When Is Spring Coming

I do wish that spring was coming as early as predicted. I thought it was supposed to appear by now. Oh, I know that it is not snowing as much as one might expect but it is still quite chilly outside. It means that I do not go out for a walk as I usually do in the warmer times of the year. In fact, I generally go out three times a day to get lots of exercise to help myself feel better.

I must admit that I do not feel all that bad about it because I have not seen too many of my neighbours going out for walks either. I guess that we are all being “smart” and not taking a chance of getting sick by going outside these days. As you know, dear reader, I do take on lots of exercising within the house at this time of the year to make sure that I try and stay in shape as much as I can. I am also very careful on what I eat. Or let me put it another way. My wife is very careful what she produces for my meals!

I am looking forward once again to going for walks. I do enjoy going out for about 30 to 40 minutes each time in different parts of the neighbourhood. It is just fun to do the walking but just as importantly to look at how different parts of my area are being developed. Oh, I do not mean seeing new homes being put up, although there is a big project going on down the street that I will want to take a look at. Rather, I like looking at how my neighbours are fixing up their homes so that it will give me some idea of how to improve mine.

It should also be interesting to see some new people around this area. I have noticed some of the units have been sold in the neighbourhood and that new people have moved in. I will enjoy meeting them once they start coming outside and going for walks as well. I also noticed that some of them seem to be doing some major reconstruction work in their homes as well. Now that should be interesting for them to invite me to take a look at I hope. It might give me some ideas about how to improve my home.

Oh, I just thought of something. I better write some stories now and post them on my website so they will have something new to read once they have met with me and know what I do.

WHO WILL GO SHOPPING

As I have told you in columns here before, dear reader, there are certain grocery stores in which I enjoy shopping. However, I cannot truly believe that their management may be acting so bizarrely that it makes no sense to me whatsoever. Why would they want to make customers find some other place to buy their goods! That is the only alternative that I can see considering the way some of them may be experimenting in doing some things.

Take a look at this story and wonder what the mentality is:

“Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart customers say they were forced to use self-checkout” (Sophia Harris, CBC News, March 17, 2019) 

Of course, this does not make any real sense does it, dear reader. Here is what Loblaws said about all this:

“Loblaw Co., which owns Real Canadian Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart, said it expects stores to always give customers the option of checking out with a cashier.

"We've now heard from a few customers that some [Shoppers] stores are encouraging those using credit or debit to use self-checkout," said spokesperson Catherine Thomas in an email.

"It is not our intention that customers feel they do not have a choice, and we have reminded all stores of this expectation."

Mind you, there is nothing in those comments that the number of cashiers will not be drastically reduced so that one has to wait in line for a very long time.

I have to admit that I like the local Superstore here a lot as I have written before. I do not want to leave there and shop somewhere else. I would though if I had to because of the poor checkout service.

Just think of it, dear reader. How bad would the service be if it is set up the new way now and I am checking out on a Saturday at a self checkout centre after buying so many groceries that day for my next week. Imagine the line of people behind me waiting to check out. Of course, they would have to wait for me to unload my cart, pass it through the pricing system, pay the bill and then reload it after putting everything into a bag. What would that do, double or triple the time I spend now!

Accordingly, if my grocer foolishly decides that it is going to change the system it has in place now, and then even reduce significantly the number of cashiers it has available, then I will look for an alternative store to buy my products.

ARE THEY GOOD RENTAL PRICES IN WINDSOR 

I am afraid that only you can make that decision, dear reader, based on your own position.

It appears as if the Windsor area may still be a good place for people to rent apartment units. Well, that may not be exactly correct.

It is a lot better to rent in Windsor than in other cities in Ontario, especially Toronto. After all, if one wanted to buy a housing unit there, the price of a house has gone up rather dramatically over a relatively short period of time even if it has gone up here quite a bit. More importantly, look at the cost of a house there compared with a similar unit here. It is so dramatically higher.

Here are some interesting numbers I have seen however that tell you how much the rents have increased here and lets you see see how it compares with other locations:

“Windsor’s rental rates are up from the same time last year, including a 10-per-cent hike in the price of two-bedroom apartments…

While Windsor rental prices may be on the upswing, it is still listed as the most affordable city of the 24 polled and has more than a $1,500 difference in rental rates to Canada’s most expensive city, Toronto.” (Lindsay Charlton, Windsor Star, March 16, 2019) 

I trust you understand a lot better my position now.

SHOULD IT BE A PRIZEWINNER

Here is an interesting announcement in a News Announcement for the $5.7 billion structure where its Ambassador Bridge competitor is putting up something similar in a different location, but close by nevertheless, at around $1 billion:

“IJGLOBAL AWARDS GORDIE HOWE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE PROJECT ROAD DEAL OF YEAR

WINDSOR, ONTARIO – Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) today announced that the Gordie Howe International Bridge project was recognized by IJGlobal Project Finance and Infrastructure Journal as its 2018 Road Deal of the Year at an awards gala held in New York.’

I have to admit that I do not understand how the WDBA could be the prizewinner when its cost is about six times higher than its competitor. Isn’t that taken into consideration when one looks at its position to determine how good an approach it has taken financially?

I just find it so funny that anyone thinks that the Government bridge can make any sense financially. Here is what I mean by that in a statement set out in that Announcement:

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge project is significant both in its scope and complexity and will bring positive economic, social and environmental benefits to communities on both sides of the border.”

Bryce Phillips, CEO - Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority”

Seriously, what positive benefit could possibly be provided by the Government Bridge? How could it truly remain in business, if it was not a Government Bridge, when its costs will be so much higher because the traffic volume has already reduced dramatically from what was projected before when it was claimed that it was going to rise dramatically in the future. Has anyone seen anywhere recently any projections that the volume will increase now so that it will somehow cover those costs? Of course not!

The reality in all of this is to wait until the federal election is over in the Fall and see what deal is made between the Ambassador Bridge Company and the Federal Government. If one can be made.

If not, litigation lawyers will be involved for at least another decade in all kinds of jurisdictions to decide this matter.