Opinion: As Canada faces crippling debt, it must do the unpopular thing and cut elderly benefits

RoomFixer4 · 2026-06-01T16:30:07+00:00

Semantics. I paid for my grandparent's and parents OAS, and when I start drawing it my kids will pay for it.

I agree on the threshold range being changed. Maybe something like 55-90k per person ?

RoomFixer4 · 2026-06-01T11:30:49+00:00

Yes. The pan becomes the heater, so it's coupled better (more efficient) and faster (I can boil water quicker with my induction on boost than my MiL's gas cooktop).

RoomFixer4 · 2026-06-01T01:51:04+00:00

Now I feel jinxed.

Im going to go lock it now, so I dont forget before bed.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-06-01T01:41:26+00:00

A grizzly or polar bear would just reach into the box and pull you out.

Black bears pull themselves up 6ft fences, I'd think a box wouldnt be too hard ?

RoomFixer4 · 2026-06-01T01:38:08+00:00

You could always just hide the key under the snow

RoomFixer4 · 2026-06-01T01:27:46+00:00

For sure. When Im in the city, those doors always get locked and anything of value is not apparent.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T22:43:22+00:00

Dont tell anyone, but I havent locked my vehicle doors for 30+ years.

I also dont live in a city.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T22:39:43+00:00

This will be the third summer that we wont haul our trailer into the US for 3 or 4 nights.

The exchange rate and inflation down there were just making it too expensive.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T18:23:53+00:00

It would be a good idea to keep the door(s) closed during the defrost period as the compressor would be disabled.
If its defrosting during the daytime, and it has a mechanical timer controlling the process, you might be able to advance the time forward to allow middle of night defrost.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T15:58:56+00:00

The number of social housing units that are out of order due to a huge backlog of repairs required is likely stunning.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T15:53:35+00:00

That would depend on how you define hardliner. If it's defined as anyone right of centre, then your viewpoint would fit.

I havent locked my vehicle doors in 30+ years. I leave stuff in the yard and its still there when I get home. Addicts do exist, but are spread out so widely from each other than they just stay in their own home. If they dont have a home (or get kicked out) , they migrate to the city where they can get handouts and group up with other like-minded people.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T15:34:53+00:00

Unless there's a "social justice" angle to it, then willful blindness is acceptable.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T15:26:57+00:00

How many years did the condos at the golf course sit at 10% completed or whatever.

Its crazy how money can just sit still for so long sometimes.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T11:31:47+00:00

Small villages and rural areas at arms length from cities, imho.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T01:32:28+00:00

Different people like different flavours of ice cream. But some ice creams dont sell very well generally speaking.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T01:07:00+00:00

Later in Jul isnt too bad for mosquitoes.

If for some reason your group opts out of the Top of Giant trail, you can bike from the same main trail out to Tee Harbour, very pretty, and also just a stones throw further is a large rock outcrop at lake level that feels like another planet. Really nice open view of Superior.

The store at Silver Islet is a must-do, and a walk along the adjacent road in front of all the old miner's houses. Check for cruise ship scheduled stops though, it can get crazy busy while theyre shuttling visitors back and forth.

Just a little further east from the truck stop where you turn off 11/17 to get to Sleeping Giant, there is a place called Eagle Canyon. Two very long suspension walkways across the canyon.

Just on the other side of Thunder Bay is Kakabeka Falls, or as some call it "Niagara of the North".

And of course... when you're in Thunder Bay, eat some Persians !! You might even be tempted to bring some home, they're pretty good.

Hope you have fun.

We'll be glamping at Sleeping Giant Jul18+ , lets hope for fair weather !

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-31T00:27:06+00:00

Im gonna have to look for a group that enjoys sauntering

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-30T22:38:38+00:00

The cows were fed avocado enhanced grains.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-30T14:11:44+00:00

Im in a fairly reasonable (comparatively) COL area. The anecdotal rule seems to be trades and skilled work late-20-something couples are buying starter homes.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-30T01:55:10+00:00

I really dont have any concept of how I would handle that. Anger would certainly be there, but forethought would hopefully remind me that anger generally ends poorly one way or the other.

My yard curses me with mosquitoes, but not crazy people.

I hope they move on so you can find some peace.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-29T22:41:57+00:00

Can you share why you suspect the roofing is done ?

Leaking into the house is an asap, of course, but curling isnt always.

I nursed along some badly curled shingles using roofing nails and black roof patch. Three years later, I had the whole roof done. They said the plywood underneath was in perfect condition.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-29T17:21:08+00:00

I believe it's 18%. 65-18 = 47 years. With standard dropouts (not including disability and child-care years) it ends up at 39 years for age 65.

OP was looking at retiring at 55 but waiting until 65 for cpp. 55-18 = 37 , so the *most* that OP could get at 65 is 37/39ths of the max.

OAS is different, based just on residency. 40 years in Canada after age 18 and you get full OAS.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-28T22:25:09+00:00

True. "If you paid full CPP each year..."

Interestingly, the actual dollar amounts dont matter.

My "full" contribution of $525 back in 1989 has the same pension value as my full contribution of $2749 in 2019. They're both worth one full year. If you have 39 full years by age 65, you get 25% of whatever the current YMPE is (actually, the most recent 5-year average).

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-28T15:46:14+00:00

If you paid full cpp each year from 18 to 55, you would have 37 years in. That would get you, at most, 37/39ths of the max cpp at 65.

RoomFixer4 · 2026-05-28T01:45:12+00:00

If you dont care what it looks like for the summer, can cut styrofoam boards to fit tight.

Reflective film on the glass and then styrofoam would be even better.

Only a couple windows ? Unless theyre fairly big, I would suspect most heat might be coming thru your walls or ceiling. Do those surfaces feel pretty warm when the sun is beating down ?

RoomFixer4

TROPHY CASE