Pumpkins and corn— those two ubiquitous fall sights seem to make everyone smile. While pumpkin spice can be found in plenty of sweet treats this time of year, here is a unique recipe for a spicy pumpkin hummus dip, modified from a FoodNetwork recipe.

You will need:

 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (Make sure it isn’t pie filling) 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas

3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) 2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 clove garlic, minced Salt

To make:

• Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dump them in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the pumpkin, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic, and mix well.
• Mix in the cayenne pepper and cumin, then add salt to taste.

Enjoy with crackers or a platter of fresh vegetables to dip. You can serve this spicy dip as an appetizer or as a satisfying snack on a cool afternoon.

Vancouver, BC – October, 2020. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 11,368 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in September 2020, an increase of 63.3 per cent from September 2019. The average MLS® residential price in BC set a monthly record of $803,210, a 15.3 per cent increase from $696,647 recorded the previous year. Total sales dollar volume in August was $9.1 billion, an 88.3 per cent increase over 2019.

“The provincial housing market had a record-setting September,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “Both total sales and average prices were the highest ever for the month of September as pent-up demand from the spring pushes into the fall.”

“Average prices are skewing higher as demand for space during the pandemic drives sales of single-detached homes,” added Ogmundson. Total provincial active listings are still down about 12 per cent year-over-year, with some markets even more under-supplied as the pandemic continues to keep listings low.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was up 25.1 per cent to $49.7 billion, compared with the same period in 2019. Residential unit sales were up 12.5 per cent to 65,023 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 11.2 per cent to $764,298.

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Did you know? Former American President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed October 15th White Cane Safety Day a national holiday in 1964. White Cane Safety Day commemorates the accomplishments of the blind or visually impaired. Independence is represented by a white cane, a vital tool that helps visually impaired individuals navigate the world.

According to the National Federation of the Blind, the white cane helps people reach out farther to effectively assess a situation several steps in advance, find steps and curbs, locate and step over cracks or uneven places in the sidewalk, find doorways, get into cars and buses, and much more.

In a year when everything around us has changed, most of us have become pretty good at adapting. This Thanksgiving will not be like any other holiday we have shared together. I say this because we have all been stretched to adapt and do nearly everything differently. We visit each other differently; we eat differently; and we even shop for groceries differently. But the thing is, Thanksgiving is about doing the same thing, the same way… every year. Can you remember the last time a friend or family member tried to put a new spin on a traditional dish? There was at least one person who didn’t respond well to this!

No matter what changes this year, the one thing that shouldn’t change is the reason we celebrate this day together. We break bread together because we are thankful. We are thankful that we are friends; we are thankful we are family; and we are thankful that no matter what, we come together in the spirit of gratitude. Because no matter what we may do differently, we will do it differently together and that should never change.

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Gino Pezzani

Canadian housing starts decreased by 20% m/m to 208,980 units in September at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), following a strong gain of almost 262,000 units in August. This is the first decline after four consecutive months of increases, which was driven by declines in the multi-unit segment in Ontario and BC. The decline was broad-based, where starts were down in 8 provinces. September's still healthy number increased the six-month average to 214,647 units SAAR.

In BC, housing starts decreased by 25% m/m to 32,279 units SAAR in September, following a robust increase of 43,322 in August. This rounded out the third quarter average to 38,662 units SAAR. In the near term, we can expect housing activity to continue to be supported by strong demand and historically low borrowing rates. Meanwhile, the value of residential building permits was down in August by 19%. Compared to the same time last year, housing starts were down by 22%.

Looking at census metropolitan areas in BC:

Housing starts in Vancouver were down by 28% m/m to 21,478 units SAAR in September, following last month's healthy showing of 29,714 units SAAR. Starts were down in both multi-units (-29%) and singles (-14%). Compared to last year, housing starts were down by 14%.

In Victoria, housing starts were down by 15% m/m to 2,324 units SAAR. Compared to a year ago in September, housing starts were down by 61%.

In Kelowna, housing starts decreased by 60% m/m to 1,052 units SAAR. Starts were down by 31% in the region compared to the same time last year.

Monthly housing starts in Abbotsford-Mission were down by 25% at 1,074 units SAAR. Compared to the same time last year, new home construction was down by 48%.

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Canadian employment gained 378.2k jobs in September (2.1%, m/m), following a gain of 245.8k in August. This is the fifth consecutive month of increases, putting national employment within 719.5k of its pre-COVID February level. The national unemployment rate fell by 1.2 percentage points to 9% from the previous month. Gains in the services-producing sector were driven by accommodation/food, educational services, and information/culture/recreation, while manufacturing led the increase in the goods-producing sector. Compared to the same month last year, Canadian employment was down by 3.6% (-685k).

Regionally, employment increased in all provinces except in New Brunswick and PEI, with the largest gains in Ontario and Quebec. In BC, employment grew by 54.8k (2.3%, m/m) in September, surpassing the 15.3k gain in August. The province is now at 96% of its pre-COVID February employment level. September's gain brought down BC's unemployment rate by 2.3 percentage points to 8.4%. In Vancouver, employment increased by 35,000 jobs, contrasting the 2.3k jobs lost in August. Compared to one year ago, employment in BC was down by 4.2% (-106K) jobs.

We've come a long way since the loss of 3 million jobs in April. But as the economy continues to recover and adapt to the impacts of the global pandemic, some industries will continue to face a longer path to recovery than others.

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, according to National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. Every year, this campaign grows awareness of this disease.

While purchasing products branded with the pink breast cancer ribbon has become fairly commonplace, here are just a few of the ways you can help those in need without going to the store:

Share the story. Reach out and share the story of how you or a loved one has been affected by breast cancer. Be the voice of wisdom for someone in need.

Spread the word. Share about Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Put those social media accounts to work!

Make a donation. Make a one-time or monthly donation to help provide a mammogram for a woman through the charity of your choice. Unsure where to start? Try the American Cancer Society or the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

In year’s past, October has heralded the upcoming holidays: scarecrows in the garden, pumpkins resting by doorsteps, and the thought of friends and family gathering in just a few weeks. It is all different this year, given that our world is still healing from the pandemic.

However, I refuse to lose my sense of optimism and I hope you are as stubborn as I am, resolutely standing with faith in humanity… no matter how tough this year has been so far.

I ran across a lovely site online the other day that listed a full October Optimism calendar packed with cheerful suggestions to infuse each day this month with a way to keep looking ahead. Some of my favorites were: think of three things every morning that give you hope for the day; deliberately look for the good intentions from everyone you encounter each day; and rethink your priorities for the month.

However, the one I liked best was this one: share your most important goals with the people you trust.

Sharing your goals automatically means you’ve accepted today as a starting point, which is in itself optimistic. It also opens up a conversation with close friends or family, and that sense of connection is so vital in these trying times. The give-and-take of ideas might just spur a trusted friend into action as well, benefiting you both and likely bringing you closer together at the same time for a strong finish to this challenging year.

On a professional level, sharing your most important goals has potential to stimulate outreach and inadvertently forces you into connecting with peers and contacts before the holiday hustle and bustle sets in.

My friend, we have made it through so much already this year. I remain optimistic and hope you will as well!

Gino Pezzani.