A recent B.C. Supreme Court ruling has been gaining a lot of attention right now as it will hugely impact Canada's real estate market today. The ruling specifically targets tax exemptions given to foreign nationals who bought and sold houses. Check out the article below for more details:

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/landmark-b-c-court-ruling-will-shake-real-estate-industry-lawyers-say-1.13029717

In recent years, the number of business owners who run their businesses from home has increased for several reasons. The most important one is to be available for their kids or be near family. However, working from home brings a lot of distractions even with a temporary office set up within the house. A solution to this could be to build an office in your backyard, or a “Shedquarter”. Shedquarters, a cube room, or a garden room are becoming a rage these days. It offers the privacy and uninterrupted workflow you need, like being in an offsite office, yet provides the advantage of being a few steps away from your home. Your shedquarter does not necessarily have to be an office space, it can also be your workshop area, an art room, a getaway space, or simply just an extra room where you can hang out.

Several companies mostly in the US, Australia, Europe, and Canada offer services to set up these miniature studios that can really add value to your home. You can even build it yourself.  Just check with the local building permit office about obtaining a permit before you plan your shedquarter. As a rule of thumb, permits are normally required for structures exceeding 100 square feet