u/MisterPaulCraig

Hey everyone, I have a website that is very popular seasonally and I was thinking about creating a small merch shop for 2026. The first product I want to offer is baseball caps embroidered with my logo and site name.

I have ordered a few on Etsy to see what they would look like and I am pretty happy with the ones I have received. On Etsy, you can pick lots of colours and textures for products as well as change things like the thread colour, etc. Essentially I would love to be able to offer this to visitors from my own site, but I figure this level of customization is unrealistic.

I would like to get some advice on where to start:

• At the "do-everything-myself" end of the spectrum, I could look into buying blanks and an embroidery machine and then I could make any combo that I wanted.
• More realistically, I could also order a bunch of hats from a custom-logo type of vendor, and list them on my website and then they would disappear as they sell out.
• I might also be able to partner with an Etsy vendor or similar and basically funnel orders through their store so that I wouldn’t have to pre-buy and warehouse products. This way, I would have maximum customization for sizes and colours and they wouldn’t ever run out of availability. I am assuming this would mean I would make much less money however.

Would be curious to hear how others have approached this issue of custom merch stores. I am looking to get this up and running in 2-3 months. I also don't have a good idea of what I am likely to see in terms of sales, so I would like to get started quickly without overthinking it.

I am located in Canada if that makes any difference.

Hi everyone, I live in an apartment in Centretown and just received a message from our (corporate) landlord about a bunch of new AC rules. It seems to be a response to Ontario's new AC rules that just passed on July 1.

For background, we have had an AC window unit for 3 years in our bedroom that we install ourselves when it gets hot outside and remove in the fall. Our building was bought by a new management company in December and they clearly don't want anyone having a window AC unit.

The floor-standing AC units are more expensive and less efficient, so I would just prefer to keep our existing setup, but now there are a bunch of rules they have emailed to us. I will post the full message at the bottom of this post, but the highlights are this:

Landlord Approval Is Required

Before installing any air conditioner, you must obtain written approval from Management.

Management approves only portable, floor-standing air conditioners that vent through a window using the manufacturer’s approved venting kit.

Window-Mounted Air Conditioners

This building was not designed for window-mounted air conditioners. Management does not approve window air conditioners as a standard policy due to serious safety and property concerns.

...

Requirements for a Window Air Conditioner

Should you wish to request permission to install a window air conditioner, all of the following requirements must be met:

- The unit must be installed by a licensed and qualified contractor.
- All installation costs are the tenant’s responsibility.
- The tenant must notify their tenant insurance provider of the installation.
- The attached Air Conditioner Installation Request Form must be completed and signed.
- Written approval from Management must be obtained before installation.
- The tenant must provide a signed letter from the contractor confirming that:
  - The air conditioner has been installed correctly and securely;
  - The installation is safe;
  - The installation will not damage the window or building;
  - The air conditioner is properly sealed;
  - The installation will not cause water leakage or water infiltration.

I think the concerns about leakage and damage are reasonable, and obviously you don't want a window unit to be improperly installed and fall out of the window.

However, this is not a message about how to get an AC window unit installed: it's a message about making it as hard as possible to get an AC window unit.

Reading the legislation, there is a lot of overlap between what they are saying and the new law, but there are some differences:

• The legislation says you have to tell your landlord but it doesn't say you have to request permission first
• "Management only approves portable, floor-standing air conditioning" is an opinion.
• "This building was not designed for window-mounted air conditioners." Sure, the building is old (1930's era), but we have been using our air conditioner for years without any damage or water leakage.

Also, is it even possible to hire a contractor to install a window mounted air conditioner in an apartment building? It seems like something that will cost a bunch of money for no reason if you could even find someone.

In summary, the path of least resistance is that we should just sell our window unit and get a floor unit, so maybe we will. But it is very annoying that it feels they are bullying us into getting rid of our window-mounted air conditioner by creating this extremely onerous process around it, which negates the spirit of the new tenant-protection law around this.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Should I try and argue with them about this AC thing, or just let it go?

Here is the full text of the email we received:

Dear Residents,

Please be advised that, following changes to the Residential Tenancies Act effective July 1, (Please see the attachment) tenants with both existing and new leases may request permission to install an air conditioner. However, certain conditions, restrictions, and safety requirements apply.

## Landlord Approval Is Required

Before installing any air conditioner, you must obtain written approval from Management.

Management approves only portable, floor-standing air conditioners that vent through a window using the manufacturer’s approved venting kit.

## Window-Mounted Air Conditioners

This building was not designed for window-mounted air conditioners. Management does not approve window air conditioners as a standard policy due to serious safety and property concerns.

These concerns include:

- Damage to the window frame or surrounding area;
- Water leakage through the window frame;
- Water entering the building structure;
- The development of mould;
- The risk of the air conditioner falling and causing injury, death, or property damage.

For more information about the serious safety risks associated with window air conditioners, please review the following CBC News article regarding a tragic incident that occurred in Toronto in 2019:

CBC News – Family of toddler killed by falling air conditioner hires lawyer to investigate
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toddler-ac-unit-lawyer-1.5357614

The safety of our residents, visitors, employees, contractors, and surrounding property is extremely important. Management cannot accept the risks associated with an improperly installed window air conditioner.

## Requirements for a Window Air Conditioner

Should you wish to request permission to install a window air conditioner, all of the following requirements must be met:

The unit must be installed by a licensed and qualified contractor.
All installation costs are the tenant’s responsibility.
The tenant must notify their tenant insurance provider of the installation.
The attached Air Conditioner Installation Request Form must be completed and signed.
Written approval from Management must be obtained before installation.
The tenant must provide a signed letter from the contractor confirming that:
The air conditioner has been installed correctly and securely;
The installation is safe;
The installation will not damage the window or building;
The air conditioner is properly sealed;
The installation will not cause water leakage or water infiltration.

The contractor’s letter must include:

The contractor’s full name;
The company or business name;
The business or licence number;
The contractor’s telephone number; and
The contractor’s signature.

Any existing window-mounted air conditioner that has not received written approval from Management must be removed.

Monthly Electricity Charge

When electricity is included in the tenant’s rent, an additional charge of $35.00 per month will apply for the use of an air conditioner.