Market research companies Urbanation, which tracks data on Toronto condos and rentals, and the Marsh Report, which provides information on GTA land and commercial and institutional building sales, have merged. Through their new alliance, Urbanation acquires a 50-per-cent interest in the Marsh Report.

“Urbanation has the best market research and analysis of the residential condo and rental market in Toronto,” says Eve Lewis, principal and co-founder of Urbanation. “The Marsh Report has a spectacular reputation, a long history and a lot of market knowledge. It seemed like a perfect complement to Urbanation.”

The Marsh Report, started in 1989, produces two quarterly reports, one of which focuses on land sales in the GTA and one of which focuses on commercial and institutional building sales. Similarly, Urbanation publishes two quarterly reports. One is the Condominium Market Survey, focusing on the high-rise condominium industry, and the other is Urban Rental.

Due to the nature of their respective research, Yvonne Whyte, principal, Marsh Report, felt a merger was a logical step.

“As we move forward, with apartment buildings and other aspect classes, it (the merger) allows us a lot of synergies and efficiencies and a broader depth of service to our clients, and information they wouldn’t normally be able to source,” says Whyte.