“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” or so the saying goes. For Sunshine Coast business, Ginger Jars, the bruised and only slightly damaged produce thrown out daily by grocery stores is a diamond in the rough – and the basis for their fresh and sustainable business model: fresh homemade soups, served in reusable glass jars.

Those produce shelves at the local grocery store are stacked with perfect fruits and vegetables, glimmering under the shop lights. But, what many people don’t know is that tonnes of produce are thrown out every week because of small blemishes that don’t impact the taste or nutritional value – only the aesthetics.

Husband and wife Tim and Stephanie first came up with the idea of repurposing grocery store food waste to make food, back when they lived in East Vancouver. Tim is a trained chef and, having worked in the industry for 17 years, he’s seen first-hand the amount of food waste coming out of kitchens. He’s also co-owner of Drift Cafe and Bistro, which I wrote about a few weeks ago. Stephanie has a marketing and communications background.

“Basically, Ginger Jars was born because we both have a passion for seeing food not going to waste,” says Stephanie. “It really didn’t come to fruition until we moved [to the Sunshine Coast] – mostly because there’s room to breathe and think and be creative here.”

The pair approached their local IGA in Gibsons and was soon picking up the culled produce on and cooking up recipes.

Now, the “fruits” of their labour are coming to life. Currently, Ginger Jars has three regular recipes based on consistent produce they receive each week: tomato vegan, caramelized onion and potato, and cream of asparagus. They’re always experimenting with seasonal recipes too.

“I always joke that our vegan tomato soup is like the everyman’s soup because you can take it and make it into pasta sauce, you can eat it cold and you can eat it hot,” says Tim, adding that they plan to expand their food offerings in the near future.
Unsurprisingly, the Sunshine Coast community has been quick to embrace the idea, given the large number of environmentally-minded people who live in the area.

Tim and Stephanie describe Ginger Jars as a “waste management company” and see their business as a contributor to positive social change. They donate 10% of their profits to the local Food Bank and are consulting a newly formed food waste think tank created by Sunshine Coast Regional District. Tim will also be speaking at an agriculture speaker series, hosted by Persephone Brewing.

Tim believes this is the start of a greater momentum:  “Hopefully that means that we can create more problem solving ways to deal with waste on The Coast, but also maybe become a little bit bigger in the sense that we can start helping out government needs as well as local retailers.”

While the couple are new residents of The Coast, they are far from strangers of this area. Tim’s family has had a cabin in Bonniebrook for more than 35 years. When Stephanie had her first-born, she says a “light went off” that convinced them to take the leap and move to the coast.

Now, their family of four spends their days exploring the coastal inlets and islands within a short distance of their home. Here, they can watch eagles soar, marvel at seal pups  and spot starish through the crystal waters in their off-time from the business.

For Stephanie and Tim, the support of the Sunshine Coast community has been amazing for both their businesses and their personal lives.

According to Tim, new business owners should do their research. “Consult the locals. People are pretty open with telling their opinions, which is pretty awesome. But if you don’t consult them, there’s a lot of little things that are kind of unique to the coast that I’ve found you have to be aware of,” he says.

So, two years into their new life on The Coast and they have two children, a five-bedroom home with rental suite, and two new businesses.

Stephanie says, it’s the best decision they’ve made yet: “This will always be our home. It will be the home of Ginger Jars. We’re not going anywhere.”

Find Ginger Jars online at gingerjars.ca, like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram @GingerJarsFood.

This week, the Government of British Columbia announced its 2018 budget, and in conjunction, a 30-point housing strategy to address affordable housing in this province.

So, what does this mean to the Sunshine Coast real estate market? To be truthful, it’s too soon to tell, but we do know many of these changes do not currently impact properties on The Coast.

The major changes centre around three key areas: expanding the foreign buyers’ tax to areas outside of Metro Vancouver, increasing property transfer taxes, and implementing a new speculation tax. In total, this announcement will create $1.3 billion taxes, just from housing.

Foreign Buyers’ Tax Increase and Expansion

Effective Feb. 21,The BC government has increased the foreign buyers’ tax to 20% from 15%. Additionally, they’ve expanded beyond the Metro Vancouver area to the following regions: Central Okanagan, Nanaimo, Greater Victoria, and the Fraser Valley. The Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky regions and other areas in the province were not included in this foreign buyers tax expansion.

Property Transfer And School Taxes Hike

Also effective this week, property transfer tax increased to five percent from three per cent for properties valued at more than $3 million. Even deals that were in the process of closing as of this implementation date were impacted by the tax hike, provincewide. School taxes on these properties will also increase. Find more info on the  property transfer tax at gov.bc.ca/propertytransfertax.

New Speculation Tax

The BC Government has also implemented a new levy, coined a “speculation tax”, for those who own homes in the province, but don’t pay income taxes here and leave their homes vacant without renting them out. The target areas are Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Nanaimo and Greater Victoria, Kelowna and West Kelowna. This is expected to impact about 15,000 residential properties.

In 2018, the tax will be 0.5% of taxable assessed value, and will then increase to 2% thereafter. For a home valued at $2 million, this would equate to an annual tax of $40,000.

There are exemptions for those who use this property as their primary residence or for those properties that are long-term rental units. The verdict is still out on how this might impact Canadians who own vacation property in BC or those who rent out vacation homes.

While there were no clear measures in the budget, the government also indicated they were looking closely at the Agricultural Land reserve (ALR) to close loopholes that would ensure land is being used for farming and not investment or luxury properties.

If you have more questions about how the BC budget impacts your property or buying power, get in touch! I’ll be more than happy to connect you with my network of experts who can help. To learn more about the housing announcements listed in the BC Budget visit: bcbudget.ca

There’s a new dining hot spot in Gibsons and I just can’t get enough of their new menu and fresh approach.

The Drift Cafe & Bistro (formerly The Nova Kitchen) is a tiny locale perched atop a hill on Gibsons Way, with gorgeous views of the stunning Salish Sea. The restaurant is the brainchild of chefs Tim and Ben, who’ve known one another for almost 17 years, since their days of cooking school. Both chefs have had extensive careers in the industry and are new to the Sunshine Coast. Tim moved from East Vancouver just two years ago and Ben just moved from North Vancouver this winter to help re-open the restaurant. The pair partnered with Omar who is based in Vancouver.

“With the Nova Kitchen, we liked a lot of the things they did around keeping things local, so we‘re trying to stay on the track with the way that Chef Paul had gone,” says Tim. “One thing we noticed that was really missing [in Gibsons] is a place that was a combination of value … but also really good food,” he says, adding that he and his wife Stephanie used to leave Gibsons to go out for dinner, in search of either more affordable options or higher-end food.

He explains: “Drift is making that bridge of really good, comforting food, but with a bit more of a fine dining flair to it.”

Drift is the kind of place where you can enjoy a delicious brunch for under $15, or an evening entré for under $25 as you overlook the ocean from their patio. While the prices are reasonable, you’ll find a carefully curated cocktail and wine list; with little twists to common items, like adding housemade pickles to the Caesar, or a grapefruit and saje Mimosa. Sip on Moet & Chandon bubbles or enjoy a casual pint of local craft beer on the patio – anything goes.

Meanwhile, the menu is simple, but flavourful bistro dining with hints of Italian, French and new American cooking. Currently they’re offering a weekend brunch 9am-2pm and a dinner service Thursday to Monday (with plans to expand their opening times in the near future). One of the signature dining experiences is the three-course meal, which includes a starter, a main and a dessert for just $35. Choose from mouth watering items like the salted ling cod croquette, farro risotto, and a yogurt panna cotta.

Drift is constantly evolving, says Tim. Coffee-lovers will be happy to hear they’ve installed a new high-end Simonelli coffee machine and are partnering with Vancouver-based Moja coffee to source the coffee in efforts to ramp up their early morning offerings. The team is also planning to expand the patio and looking into a beer garden.

If you haven’t already noticed, Tim is a pretty busy fellow. He also co-owns a company called Ginger Jars Food with his wife, (which I’ll be talking about in another blog) and works at a cooking school in Downtown Vancouver.  Given his penchant for entrepreneurship and his recent move to The Coast, I asked him the most important tip for new business owners in the area:

“Consult the locals. People are pretty open with [sharing] their opinions, which is pretty awesome, but if you don’t consult them, there’s a lot of little things that are kind of unique to The Coast that I’ve found you have to be aware of,” he says.

So, there you have it: business advice, plus a great new dining location in the heart of Gibsons to boot.

Find The Drift Cafe & Bistro online at drift-gibsons.ca, on Facebook  or Instagram @DriftGibsons.

According to the Coast Reporter, the total property values on the Sunshine Coast sit somewhere between $10.35 billion and $11.99 billion. BC Assessment indicates that Gibsons has seen the largest average increases in all property classes. Here, residential assessments are up 17.93 % on average. In Sechelt, residential home values increased by 17.44%.

When your property value increases, it’s only natural to start thinking about the potential of selling your home. If you’re thinking about selling in 2018, here are three ways to prepare for  listing your property:

1. Start with your goals

When you first decide to sell your home, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of home improvements and getting the property listed. However, before you dive in, take some time to sit down and write out your goals for the home. Here are some questions I ask my clients when we first meet:

• What are your reasons for selling?
• What are your timelines for moving?
• Is timing or pricing most important?
• Do you anticipate any challenges with selling your home?
• What we will do first: list and sell, or buy a new home?
• If your upgrading to a more expensive home, are you pre-approved for your mortgage for your new purchase?

2. Create a home improvement plan

Even simple updates, like a fresh coat of paint and new appliances can make a huge difference in perceived home value. Small improvements like tightening door handles, fixing leaky faucets or replacing blinds, can be cheap and quick. Meanwhile, larger improvements like new kitchen cabinets, interior painting, exterior landscaping or even full on renovations will take more time and budget to accomplish.

Make an inventory of home updates that need to be made and prioritize them in order of what tasks will have the greatest impact on your home value.  Create a budget and work-back schedule to keep yourself focused and on track.

3. Bring on the right partners

Start looking at the property as a business venture. Every successful business has the right people at the table, and your home listing is no exception. Finding the right real estate agent is part of the equation, but you may also need to source contractors and home staging experts to help showcase your home in the best possible light.

Review your goals and your home improvement plan and find experts who have an aligned vision and values. It’s so much easier when you are working with a great team.

For more steps on preparing your home, read my previous post, “How To Sell Your Home In 10 Easy Steps”.

Interested in selling your home in 2018? Contact me for a consultation!

What are the changes?

Canada’s banking watchdog, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) announced last fall that as of 2018, customers must qualify for a mortgage at the 5-year benchmark or the current rate plus 2% (whichever is greater). Known as the B-20 guidelines, this stress requires that your debt-to-income ratio maintains within a certain threshold.

The stress test will also be required for buyers who have a downpayment higher than 20% (even though it exempts them from requiring mortgage insurance).

For the last number of years, interest rates have remained low. But, they are climbing slowly once again. Essentially OSFI wants to place more rigor around the stress test to ensure Canadians are not living beyond their means and will not suffer if interest rates climb.

The financial industry expects that this will impact the size of mortgages Canadians will qualify for.

Note that these changes impact federally regulated financial institutions only. Lenders, such as provincially regulated credit unions and caisses populaires are not required to follow these guidelines.

What can you do?

If you’re interested in buying a home this year, start talking to a mortgage broker as soon as possible. Current mortgage rates are still relatively low, so it’s best to start the process sooner rather than later. A qualified mortgage specialist can explain the mortgage process and help you understand where you’re at with your current financial situation.

There are many creative and outside-the-box solutions available, but you won’t know until you go. With the help of an expert you’ll be one step closer to your home ownership goals.

If you need help navigating the new rules, contact me and I’ll be happy connect you with one of my trusted mortgage experts.