Living Green Together - Canadian CRB Program

How to find a neighbourhood to live in in Canada?

Aug 31, 2022

There are so many factors to consider when selecting your next apartment home including such things as rental price, size and the neighbourhood you live in.

We asked 4 media personalities across Canada about what factors come into play when choosing a neighbourhood to live in – here is what they had to say:

JODY VANCE – Broadcast Journalist, Co-Host Steele and Vance on CHEK this fall, Vancouver BC

When searching for a new neighbourhood I look for trees and green space, walkability for the basics – mom and pop shops, grocery stores and pharmacies and access to transit. While I drive a plug in hybrid and certainly must commute to visit and support family and friends, I work from home – and want to love where I live.

Jody Vance is a born and raised Vancouverite who’s spent 30 years in both local and national media. The first woman in the history of Canadian TV to host her own sports show in primetime, since 2011 she’s been working in both TV and radio covering news and current affairs. Starting September 8th at 8, catch her every Thursday night hosting “Steele and Vance” on CHEK.

JOHNNY NOVAK – Standup Comedian/Radio Host, Victoria BC

To be honest I go with whatever’s cheapest but that’s not really an option with the current housing market, especially here in Victoria, BC. All the neighbourhoods here are costly but that also in a twisted way gives you more options because they’re all about the same expensive price. I chose James Bay because of it’s walkability. I don’t need my car to get to work, the grocery store or all the entertainment venues and green spaces this city has to offer.

Johnny Novak is a standup comedian and radio host in Victoria, British Columbia. He is one half of Virgin Mornings with Bailey & Johnny on 107.3 Virgin Radio. Originally from Ottawa, his hobbies include birding and running but just not at the same time because it’s horrible for your neck.

JULIA SUPPA – Content Creator/Blogger, Vaughan ON

When it came to choosing a neighbourhood to live in, location was a big factor. We wanted to remain close to our families, with access to major highways and proximity to shops, gas stations and attractions. While we do live in a large suburb of Toronto, we are fortunate to have a backyard for our kids and lots of nearby green spaces and parks to explore. Plus, whether we need to travel or commute to the city, or want to escape to the beach or country, we can do so fairly easily.

Julia Suppa is a professional storyteller and award-winning producer. Her blog — www.simplysuppa.com — recounts some of her favourite experiences, including travel, dining, home renovation, parenting and more. Follow Julia on social media @simplysuppa.

CASIE STEWART – Content Creator/Blogger, Toronto ON

When choosing a neighbourhood, I like somewhere close to the subway, good restaurants and that has a community. I used to live at Cityplace and it was so busy, loud, and non-stop. A rat race! When we moved to Junction Triangle, I loved the slower pace, small local shops, and places to eat, plus we’re close to Roncesville! The neighbourhood here has grown so much since moving almost a decade ago. We’re close to breweries, great places to eat on Dundas West, and lots of little cafes.

Casie Stewart is an award-winning content creator and expert in digital media. She’s been writing her blog CASIE STEWART : THIS IS MY LIFE since 2005 and is the Social & Culture Manager at Funday Agency. She also co-hosts the Cast of Creators podcast presented by Hvr, a new mobile browser that’s social. Follow her on Instagram @casiestewart and visit her blog at casiestewart.com.

In addition to finding the right neighbourhood to live in, the apartment home you choose to live in is equally important. As a renter, you should inform yourself about the options that are available to you… your search should include selecting your next apartment home in a CRB-approved buildings.

As the Canadian Certified Rental Building Program continues to roll out across Canada, we continue to certify more apartment buildings in various provinces including Ontario, BC and launching soon in Alberta.

This means as a renter, you can make the empowered decision to select your next apartment home in a CRB-approved building.

Why would you choose a CRB-approvedTM building?

You can rent with confidence and have the “peace-of-mind” because the Canadian CRB Program assures renters that:

1. Property managers must adhere to strict rules & regulations – over 300+ standards and requirements.

2. Your apartment home is well-managed with professionally trained property management staff

3. Building cleanliness is a key mainstay of each CRB-approved building, and regular cleaning schedules must be strictly adhered to

4. Resident maintenance requests & inquiries will be addressed in two-business days or less.

5. Property managers and their residents care about their impact on the environment, and work together to ensure greener, healthier apartment communities

What residents need to know about the Canadian CRB Program

Aug 5, 2022

The Canadian CRB Program (CRBP) is officially launching across Canada creating a presence nationwide. From east to west and north to south, the 🍁 CRB Program is making a difference and setting an example of environmental leadership in the apartment industry.

What is the Canadian CRB Program anyway?

The Canadian CRB Program provides residents with a quality-assurance alternative that renters can count on when choosing a rental apartment home.

The program represents a community of property managers that are committed to providing well-run, professionally-managed and well-maintained apartment communities across Canada.

CRB-approved buildings are in strict compliance with 52 standards of practice that ensure a high-level of quality service for renters. In addition, CRBP buildings are also Living Green Together™ environmentally certified. This ensures a building is operating in an environmentally responsible manner, and residents are encouraged to do their part to maintain safe, healthy, and green apartment communities together.

As a Canadian CRB Program resident, you can expect:

1. Rent With Confidence™ knowing that you have selected an apartment home that is well-run, professionally-managed and well-maintained… providing renters with peace-of-mind.

2. CRB supports its members and educates residents about how Living Green Together™ can make a difference in their apartment community – from saving energy, to waste diversion and water conservation.

3. From our residents to our members, CRB represents unity and diversity in our apartment communities. “We care from here-to-here” – cultivating a community across Canada

Imagine apartment-living exactly how it should be – Why rent anywhere else than in a Canadian Certified Rental Building!

Certified Rental Building™ Program – a win-win scenario

Dec 1, 2019

We understand what an important decision it is to choose an apartment building, and we believe people should be able to expect certain standards of quality and service when they rent.

That’s why the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario(FRPO) created the Certified Rental Building Program™ (CRBP), the first of its kind in North America.

Among our goals is to promote a healthy, competitive rental housing industry that benefits both landlords and tenants. Part of this win-win scenario is the opportunity for those seeking rental accommodations to know when they are choosing an apartment building that meets those standards.

This Program didn’t happen overnight. We understand renter concerns and thought that the time had come to establish a benchmark “quality-assurance program” which would make it easy for tenants to identify well-run, well-managed multi-residential apartment buildings. After all, an apartment is the renter’s home, and quality of life is as important for tenants as it is for home owners.

Think of the CRBP as the proverbial “good house-keeping” seal of approval for apartment buildings “something you can count on” to help you find a rental apartment building that adheres to the Certified Rental Building Program and make your rental decision easier and ultimately, makes your day-to-day life safer and more pleasant.

The CRBP logo posted at multi-residential apartment buildings across Ontario lets you know that the property manager and staff practice over 36 established apartment building management and customer service standards. It shows you they care about the quality of the building and of the service they provide to tenants. The CRBP empowers apartment shoppers with a tool that will help lead them toward greater satisfaction with their rental decision.

The Program requires property managers and owners to have solid business practices and processes in place. It promotes professionalism in the industry across the province, as well as a renewed respect for just how important a well-run building is to the well being of those who live within it.

To be certified, applicants must complete the apartment rental housing training and education component of the program, including a test at the end. This covers a multitude of topics, from knowledge of the Human Rights Code, to fire and building code compliance, staff training policies, proper safety procedures, information and privacy law compliance and much more. Even things like keeping elevators, heating and cooling equipment well-maintained are part of the Program. There are also annual site inspections that enhance the enforcement of the program requirements.

Respect is a two-way street, and certainly, renters are expected to abide by the building rules that help to keep all tenants safe and comfortable. The landlord or property manager is also responsible for upholding the rules for that same reason.

When all is said and done, renting in Ontario is typically less expensive than owning. Renters should not have to sacrifice quality and/or service when it comes to their residences. The CRBP helps to ensure that they have a solid, well-maintained building to call home.

Certification makes a difference – The proof is in the feedback!

Dec 1, 2019

In June of 2008, the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) launched the first-ever tenant-focused quality-assurance program that promotes property management best practices when it comes to operating apartment buildings and providing good quality service to tenants.

From the feedback received over the past three-and-a-half years, we were spot-on in our intentions, with the Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP), to provide Ontario renters with an apartment quality-assurance tool that would assist them to find an apartment home with good quality service standards in well-managed, well-run, professionally managed apartment buildings.

The numbers tell the story of how Ontario rental-housing consumers are seeing first hand the benefits and value in finding a quality rental home that meets CRBP Standards of Practice.

Last year, prospective renters clicked on the program’s website (www.crb.program.org) over 21,000 times and conducted over 52,000 individual searches for a rental-property of their choosing. After only eight months, in 2012, that website has been visited over 35,000 times and is on track to double the number of renter inquiries in 2012.

There is yet another glowing example witnessed in J.D. Power’s 2011 Canadian Resident Survey results:

• Over 74 per cent, of renters surveyed, cite building certification as “somewhat” or “extremely” important in their decision to rent;

• Over 26 per cent are aware of the CRB program administered by FRPO or one in four prospective renters cited the CRB program as a part of their decision criteria in choosing a rental home

• Finally over 80 per cent indicated “definitely” or “probably” will recommend their building to others if it was certified.

Customer service standards are a major component of the CRBP, ensuring that property management staffs, in “certified” buildings, provide all tenants with efficient, safe living conditions and courteous, respectful service. Renee Bourgon, Director of Marketing and Communications at Minto Properties states that “The FRPO Certified Rental Building Program re-enforces and supports our objectives to apply high standards of resident services across the entire portfolio of our buildings.

This consistency across Certified buildings in Ontario produces positive results that are not lost on prospective renters and existing tenants. Among the comments we have received are the following:

• “The FRPO Certified Building Program gave us the confidence to know we were moving into a well run building, before we actually made an appointment to check it out.

• The Certified building program is known for looking after the details of what a tenant should expect from a landlord.

• The FRPO Certified Building Program is like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for all Ontario Rental properties, and we like it.

• When we were looking for a new apartment, we knew to narrow our focus to FRPO CRB Buildings only.

• We are careful about who we rent from, so we would only choose a building that was FRPO Certified.

• If you want to take the guessing out of what company offers the best run buildings, look for the CRB Sign in the ads.

As an industry association, FRPO’s objective is to promote a balanced and healthy housing market with a vital rental-housing industry, choice for consumers, adequate government assistance for low-income households, and effective private sector solutions to rental-housing needs. The CRBP is just one example of how we meet the diverse needs of our members and continue to help those seeking rental accommodations to make their best choice.

10 ways to conserve energy in your apartment

Dec 1, 2019

In these hot and sticky summer days we are all doing whatever it takes to keep cool and to beat heat. But sometimes in our desire to keep cool, we forget about the importance of energy consumption.

The Certified Rental Building™ Program encourages residents to become more environmentally conscious and energy efficient. All CRB-approved™ building are Living GREEN Together™ certified. Watch this video to learn more…

Here are 10 easy tips to help ensure that you are cutting back on both your environmental footprint and energy costs. Regardless of if you pay your own electricity costs or it is part of your rent, conserving energy is important and YOU can make a difference!

Master the technique of ‘task lighting’ and keep the lights in your apartment on only if you need them! It’s that simple and effective.
Replace incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent or LED lighting as they are more energy efficient and do a much better job of keeping your apartment cool.
Small things can make a big difference. For example, shutting the blinds to block sunlight from entering the room does wonders for keeping it cooler, not to mention cutting electricity usage.
Choose a fan over your rental unit’s air conditioner, unless the air conditioner is needed for medical purposes or there is an extreme heat warning. Always remember, health is the first priority.
No matter if it’s an air conditioner or fan; turn it off when your apartment is empty.
Ensure all windows are shut when the air conditioner is running. When hot air comes in, the air conditioner requires more energy to keep the room cool.
Make it a routine to turn off computers along with printers when they are not in use. While leaving them on for the entire day has become a household phenomenon, they are a major contributor to energy consumption, even when you are not using them.
Avoid using a microwave to thaw frozen food before cooking. Use the fridge to thaw frozen items. This results in a shorter time needed for cooking.
Wash dishes and cutlery by hand instead of using the dishwasher, especially when the dishwasher is only half full.
Do your laundry only when you have a full load! It’s best to wash less in bigger bundles. If you do have to wash a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting and cold water cycle.

Give these tips a try! You can make a difference.

Greening together gives more reasons to Rent With Confidence™

Aug 22, 2019

FRPO’s New Environmental Operating Standards Offer Renters the Opportunity to Play an Active Role In Promoting a Greener Living Environment in their Apartment Community

OTTAWA, October 18, 2013 – FRPO’s (the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario) Certified Rental Building Program™ (CRBP) is now greener and more environmentally friendly.

With the introduction of its new Environmental Operating Standards in Ottawa today, FRPO’s certification assures residents that their apartment home is in the care of property manager’s committed to environmental activities that support effective energy consumption management and waste management recycling practices.

The Minto Group becomes the first property manager enrolled in the CRB Program to recertify with these new Environmental Standards and to receive official status within the Program.

Said FRPO’s Chair Ugo Bizzarri, “As the first tenant-focused, quality-assurance program of its kind in North America, the CRB Program assists Ontario residents (tenants) in identifying well-run, well-managed apartment buildings and homes. We are now strengthening that ‘quality’ commitment to Ontario rental-housing consumers with the introduction of 10 new environmental-operating standards. These new standards will set the base-line for environmental-operating practices across our industry.” He added, “Within the next few months over 950 multi-residential apartment buildings housing over 225,000 residents will be an active part of this ‘grassroots’ environmental program. This no doubt will contribute to lower energy consumption and create greener apartment communities across Ontario.

To celebrate this sustainability milestone, Minto property management, residents and community leaders including Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Bob Chiarelli; Ottawa Deputy Mayor Steve Desroches and Councillor Rick Chiarelli, today gathered at Minto’s Sophia apartment community (91 Valley Stream Drive) to reinforce their commitment to environmental sustainability and greener apartment living for residents and their families.

FRPO’s Certified Rental Building Program will now enhance environmental practices in multi-residential buildings across Ontario. This is excellent news as it will directly benefit the almost 3 million Ontarians who live in apartment buildings, bringing conservation programs right to their doors, said Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Energy. “I congratulate FRPO for their leadership enhancing conservation opportunities and taking steps to lower the carbon footprint of multi-residential buildings.

Said Ottawa Deputy Mayor Steve Desroches, “We are very pleased that FRPO has chosen the City of Ottawa to launch their new environmental-operating standards.” The intended grassroots approach is to actively engage apartment residents. It will help reduce water and energy consumption and promote more effective waste and recycling, which will greatly contribute to reducing the daily environmental operating footprint across Ottawa area apartment communities. FRPO’s new environmental standards fit well with the City’s strategy as a leader in environmental stewardship. The City has a number of environmental strategies and policies aimed at promoting environmental protection initiatives such as the green building strategy, the water efficiency strategy and the energy conservation strategy, as examples.

“Greening our buildings has been a mainstay of Minto’s apartment communities for years, said Troy Pelletier, Director, Facilities Management. “The expansion of the CRB program to include environmental operating standards continues the momentum the program has developed to promote quality assurance of rental buildings and resonates with Minto’s commitment to better, greener, healthier communities for our residents and staff through resident and staff education, and energy and resource saving retrofits.

“Minto has long been a leader in creating more environmentally-friendly communities for their residents in Ontario. After major retrofits across our portfolio in the early 2000s, we implemented environmental initiatives such as green cleaning, environmental reporting, utility auditing, retro-commissioning and recycling where practical. In 2012, we also implemented company-wide environmental targets with the aim of further reductions in resource consumption across our portfolio. We set targets for all new construction to have third-party environmental certification and most recently our 620 Martin Grove and 150 Roehampton developments in the Greater Toronto Area have achieved LEED Gold status”, added Pelletier.

Said FRPO’s Director of Certification, Ted Whitehead, “Training and education are critical components in the rollout and implementation of these new environmental standards at CRBP members buildings. Over the next few months, hundreds of apartment building staff will access a special Environmental Awareness & Leadership training program which will engage front-line staff making them more aware of the energy resources their building is using, identifying opportunities to reduce consumption, and connecting them with their residents in conservation practices through awareness and education.

The success of the CRBP’s Environmental Standards depends on our members working effectively together with their residents to strengthen and support a greener environment. By engaging and encouraging residents to do the small painless things to conserve energy like turning down the thermostat, or turning off lights when they leave for work, or recycling their garbage and waste correctly – then everyone wins! We can create a culture of environmental caring and greener apartment communities across Ontario, Whitehead added.

Let’s live green together!

Jul 2, 2019

At the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario, we continually look for ways to enhance the quality of life for tenants across the province.

In 2008, we developed and implemented the Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP) to provide a “quality-assurance” benefit that rental-housing consumers can count on when shopping for their rental apartment home.

Apartment buildings and complexes accepted into the program must comply with more than 50 Standards of Practice and are audited regularly by J.D. Power & Associates to track compliance. Once an apartment building has been granted official “certification,” it is considered a well-run, well-managed property where the property manager and their staff care about providing good quality of service to their residents. To date, more than 260,000 rental residents reside in over 950 “certified” apartment buildings across the province.

In 2014, we took the CRBP to a new level by introducing 10 new Environmental Operating Standards as part of our exciting new Living GREEN Together™ groundbreaking initiative.

Basically, the 10 new Environmental Operating Standards are in line with current Canadian trends toward sustainability.

For example, in National Geographic and GlobeScan’s 2014 Greendex scores report, although Canadians rank below the average on several scales, we are among the most frequent recyclers and likely to take reusable bags when shopping. We are among the most likely to have an energy-saving dishwasher and TV in our homes, and we are more likely to wash laundry in cold water to save energy.

The “Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study (2013)” reported that corporate social responsibility toward environmental issues is now expected of companies to provide credibility. In the “Energy Efficiency & Canadians – National Opinion Research for CEEA (April 2013)” survey, 75 per cent of Canadians believe that conserving energy is very important. These are just a few of the reports and surveys that show how critical it is to keep respect for the environment at the forefront of our attention, and why Living GREEN Together™ is a timely initiative.

The CRBP’s new Environmental Operating Standards require participating property managers to have an Environmental Policy outlining its commitments and practices; an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy documenting the purchase and use of products/services that minimize negative environmental impact and human health impacts; Environmental Performance Monitoring that enables the efficient identification of areas where action should be taken to reduce consumption and improve performance; Electrical Product Standards; Natural Gas Consumption Practices; Water Product Standards; Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Standards; Indoor Air Quality Standards; Employee Engagement and Education to create a culture of cooperation and positivity; and Resident Engagement through active interaction with tenants.

Examples of how these criteria are being met by participating property managers are the installation of energy-efficient electrical fixtures, lamps/light bulbs; the use of water-efficient plumbing fixtures; the implementation of proactive measures to reduce the occurrence of leaking toilets and dripping taps; the promotion of effective waste management and recycling practices; and the use of Energy Star-qualified or energy-efficient appliances and laundry machines.

Just as Ontario’s rental housing industry has a major impact on the province’s economy (over $18.3 billion annually), CRBP rental building management and their staff and residents can have a massive impact on protecting our environment through progressive thinking and proactive practices. Let’s face it: we’re all in this together, and we all benefit from greener apartment communities.

It’s up to us all to do what we can to lessen our carbon footprint. The CRBP’s Environmental Operating Standards represent a key step forward in corporate environmental responsibility for the rental housing industry.

At FRPO, we are proud of our Living GREEN Together™ initiative — the first industry-developed environmental operating standards for multi-residential apartment buildings.