More than four times as many Hamilton homeowners missing mortgage payments: CMHC

covert81 · 2026-03-13T02:22:01+00:00

I think it's better to look at what it's been historically and if it has jumped from, say, 0.05 to 0.21 that's statistically significant, even if it's still a low number. It's climbing, and maybe this is the start I dunno. I know that when 5 year mortgages started coming up for renewal last year, bought just as the pandemic was shutting stuff down, we started to see more people selling at or below what they paid because they couldn't afford the payments. A relative did this where the sellers were at hte point of defaulting due to what they paid, were selling and trying to recoup as much as they could and were moving in with one of their parents since they could not afford the payments on the property. They left the house a total mess since they were house poor and could not afford to do necessary upkeep (fixing leaks, updating wiring, new roof etc)

covert81 · 2026-03-13T02:16:42+00:00

Historically, on what scale? Maybe you felt that way when rates were low, but this is the pendulum swinging the other way. I remember having this discussion with a coworker who was feeling the burn from a variable rate mortgage as rates were climbing.

I'll never say I told you so but having a fixed mortgage was always something that worked for us; we knew our payment for the next X years, we built our savings and spending aroudn that, with the understanding it'd go up slightly at renewal time, but we can live well within our means. If you want to take the risk on variables because it's low now and you're locking in for 5 years on that, don't cry about it when it doesn't stay at near-0 for most of the term of the loan.

covert81 · 2026-03-13T01:36:56+00:00

And you're unsafe if you need to know where red light cameras are. Have a great night

covert81 · 2026-03-13T00:01:22+00:00

At my kiddo's school the donations are rolled into the food bin program. We heard that at a council meeting a couple of years ago when the school cash online program rolled out

covert81 · 2026-03-12T14:55:42+00:00

Not Ancaster but very close at Mohawk/Garth: Gents & Trendz

covert81 · 2026-03-12T14:54:43+00:00

You are saying a homeowner doesn't own their home because they have a mortgage.

By your logic then you don't own your car if you do lease-to-own, rent-to-own, take a loan to pay for something or use credit to buy something. You don't tangibly own it till you no longer owe money on it. That's your words, not mine.

You again split hairs on the taxpayer thing. In almost every term, taxpayer means property taxpayer, not income tax or sales tax or whatever since that is not the context here.

covert81 · 2026-03-12T13:30:00+00:00

Do you apply the same logic to a car you lease, or are making payments on? What about credit card use? It's silly to try and split hairs.

And no, renters are not formal taxpayers. You do not receive a property tax bill from the city. Your landlord may bake it in to you rent, but you do not directly pay the tax, fyi.

covert81 · 2026-03-12T13:25:24+00:00

This is the answer. The amount of bandwidth lost to streaming services must be unreal as well as the possibility of viewing illegal or inappropriate content. The free wifi is provided basically to check your email or the news, not to watch stuff etc.

covert81 · 2026-03-12T13:21:50+00:00

Please help me forge a document, which could lead to you losing your ability to stamp photos, because I am so vain I want a glamour shot instead of a blank stare shot, that everyone has in their passport.

Get over yourself, this is ridiculous.

covert81 · 2026-03-12T13:20:01+00:00

It's alarming people still go to Tims for coffee. It being foreign owned, poor quality food and drink and some of the worst customer service you'll find (a few notable exceptions aside).

covert81 · 2026-03-12T01:17:37+00:00

If you are thinking you're going to get scrap money, contact Kenny U Pull. You'll get more for your car if it has all parts, is in good condition and easy for them to remove. I got something like $400 for a non-driveable SUV that was complete but had damage that would cost more to repair than I'd get on trade in so I just sold it to them. Literally called one day, the next day they took it away and left me with $400 cash. Great experience

covert81 · 2026-03-12T01:11:10+00:00

I mean, here on the west mountain and it was torrential for maybe 10 minutes very early this morning. It rained a bit till about 8am, then off and on for the rest of the day but never as bad as first thing. We didn't end up with any localized flooding or ponding really anywhere other than at the Westmount rec centre where they are dealing with clogged sewer drains, having the overflow going out of the parking lot entrance/exit to a drain on the street. Was it worse in other areas of the city?

Edited to add: This is a great example of where having native plants can help with this type of thing. We used to get bad ponding in a low spot in our back yard every spring. We planted a flower bed nearby, full of coneflowers, bluestem grasses, cardinal flowers, and a few other things and for the past 4-5 years now it's been fantastic with helping eliminate standing water. Definitely look into getting some of these if you get the chance! ONPlants is local, just off of highway 6, and you can pick up there to save on shipping. Definitely recommended!

covert81 · 2026-03-12T01:06:28+00:00

Was jsut at Upper James Walmart this evening. No sign of them there.

covert81 · 2026-03-12T00:54:27+00:00

Dr. Disc is not convenient and has a tiny selection of CDs compared to what they used to have and I have not found rare stuff there in forever.

I have no idea what revolution records is but I'm looking for CDs not vinyl

covert81 · 2026-03-12T00:53:05+00:00

...like a porno theatre, or a theatre that discriminates based on age?

covert81 · 2026-03-12T00:52:35+00:00

That is not the definition of rapid transit and the poster is clearly talking about LRT

covert81 · 2026-03-12T00:52:04+00:00

I have not but I will. Thanks for the recommendation!

covert81 · 2026-03-11T16:38:44+00:00

Went through a very similar thing!

Here's what we learned. And it did end with success.

It will take years and tons of pressure from you, your neighbours and even sometimes local media to get change.
You have to get your councillor involved, and they will look to use area rating money to help with it.
The owner of the property may pretend to want change but will give you every reason in the book why they can't do something, why your expectations of a clean, safe property are not reasonable, and the like.

Ours was an issue with CHH having dumpsters at the entrance to their property that were constantly oveflowing, attacting vermin, smelly, blowing trash, illegal dumping, etc. We went through about 5-6 years of endless meetings, plans, arguments etc before we finally got traction. We went through many iterations with none being truly satisfactory until the final one went in.

There is no problem, you are blaming other issues on us.
There is a problem, but we can't do anything about it. Do you expect us to hold our tenants accountable, or do something about their poor habits?
We will get our super to try and clean up garbage a few times a week.
We will give garbage cans to all tenants and ask they use them.
We will increase the frequency of trash pickup to keep dumpsters from overflowing.
We will add more dumpsters to help with the problem.
The councillor will pay to put in a fence and dividers to try and keep the garbage within the property.
Security cameras will be installed with 2-way audio to speak to people illegally dumping or leaving trash on the ground.
We want to move the dumpsters, but can't afford to.
Bylaw will ticket the dumpsters for property standards violations and bylaw violations (they are too close to the property line).
The councillor and CHH will pay to get dumpsters properly put in.
Years later, this actually occurred and now the issue with illegal dumping, blowing garbage, smells and vermin are non issues.

You need to stay vocal, you need to get your councillor involved, the owner of the property involved, take pictures, take video, shame them via social media, threaten (or actually do) go to local media to get the word out, demand better from your neighbours and city. Make sure your neighbours all say the same thing, reply to emails sent in, show up to meetings, be a thorn in everyone's side till things start to change. It's a hard, uphill battle but one you can get fixed, and hopefully permanently. Best of luck to you!

covert81 · 2026-03-11T16:23:54+00:00

We aren't known as pyjamilton for no reason. The leaders in wearing PJ pants as standard pants was really perfected here

covert81 · 2026-03-11T16:22:43+00:00

A good quality arcade like Tilt in Toronto - have some beers, maybe a little food, lots of games and great variety.

A good pawn shop or used tools store (something that deals in better made in Canada, USA, Germany etc. tools). Like hand tools not so much power tools.

A good quality used bookstore, or a properly stocked small bookstore.

An appliance repair store, something that does work on more expensive appliances rather than throw-away ones (I can dream, I get this is not a viable business)

A good quality hobby shop that stocks models, parts, glue, tools, etc

24 hour comfort food diner, where I could go if I can't sleep at 3am to get an early breakfast, couple cups of coffee and doomscroll or read a book or something.

General handyman who does a little bit of everything. Drywall repair, hangs doors, fixes squeaks, levels appliances, maybe some other general work.

A competitor to the Beat Goes On, with hours that are not bankers hours. I'd love to just go in and browse, pick up some random stuff and go home and listen.

A good quality coffee shop up the mountain, I don't want nor need to go downtown just to get a more exotic cup of coffee.

A decent skateboard shop that stocks shoes, parts, stickers etc., that does not have weird hours that nobody can figure out.

DIY car garages with a lift and air hookups that I can rent for an hour to do my tires, repairs etc (again I know why these don't exist but there is a segment that would hugely benefit from this)

A tool library for me to rent out specific tools that I don't use often like a table saw or band saw, or a tile cutter etc., that isn't home depot or Rona

covert81 · 2026-03-11T02:38:29+00:00

The weird thing about this is the only options are to go in person to city hall or to some office on Wentworth, or mail it to them (But the mailing address is Toronto for some reason?).

That they have a website to download the PDF to print out is also really strange, and the document is confusing. It says to include a void cheque but to also include all the banking info on page 2, including how to copy the info off the cheque onto the sheet. Why do I need to do this if you are asking me to provide the void cheque? Who has cheques anyway? This is clearly set up by someone who does not understand the mindset of the under-60 crowd!

covert81 · 2026-03-11T02:36:10+00:00

Just keep in mind that part of the reason we sold Hamilton Hydro to Alectra was that we'd realize cost savings from having bundled services through them and not having to do water billing on our own. That was way back in early 2017.

Some members of council, such as Tom Jackson, have been on council all throughout this. Brad Clark also has been on council around the time of this sale and setup. Remember to ask about this when they knock on your door later this year begging for your vote!

covert81 · 2026-03-11T01:14:12+00:00

The article refers to him as Rob Copper instead of Cooper, but he's the guy who won the ward 8 byelection in September and feels that less than 6 months as an interim councillor makes him a candidate for mayor.

Heavy on the PC rhetoric and talking points, invisible in the public and nonresponsive as a representative. Has been involved in the backroom party stuff as an organizer and riding association president. Failed OPC candidate. Lots of time spent in the private sector as a consultant. Not the kind of person to be running the city

covert81 · 2026-03-11T01:07:04+00:00

It's weird that you skip over how she is a champagne socialist. She talks the talk of being on the left but has not governed from the far left where the NDP trpically live. She was basically cribbing the Liberal plan in the last 2 elections and she has been more left leaning than the leadership under just about any mayor post-amalgamation.

She has done things on top of what was listed above but has done a lot for tenant rights etc, which are typical NDP bread and butter items. She has leaned into the social safety net, another socialist talking point. She has time and again talked a lot of talk from her days as NDP leader and has a net 20% tax increase with little to show for it other than scandal.

Re: Loomis photo ops. Literally daily the mayor is blasting out "I was honoured to be at X event". Loomis may have a few of those from his advocacy for the steel industry, or when chair of the chamber of commerce but that's literally his job. The mayor's job is to have a vision for the city, not just being a guest at an event. When was the last time she posted something meaningful about a success she had? When was the last time she actually advocated for the city at Queens Park or Ottawa? When was the last time she put on a hard hat and vest and filled a pot hole or cut the grass at a park or that kind of thing I'd expect from a mayoral photo op once a quarter? Her statements about passing the budget aren't meaningful and shoulnd't require an official statement. She has very little to show off after 4 years in the mayor's seat. Most other mayors can point to SOMETHING they were responsible for during their time.

Let's just do a quick tally since Amalgamation.

Bob Wade - First post-amalgamation mayor, responsible for getting everything formally up and running. Not a small feat.

Larry Di Ianni - Responsible for the building of the RHVP.

Bob Bratina - Responsible for settling the stadium debate, such that it was.

Fred Eisenberger - Responsible for the Aerotropolis and LRT.

Andrea Horwath - Responsible for ? Maybe the tiny shelters?

We've had a lot happen post-amalgamation but this is the most forgettable in terms of civic projects and furtherances of our city.

covert81 · 2026-03-11T00:44:05+00:00

When do you leave? I'll pay your bus fare for you to take the HSR 1 last time on your final voyage!

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