MiltonSearch.com blog

Series previews and predictions including a breakdown on Toronto’s first-round matchup

THE STARS

Toronto Chris Bosh 22.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg
Orlando Dwight Howard 20.7 ppg, 14.2 rpg

Two diametrically opposed players: Bosh is finesse and quickness, Howard is power and strength. They won’t guard each other very often – neither team wants to subject its player to foul trouble – and how they handle what defences are thrown at them could determine the outcome. Bosh has seen every imaginable double-team and must be decisive with his moves. The Raptors might want to guard Howard straight up with Rasho Nesterovic and stay home on Orlando’s shooters.

THE ROLE PLAYERS

Toronto T.J. Ford, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Rasho Nesterovic
Orlando Jameer Nelson, Maurice Evans, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis

This is the group that could be the deciding factor in the series. Lots of similarities among them. They both have good shooters who can get red-hot or go stone-cold on a moment’s notice and they generally operate off what the big men give them. There really isn’t a lock-down defender in the bunch, so open shots should abound.

THE BENCHES

Toronto Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Carlos Delfino, Jason Kapono
Orlando Keyon Dooling, Keith Bogans, Adonal Foyle, Pat Garrity

Magic will be without Brian Cook, who can stretch defences with his shooting, which gives Toronto another edge. Dooling and Bogans are just the kind of guys who can get hot and score in a hurry. The inconsistent Bargnani has to be good for Toronto to really have a chance, but Calderon should be able to put Orlando in pick-and-roll hell.

THE X-FACTOR

The Raptors are a wretched 10-26 heading into the post-season and while they talk a good game about being able to turn things around in a hurry there’s been no evidence that they’re capable of it. But if shots fall and they decide to defend, who knows? Magic’s breakout season really never hit a lull. They have been third-best in the East all season and go in brimming with confidence.

THE COACHES

Toronto Sam Mitchell
Orlando Stan Van Gundy

The playoffs are all about adjustments in the coaching ranks. Little wrinkles for Game 1 have to be dealt with in Game 2 and everyone’s going to be trying to come up with something new every night. Van Gundy’s been through the wars with Pat Riley for more than a decade and has 17-11 playoff record. Mitchell’s in his second post-season series; he went 2-4 against New Jersey last year.

SEASON SERIES

Orlando won two of three from the Raptors. In Toronto’s lone win, Bosh went off for 40 points. Howard dominated both Orlando wins, as to be expected.

PREDICTION

The stars could very well cancel each other out and it’s going to come down to which team gets – and makes – more open shots. Toronto’s defensive deficiencies might be too much to overcome. Magic in seven.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston vs. Atlanta
Hawks’ first post-season since 1999, young squad might find itself overwhelmed. . . Even if Hawks aren’t overwhelmed, Boston’s new incarnation of the Big Three will make it nearly impossible for Atlanta to win a game, let alone the series. . . . Rookie Al Horford gets to guard Boston’s Kevin Garnett? Good luck with that. … Celtics sent message by hammering Hawks in final week of regular season to complete three-game season sweep.
Celtics in 4

Detroit vs. Philadelphia
Pistons are weird; they coast for periods and then turn it on in a second. That’s a dangerous way to approach the playoffs. . . . Sixers love to run and press and play with youthful exuberance, which is not something that the Pistons really enjoy. . . . Philly has been second-hottest team in East for a month, wonder how much they have left in the tank. . . . Philly split the four-game season series.
Pistons in 6

Cleveland vs. Washington
Repeat of last year’s first-round series, won in seven by Cavs when Gilbert Arenas blew huge free throws. . . . Trash-talking Wizards (”We want Cavs”) may want to tone down rhetoric, a riled-up LeBron James can be dominating. . . . Cavs so-so since big February trade and are without injured Sasha Pavlovic. . . . Agent 0 Arenas seems a big “team-first” guy, but he’ll always take last shot.
Wiz in 6

WESTERN CONFERENCE

L.A. Lakers vs. Denver
It’s hard to imagine a team less concerned with stopping people than the Nuggets and defence wins in the post-season. . . . Kobe Bryant seems on a mission to deliver another title and Denver really doesn’t have anyone to guard him. . . . Marcus Camby makes it difficult for opponents to get to the rim, but Pau Gasol should be able to draw him out from the basket. . . . Lakers do everything a wee bit better than the Nuggets.
Lakers in 5

New Orleans vs. Dallas
Surprising Hornets were second overall in the West behind Chris Paul, who is younger and perhaps better right now than his opponent, Jason Kidd. . . . Peja Stojakovic has never shot better than the 44.1 per cent he shot from the field this season. . . . Dallas was 5-3 in April after a rocky start to the Kidd era. . . . They split the season series with New Orleans winning in Dallas in Kidd’s Mavericks debut.
Hornets in 7

San Antonio vs. Phoenix
This would be a marquee matchup for a conference final; it’s a shame it has to come in the first round. . . . Shaquille O’Neal’s presence in Phoenix took some getting used to, but he seems pretty acclimated now and so do his teammates. Tim Duncan against Amare Stoudemire might be the most intriguing matchup of any in the entire first round. . . . Championship window closing on each franchise.
Suns in 6

Utah vs. Houston
Rockets took off without Yao Ming, but after that 22-game winning streak they were just so-so. Get home court despite worse record. . . . Tracy McGrady, for all the good he’s done, has never won a playoff series. . . . It’s a rematch of last year, when Utah rallied from down 3-2 and won Game 7 at Houston. . . . Rockets’ Shane Battier might be best defender in the league.
Jazz in 6

Now Milton, what do you think?

Homes close to transit also good investments, real estate experts say

Whether it’s a condo in the city or a detached home in the suburbs, homebuyers looking for the best bargains should turn their sights to the east and west, industry experts advise.

David and Gilma Simon recently sold a home in Port Hope and moved to Oshawa, which offers the least expensive homes in the GTA.

The average sales price in Oshawa last month was $221,464 – significantly lower than the average GTA price of $394,000 or the Toronto average of $432,000, according to figures from the Toronto Real Estate Board.

The Simon family only has one car and, between David’s trips to work at the Darlington nuclear plant and shuttling Gilma to classes at Durham Continuing Education three times a week, all that driving was getting costly. The couple also felt that job prospects might be better in the GTA for Gilma, who emigrated from Panama.

The couple looked in Ajax and Whitby, where all they could find in their price range were townhouses. In Oshawa, they could get a detached home for the same money.

“We wanted an old-growth neighbourhood with mature trees and a street that wasn’t too active for traffic, as well as access to amenities such as shopping and nature,” David explains. “Transit was another consideration. And Oshawa feels like it has its own identity and sense of community, instead of being just a bedroom community.”

The 1980, three-bedroom backsplit they purchased for $241,000 meets all those criteria: it’s close to three parks, a walking trail, a wealth of stores, a bus stop and good schools for Gilma’s 13-year-old son.

Although it does have the cheapest real estate, Oshawa also has the dubious honour of the highest property taxes in the GTA.

For example, for a home valued at $275,000, a homeowner will pay $4,157 in taxes this year. That’s mainly due to the city’s heavy investment in replacing aging infrastructure.

But Maureen O’Neill, president of the Toronto Real Estate Board, feels Oshawa is an area that is “really going to go, ” noting GO train service offers convenient commuting for downtown workers.

Bowmanville, just east of Oshawa, also offers good value, with an average price of $238,000.

On the other side of the GTA, Milton continues to boom as the fastest-growing community in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.

“It’s popular, not just because of affordability but it’s close to the country. People who buy there like land,” says O’Neill. The average house price there is about $347,000.

However, O’Neill suggests anyone considering a home in suburban areas should test their commute to work for five days before making a decision.

“Burlington’s not bad if you work downtown,” she says. The average price there is $323,000 and sales last month were up 18 per cent over March 2007. “You get a lot of house and good value and you have a GO station. Anywhere near the GO, like Clarkson and Port Credit, is a good bet, too.”

O’Neill is also optimistic about Mimico’s prospects: “It’s going to go and it’s by the lake. The houses are older and you can buy one for about $400,000.”

In the city itself, O’Neill says neighbourhoods such as Corktown, Parkdale and Roncesvalles have become very popular, “when you couldn’t give a house away there three or four years ago.” Areas such as the Beach and Riverdale continue to be hot, although prices there are steep.

For condo buyers, O’Neill says the Bloor Street corridor continues to be popular, as well as Queen and King Streets.

The lakeshore and Harbourfront are also showing “tremendous stats,” she says, as well as the St. Lawrence Market area. But downtown, it’s tough to find anything for less than $350 per square foot, and that would be for low-end, small units.

She says good condo buys can often be found along the city’s border with the 905 regions.

There are also many good condo projects in the downtown west market, according to Jane Renwick, editor and executive vice-president of Urbanation, a research firm that publishes a quarterly report tracking the GTA condo market.

She says first-time buyers might consider looking to Liberty Village, a former industrial area under revitalization, where there’s a mix of new construction and conversion projects.

“It’s perfect for first-time buyers, retail is picking up there and it’s an area with character that has an urban feel,” she says. To the east of downtown, several new projects are underway in Corktown, the Distillery District and Queen St. E.

“The thing about staying a little bit east or west of the downtown is the pricing is a little less,” she says. Just east of downtown, expect to pay about $436 per square foot for a new condo and $491 in downtown west, compared to $674 in the downtown core. (Based on figures from the end of 2007).

If money is no object, suites in the Bloor/Yorkville area are commanding $1,282 per square foot.

For investors, Renwick says the best bets are the downtown core or the North York city centre. “There are a lot of rentals in North York and it’s close to the transportation hub,” she explains.

Scarborough had few new launches in 2007, though it is “a great option from an affordability standpoint,” says Renwick, with new suites selling for an average of $332 per square foot.

Mississauga was also quiet in 2007, with only two new launches, but look for a flurry of activity this year, says Renwick.

Other hot condo markets will be the upscale neighbourhoods of Rosedale, Forest Hill and Summerhill, as empty nesters looking for less maintenance than their detached homes look for alternatives to stay in the area.

What you get for $380,000 in …

MILTON

Three-bedroom, 2- 1/2-bath, two-storey detached brick home with 9-foot ceilings, hardwood floors and 1,990 sq. ft. On a 36- by 80-foot lot directly across from a park.

MARKHAM

Five bedroom, three-level 2,500-square-foot brick and stucco semi-detached home in Cornell. Cathedral foyer, 9-foot ceilings, upgraded cabinetry, single-car garage.

DOWNTOWN

One bedroom plus den condo in the Waterclub, with a solarium, two baths and a walkout to a terrace. One parking spot included. Maintenance fees: $447/month.

OSHAWA

Three-bedroom, two-bath brick bungalow, with crown mouldings, hardwood flooring, double-car garage, formal dining room and interlocking patio on a 50- by 112-foot lot.

– by Tracy Hanes of the Toronto Star

Can the Southeast Division Champion Washington Capitals continue their torrid pace led by the dynamic Alexander Ovechkin?

Well, here it is: Wednesday is opening night of the Stanley Cup playoffs 2008 edition, featuring some juicy matchups in what is arguably the best round of playoffs in any sport.

And what a wrap-up to the season we just witnessed, with many of the playoff races going right down to the wire. Alexander Ovechkin led the Capitals’ unreal 2nd half surge to the Southeast Division title, leapfrogging a bunch of “better” clubs into the #3 seed (in a related note, how has Carolina missed the playoffs now for two straight seasons after copping the cup in ‘05? Strange.)

On the other hand, the Senators dropped like a stone from the #1 seed in the East most of the year to barely scraping into the postseason.

The Sharks are the hottest team going into the playoffs, but many questions surround the club yet again - do they have what it takes to finally reach their potential and win the West led by Joe Thornton?

The Wings are the President’s Trophy winners yet again, but do they have the toughness to grind it out with Nashville first, then teams like the Ducks, Sharks or Flames?

Get set for the best two weeks if you’re a hockey fan, so ladies, find a good reality TV show like The Bachelor or America’s Next Top Model and leave us guys alone. You can find us surgically attached to our favourite couch/armchair with adult beverage in hand for the next few weeks…. Until our favourite team/playoff hockey pool loses out anyway….

Now onto the predictions:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Montreal vs. (8) Boston
These two teams always seem to find each other during the final days of playoff positioning, don’t they? Kinda like the Leafs/Sens a few years ago. This should be a barn-burner, although you have to think the Habs should handle the Bruins handily. They simply have more offensive weapons to counteract the Bruins’ trapping system and Carey Price is playing out of his mind right now after Gainey’s shrude move at the deadline, trading away Huet to the Capitals. Um, oh yeah, did anyone notice Montreal is 8-0 vs. the Bruins this year?
Canadiens over Bruins 4-1

(2) Pittsburgh vs. (7) Ottawa
I have a weird hunch that Ottawa is going to put up a better fight than most think. I know, I know, a few of their better players are out, the team has been horrible down the stretch and there’s internal strife and a goaltending controversy….. But, they’ve been there before - they’re playoff tested. Pittsburgh is still very inexperienced despite their solid season and promise for the future. That said, I can’t see Ottawa winning this one, but I see a competitive six-game series with some OT thrown into the equation.
Penguins over Senators 4-2

(3) Capitals vs. (6) Flyers
This old Patrick Division battle should be a goodie. The Caps’ new/old logo and red/blue colour scheme harkens back to the series’ these two played in the late 80’s - you know: Pete Peeters/Dale Hunter v Ron Hextall/Tim Kerr et cetera…. This is a tough one to call. The Flyers struggled a bit in the 2nd half, dropping from near the top of the East to barely scraping into the postseason, while the Capitals’ run to the finish has been well-documented. Here’s the thing though: how much does Washington have left in the tank? Teams on these crazy streaks always seem to run out of gas - they’re guaranteed 4 games now - they don’t HAVE to win every one. They’re also short on playoff experience. The Flyers have some experienced guys, plus you have to like young guys like Richards and Carter who play a smarter playoff-brand of hockey. I think they’ll grind down the Capitals who may just be happy to have made a playoff appearance this year. Also, I think the Flyers’ strategy is pretty simple: shut down one guy, #8.
Flyers over Capitals 4-2

(4) New Jersey vs. (5) New York Rangers
Another Patrick Division clash which brings back memories of the 1994 Eastern Conference Final. This should be a tight, nasty series. A year or two ago, and I would give the Rangers no chance with a roster full of fancy, schmancy Czech players. Shanahan and Avery give this team a little bit of grit and experience which should serve them well against the Devils, but hey, New Jersey is New Jersey. Lou Lamoriello has been able to re-shape this club while barely missing a beat. How? It all starts in net. You can’t go against Martin Brodeur. Yet.
Devils over Rangers 4-3

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Detroit vs. (8) Nashville
As I mentioned earlier, the big question is: can Detroit handle the grittier, tougher teams in the playoffs? They’ve been ousted by tough, hard-skating teams in the last three seasons in Calgary, Edmonton and Anaheim. Can Nashville knock them off? The short answer is: no. I don’t see this Red Wing club going all the way - they’re old at a few key positions and I don’t think Datsyuk and Zetterberg, despite great regular season numbers, have what it takes to lead them to the promised land. They should beat Nashville rather easily however, before they are really tested.
Red Wings over Predators 4-2

(2) San Jose vs. (7) Calgary
Here we go again. Everyone’s perennial Stanley Cup dark horse is the Sharks again this year, and they’re also everyone’s biggest question mark again this year…. Will they finally live up to their potential? I think the answer is yes - this is the team and this is the year they could emerge from the West. One little problem: the Flames are a reeeeeally bad matchup for them, especially in round one. Calgary plays San Jose tough, winning the season series 3-1. If Kiprusoff can get hot, and the team can quickly come together and reach its potential behind the leadership of Iginla on the ice and Keenan off it, then look for an upset here. Actually, I think I just talked myself into picking the Flames, but I have to go back and pick the team I think will win the West this year…. This series will be worth the late start times, though and promises to be a long, hard battle. If San Jose does hope to advance past the 2nd round, they need to stay injury-free which may be hard to do for the winner of this grudge match.
Sharks over Flames 4-3

(3) Minnesota vs. (6) Colorado
I honestly don’t see or know too much about these clubs. I think this should be a very even series however, going to seven games with the Wild coming out on top thanks to a little more toughness, attention to detail defensively, goaltending and just enough scoring punch. Can the Avs seriously go with Theodore in net and hope to win a series??
Wild over Avalanche 4-3

(4) Anaheim vs. (5) Dallas
Calgary/San Jose: worth staying up late; Anaheim/Dallas: catch the highlights and get some sleep. If you like 1-0, 2-1 games with shot totals at 15-12 and the like, this is the series for you…. Granted, there should be some tough physical play, but this one has multiple OT’s written all over it. The Stars inexplicably have had a nice season, but it comes to an end here - the Ducks are the defending champs and don’t let their #4 seed fool you. I fully expect they will be playing in the Conference Final yet again.
Ducks over Stars 4-2

Okay, there you have it. Take these picks to the bank and here’s to a magnificent, channel-surfer’s dream round one of the NHL playoffs (remember to avoid carpal tunnel by stretching during commercial breaks).

Now, what do you think, Milton?

The Milton Sports Guy breaks down the Jays’ chances in 2008 after a 4-2 start, fresh off series’ vs. the Yankees and Red Sox

After sweeping the defending champs this weekend, Jays’ fans have high hopes for 2008. Do the Jays actually have a chance to make the postseason for the first time in 15 years, or will it be yet another third place finish in the AL East?

J.P. Ricciardi’s offseason moves landed the Blue Jays some serious depth even if some of them were questionable, which bodes well if the injury bug hits the team hard again this season. Don’t kid yourselves though, this team will need to stay healthy to have any kind of chance to clinch a postseason berth.

I liked the Glaus for Rolen swap of two oft-injured third basement. They lose Glaus’ power, but his range at third base was rapidly declining and it was getting increasingly painful to watch him lumber around the bases. Rolen shores up the defence at the hot corner and hits for a better average. If Thomas and Wells can rebound after poor offensive seasons last year, then Glaus’ home run total won’t be missed. The key for Rolen: stay healthy. How’s he doing with that so far? He currently has a pin in his broken finger, so I’d say not good.

I also liked the signing of the scrappy David Eckstein, although they had just finished signing John McDonald supposedly as their everyday shortstop. You gotta love Johnny Mack, arguably one of the best defensive shortstops in the AL, but if you want to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox, you have to hit. Eckstein gives them the fiesty, leadoff slap/contact hitter they need to set the table at the top of the order, even if he doesn’t have the defensive prowess of McDonald. And he’s a winner, celebrating World Series championships for Anaheim and St. Louis in 2002 and 2006 respectively, a trait you can’t underestimate.

The infield depth comes in the form of backup SS McDonald, and utility man Marco Scutaro, currently playing third base in Rolen’s absence. Both players are capable Major League starters which bodes well for the Jays if the infield starts to get banged up.

The outfield looks good too, even if I still don’t get the release of Reed Johnson. Ricciardi brings in Shannon Stewart to fight for the left field job, then Johnson, by all accounts outplays and outhits him in Spring Training looking to rebound after back injuries sidelined him for most of 2007 – and then gets cut by the club??

The only saving grace is that the Jays have Buck Coats, Adam Lind and Travis Snider coming up in the system, which maybe left Johnson expendable - I’m thinking his back problems may have been more serious than we know. Anyhoo, for now it’s Stewart (who can “fall outta bed and hit” according to J.P.) and Matt Stairs sharing the duties in LF, with Stairs able to fill in for the Big Hurt at DH if necessary and one of the aforementioned youngsters ready to step in if injuries require them to do so.

Centre field and right field are set for years to come with Vernon Wells and the newly signed Alex Rios, as long as Wells can rebound and hit like he did in 2006 and Rios can continue his progression into one of the game’s top young stars.

Another interesting move by Riccardi was the signing of catcher Rod Barajas who shunned the Jays last year, agreeing to a contract in principle, then bolting and signing with the Phillies. Barajas had an impressive 2006 with Texas, followed by a terrible 2007 campaign. Now he’s here in Toronto as Gregg Zaun’s backup - how long is debatable. Zaun struggled at the plate last year, leading me to believe that you could see Barajas if Zaun doesn’t step it up both offensively and, um, memo to Mr. Zaun: you might want to throw out a baserunner once in awhile, ok?

Then there’s the pitching staff, one area where most experts agree the Jays can compete with the Red Sox and probably have an advantage over the Yanks.

Roy Halladay promises to be in Cy Young contention as usual, and after him in the rotation, there is a lot of promise, but a lot of questions as well….

Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan had breakout seasons last year and it certainly seems as if each is ready to get over the hump of mediocrity and take their games to the next level. A.J. Burnett has pitched like, well, um… like A.J. Burnett during his tenure in Toronto, struggling with injuries and inconsistency. He dominated the Yankees last week, but as is always the case with Burnett, who knows how he’ll perform the next time he takes the mound. He’s a key to the Jays’ chances - he needs to have a breakout season. Then there’s the #5 spot which is currently held by Jesse Litsch, who just has to basically not suck.

The bullpen looks solid with the likes of Downs, Tallet, League and last year’s closer, Jeremy Accardo. The bullpen would look much better of course with the injured Casey Janssen and B.J. Ryan back, but Accardo has racked up 3 saves so things look ok until Ryan can come back from elbow surgery.

On paper, things look good for the Jays - if they can a) stay healthy; b) have everything go right for them (ie. all of the players who need to have big years do indeed have big years); c) benefit from the Yankees and/or Red Sox struggling and d) stay healthy. That’s a lot to ask. You thought so too, right?

Looking at the rest of the divison, I’d say you have to favour the Red Sox again. They have both the offence and pitching, and a great combination of vets and fiesty young players like outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and pitcher Clay Buchholz. Baltimore looks to be absolutely horrible, despite their hot start, and Tampa looks like they could surprise everyone, although I think it’s more likely they’ll either get off to a fast start then fade over the last half of the season, or get off to a brutal start and finish red hot in September once the games don’t matter anymore.

That leaves the Yankees as the wild card. Again this year, they look like the team the Jays could beat out. They’ve struggled out of the gate the last two years, but have managed to turn it on in June/July/August behind their unstoppable lineup. The question again for New York will be pitching. Chein Ming Wang is solid, and Phil Hughes is a great prospect, but it’s time for Mike Mussina to be put out to pasture. Pettite is on the downside of his career and now has the whole Clemens/steriod thing following him around this year. Joba Chamberlain looks to be lights out in the ‘pen, and Rivera could go either way. He’s still a dominant closer but he’s not getting any younger so who knows when he’ll just go “Trevor Hoffman” and just lose it as all closers eventually do?

The Yankees could possibly be beat, but again, the stars will need to align for the Jays to do just that. The chances of the Yankees not being able to figure things out and the Jays staying healthy and playing flawless ball: not great. Look for Toronto to be nicely sandwiched in third in the AL East come September with Tampa closing in.

If I’m correct on this, it will be time for ownership to look a little more closely at J.P. Ricciardi. He’s in his 7th season leading the Blue Jays with nary a playoff berth to show for his efforts. Yep, it’s an important year in Toronto, and the good news for Jays’ fans is that so far, it does look like the team is playing with a bit more of a sense of urgency.

All we have to do now is sit back and wait to see how the next, oh 156 games or so to play out…

Here’s how I see the standings this year:

AL East
x-Boston
y-New York
Toronto
Tampa Bay
Baltimore

AL Central
x-Cleveland
Detroit
Chicago
Minnesota
Kansas City

AL West
x-Los Angeles
Seattle
Texas
Oakland

NL East
x-New York
Atlanta
Philadelphia
Florida
Washington

NL Central
x-Chicago
Milwaukee
Cincinnati
St. Louis
Houston
Pittsburgh

NL West
x-Arizona
y-Los Angeles
San Diego
Colorado
San Francisco

(x-division winner; y-wild card)

Now Milton, what do you think?

The following post is by Mike Cluett. Please visit Mike Cluett’s Milton blog

I was able to take sometime tonight to attend a Milton Town Council meeting and as the old saying goes…

Breaking news!!!!

Milton CAO Mario Belvedere is making a presentation to council about the proposed education village in Milton. During his report he made official that Wilfred Laurier University has entered into a memorandum of uderstanding to work on bringing a campus to Milton.

The proposed site would be on Tremaine Road south of Derry Road and north of Brittania on the west side.

There’s still a lof of work to be done to get this rolling more but its the first step to bringing a university to our town…

To continue reading this column, go to Mike Cluett’s Milton Blog.

How much tax on a $380,000 house in the GTA? Location plays big part in your tax bill…

Homeowners who live in the aging industrial city of Oshawa pay the highest property taxes in the GTA, while those who live in Toronto and Milton – the country’s fastest-growing community – pay among the lowest municipal taxes, a Toronto Star survey has found.

As Toronto City Council begins final debate today on a budget that includes a proposed 3.75 per cent tax hike, we’re taking a comparative look at tax rates and what drives them in the 25 municipalities that make up Greater Toronto.

The large disparity in property tax rates across the GTA is an indication of the very different challenges faced by the 25 municipalities that make up the most densely populated region of Canada.

The survey showed, among other things:

Oshawa’s high taxes are a testament to the unique difficulties faced by a city best known for General Motors as it grapples with a confluence of aging infrastructure, low property values and increased capital costs.

Homeowners in Durham Region municipalities such as Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington continue to pay significantly higher taxes than those in Peel, York and Halton – regions that also seem better positioned to draw business and commercial taxes.

Toronto manages to have it both ways, charging both the GTA’s highest industrial-commercial taxes and the region’s lowest residential property taxes.

Many rural municipalities, such as Uxbridge, Scugog and Georgina, struggle with high taxes while facing the problem of a small assessment base (both residential and industrial-commercial) and little prospect for growth as a result of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the newly protected Greenbelt.

The survey also found that Toronto and Oshawa, which represent extremes on the tax spectrum, are grappling with the underlying issues in their own unique ways.

In Toronto, where the financial burden is borne more heavily by the commercial-industrial sector, a 15-year plan that began in 2005 is gradually shifting more of the tax responsibility onto homeowners.

Meanwhile, Oshawa has embarked on an ambitious infrastructure investment plan, especially in its downtown core, hoping to capitalize on growth from new business and families seeking modestly priced homes.

One reason city-by-city comparisons are difficult is that the same amount of money buys “less house” in Toronto than in a place like Oshawa. On the other hand, a home with equivalent assessed value draws a far bigger tax bill in Oshawa than Toronto.

So the Star compared property taxes in two ways: First, by comparing what’s considered an “average” home within each of the region’s 25 municipalities; second, on a single property value ($380,000) applied across all the municipalities.

Torontonians pay taxes to a single entity: the city. In other places, residents pay both a city and a regional tax. For the sake of comparison, we blended those taxes proportionately. (The education tax, which is uniform and set by the province, appears on the municipal tax bill but isn’t included in this comparison.)

Oshawa regards an “average” home there to be valued at $275,000. At that assessed value, the homeowner will pay $4,157.56 in taxes in 2008, the Star found. That is:

$1,350 more per year than for an average Mississauga home ($365,000)

$939.90 more than for an average home in Vaughan ($412,070), and

$1,901.31 more than for an average Toronto home ($369,300).

We also compared taxes based on an across-the-board home value of $380,000, a figure chosen randomly by the Star.

On a home of that value in Oshawa, the owner’s municipal/regional taxes would be $5,744.86. That’s $2,822.01 more than on a similarly priced Mississauga home and $3,423.34 more than on a similarly priced Toronto home.

Chris Brown, Oshawa’s director of finance, acknowledges that residents in his city face significantly higher taxes than others, but says it’s caused by a confluence of events, including low property values and the fact that the city has made a long-term decision to invest heavily in infrastructure projects.

“We are in a major investment time frame right now,” says Brown. “There’s a cost to that, but we hope there’s a payoff down the road.”

The investments include a plan to revitalize the downtown core with the $45 million GM Centre, the $39 million Legend Centre, a provincial courthouse and a new fire hall.

Oshawa has even implemented special incentives to encourage companies to build residential and commercial buildings downtown – waiving lucrative development charges in hopes that benefits will come later.

“This type of investment attracts assessment,” says Brown. “If assessment increases, individual taxes could go down in the future.”

The situation is vastly different in other suburban municipalities, such as Milton, where booming development is helping to pay for new infrastructure. Its location along Highway 401 between Toronto and the U.S. border makes Milton attractive to business.

Milton’s population grew by 71.4 per cent in the previous five years, according to Statistics Canada figures released last year, making it the fastest-growing community in Canada, while Oshawa grew by a paltry 1.8 per cent, only slightly higher than built-out Toronto’s 0.9 per cent increase.

Companies like Magna, which established a stamping plant in Milton, and Whirlpool, which recently picked the area as its new distribution facility for the eastern seaboard, boost the community’s bottom line.

“We feel blessed,” says Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz. “We are well positioned geographically. We are three hours from the Windsor border.”

Ajax Mayor Steve Parish says one reason Durham Region’s suburban municipalities have higher taxes is that the region has not been as successful in attracting a healthy industrial-commercial tax base.

“In the case of places like Mississauga and Vaughan, one real driver that attracts industry is the proximity to the airport,” Parish adds. “It’s a big driver.”

Milton’s commercial business tax rate is just 2.32 per cent, the lowest in the GTA, while Vaughan’s is 2.39 per cent.

Oshawa’s commercial business tax rate stands at 3.58 per cent, much closer to Toronto’s 4.09 per cent.

– by Phinjo Gombu of the Toronto Star

University grads prefer Richmond Hill and Oakville, but Milton has gained the most between 2001 and 2006

The municipalities of Richmond Hill and Oakville have the highest percentages of residents with university degrees, diplomas or certificates in the Greater Toronto Area, according to data from the 2006 census released yesterday by Statistics Canada.

About 42 per cent of the residents in both towns hold university degrees at the bachelor’s level or above. Richmond Hill officials, including deputy mayor Brenda Hogg, expressed surprise at the numbers.

“York Region has always had a high percentage of well-educated residents. I did not realize that so many were situated in Richmond Hill!” Ms. Hogg wrote in an e-mail.

The two municipalities have a greater proportion of university grads than Toronto, where about 37 per cent have degrees. But the big city needn’t feel intellectually inferior - it leapfrogged over Markham for third place in the region.

All four municipalities rank well ahead of the national and provincial averages - only 23 per cent of Canadians hold university degrees, and only 31 per cent of Ontarians.

The booming town of Milton gained the most university grads between the census tallies of 2001 and 2006. About 28 per cent of Milton residents had university degrees in 2006, up from 23 per cent in 2001.

Where the scholars are:

Percentage of residents in 2006 with a university certificate, diploma or degree:

Richmond Hill 42%
Oakville 41.5%
Toronto 37.4%
Markham 36.8%
Aurora 35.8%
Mississauga 33.9%
Vaughan 30.8%
ONTARIO AVERAGE 30.7%
Burlington 30.3%
Milton 28.0%
Newmarket 26.3%
Whitby 24.5%
Pickering 23.7%
CANADIAN AVERAGE 23.0%
Ajax 22.3%
Brampton 21.4%
Caledon 21.3%
Oshawa 12.1%

– By Megan Grittani-Livingston of the Globe and Mail; Source: Statistics Canada