Lifestyle Home Show to run all weekend at Western Fair Agriplex

Lifestyle Home Show kicks off in London The Lifestyle Home Show kicks off just days after the Bank of Canada leaves the key interest rate at 5 per cent. Marek Sutherland reports.

What is billed as the largest home show in southwestern Ontario kicked off Friday afternoon, with more than 300 vendors at the Western Fair District Agriplex.

"I think there's been a lot of excitement. There's a lot of vendors here this year. We kind of did a bit of a trial run last year and there was a lot of anticipation about the event,” said Michelle Kinney, president of Rembrandt homes who has taken part in the show for the past 16 years.

The Lifestyle Home Show is celebrating its 29th year, but only its second after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented trades’ shows from happening.

“Last year was really exciting, but we weren't quite full last year and really excited to say that this year the whole space is completely sold out. So lots of interest and lots of excitement,” said Jared Zaifman, CEO of the London Home Builders Association, which puts on the event.

The excitement was met by a line up of people waiting to come in as the show opened its doors Friday afternoon.

"Get out of the house. Yeah, it’s good to get out, we’ve been cooped up for the winter, so a chance to get out,” explained Will Mulder, who along with Vicky Hull were the first through the door.

“And we’re renovating too,” added Hull.

Part of that excitement stems from signals the Bank of Canada will begin to ease interest rates in 2024. This week the rate was held at 5 per cent, but there is speculation that will come down as soon as this spring.

"Having the ability financially and even from a confidence perspective to know that your interest rates are going to stay or at least maybe even come down in the future is such a huge confidence boost,” said Zaifman. “I think from our perspective [that] will propel the market in a very strong way over the next number of years.

That is excellent news for the entire industry, according to Better Bin Company GM Cleveland Brownlee.

“I think that once this housing market turns around, you know, we're all going to flourish like we did a couple of years ago. It's just going to provide many jobs for Ontarians and mostly Londoners across this area to have better jobs and, you know, a more sustainable future,” he said.

The show features vendors from all areas of home building and design, as well as those interested in getting into the industry.

“We have our skilled trades showcase back this year. So certainly, you know, that's one of the big things is as this market is growing in the industry and the demand is there, we know that we're going to need way more people coming into the skilled trades,” Zaifman said.

The show runs until 7 p.m. Friday night, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.