Pick up any newspaper or sort through today‘s batch of mail and you‘re likely to find an advertiseâ€" ment for some sort of mortâ€" gage that is exactly right for you. But they can‘t all be "exactly right" because your housing and financial parameters are specific to you â€" so the mortgage you Lenders know there are lots of people thinking about buying their first home or moving up. verybody‘s _ talking Enmrtgug«s these days. That‘s because interest rates are still relatively low and the Canadian housing market is still hot (although it seems to be cooling rapidâ€" ly in the United States). Mortgages â€" what‘s right for you? As Chief Energy Conservation Officer, 1 issue a friendly challenge to all Ontarians to think about how you use energy every day and find new ways to conserve it. Imagine the effect if all 12.5 million Ontarians put their minds to saving energy daily. 1 believe it can happen â€" one light bulb at a time. Together, let‘s do it! And don‘t forget _ the simplest way to save lighting energy is to turn lights off when you‘re not using them! The Conservation Bureau‘s £very. Arowart €ounts campaign is currently in stores. Look for discount coupons on compact fluorescent light bulbs. timers, ceiling fans, and programmable thermostats Check labels when you shop for lighting. You want to find bulbs with the desired light output (lumens) with the lowest wattage (amount of electricity used to produce light) Though energy efficient lighting costs slightly more than traditional light bulbs to buy, they are generally much longerâ€"lasting and use much less energy, making them less expensive in the long run. Since it‘s cheaper to save energy than to make it, a big part of today‘s conservation culture involves finding ways to conserve. Replacing incandescent bulbs with energy efficient or "smart" lighting is a bright idea. Did you know that energy efficient lighting... * saves you money on your energy bill? * produces just as much light? * lasts longer than standard bulbs? * uses less energy? In the past decade, the selection of energy efficient lighting products has significantly improved. This translates into more products that can replace virtually every type of lighting in your home or business. Next time you‘re shopping for replacement bulbs, or installing a new fixture, take a few moments to find the most energy efficient choice available Peter Love ' Chief Energy Conservation Officer of Ontario My role as Chief Energy Conservation Officer is to ensure conservation and energy efficiency play a vital role in Ontario‘s ongoing energy strategy. The Conservation Bureau develops and delivers programs to help Ontario residents conserve energy and save money. For more information, please visit THE CONSERVATION ZONE LIGHTS! LUMENS! ACTION! There seems to be an almost endless array of mertgage options out there choose should be tailored accordingly. With a conventional mortgage, you are required to provide a down payment of at least 25 per cent of the purchase price from your own pocket. With a high ratio mortgage, you can reduce your down payment to as little as five per cent of the home value (although you will need mortgage insurance through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation or GE Mortgage Insurance Canada and lenders like to dress them up with their own proâ€" prietary names. But when you cut through all the hyperbole, mortgage termiâ€" nology can be boiled down to these essentials: Down payment For more information on the Smoke Free Ontario Act, contact your Public Health Unit or call 1â€"866â€"396â€"1760. TTY: 1â€"800â€"387â€"5559. . Or visit www.ontario.ca/smokefree The Smokeâ€"Free Ontario Act, which comes into force on May 31", is part of a broad effort to improve public health by reducing Ontarians‘ exposure to and use of tobacco products. On May 315, we‘ll all be able to breathe a little easier The legislation bans smoking in all enclosed workplaces and enclosed _ public places to protect workers from secondâ€"hand smoke. The legislation also strengthens laws on tobacco sales to minors and restricts the display of tobacco products in retail outlets. If you smoke, now is a good time to consider quitting. For help and a plan to quit, call Smokers® Helpline at 1â€"877â€"513â€"5333. Or visit www.smokershelpline.ca for tips, tools and support. Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in Ontario today. The amortization period is the number of years it will take you to completely repay your mortgage. The traditional amortization period is 25 years, but by making higher monthly payments over a shorter amortization period, you‘ll save substantially on borâ€" rowing costs. Term Mortgage Term is the period of time for which the money is loaned under the same for this). But the lower the down payment, the higher your monthly payments â€" so consider this option carefulâ€" ly. Amortization Continued on page 21 Paid for by the Government of Ontano Ontario