Author

Cristina Pouros

Rick Mercer and his life after leaving TV

by Cristina Pouros

The Road Years tells the inside story of that stupendous success. A time when Rick was heading to another town—or military base, sports centre, national park—to try dogsledding, chainsaw carving, and bear tagging; hang from a harness (a lot); ride the “Train of Death;” plus countless other joyous and/or reckless assignments.

Added to the mix were encounters with the country’s great. Every living prime minister. Rock and roll royalty from Rush to Randy Bachman. Olympians and Paralympians. A skinny-dipping Bob Rae. And Jann Arden, of course, who gets a chapter to herself. Along the way he even found the time to visit several countries in Africa and co-found and champion the charity Spread the Net, which has gone on to protect the lives of millions.

Technologies

Artificial Intelligence in medicine: a personalized approach to your health

by Cristina Pouros

In addition, AI applications can help patients in the rehabilitation process. So, smart devices can track the patient’s recovery progress, remind them about taking medications, and give recommendations on exercise and lifestyle.

Thus, artificial intelligence opens up new horizons in medicine, allowing us to move to a more personalized and effective approach to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Thanks to these technologies, doctors get a powerful tool to improve the quality of medical care, and patients get the opportunity to take care of their health with maximum efficiency.

Celebrities

Holmes Approved Homes’ by Mike Holmes demolished following alleged structural issues.

by Cristina Pouros

Consumer protection agency Tarion condemned three residences in a housing project supported by celebrity figure Mike Holmes.

A large excavator dismantles a contemporary residence in Meaford, Ont., a charming community nestled along Georgian Bay. Inhabited for only two years, the once spacious interiors, expansive windows, and backyard patio of the home are now reduced to rubble of shattered glass and timber.

“It’s distressing,” remarked Fayard Johnson, a resident from just down the block. “I’m genuinely taken aback to witness my neighbor’s house being demolished.”

Another neighboring house, belonging to Fayard’s next-door neighbor, is also marked for demolition.

These demolitions mark the latest development in the TerraceWood saga, a residential project launched in Meaford in 2015 with great anticipation. The “boutique” collection of homes was constructed by Third Line Homes and endorsed by renowned contractor and beloved TV personality Mike Holmes.

Holmes, widely recognized for his interventions in flawed construction projects, promoted TerraceWood, including through billboards, as “Holmes Approved Homes.”

“Third Line Holmes Approved Homes are constructed with innovation, integrity, and a commitment to rectify any issues,” Holmes stated in a promotional video on YouTube.

However, according to Tarion, Ontario’s organization dedicated to protecting consumers of new homes, things didn’t go as planned. As previously reported by CBC News, Tarion initiated an $8 million lawsuit in 2021 against parties associated with the project, alleging that 14 houses in the TerraceWood development were constructed with flaws.

Now, CBC has acquired information indicating that Tarion has deemed three of these homes unsalvageable. Two have already been demolished, while the third awaits a scheduled demolition date.

“Considering the severity of the identified defects in the properties, demolition was deemed a more practical solution than attempting repairs,” stated Tarion spokesperson Andrew Donnachie in an email. However, some defendants named in the lawsuit argue that condemning all three homes was unjustified.

CBC News has learned two homes in a Meaford, Ont., development promoted by celebrity contractor Mike Holmes have been demolished because of alleged defects. CBC News’s Sophia Harris breaks down what went wrong and Holmes’s company’s response.

CBC News also uncovered property records indicating that one of Holmes’s enterprises extended a total of $390,000 in private mortgages to Third Line Homes, aiding in the acquisition of land for the development.

Several homeowners express disappointment that Holmes, whose mantra is to “make it right”, never revisited TerraceWood to rectify the situation.

“The community has been unsettled,” remarked Fayard, whose TerraceWood residence recently underwent extensive repairs instead of being demolished.

“If [Holmes] had returned to assess the situation and offered assistance in resolving the issues,” he remarked, “I believe it would have been a commendable gesture. After all, these were ‘Holmes Approved Homes.'”

The $8-million lawsuit

Tarion, mandated by the Ontario government, is tasked with ensuring that defects found in newly constructed homes still under warranty are remedied, even if the builder fails to fulfill its warranty obligations.

In its legal action, Tarion asserts that the 14 TerraceWood residences were constructed with deficiencies, such as improperly installed roofs, water infiltration, and significant structural defects posing “serious safety risks.”

Tarion claims that Third Line Homes, the builder, neglected to address these issues, leading Tarion to cover all repair expenses.

The lawsuit names over a dozen entities linked to the project, including principals from Third Line Homes, the Municipality of Meaford, responsible for inspecting the homes, and The Holmes Group, the company owned by Mike Holmes. The defendants deny any wrongdoing in their defense statements.

The case is pending trial.

Fayard Johnson moved into his new TerraceWood house in late 2016. But he says he had to move out of the house for more than year to make way for major structural repairs. (John Lesavage/CBC)

Fayard indicated that Holmes’s involvement with the project played a role in his choice to invest in TerraceWood.

“You tend to trust that if it’s Holmes approved, it’s probably a sound investment,” he remarked.

In 2016, Holmes was photographed in Fayard’s doorway for a promotional image during the construction phase, offering his customary “thumbs-up.”

However, as per Tarion’s legal action, defects were identified in Fayard’s residence.

CBC INVESTIGATES $8M lawsuit alleges defects in Mike ‘Holmes approved homes’

He mentioned that he and his spouse were required to vacate their residence in 2022 for over a year to accommodate extensive structural renovations, including the replacement of an incorrectly sized beam supporting the second floor.

“We were informed of the potential hazards. In fact, during the reinforcement process, we were unable to access the premises at any time,” Fayard recalled.

“It was a highly emotional experience. I mean, before the relocation, during the transition, and adjusting to a different living arrangement… It has significantly impacted our lives, possibly indefinitely.”

In 2016, Mike Holmes gave a thumbs-up at Fayard’s TerraceWood house during construction. The photo was used to help promote the project. (Submitted by Fayard Johnson)

The Holmes Group’s Reaction

Realtor and real estate law expert Varun Sriskanda says the celebrity contractor Mike Holmes should bear some responsibility. (Yanjun Li/CBC)

Upon reviewing documents illustrating Holmes and his companies’ involvement in TerraceWood, CBC News consulted real estate law expert Varun Sriskanda, who was unaffiliated with the development.

“Once you’re providing financial support for the property and the project, you inherently have a stake in its construction,” Sriskanda remarked.

“Additionally, when you’re promoting it and asserting that it’s endorsed by you, you are actively engaged in the process.”

Sriskanda expressed his belief that Mike Holmes carries a degree of accountability.

“He must uphold his commitment and guarantee that these are genuinely Holmes Approved Homes.”

Technologies

The man who turned his dead father into a chatbot

by Cristina Pouros

“Being able to notify a lot of people at once, remembering people through voice recordings or visual messages are all important,” he says.

But Mr Soffer believes the trend has an even more profound meaning. “When technology evolves to solve technological problems, that’s good,” he says. “But when it helps solve non-technological problems, like the grieving process, that’s the real purpose of technology.”

Yet Ms Antrobus cautions that there remains no substitute for human support when it comes to overcoming grief. “I can’t quite envisage a place for technology to take over the more traditional aspects of grieving, which are around feeling close to people, feeling cared for, feeling appreciated.”

Celebrities

A tireless builder and philanthropist: How Mike Holmes helps those in need

by Cristina Pouros

But Mike Holmes’ charity is not limited to home repairs. He also actively supports educational programs that help young people to become a builder or engineer. Every year, Holmes awards dozens of scholarships to talented children, as well as organizes practices and training events. He is deeply convinced that by investing in education, he invests in a better future for everyone.
When devastating wildfires raged in Fort McMurray in 2016, Mike Holmes promptly mobilized his crews and material resources to help rebuild the affected areas. And after Hurricane Maria hit the Caribbean Islands in 2017, he sent his team to help the locals.
Such an active and versatile charity work has earned Mike Holmes great respect and love from Canadians. He became the personification of strength, responsibility and caring – qualities that are so lacking in the modern world. Inspired by Holmes’ example, more and more people are joining the fight for affordable and high-quality housing for everyone. Thanks to such caring enthusiasts, the construction industry is becoming more humane and focused on helping those in need.

Technologies

Artificial Intelligence: A New Era in the Financial World

by Cristina Pouros

Conclusion
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important tool in the world of finance, helping traders, investors and financial analysts make informed decisions and increase their profitability. With its help, automated trading, forecasting market trends, portfolio management, news and social media analysis, as well as risk management become more effective and accurate. Artificial intelligence is not just a technology of the future, it is a reality that already helps millions of people around the world earn more money in financial markets.

Technologies

In 20 years, the world will be unrecognizable

by Cristina Pouros

3 leaders of the AI era: in algorithms, big data and computing.
In the 1st and 2nd, the leaders have already decided and will not change. No one can catch up with the USA in AI algorithms anymore. And no one can take away China’s superiority in data volumes. The leader in computing has not yet been determined. Taiwan has a good chance (unless, I add for myself, China takes over this leadership together with Taiwan).
6 key trends — vectors of changes in 2021-2041.
The transition from humans to AI of intellectual and technical (non-creative) types of business activities.
Forecast for 2041: all analytics and marketing will move to AI.
✔ Three-stage implementation of autonomous cars:
1) closed territories 2) reconstructed highways — sensors, cameras, highlights 3) smart city.
Forecast for 2041: you can drive yourself only outside the city, as you can ride a horse now.
✔ Daily AI recommendations based on blood analysis, whole body MRI and genetic monitoring, as well as the invention of new vaccines and medicines for precision/personal medicine using AI.
Forecast for 2041: solutions in the development of what MegaRobo already offers will increase life expectancy by 20 years.
✔ The 4th Industrial Revolution (AI + robots), which will be led by China.
Forecast for 2041: solutions to build on what EP Equipment already offers will allow you to robotize up to 95% of the most complex industries and logistics.
✔ Energy (green energy and lithium batteries) and agricultural (unmanned agriculture, vertical farms and food printed on a 3D printer) revolutions, of which China will also become the leader.
Forecast for 2041: solutions in the development of what XAG already offers will finally solve the food problem.
✔️ The advent of the “era of abundance”: food, clothing, housing and health protection will become publicly available, and full robotization will ensure the transition to an unconditional basic income.
However, the “beautiful day after tomorrow” predicted in paragraph 2 may not come because of the risks that humanity will face “tomorrow”:
An unauthorized autonomous nuclear weapon may violate the deterrent parity of the threat of mutual destruction, which still saves the world from nuclear war.
The commodification of “autonomous AI killers” worth less than $1 thousand, which is not restrained by legislation, can plunge the world into terrorist chaos.
✔ When the mechanism of self—regulation of the free market stalls, people will lose 80% of their jobs, and inequality will finally go off scale – this can lead to unbearable consequences for people with unpredictable developments.
If a new class system is formed (the upper class is the elite in the field of AI, the middle class is a relatively small group of professionals in complex activities, and the lower class is the masses who are unable to change anything), the consequences of this are also unpredictable.

Technologies

What is the threat of artificial intelligence today. And how can he change the world?

by Cristina Pouros

The use of technology to improve life, when those who make the most significant improvements receive the greatest reward, is the essence of capitalism. But AI can radically change the calculation. According to research, global inequality has increased by 15% over the past 200 years – with much less technological change than it is now. The growth of differentiation in the next 200 years will be much steeper. AI can not only surpass the performance growth of a steam engine, but also develop a more advanced engine and replace the engineer.

Therefore, investors need to anticipate the effects of AI in the long term. Our mission is to invest and develop technologies that will allow everyone to benefit from rapid productivity growth. It is important to note that AI can not only make everyone’s life more comfortable, but also help us optimize society. Perhaps stability, prosperity, and equity can be quantified and introduced into an actively learning algorithm to suggest optimization measures.
When it comes to fundamental human rights issues, the best thing we can do is invest with conscience, finding a balance between financial returns and ethical priorities. We can share our ideas to help others look at the key dilemmas of technology and society from a different angle.

Celebrities

Mike Holmes reacts to an article regarding the demolition of ‘Holmes Approved Homes’.

by Cristina Pouros

Holmes mentioned in his statement that he trusts the legal system to provide a suitable platform to present their compelling evidence.

However, he did not specify the Holmes Group’s plan to address Tarion’s accusation of misrepresenting Third Line Homes as a competent and reliable builder when that was allegedly not the case.

Mike Holmes endorsed TerraceWood on a billboard, in a promotional YouTube video, on social media and in this 2015 print ad. (Third Line Homes/Pinterest)

Paul and Mary-Jo Osborn, who are principals at Third Line Homes, along with the Municipality of Meaford, which conducted inspections on the houses, are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. Both parties have denied any wrongdoing and argue that Tarion’s decision to condemn three homes was unjustified.

The Osborns additionally assert that it was Tarion’s exclusion of Third Line Homes from handling homeowners’ complaints about defects that led to the issues.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sophia Harris

Business reporter

Based in Toronto, Sophia Harris covers consumer and business for CBC News web, radio and TV. She previously worked as a CBC videojournalist in the Maritimes where she won an Atlantic Journalism Award for her work. Contact: [email protected]

Celebrities

Mike Holmes: Changing the World

by Cristina Pouros

Mike Holmes is not just a builder — he inspires us to do more. His work is not only about projects, it’s about success stories and opportunities. And we are confident that his new project will be another step forward towards creating a better world for all of us.

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