Vintage social media (aka news briefs) - Summer 2025

Article from Volume 12, Issue Number 3, 2025

Vintage social media (aka news briefs) - Summer 2025

By Alan Forbes | Other articles by Alan Forbes | Regular Column

Please email us if you have an article or news story that might interest CCI Manitoba and our members.

Short-term rental regulation enforcement update

The Winnipeg Free Press published an update in its City Hall Briefs regarding short-term rentals on May 23, 2025. It said:

“Funding targets rental scofflaws

“The City of Winnipeg will accept federal funding to help it crack down on short-term rentals whose operators don’t follow city rules.

“City council voted Thursday to accept a grant of just under $770,000 over the next two years, which would boost enforcement of the units the city began licensing on April 1, 2024.

“The federal government believes cracking down on non-compliant short-term rentals could help boost the country’s supply of long-term housing, according to a city report.”

For background, have a look at this article by Joyanne Pursaga published in the Winnipeg Free Press on April 28, 2025: Report urges city to accept federal funding for short-term rental rules enforcement.

And it isn’t just Winnipeg struggling with short-term rental scofflaws. Here’ a Thomson Reuters item published by CBC News on May 19, 2025: Spain's consumer rights ministry blocks more than 65,000 Airbnb listings for holiday rentals.

How much power do you need to charge an EV?

First the basics. In order of increasing cost of installation, here are the three levels of charging capability, with approximate charging times from an empty battery:

Level 1: Slow charger - standard 120V outlet with full charge time of a day or two

Level 2: Fast charger - 240V outlet (as used for clothes dryer or electric oven/stove) with full charge time of about eight hours

Level 3: Rapid charger - high-power direct current with full charge in less than an hour.

Level 1 charging, using a regular wall outlet, is probably all you need to keep your electric vehicle powered up. “Level 1 charging is sufficient most of the time, experts say, using an outlet you probably already have,” reporter Emily Chung wrote in this article published on May 1, 2025, on CBC News: Faster isn't always better. Slow-charging EVs could have big benefits.

Depending on driving habits, access to a block-heater-capable receptacle at home and having their parking spot at least partially sheltered from the cold weather, a level 1 charger may be all that most electric vehicle owners need — more so as public level 2 and level 3 chargers become prevalent.

Are you a skeptic and still think you need to install a level 2 charger at your condo? Consider a thought experiment: How many kilometres does the average person drive in a year? One source suggests the average Manitoban drives about 15,000 kilometres a year. Assuming it’s mostly city driving with an average speed of 50 kilometres an hour, the vehicle is in motion for about 300 hours a year, or about six hours a week. That means the vehicle is parked for an average of 162 hours a week. So do you really need a fast or rapid charger at home?

If you’re considering installing chargers in an older condo, a follow-up CBC News article by Emily Chung published on June 25, 2025, discussed some related issues: How these condo dwellers got EV charging in their buildings.

Waste management in condos

We’ve covered various waste management issues in relation to condos the past few years. Many people seem to continue to struggle with where to dispose of various items, whether into a recycling bin, a garbage bin or at a 4R Winnipeg Depot, where you can drop off items that are recyclable, reusable or compostable, for free. If in doubt, consult the provincial Recyclopedia or review the SimplyRecycle blog.

A Winnipeg Free Press news article by Matthew Frank published June 16, 2025, and headlined Discarded batteries spark fires at Brady Road landfill, is a warning for all condo corporations to make sure their unit owners and residents are aware of the consequences of inappropriate disposal of lithium batteries. In Winnipeg, you can drop them off at one of the 4R centres. If you live outside Winnipeg, check Recycle Batteries Canada for a location near you.

Alan Forbes owns and lives in a condo and is a director of his condo corporation. He also is a director of CCI Manitoba, its vice-president and the chair of the Newsletter Committee.

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