Downsizing to Trinity Village Terrace

Trinity Village Terrace at a glance

Trinity Village's website lists the Terrace address as 2705 Kingsway Drive, Kitchener and the campus care centre at 2727 Kingsway Drive. The Terrace page says the community includes 60 one or two bedroom life lease bungalows, each with a full basement and a private deck, with a sunroom and garage on select units. The overview page describes the townhomes as ranging from 762 to 1,407 square feet. The operator is Lutheran Homes Kitchener-Waterloo.

The same campus also has long-term care and other services. Those are not ownership and are not covered here. If you are comparing the Terrace with a care or rental option on the same grounds, ask which agreement applies to which home.

Sources: Trinity Village Terrace page, Trinity Village contact page.

What a life lease means here

Trinity Village's site explains it this way: a single owner of the property is responsible for operating and maintaining the property and buildings under an agreement with the residents, and residents buy an exclusive interest in their suite with the right to sell or transfer it when they leave. The site says residents keep the equity in their suite and that, when it is sold, the appreciated value belongs to the resident or their estate. Read those as the operator's description, then read the agreement itself.

Ontario's life lease guide says there is no legislation in Ontario that specifically regulates life lease housing, so contract law governs. It also says a sponsor can typically end occupancy on short notice if a resident can no longer live independently, and it recommends independent legal advice. The Law Society Referral Service number in that guide is 1-855-947-5255. Have a lawyer read the whole agreement before you sign and ask them about buy-back terms, how the resale price is set, whether the operator can approve buyers and what happens if your health changes. See the Ontario life lease guide and our comparison of condo, townhouse, bungalow and life lease.

Homes and layout at Trinity Village Terrace

These are bungalow townhomes. The website mentions wider doorways and corridors, spacious bathrooms, air conditioning and decks, and a full basement for storage and recreation. Availability changes, so ask which units are offered now.

Ask how many steps lead from the entry to the living space, where the primary bedroom is, which units have garages and what lies in the basement. A basement is extra space for some people and extra stairs for others.

Services and community life at Trinity Village Terrace

The Terrace page lists social activities including groups, bus outings, cards, theme dinners, coffee drop-ins and site-wide events. Seasonal maintenance such as snow shovelling and grass cutting is provided. Fee-for-service options named on the site include Meals on Wheels, community garden plots, seasonal fresh produce, handyman help and housekeeping. A resident quoted on the page mentions the campus café. The site also says Terrace residents belong to a residents' association.

Ask which services are included in the occupancy fee and which are charged separately, and whether the café and gardens are open to Terrace residents on set terms.

Fees, age and rules at Trinity Village Terrace

The website lists what the monthly occupancy fee includes: property taxes, a reserve fund for future replacement of capital items, a common fee, a monthly water heater fee, lawn care and snow removal, repair of heating, plumbing and electrical systems, repair and replacement of structural components and exterior finishes including roofs, garage doors and porches, property management and onsite maintenance staff. Residents pay individually metered hydro and gas, water, phone, cable, internet, hot water tank rental and contents and liability insurance. Ask for the current schedule in writing, how it can rise, how the reserve fund is held and whether any one-time charge applies on resale.

On age, the Terrace page calls the bungalows suitable for "adults 55+" and says the life lease structure ensures the community will remain "age-exclusive". Ontario's Human Rights Code, sections 2, 10 and 15, protects against age discrimination in housing and allows preferential treatment based on age only at 65 or over, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission's policy says no defence permits "adult lifestyle" housing that excludes people under a certain age. Ask how any age expectation is written into the agreement and get a lawyer's view. See the Code and the OHRC policy.

Getting around from Trinity Village Terrace

Grand River Transit publishes routes, schedules and a trip planner at grt.ca; enter the Kingsway Drive address to see which routes and stops are near. Our guide to getting around Waterloo Region after 65 covers fares, MobilityPLUS and other options.

Health care near Trinity Village Terrace

Waterloo Regional Health Network lists emergency services at WRHN @ Midtown, 835 King Street West, and WRHN @ Queen's Blvd., 911 Queen's Boulevard, both in Kitchener. Trinity Village also offers its own services on campus, but confirm with the operator which are available to Terrace residents and on what terms.

Source: wrhn.ca.

Flooding, winter and insurance at Trinity Village Terrace

Use the Grand River Conservation Authority's Map Your Property tool by address. Check the exact lot. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says overland flood and sewer backup cover are optional add-ons to most home policies; the operator's list says residents carry contents and liability insurance, so ask what the operator insures. Read our flood and home insurance guide. On snow, the website says snow removal is part of the occupancy fee. Kitchener's sidewalk rule applies to freehold owners, so ask who is responsible on the Terrace's own paths.

Taxes and local government at Trinity Village Terrace

The Terrace is in the City of Kitchener, in the Region of Waterloo. Trinity Village says property taxes are part of the monthly occupancy fee, but ask how the property tax portion is calculated and whether it can be passed on at a different amount. The Ontario Senior Homeowners' Property Tax Grant is up to $500 a year for an Ontario resident who owned and occupied a principal residence and paid Ontario property tax, age 64 or older, with income under $50,000 single or $60,000 combined; it is claimed with the tax return. Ask a tax professional whether it applies when the operator pays the tax. See the grant page.

Kitchener has a tax deferral program for seniors who receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement and for people receiving ODSP, with an annual application; see the City of Kitchener page. Ontario land transfer tax is paid by the buyer, and whether and how it applies to a life lease interest is a question for your lawyer. See costs and taxes and the net proceeds calculator.

Questions to ask before you buy at Trinity Village Terrace

• Can my lawyer review the full life lease agreement before I sign?
• How is the resale price set, who sells the suite and is there any fee or buy-back period?
• What is the current occupancy fee, and how can it change?
• What does the reserve fund cover, and what do the financial statements show?
• Under what circumstances can the operator end my occupancy?
• How is any age expectation written into the agreement?
• Which services are included and which are charged separately?
• How are property taxes calculated within the fee?

Comparing this with other options or staying put? Read our step-by-step downsizing guide, the neighbourhoods hub and buying first or selling first. When you are ready, get introduced to an agent on the eXp Realty operating team.