I *heart* India

Editor’s Note: Kimi Sokhi is a Toronto resident and IT Consultant who is currently on a 3-month work leave living with family in Dubai. She’s currently traveling in India and shared her thoughts with the Urban Country via e-mail about her visit to New Delhi, India.

We landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 4 am on July 7th. My first impression was "Wow! I haven't been hit in the face and overcome by 'The Smell' as we walk off the plane". You see in the past I have always been hit by 'The Smell' (particularly in the summer) which is at the heart of the Indian Experience. 'The Smell' is a combination of dust, pollution, dirt, garbage and human excretions.

Moving on; we walked into the terminal (sans 'The Smell') and we were surprised to see how clean it was. No garbage, white walls, clean floors. My mom chimed in "they renovated the airport a few years ago and now they are adding a brand new terminal". Cool! Leaving aside the mass chaos that ensued due to the Swine Flu screening, the experience at the airport was a welcome and pleasant surprise.

Infrastructure and the Environment

As we drove home at the crack of dawn, we were in for our second surprise: The sky was blue. There was no smog. Five years ago New Delhi was second only to Cairo for the worst air quality in the world. Between 2000-2005, the pollution due to automotive emissions was at an all time high. There was a massive increase in cases of lung disease and face masks had become part of the Delhi-ite's everyday garb. In the past few years the government has put in place more stringent emissions standards for all vehicles.

All public transit vehicles are being converted to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Many privately owned cars also run on CNG. ALL three-wheeler auto rickshaws and taxis run on natural gas. Around 50% of the old buses have been phased out and replaced by the new buses. In fact, Delhi already has the world's largest fleet of CNG vehicles. Don't get me wrong, I am sure Delhi is still one of the worst cities in terms of air quality but the difference we felt was plainly obvious. There is no visible smog. None of us are coughing like we normally do when we get here. Check out the local government's efforts to make the city pollution-free by the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Delhi has also built a new Metro system that connects this massive city of 18 million residents and its satellite towns. I have been on the Metro a few times and I can attest to the fact that it is one of the cleanest and most organized public transit systems around. It beats the (Toronto) TTC hollow. It is shocking that it is as clean as it is. India does not have the best track record of maintaining public property. However, the citizens of Delhi take such pride in this transit system that they are committed to keeping it clean and functional. Makes me proud to be an Indian :)

East meets West

After my first day of shopping and bargain hunting, it has become plainly obvious that India is experiencing a growth spurt like never before. The hoards of young professionals dressed in the latest western fashions, packed into hip coffee joints confirms the fact that India is a growing economy. It is one of the handful of countries that has not been affected by the recent worldwide recession. What warms my heart is that even though India is moving forward and embracing modernization, it has not forgotten its roots and culture. It is still a place where the young respect their elders, where guests are considered a gift from God (and treated as such!) and where Cricket and Bollywood are the two favorite national pastimes (obsessions!).

India has managed to maintain its cottage industries and also put up malls that have designer stores. In fact, close to my uncle's house are two malls that have only the most exclusive designer brands. With such a huge population, there is a market for everything. Louis Vutton and the export surplus stores are available in the same strip mall. Street food vendors and Pizza Hut are both doing roaring business.

How to Bargain in India:

Last night I saw my mom in full-blown bargaining action: The storekeeper was asking for 450 Rupees for one shirt and 480 for the other (that's $22 CAD). So he was willing to give both the shirts for R/- 900.

My mom: 'no way, R/- 500 is my last offer'. They argued back and forth for about 40 seconds stating how ridiculous and unrealistic the other one was being. '

The man screamed:  'what do you think my margin is lady? I also have to make a living' etc etc.

Super mom: 'R/- 600 is my last and final offer' and we both walk away. (I know when to walk away instinctively since I have grown up seeing this happen on almost a daily basis when we lived in India).

About 3.8 seconds later we hear “alright give me R/- 600 for both”. Victory!!!!

That's how you do it people. Here are some quick tips in case you happen to be in a bargaining war with a stubborn shopkeeper in India:

• Remember: it is a war of persistence. You have to bargain the other party into submission until they can't take it anymore and they will give you the item at any price that gets rid of you :)
• Always start your first offer at 50% of the asking price. If the price is $1000, offer $500 and then work you way up *very* slowly
• In a delicate game of offers and counter-offers, work up to a compromise. However, never pay a dime over 75% of the asking price or else be assured that you are getting ripped off
• If this method of "suggestive pricing" does not work, give your best offer (no more than 75% of asking price!) and simply walk away. Now wait. 99% of the time you will see the shopkeeper chase after you and agree to your price
• Once you have purchased the item at a price much lower than the ticket price, revel in your victory but not for too long. Close the deal ASAP by making your payment and getting your purchases packed up
• Extras: it is common in India for a clothing store to provide free alterations and most of them also home deliver your purchases so that you can continue shopping without the hassle of carrying bags around. However, do not take the home delivery option unless it is reputable and established store (not a street vendor or such)
• Good luck, God speed and happy bargaining!

Photo by Kimi Sokhi - The Le Meridian lobby in New Delhi, India

CONTINUE READING I *heart* India

With Glowing Hearts, We See Thee (temperature) Rise

Last Wednesday, Canada celebrated her 142nd birthday. A recent poll suggested that only 21% of Canadians knew how old their country was turning. If it isn’t bad enough that reportedly 4 percent of Canadians think that Canada is younger than 100-years-old, another recent study takes an even bigger dump on our beloved country.

A 51-page World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study released on Canada Day now ranks Canada dead-last in its G8 Climate Scorecard. Yup, no kidding  here; Canada has become the lowest-of-the-low for climate performance - falling behind the United States into last position - while Germany picks up first place, up from 3rd position in last year’s ranking.

The study assesses each country against the following measures:

• Improvements since 1990
  • Past emission trend from 1990 to 2007
  • Current distance to the Kyoto target
  • Increase of the share of renewable energy sources
• Current Status
  • Emissions per capita
  • Emissions per GDP
  • CO2 per kWh electricity
  • Energy efficiency in industry
• Policies for the Future
  • Leadership in climate negotiations
  • Electricity/nuclear
  • Industry
  • Households and services
  • Transport
  • Renewables

With its ever-rising emissions, Canada fails in every single category with the notable exception of the “CO2 per kWh electricity” category, given Canada’s extensive hydro-power generation.

The United States can thank the Obama administration for its improvement in the WWF ranking, “Overall, there has been more action in the US on climate change in the last four months than in the last three decades – a trend that will hopefully continue in the coming years.”

But don’t get too excited my Americano friends; the G8’s highest absolute emitter received a failing grade in all but 3 categories, scoring “yellow” in “Leadership in climate negotiations”, “Renewables”, and “Emissions per GDP”.

Given the number of environmental initiatives I witness firsthand every day in Toronto, it’s particularly frustrating for me that a handful of selfish, spoiled over-consumers and politicians have to ruin it for those of us who actually give a shit.

But the environmental movement is not in vain; I strongly feel that we’re at the beginning of a long process of change that will continue to evolve to overcome the challenges that are presented in a country with such a large land-mass and a commodity exporter like Canada.

Canada desperately needs a leader who is willing to take the initiative to tackle today’s tough environmental challenges. Far from being a tree hugger, Barack Obama has managed to put the United States back on a more positive path than any of the previous administrations with his environmental initiatives. Let’s hope he keeps the United States on the right path because it can only set an example for other lagging countries to adopt similar environmental policies.

Meanwhile, if Canada doesn’t change its course, we can sit back with our glowing (nuclear) hearts and see thee (temperature) rise.

And for those ignorant Canadians who can’t recall Canada’s year of birth, all you need to do is recall the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, then add 100 years. It’s as simple as that.

To download the full WWF report, click here.

Photo courtesy of wisforworlddomination on Flickr

CONTINUE READING With Glowing Hearts, We See Thee (temperature) Rise

Living Off the Grid

Image ‘Wired-II’ courtesy of Buck Lewis on Flickr 

What do a solar backpack, a wind up lantern, a pedal-pump generator, and a rollable water-proof solar panel have in common? Firstly, they all provide sustainable energy “off the grid”, and secondly, they can all be purchased from a really neat website called Modern Outpost that I recently stumbled across. Modern Outpost “specializes in self-reliant power technology for people who live, work & play in the great outdoors”. They are based out of Courtenay, BC and they have been in business for over 10 years, with a very focused line of products that relate to sustainable energy.

I’ve been fascinated with self-reliant energy for as long as I can remember, but I became truly passionate about it last year when recent technological advancements made self-reliant energy a more viable option in the future. In an Urban Country article last December I profiled a Freeplay LED wind-up lantern that I purchased from Mountain Equipment Co-op and I discussed a rock band called the Ginger Ninjas that was touring completely “off the grid” by generating electricity on their bicycles while they rode from city-to-city.

So when I stumbled upon Modern Outpost, a website that deals almost exclusively with sustainable energy creation, I was naturally excited and giddy. But what really makes the Modern Outpost stand out is that they test all of the products that they sell and they provide their own words to explain how the product works, how you should use it, and what sort of actual performance you should expect from that product.

A perfect example is an article where Modern Outpost describes how to choose a solar panel for your canoe or kayak. They walk you through all of the decisions you need to make, how to estimate your power needs, what sort of wattage output to expect from the solar panels, and which battery pack you should purchase to store the power generated by the solar panel.

I’ve recently been toying around with a future business idea / eco-social experiment where I would purchase a piece of land in a remote area on a lake and I would build sustainable cabins on the property that are completely off the grid, but still provide some of the basic luxuries that most people expect as the “norm” in today’s society. These cabins would be rented out for eco-conscious people who are looking to escape the city but want to minimize their energy usage. Each cabin would have access to a canoe and/or kayak to take out on the lake that would (hopefully) be free of gas-powered boats.

If this plan comes to fruition some day I would profile the progress in a series of articles to showcase the benefits and hurdles in building a sustainable home. In an article in March 2008 I profiled a house in Toronto that was built in 1996 by inventor Rolph Paloheimo to be self-sustaining home with a 2,700 watt solar panel system built on the roof.

Paloheimo was ahead of his time when he built his home in 1996, but a trend is beginning as we speak with people becoming more aware and conscious about the harm we’re causing to the earth. I wouldn’t be surprised if more people build “off-the-grid” homes in the next 5-10 years as the environmental movement unfolds.

I just finished reading Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point where he talks about how a product gains traction before “tipping” and becoming successful. Earlier today I pondered when the environmental movement would “tip”. It’s only a matter of time before it happens, and the prospect of an environmental “tipping point” is what keeps me driven every single day.

Check back in to the Urban Country for a review of the 7 watt solar panel I purchased to charge my GPS, phone, camera and MP3 player during my Toronto to Montreal kayak trip this summer.

CONTINUE READING Living Off the Grid

Kayak Trip: T-Minus 14 days

It’s now official. During the wee hours of 13 July 2009, I will set forth on a solo 560KM kayak journey from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for Noah’s Ark home for children in the Philippines. If you would like to support this cause, please pledge an amount of your choosing by either e-mailing me or commenting on this article (you’ll receive an income tax receipt for your donation amount). After I successfully complete the trip I will either collect the money from you or you can choose to send it directly to Noah’s Ark.

My training has been in full effect over the last couple weeks including running every 2-3 days and kayaking each weekend. My final preparation is under way and the last item I need to procure is a waterproof solar panel to charge my camera, MP3 player, GPS and cellular phone. I have my sights on PowerFilm rollable solar panels which range in price from $179.99 to $439.99 CAD depending on how many Watts you need to store.

For those of you who haven’t yet considered taking up kayaking or canoeing as a hobby, here are 10 reasons you should consider paddling as a hobby:

The following photos were taken this weekend while kayaking in Algonquin Park

 

CONTINUE READING Kayak Trip: T-Minus 14 days

Adventures of the Past, Present and Future

It’s 30 degrees Celsius – the wind is blowing in my face, and bugs are splattered across my goggles as I cruise along the Trans Canada Highway. It’s September 2004 and I’m on a solo motorcycle epic adventure that took me 4,712.5KM on my Yamaha XT 225cc enduro motorcycle to explore 5 provinces in just 9 days.

Walking home from work tonight reminded me of the 24-year-old explorer of my previous self. Little has changed in the ensuing 5 years – I still yearn for an adventure and a challenge – and most of my adventures involve the open air.

Last summer I was looking to pick up a new summer hobby. It had been 3 years since I sold my motorcycle – if it can be considered a motorcycle – and I had always dreamed about owning a KTM 990R or a BMW F650 enduro motorcycle and riding it across the continent.

But burning more oil and emitting pollution and carbon into the air was something I was trying to avoid altogether. Bicycling is a great sustainable hobby that I truly enjoy, but I’ve never been a fan of sharing the highway with cars doing 100KMH+ on long bike trips.

Then one day I was biking across the white pedestrian bridge that crosses the Humber River where the river meets Lake Ontario in Toronto when I noticed a beautiful and peaceful yellow sea kayak exploring about the river. It was at that moment that I experienced an epiphany that would forever change the way I view the world. Within 2 weeks I had purchased my first ever kayak and by the end of the summer I had completed a 107KM 2-day kayak adventure.

Being out on the water on a kayak is a feeling like no other. You’re free from exhaust fumes, free from traffic, free from dependence on oil, and it allows you to experience a side of nature that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience. Kayaking is also a fun way to travel – albeit much slower than cycling. If only I had known about this great sustainable hobby when I was a teenager – I would have saved the thousands of dollars I spent on my pollution-spewing toys – snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and four wheelers.

 

I spent the better part of the two days over the weekend kayaking at a cottage that my sister had rented in Bobcaygeon. I couldn’t help but resent the big motor boats and Sea Doo’s on the lake disturbing my sacred bonding with nature. There was once a day when all I wanted to do is ride on Sea Doos and power boats, but I now feel that these luxuries are only a product of an unnatural and harmful existence.

The great Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) - who died before the Wright brothers were born - said it best - “Thank God men can not as yet fly and lay waste the sky as well as the earth”.

Now the year is 2009 and I have begun preparing for my next great adventure, a 560KM solo kayak trip from Toronto to Montreal. Being on the water and sleeping alongside nature for 2 weeks will be an unforgettable experience – much like riding my small motorcycle alongside the countless trucks on the 401 on my way out East, or running out of gas in New Brunswick and hitchhiking to a gas station or almost being blown off the 12.9KM Confederation bridge from New Brunswick to PEI.

We can all learn something from Thoreau’s philosophy on life. One of my favourite Thoreau quotes is “That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest”.

CONTINUE READING Adventures of the Past, Present and Future

NASCAR’s Environment

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country – Jeff Gordon’s long-lost brother

If rush-hour traffic levels are an indicator of economic prosperity, then Detroit is in very poor shape. I traveled through the Motor City on Friday at 5:30PM expecting a flood of cars leaving the city at the end of the work day - but instead there were very few cars traveling – compared to what I’m accustomed to here in Toronto.

Of those few cars that I did see, nearly all were North American brands. I’ve always been amused by Americans expressing their patriotism by exclusively  purchasing  “American-made” automobiles. But I wonder if they know that more than 1.2 million Toyota automobiles were manufactured in the United States in 2005. That’s almost as many automobiles as Chrysler manufactured in the US in the same time period.

I arrived at Michigan International Speedway on that Friday evening to spend the weekend with my brother, father and his longtime friends to attend Sunday’s NASCAR race – a tradition for my father for some 31 years.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) was founded in 1948 by William France Sr. and operates as a family-owned business venture. It boasts 75 million fans and broadcasts in over 150 different countries.

You can imagine how difficult it must be for an environmentalist to support a sport that inherently emits a massive amount of greenhouse gases and pollution into our atmosphere. Other people have already calculated the footprint of NASCAR race cars - but for me the impact on the environment goes well beyond the cars themselves. From the thousands of massive bonfires at the track campgrounds, to the constantly running gas-powered generators that provide electricity for the tens of thousands of luxurious motor homes, to the 4 x USAF fighter jets doing a fly-by, to finally - the 5 MPG - 850-horsepower engines on each of the 43 race cars. Not to mention the fact that they brought in 43 x US Army Humvees to drive each race driver around the track for a ceremonial pre-race wave to the audience.

My goal this weekend was to highlight the environmental initiatives that I stumbled across at the NASCAR race (if any). The first encouraging sign came on Saturday at about noon. We purchased a hot dog from a vending booth at the track and it was served in what appeared to be a regular clear plastic container. As it turns out, the plastic container was made from corn and is fully compostable and biodegradable. In disbelief, I looked up the manufacturer of the container and found that the “Monogram Sustain” line of products was launched by U.S. Foodservice in late 2008 and appears to be a leading edge, sustainable method of packaging food.

Another encouraging sign that didn’t exist 3 years ago when I last attended a NASCAR race was a “Green” sponsor. You see, each car has its own corporate sponsor that pay for the day-to-day costs of operating the race car in exchange for exposure to millions of American consumers. This year a NASCAR Camping Series truck driven by Steve Park is sponsored by Waste Management and I even witnessed race fans with shirts reading “My white is green”. It’s encouraging to see a sponsor that departs from your typical cigarette brand, liquor brand, or Hooters restaurant and actually contributes to the environmental movement.

Here’s a fun video of NASCAR fans walking down the ramps to exit the track:

The most bothersome aspect of the race for me personally – from an environmental perspective - was the large trucks, giant motor homes, gas-powered generators and other luxuries that NASCAR fans enjoy. At one point in the weekend I could hardly breathe because of the thick cloud of smoke resulting from the thousands of campfires. Coming back to the congested city yesterday made me feel like I was wearing an oxygen mask because the air is so clean relative to the track campgrounds. I do however concede that the smell of racing fuel from the cars at the track is extremely addictive.

For the first time in decades, my father decided to rent a motor home this weekend - instead of our usual tradition of sleeping in a tent. It was very large and luxurious – I joked that it was bigger than my downtown Toronto loft. I couldn’t personally justify such a large carbon footprint in exchange for these luxuries for any reason whatsoever. Out of principle I wanted to sleep in my tent, but I didn’t want to offend my father whom I love dearly.

With green initiatives slowly absorbing into NASCAR culture, the future can only be more promising. NASCAR has in the past been slow to embrace environmental initiatives – its cars were using leaded gasoline until 2007 – but there are small environmental initiatives that are beginning to take shape. Formula One is actively working on green initiatives for its cars and Indy cars run purely on corn-based ethanol. NASCAR will eventually catch up in future years and The Urban Country will continue to keep NASCAR in check.

But when it comes to the majority of the fans - I have to agree with the sticker on the back of the truck in the photo above – wasted wages indeed.

CONTINUE READING NASCAR’s Environment

Google’s Commitment to Sustainability

Photo “The Googleplex” courtesy of jpstanley on Flickr 

What do the David Suzuki Foundation and Google Inc. have in common? Not much at first glance, but when you look beyond the surface you’ll see many similarities. 

Since 1990, the David Suzuki Foundation has been using “science and education to promote solutions that conserve nature and help achieve sustainability”. Google Inc. on the other hand is the high tech firm that strives to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”. Google started out as a Stanford research project in 1996 by two really smart men - Larry Page and Sergey Brin - and now employs over 20,000 full-time employees at its Mountain View, California “Googleplex” campus.

Like the David Suzuki Foundation, Google Inc. is also dedicated to sustainability, and unlike many other corporations, Google doesn’t simply write fancy words about its social responsibility; it is actually taking tangible steps to substantiate its commitment to sustainability.

For starters, at its “Googleplex” corporate headquarters, Google has installed 9,212 photovoltaic panels to supply 1.6 megawatts of electricity, or about 30% of the electricity required to operate the 20+ buildings on its campus at peak times.

Google’s commitment to sustainability manifests from the values espoused by its co-founders. Page and Brin are seriously committed to making renewable energy a reality by investing in sustainability projects - such as Tesla motors electric car initiative, as well as allocating over $1 billion worth of Google shares to fund Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google Inc. which focuses on environmental and global health issues.

In November 2007, Google.org announced its “RE<C” (Renewable energy for less than coal) project with the aim of (as the name states) producing renewable energy from solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy sources at a cost cheaper than burning coal. The goal of the RE<C concept is to generate 1 gigawatts of renewable energy – enough to power the entire city of San Francisco from these renewable sources.  This isn’t a “pie in the sky” project either; Google plans to achieve their goal in years – not decades.

Back at the Google campus, hundreds of community bicycles are placed everywhere so that employees can quickly and easily travel between buildings. They also provide a fleet of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that are used in its free car-sharing program and Google.org’s RechargeIT initiative invests in technology to accelerate the adoption of plug-in vehicles. In a pilot program, Google.org has been able to achieve an amazing 115MPG in a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.

 Photo “Hometime at Google” courtesy of yoz on Flickr

When it comes to food sustainability, Google’s campus cafe is partially-supplied by its on-site organic garden and Google’s Cafe 150 provides food grown within 150 miles of the Google campus.

On May 1st, 2009, Google announced it was renting 200 goats from California Grazing as a low-emission approach to mowing the fields on its campus. California Grazing is an environmentally-friendly company that boasts a fleet of 800+ cute goats that provide “holistic land management and brush & weed control through grazing.” According to Google, “It costs us about the same as mowing, and goats are a lot cuter to watch than lawn mowers”.

Inside the Google buildings, Google purchases its furniture and materials that meet the stringent LEED certification as well as the Cradle-to-Cradle certification – an innovative and sustainable method of creating products that we discussed last July. Google also exclusively uses sustainably-harvested wood for construction in its campus buildings.

Photo “G-succulents” courtesy of mrjorgen on Flickr

Ten years ago, Google Inc. changed the world with its effective search algorithm. Now its founders are changing how energy is produced and consumed. Google’s environmental initiatives are a reflection of the core ideology found in its young founders and it represents a new level of corporate social responsibility that was virtually nonexistent in most corporations just ten years ago.

I’m excited about what Google’s brilliant minds will be able to accomplish to help the environment; and if I ever need to mow the lawn, I just might consider renting a bunch of cute sheep for a week.

Sustainitiatives is a section on The Urban Country where we highlight companies or individuals who are taking initiatives to help reduce our harm on the environment.

CONTINUE READING Google’s Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainable Commuting: the Bicycle

Here’s my latest contribution to blogTO entitled Sustainable Commuting: the Bicycle, excerpt:

“The bicycle is the most efficient means of human-powered transportation, meaning it can travel the most distance with the least amount of energy exerted. Invented in the 19th century, bikes take up very little space, they're quiet, and they don't pollute. In Toronto, there are few faster ways to get around the city. Safety, however, has always been an impediment to potential cyclists with our lack of bike lanes and the "door prizes" that Toronto drivers periodically hand out.”

Photo “Bicycle Race” courtesy of Tony the Misfit on Flickr

CONTINUE READING Sustainable Commuting: the Bicycle

Clean Energy – Circa 1970

Sketch it! is a fun section on The Urban Country where we feature random napkin sketches from our resident sketch artist and writer, George Pechtol (Against his will).

Today’s sketch features what we thought was clean energy in 1970.

CONTINUE READING Clean Energy – Circa 1970

Finding Mecca in the Toronto Islands

Birds are chirping and the water splashes as I look at the horizon to see the Toronto city skyline contrasting the nature that surrounds me. In the heart of the city, a mere harbour away from the CN Tower, the Toronto Islands provide a Mecca that feels a world away from the automobiles, pollution and the noises of the city.

Instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a cottage that requires you to sit in your polluting automobile for 3 hours each way, I can walk to the harbour, jump in my kayak and arrive at this summer getaway in 20 minutes or less. Did you know that the Toronto islands comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America?

Watch this not-so-dramatic video played in double-speed of me “escaping” the wilderness of the Toronto islands to reveal the Toronto skyline:

The Toronto Islands consist of Centre Island, Algonquin Island, Olympic Island, Forestry Island, Snake Island and Ward’s Island (depending on which map you look at). Ward’s Island is actually connected to Centre Island, but we can just pretend it’s its own island.

In the video below, you can enjoy the silence with me:

There are 262 homes on the island. Homeowners own the structures but the city owns the properties which are leased to the homeowners on a 99-year lease. In an effort to prevent bidding on homes that would result in only the wealthy living on the island, Toronto Island Community was setup in 1993 to oversee sales of homes on the island. They use a lottery system to provide an equal opportunity for everyone to own a home on the island. When a home goes up for sale, if your name is pulled, you can purchase the home for the value of the structure (typically $100,000 to $150,000) plus the value of the 99-year lease (approximately $40,000 to $57,000).

If you purchase a home on the island, you’re obligated to live in the home for the majority of the year and you can’t rent it out. That would be fine with me; take a look at how beautiful this house is:

These pictures remind me of Algonquin Park:

If your name doesn’t get pulled for the island homeowner lottery, you could always buy a houseboat and dock it at Centre Island like this family:

This picture could have been taken on a Muskoka lake, but in reality it’s a home on Ward’s Island:

Beautiful sailboats docked at the Queen City Yacht Club:

Heading back to the big smoke:

Next time you’re thinking about driving hundreds of kilometers to find your natural Mecca, consider renting a canoe or kayak and exploring the Toronto islands. Nothing relieves stress better than being out on the water in a human-powered-boat and few things are more rewarding than finding nature without stepping foot in an automobile.

Check back in for more details on my 2-week Toronto to Montreal kayak adventure later this summer.

CONTINUE READING Finding Mecca in the Toronto Islands