and abundant
food in the enclosed area near the
seats. Members truly enjoyed the gathering.
Deslaurier Custom Cabinets Inc.
sponsored the evening.
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Voted Best Kitchen Manufacturer
20 consecutive years by Ottawa consumers
Consumer's Choice Gold Award
Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year!
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Tel: (613) 836-5353 Fax: (613) 836-7511 www.laurysenkitchens.com
2 - GOHBA Impact • December 2016

Industry relationships improve at City Hall as Ottawa prepares to
select new planning, infrastructure and economic development leader
Staff writer
Impact!
There has been a refreshing change in
attitude and relationships between the
development community and City of
Ottawa planning staff in the past two
years, say several GOHBA members
working with the city on their own projects
and as industry volunteers helping to
influence municipal policies.
The increasingly co-operative and
responsive relationship doesn’t mean that
everything is perfect, but senior managers
has been encouraging staff to make decisions,
rather than pass the buck, as development
applications wend their way
through the approvals process. As well,
the development industry – as well as
other community groups representing different
perspectives – are now properly
consulted before new policies are introduced.
“I see the changes on many different
levels,” says David Renfroe of Domicile
Developments, chair of the GOHBA’s
Urban Infill Council. “Without doubt, in
the last two years the GOHBA and senior
city staff have really started to work
together on policy initiatives and we’re all
working to have a better city and have
more reasonable and appropriate policy
options.”
Renfroe, along with GOHBA first vicepresident
Josh Kardish (from the Regional
Group) and past-president Pierre Dufresne
(Tartan Homes vice-president) said much
of the change in attitude relates to the way
planning committee chair Jan Harder handles
her portfolio.
Senior officials Lee Ann Snedden,
director, planning services, and economic
development director John Smit have also
been forthcoming in their leadership –
infusing the entire planning department
with a much more positive and communicative
spirit, they said.
Harder, the city council member representing
Barrhaven, along with Smit and
Snedden, have been influencing the new
attitudes even before Steve Kanellakos
became the new city manager earlier in the
year. He later announced a reorganization
where – as a part of a flattening of the
city’s bureaucracy - the planning, infrastructure
and economic development
departments have been amalgamated into a
single organization.
Former planning department director
John Moser is currently the new, larger
department’s acting head, but he is slated
to leave the city once his successor is hired.
“We’re going to be doing a national
search for that,” Kanellakos said of the
empty planning role in a July interview
published by the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation. “I think that Ottawa, as the
fourth largest city in Canada, should get
the best person we can find to lead the
planning and infrastructure department.”
Officially, the city isn’t saying much
about the recruitment process to replace
Moser. “The recruitment for the general
manager, planning, infrastructure and economic
development is currently in
process,” Marianne Phillips, the city’s
director of human resource services, said
in a statement. “A formal announcement
will be made once the hiring process is
completed.”
However, there have been indications
that both Smit – whose experience has
been on the economic development side –
and Snedden – an administrator without a
planning degree – are on the short list to
replace Moser. There may be other candidates,
possibly from Toronto, on the short
list as well.
From the GOHBA, Dufresne, Kardish
and Renfroe all say that both Snedden and
Smit would be great choices for the leadership
role after Moser leaves.
The improving climate started about
two years ago, says Kardish. “Some of the
senior staff members and some of the
more experienced planners and engineers
have been given the authority by design or
default to make decisions and to get stuff
approved in a timely manner,” he said.
“Not everything is perfect. We have
some projects that have been bungled but
there are also some other files where senior
staff members and people with experience
are taking a far more proactive
approach to problem solving.”
“They have the capacity to make the
decisions,” he said. “It has resulted in a
far better experience and an improved
level of service.”
This means that individual projects
aren’t bogged in bureaucracy, or stalled by
managers either afraid to make a decision
or seeking to impose their activist position
on a file.
There is a change as well at the broader
policy making level, the GOHBA representatives
say.
Now, in part because of Harder’s leadership
at the political end, development
industry leaders are brought into the discussion
and policy setting process early
on, before things are set in stone.
“There’s a difference in that there’s a
realization that we are partners in the
approval process and partners in the formulation
of policy in the official plan,”
said Dufresne, who sees a culture shift
back to the level of co-operation that the
industry enjoyed with municipal governments
before the city amalgamated with its
suburbs several years ago.
As an example of the changed
approach, the original Infill 1 policies
were dropped on the industry without
meaningful consultation, and developers
were fearful about what would happen at
the next stage, Infill 2. However, that
process was much more successful.
“We had more than 10 meetings with
the City of Ottawa planning staff before it
went to the planning committee,” he said.
“Compare this to Infill 1, where there was
no consultation with the industry or community
about all the issues that meant the
bylaw didn’t work. The GOHBA had to
appeal Infill 1 to the Ontario Municipal
Board.”
“With Infill 2 there was a completely
different approach,” Renfroe said. “There
was an attitude: ‘Let’s talk about the
issues, let’s discuss the disagreements,
let’s talk about it before it gets to the
municipal courtroom. There was a huge
shift in the philosophy of how policy
should be done.”
The Infill 2 story has been replicated
with other policy initiatives – Renfroe
counts 10 so far – including topics such as
the site plan review process, R4 zoning
changes, urban forest management plan
and inclusionary zoning issues.
“Now there is a definitely an open,
respectful relationship, where we can discuss
topics and come to a resolution before
they come to the planning committee,”
Renfroe said. Community associations are
also included in the process.
“Relationships take several parties and
you need people working together,” he
said.” I have to commend all the volunteers
at the GOHBA as well as senior management
at the City of Ottawa. It is definitely
a ‘win-win’ environment right now.”
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613-728-0888
854 Boyd Avenue, Ottawa
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 - 5:00
info@ottawawindowworks.ca
December 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 3

President’s message: Ontario Municipal Board reform
GOHBA president Bob Ridley
The provincial government has commenced
a review of the scope and effectiveness
of the Ontario Municipal Board
(OMB), an important part of the
province’s land use planning system.
The OMB is a quasi-judicial administrative
body that acts as a court of appeal
and renders decisions based on planning
documents which are primarily the
Ontario Planning Act and two municipal
documents: an Official Plan (OP) and
Comprehensive Zoning bylaw (ZB). These
planning ‘rules’ are public information so
that citizens know what can be done.
The Planning Act generally describes
how land use controls may be established
in the province including who may establish
the rules, the processes and procedures
that must be used.
The Official Plan is a ‘road map’ for
land use and generally describes what the
city would like to achieve over the next
five years and beyond according to the
horizon stated in the Official Plan. Finally,
the zoning bylaws provide the details
needed to implement the OP, including
specific land use controls, and so these
two documents must be well synchronized
to achieve the desired results.
It is important to note that, as with the
court system, the decisions made by the
OMB are based on planning evidence,
provided by expert witnesses under oath,
which ensures that long-term public policy
objectives, rather than short-term local
political calculations, are upheld.
Without an independent tribunal that
specializes in planning law, such as the
OMB, it would be more difficult to
achieve provincial and municipal policy
goals. Without an administrative body for
third party review, land use related disputes
would end up in the court system.
We believe that the court system would
not have the same level of planning
expertise, which could lead to inconsistent
and unpredictable results that are not in the
best interest of the public, while increasing
the costs of participation for everyone,
including public opponents. Furthermore,
the existence of an informed tribunal to
ABOUT THE GOHBA IMPACT!
The GOHBA Impact! is the official newspaper of the Greater Ottawa
Home Builders' Association and is distributed to members 6 times a year.
Advertising in The GOHBA Impact! supports GOHBA activities, while providing
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with the residential construction industry in the Ottawa area.
Special advertising discounts are available to GOHBA members.
Membership and editorial information: Greater Ottawa Home Builders’
Association
30 Concourse Gate, Suite 108, Nepean, Ontario, K2E 7V7,
phone 723-2926, fax 723-2982 email info@gohba.ca
Advertising: Tim Lawlor (613) 699-2057 ext 210,
Writers: Heather Seftel-Kirk, Mark Buckshon, buckshon@cnrgp.com
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2015/2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE BOARD
President Bob Ridley SkilBilt Construction Inc.
First Vice-President Josh Kardish Regional Group
Second Vice-President Roy Nandram RND Construction Ltd.
Secretary Scott Ricci Rogers Communications
Treasurer Ray Charron Mattamy Homes
Past President Pierre Dufresne Tartan Homes
DIRECTORS
Builder Developer Council Mary Jarvis Canada Lands Company
Builder Trade Council Ron Ingram Claridge Homes
Urban Infill Council David Renfroe Domicile Developments
Building Innovation Committee Serge Desjardins Minto Communities
Housing Awards Committee Linda Oliveri Enercare Home Services
New Membership Committee Josh Doran Smith & Bradley's Insurance
Renovators Council Casey Grey The Conscious Builder
Sales & Marketing Council Shelley Beck Postmedia
Social Committee David Walton Cricket Comfort - Eastern Ontario
EX-OFFICIOS
Giuseppe Castrucci
Chuck Mills
Greg Graham
Laurysen Kitchens Ltd.
Chuck Mills Design
Cardel Homes Inc.
Executive Director John Herbert GOHBA
https://twitter.com/GOHBA_Ottawa
www.buildingottawa.ca
adjudicate planning appeals has a positive
role in focusing the work of everyone to
work within the established planning
regime with integrity.
The fact that the OMB makes its decisions
based on objective, fact based planning
’rules’ and evidence has resulted in a
consistently high quality of urban growth
across Ontario. The province and cities get
to make the planning ‘rules’ and the OMB
has the responsibility of enforcing them.
As with any court or adjudication system,
there will always be perceived winners
and losers or degrees thereof. Those
who do not obtain the result they want,
often become understandably emotional
and look for ways to get what they want
by having the ‘rules’ changed.
Objections to the OMB are not made
on the basis that it made a bad planning
decision based on the evidence. The objections
are based on some people not getting
what they want and preferring to uphold a
political decision which is likely not based
on the established planning rules. This is
the difference between an objective planning
based process and a political decision
and forms the basis of the review.
There are two categories of changes
currently being considered for the OMB.
The first category deals with making the
operations of the OMB more efficient and
user friendly and are generally supported
by residents, government and industry
alike. One proposal is to increase the
OMB’s resources so it may offer more
assistance in matters in order to achieve
better, faster, more efficient decisions.
Residents and community associations
could receive professional planning advice
up front through an enhanced Community
Liaison Office which would give them
better information on making a determination
about their chances of success or failure.
Another proposal is to consider or
require mediation for all appeals to reduce
the number of full hearing cases that must
be dealt with by the OMB. Almost 50 per
cent of the appeals before the OMB are
from Committee of Adjustment decisions
dealing with very site specific issues such
as the location of a deck and yard setbacks.
Another proposal is to create new
local appeal bodies to deal with these
issues rather than going through the board
process.
The second category of changes being
considered would alter the nature of the
OMB by revising its responsibilities and
its authority. Instead of acting as a
quasi–judicial body, able to make evidence
based planning decisions, it would be
revised, some would say reduced, to a
highly subjective role to determine
whether council decisions are ‘reasonable.’
Consider for a moment, the opinions
that exist in today’s diverse culture on any
matter whatsoever and what the challenges
would be in determining whether any of
them were ‘reasonable.’ This form of highly
subjective decision making is what we
must try to avoid, not what we should be
striving to create. The City of Ottawa
council recognized this clearly in their
OMB discussion of Wednesday Nov. 23
when they voted 14-9 against a motion
that would require the OMB to review
Municipal Council decisions on a standard
of ‘reasonableness.’
Another change being considered proposes
provincial government funding to
cover the costs of individuals or community
associations who launch appeals. This
would grant favoured status to one party in
what is supposed to be a fair and level
playing field for all participants. As with
any court system case, individuals, companies
or organizations must weigh the costs
of pursuing legal action against the odds
of winning or losing. This is the basis of
all legal activity and should be no different
for OMB operations. The OMB is already,
according to many, overly accepting of
frivolous and vexatious appeals in not
awarding costs to proponents. Free funding
of appeals going forward would result
in a dramatic increase of appeals, bog
down an already overloaded system and
require further taxpayer support.
There are a number of well-intentioned
residents and elected officials who feel
that their decisions should prevail at all
costs. The majority believe that any system
requires checks and balances to ensure
that fair and equitable solutions can be
assured. We can only hope that those who
make the final decisions believe in a balanced
approach to resolving urban growth
issues but if not, then we should have the
OMB to provide the needed checks and
balances.
Our mistake
In the November issue story describing Housing Design Awards
winners, we incorrectly identified Ha 2 Architectural Design.
We’re sorry for the error.
Keep up to speed with all
Greater Ottawa Home Builders’
Association News & Events by
following us on Twitter @GOHBA_Ottawa
4 - GOHBA Impact • December 2016

GOHBA Sales and Marketing Awards
Uniform Urban Developments wins Grand SAM
award as TRUEdotDESIGN gathers 10 trophies
Staff writer
Impact!
GOHBA’s marketing/sales leaders celebrated
their accomplishments at the
annual Sales and Marketing (SAM)
Awards lunch and ceremony on Nov. 23,
where the Las Vegas theme had decidedly
good odds for the 149 guests who won
several door prizes and awards.
Uniform Urban Developments won the
Grand SAM award, granted to the builder
with the most SAM Awards, in this case
four awards. As well, Uniform marketing
and sales co-ordinator Ryan MacDougall
also won the attendee grand prize, a Las
Vegas vacation, awarded after a charade
game competition managed by the master
of ceremonies, comedian James
Cunningham, dressed appropriately as
Elvis.
TRUEdotDESIGN (see separate story)
collected the greatest number of awards –
10 in total, and possibly a record for the
SAM event – but because the company
isn’t a builder, it isn’t eligible for the
Grand SAM Award. However, it won the
Industry Partner of the Year special
achievement award.
“It’s empowering for our team to be
recognized for their hard work” said
TRUEdotDESIGN president/owner
Shelley True. “We know this industry and
are thankful to partner with clients who
trust us and allow us to think outside the
box.”
“Uniform has partnered with
TRUEdotMARKETING on several initiatives,”
said Uniform marketing manager
Emily Meyers. “We’ve got a good partnership
going on some of the big deliverables.
We were surprised and flattered that
the industry recognized us. It was really a
nice honour.”
Winners included:
Sales awards
Best builder sales assistant – Cristina
Crothers, Glenview Homes
Best builder sales representative –
Thomas Speckmann, PMA Brethour
Realty Group
Best industry partner sales representative
– Dan Kosabek, RBC
Best builder sales team – Glenview
Homes
Best industry partner sales team – Amsted
Design-Build
Best design centre consultant – Leah
Wellstein, Glenview Homes
Marketing awards
Best print ad (builder) – Fineline
Perspectives with Lepine
Best radio ad (builder) – tie Campanale
Homes and Urbandale Construction
Best digital ad (builder) –
TRUEdotDESIGN with Uniform
Urban Developments
Best social media ad (builder) – tie
Campanale Homes and Richcraft
Group of Companies
Best social media ad (industry partner) –
TRUEdotDESIGN with Marchand
Lighting and Electrical
Best project logo/identity (builder) –
TRUEdotDESIGN with Northwood
Custom Built Homes & Cottages
Best project logo/identity (industry partner)
– TRUEdotDESIGN with
Henrietta Southam
Best builder sales centre – Domicile
Developments
Best builder design centre – Tartan Homes
Best industry partner showroom –
TRUEdotDESIGN with Urban Quarry
Best builder brochure – Domicile
Developments
Best marketing innovation (open category)
– TRUEdotDESIGN with Uniform
Urban Developments
Best marketing campaign (builder) –
Fineline Perspectives with Lepine
Best marketing campaign (industry partner)
– TRUEdotDESIGN with Urban
Quarry
Best website (builder) –
TRUEdotDESIGN with Uniform
Urban Developments
Best website (industry partner) –
TRUEdotDESIGN with Henrietta
Southam
Model home awards
Best town home model, 1,500 sq. ft. and
under – Richcraft Group of
Companies, Cambie
Best town home model, over 1,500 sq. ft.
– Richcraft Group of Companies,
Stillwater
Best single family home model, 2,000 to
2,499 sq. ft. – Claridge Homes, Doyle
Best single family home model, 2,500 to
2,999 sq. ft. – RND Construction, The
Orchard
Best single family home mode, 3,000 sq.
ft. And over – Tartan Homes,
Cambridge
Best bungalow model, attached – EQ
Homes, The Augusta
Best bungalow model, single (over 1,500
sq. ft.) – Uniform Urban
Development/Barry J. Hobin &
Associates, The Douglas Loft
Best condo model, low rise – Claridge
Homes, Strathcona
Best condo model, high rise – Claridge
Homes, The York
Special achievement awards
Best community – EQ Homes, eQuinelle
Most environmentally friendly builder –
RND Construction
Industry partner of the year –
TRUEdotDESIGN
Grand SAM – Uniform Urban
Developments
Judges were Beth Charbonneau, Our
Homes Magazine; Veronica Dutra, The
Conscious Builder; Sophie Rust, Ottawa
Sun; Anita Murray, Three C
Communications; and Greg Wheeler and
Karen Kavanagh, from Algonquin
College.
Sponsors: Presenting sponsor
Postmedia; silver sponsor, Enercare;
bronze sponsors, Rogers, PMA Brethour
Realty Group, Ambassador Dearie HVAC
Inc. and Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood
Flooring.
Prize sponsors included RBC Royal
Bank, Enercare, Ottawa Travel and Cruise
Centre, Rogers Radio and Postmedia.
THANK YOU TO OUR
CHRISTMAS SPONSORS:
ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR
COCKTAIL SPONSOR
December 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 5

OMB reform: ‘The status quo cannot continue,’ says Yassir Naqvi
Staff writer
Impact!
Ontario attorney general Yassir Naqvi told a GOHBA
gathering that there are two certainties about planned
Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) reforms.
“Abolishment of the OMB is not on the table” and
“the status quo cannot continue either,” he said.
“We have taken tactically two extreme positions out of
the equation so we can collectively focus on the middle
ground, so we can find ways to improve the institution,”
he said as the GOHBA’s Fall/Winter Political Series
speaker on Nov. 4, where he also provided an update on
plans to revise the Construction Lien Act and introduce
prompt payment and improved adjudication processes in
a new Construction Act.
Naqvi said abolishing the OMB wouldn’t solve any
problems, because it would just force municipal/planning
legal dispute resolution to the Superior Court of Justice.
There is always a need for an avenue for appealing decisions,
and the OMB is a far better option for municipal
issues than the general court system, he said, because it
has “adjudicators with expertise in the particular set of
Goodbye 2016...
Hello 2017!
Tuesday, January 24 th , 2017
8:30am – 11:30am
Infinity Convention Centre
2901 Gibford Drive Ottawa
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSOR:
legislation that is quite technical in nature.”
However, he said the government says there is a need
to improve the OMB’s scope and jurisdiction and the
effectiveness of the dispute resolution process.
Two government ministries are working on the review.
The minister of municipal affairs is focusing on the jurisdictional
scope, and Naqvi’s ministry “is focusing on the
dispute resolution part of the review.”
Among considerations in the OMB’s scope, he asked
if there are areas that should be removed from the OMB,
such as minor variances. “Are there some things that can
be resolved at the local level,” he said. “Local municipalities
can create local appeal boards. Does it make sense to
have everything associated with development that goes to
the OMB?” In other words, can the “uber local stuff” be
left outside the OMB.
He says there are issues to resolve about the OMB’s
role. Should the OMB overrule municipal decisions or
send them back for review?
In one proposed new model, the OMB would not substitute
its rulings for municipal council decisions, but
would answer appeals “if there are any significant errors
or of law or facts” and then return the files to “municipal
council to make the right decision.”
One audience member asked Naqvi about some of the
inconsistencies in the current system. In some cases,
municipal councils make decisions despite the advice of
their planning staff, “fully knowing they are going against
the advice of staff,” and these files end up going to the
OMB. “Half of the time, the municipality ends up hiring
other planners to testify on its behalf, and their city planners
are being called (as witnesses) by the developers,” he
said. “The whole process is flawed.”
Could this type of “return to sender” policy result in a
ping-pong battle, resulting in further delays? “We will of
course be thoroughly canvassing the full scope of the law
to make sure that if whatever mechanism we come up
with is actually definitive in nature, it results in quality
decisions,” Naqvi said in an interview.
Naqvi also suggested the OMB changes could include
more mandatory mediation so that disputes are resolved
outside of the court/hearing room.
Regarding the Construction Lien Act, Naqvi said the
government is moving forward with plans to introduce
legislation by the spring of 2017 to update the outdated
legislation and implement measures to improve dispute
resolution and resolve industry payment challenges.
“It’s a piece of legislation that is extremely important,”
he said. “It should be called the Construction Act, because
it regulates how financial action in construction projects
takes place.”
The government, in preparing to implement recommendations
from lawyers Bruce Reynolds and Sharon
Vogel’s Construction Lien Act Review, is continuing
“consultation with all of you, all of you in the construction
sector.”
He said he has been meeting “with all the stakeholders
and everyone supports the direction of the report, everyone
says the report is right, but everyone says the devil is
in the details.” (The report submitted to the government in
the spring includes 400 pages and 100 recommendations.)
Right now, the government is focusing on modernizing
the regime about liens and holdbacks, introducing
prompt payment regulations and simplifying adjudication.
He said the government is co-ordinating more than a
dozen meetings “with essentially all of the provincially
based organizations representing views of the construction
sector from all walks of life.”
“We’re getting their specific ‘asks’ from their sectors’
view of what is important and what they would like to see
or not see in the report.” The government is also receiving
written submissions.
“We’re continuing to work with Bruce Reynolds and
Sharon Vogel,” Naqvi said. “The advisory group they created
is affiliated with all the partners in the sectors as a
check-in point,” he said. “This is so we don’t miss the
detail part in consultation, (and) when we are actually
writing the legislation we will be writing it in a way that
works for you.”
“I hope we can bring a modern piece of legislation that
can serve as well for years to come,” Naqvi said. “(It will)
allow you to run your businesses and things you build,
homes and businesses, with less burden and in a manner
where (businesses) get paid for the work they do, with
more stability and certainty in the construction sector.”
In an interview, Naqvi declined to say whether the
government will ignore or alter some of the Construction
Lien Act Review’s recommendations. “We are getting
into some of the specific details,” he said. “So, because
I’m still getting that feedback, I’m not in a position to tell
you what may be out and what will be left in.”
“We have to be very mindful that if we take one piece
out versus the other piece, what is the impact to the entire
system. I’m very mindful of that . . . we don’t unbalance
the cart. And we keep coherent systems in place that will
work from beginning to end.”
The GOHBA political speaker series is presented by
Bell.
6 - GOHBA Impact • December 2016

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Staff writer
IMPACT! Special Feature
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“Our biggest differentiator is our relationships,”
says Shelley True, president of TRUEdotDESIGN.
“When we say to clients, ‘we’ve got this,’ we mean
it. We will handle every moving part of their project;
we will not hand it off to an outside contractor or
leave them hanging with questions unanswered.”
Because TRUEdotDesign’s professionals have
years of experience in the Ottawa real estate market,
they understand you, your clients, your vision and
the path you need to follow. They don’t waste your
time suggesting approaches that might work for a
multinational food company, a small-town credit
union or an edgy fashion designer. They know what
will help your company grow, whether that’s enhancing
your online presence, creating a customized
Google AdWords campaign, or developing a brand
and logo that tell people more clearly who you are
and what you do. The firm’s entire approach is
focused on helping you appeal to your target audiences,
so that you can build and maintain solid relationships
with clients and like-minded businesses in
the real estate field.
And it works, according to client Bryan Wiens,
principal of LWG Architectural Interiors Inc. “It’s
been a great experience working with them. The
results speak for themselves.”
Your marketing efforts are the foundation for creating
awareness of, and generating interest in, what
you have to offer. Ideally, you should spend a minimum
of seven to 12 per cent of your gross revenue
on marketing, if you want to take your business to
next level. TRUEdotDESIGN can help you spend
that money efficiently to distinguish your company
from the competition and effectively promote your
unique attributes.
TRUEdotDESIGN’s talented inhouse team of
marketing strategists and designers will lead you
through a business development process designed to
help you grow your business. Drawing on years of
hard-won expertise, the TRUEdotDESIGN team will
help you develop a strategy—but their work won’t
stop there. They will stay by your side through every
step of execution—to help keep those phones ringing,
those emails coming and that calendar full.
Are you ready to grow your business by making it
stand out from the crowd? Contact
TRUEdotDESIGN to start a conversation about
strategic plans for 2017.
Shelley True, president
shelley@truedotdesign.com
613.749.9449 ext. 5002
Jennifer Cross, director of strategy and development
jennifer@truedotdesign.com
613.749.9449 ext. 5006
December 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 7

2016 Year in Review: It was a very good year
Staff writer
Impact!
If you could sum up 2016 as the GOHBA celebrated
its sixth-fifth anniversary, the phrase: “It was a very good
year” seems appropriate.
Of course, not everything was perfect. There were
controversies, challenges in the marketplace and many
challenging political and business issues remain unresolved.
Yet the association, its staff and members thrived
through well attended events, growing membership rolls,
and increasingly positive co-operation and communication
with planners and policy makers at the City of
Ottawa and the provincial government.
Here are some of the main stories from the past year.
January – Hello Goodbye Breakfast
– a positive outlook
PMA Brethour Group president Andy Brethour painted
a positive picture at the annual Sales and Marketing
Hello Goodbye Breakfast on Jan. 21, observing that the
federal Liberal government’s election victory in 2015 had
lifted insecurity and fear from the region’s marketplace
because civil servants no longer fear for their jobs. As
well, massive infrastructure planning plans will boost the
local economy and prospective home purchasers’ confidence.
Hello Goodbye Breakfast
February – GOHBA Annual General Meeting
– financial surplus and membership growth
Heather-Ann Duguay, the GOHBA’s accountant and
membership services manager, reported that the association
had a $61,358 surplus for the year ended Oct. 31,
2015, with successful special events and a stable membership.
(She reported later in the year that the membership
has increased significantly in 2016.)
“There is a high level of vitality in the association,”
president Bob Ridley told members at Biagio’s Italian
Kitchen at the event that combined networking and wine
sampling.
Dozens of members participated at the annual
GOHBA and Enbridge Curling Bonspiel on Feb. 24. Also
this month, several members were recognized with
EnerQuality Awards in Toronto on Feb. 26.
March – Meetings in the hockey and political arenas
More than 150 members enjoyed the annual GOHBA
EnerCare Game Night at the Canadian Tire Centre on
March 3.
———————————
Continued on page 9
Happy Holidays!
Wishing you and your family the very best Holiday Season.
Stay Warm and Cozy with Team Harding.
8 - GOHBA Impact • December 2016

2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
On the political level, GOHBA representatives met
with new Members of Parliament, continuing discussions
which started in February. Executive director John
Herbert said the MPs were all interested in the issues
raised by the association representatives as they absorbed
the scope of the industry and its economic importance.
May – Inclusionary zoning and
inclusionary co-operation
Both builders and non-profit advocates agreed that
inclusionary zoning should not be punitive and the costs
cannot be subsidized by new home purchasers who would
ultimately pay if there aren’t offsetting benefits or government
subsidies.
The GOHBA Board of Directors also reviewed strategic
plans for the next three to five years at a strategic
planning retreat, and the Art of Homes Tour on May 14
and 15 featured 33 communities and 15 builders, allowing
potential purchasers to visit the neighbourhoods and projects
of greatest interest to them.
A few days later, GOHBA members enjoyed some
play money gambling, networking, refreshments and an
all-you-can eat buffet on Dow’s Lake on May 18 at the
annual GOHBA Off-Site Casino night.
In the Spirit of Gift Giving...
Have Yourself a
Leaders of Ottawa’s non-profit housing sector connected
with the GOHBA to think about how to create a
viable inclusionary zoning framework for Ottawa, after
the provincial government announced it would introduce
legislation to allow municipalities to set out zoning rules
that could compel builders to provide housing at belowmarket
costs.
To all of our valued customers who have made
this year successful and enjoyable.
From all of us at Merkley Supply
www.merkleysupply.com
December 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 9

2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
June – Spring Golf Tournament
Members participated in the annual GOHBA and
Team Harding Spring Golf Tournament at Anderson
Links Golf Club on June 14. This tournament, along with
a similar event in September, the GOHBA and Reliance
Fall Classic provided members with great networking
opportunities.
July/August – Vacation time
Traditionally, the GOHBA doesn’t host significant
events in the summer months. However, staff were busy
preparing for the intense fall schedule, including inviting
nominations for the annual Housing Design Awards.
September – John Herbert wins provincial
leadership award, members honoured at
OHBA Awards of Excellence
The Ontario Home Builders Association’s (OHBA)
Board of Directors recognized GOHBA executive director
John Herbert with its David Horton Leadership Award at
the association’s twenty-fifth Awards of Distinction gala
in Deerherst. Several members also won awards, including
Amsted Design-Build, which received the Renovator
of the Year Award.
October – Housing Design Awards Gala attracts
568 members and guests, in 58 categories
The annual Housing Design Awards on Oct. 22 attracted
568 members and guests, combining surprise and
diversity. There were more than 275 entries, narrowed
down to 179 finalists, in 58 categories, including prestige
awards.
RND Construction’s Roy Nandram achieved something
never before accomplished in the competition’s 33-
year history: Two prestige awards, for both the Renovator
of the Year and the Custom Home Builder of the year, as
well as most of the green awards.
Meanwhile, the GOHBA RenoTour 2016 on Oct. 16
sold 237 passports to visitors who had the opportunity to
visit six homes and see completed RenoMark member
renovations, resulting in valuable business leads for participating
members and $3,300 in funds for Habitat
Greater Ottawa (Habitat GO).
Season’s Greetings to all members
There’s e’s no place like home
Warm wishes for the Holiday Season.
MANufAcTurErs Of:
CABINETS • COUNTER TOPS
cusTOM Mill wOrK
FRAMING • SIDING • INTERIOR TRIM AND HARDWARE
Construction Law & Commercial Litigation
Development elopment & Real Estate
Banking & Finance
www.kellysantini.com
8850 County Rd, Hwy 17, Rockland, Ontario K4K 1L6
Tel.: (613) 446-5181 Fax: (613) 446-6676
www.potvinconst.com
10 - GOHBA Impact • December 2016

2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
November – SAM Awards and Reno Council
RedBlacks game
At the beginning of the month, Reno Council members
enjoyed a Nov. 4 RedBlacks game, and later in November,
sales and marketing members recognized members’
achievements at the annual SAM Awards at the Brookstreet
Hotel. These stories are covered in the current issue.
December — The annual Christmas dinner
The year wrapped up with the annual Christmas
dinner on Dec. 6. It was a time to celebrate and
express gratitude for the year, and prepare for the holiday
break and 2017.
Warmest Wishes for a
Green Christmas and a Healthy,
Comfortable New Year!
Your 2017 SB-12 Code-Compliance Experts
Call Us Today!
613-466-0664 | www.homesol.ca
Serving North American
Builders, Designers &
Homeowners Since 1999
RATING SYSTEM
The annual
Christmas dinner
Many thanks to our fellow GOHBA members for working with us in 2016
Ross, Kat, Stephen & Norma
December 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 11

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12 - GOHBA Impact • December 2016