A record year for rent growth in Canada

Canada’s multifamily market maintained a strong performance through 2023, and more of the same is expected this year given current supply-demand dynamics. While last year’s national average in-place rent increased 6.5 per cent to an all-time high of $1,480, the vacancy rate dropped to 2.7 per cent, the lowest level it’s been in years.

None of this bodes well for those seeking affordable rental accommodations, particularly given the heightened demand is expected to persist into 2024. The good news, according to Yardi’s Q1-2024 Multifamily Report, is that a consensus has emerged around the need to build more rental housing. Both the federal and provincial governments have upped their efforts in recent months to stimulate new supply by exempting developers from the 5 per cent GST and 13 per cent HST in Ontario; the federal government also deployed a $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund. But as Yardi points out, despite these and other new measures to bolster purpose-built rental development, “Starts are declining due to increasing costs of construction materials and labour, and the difficulty in lining up debt.”

2023 rental data

In terms of rent growth, Alberta led the provinces in 2023 with 10.4 per cent year-over-year increase, driven by Calgary (up 13.4 %) and Edmonton (up 7.9 %). The national growth rate for lease-over-lease rents—which represent new leases on units that are re-leased after becoming vacant—moderated slightly in Q4 2023 but remained high overall, rising 12.2 per cent annually. As Yardi noted, the quarterly decline was the first of its kind since Q1 2021, speculating that “it may be a sign that rents are peaking due to the trickle of new supply or the impact of affordability.”

Meanwhile, new lease rent growth was strong across Canada, topping double digits in nine of the 12 cities and five of the seven provinces tracked by Yardi. Year-over-year growth was highest in Nova Scotia (16.1%) and Ontario (15.8%), while Toronto led among the cities with an 18.5 per cent increase due to its rapidly rising population. The weakest growth for new leases was recorded in Manitoba (3.4%)—something Yardi attributes to “Winnipeg not experiencing the robust gains seen in other cities.”

In Quebec, rent growth remained strong at 6.8 per cent, but this is lower than other parts of the country. Montreal, known for its the large student population and pool of educated workers drawn to the city’s diverse economy, has seen a slowing in population growth recently due to rising tuition costs and fewer permanent immigrants relative to other provinces because of French language requirements.

Canada’s economy

After slowing in the second half of 2023, Yardi predicts Canada’s economy will remain weak through the first half of 2024. GDP growth was roughly 1.0 per cent in 2023 but isn’t expected to reach that level again this year given the constraints consumers have faced with inflation and increasing debt-service costs. Though Canada added more than 430,000 jobs in 2023, only 43,000 were added in Q4-2023. Canada’s unemployment rate currently sits at 5.8 per cent.

How Canada compares to the U.S.

Both Canada and the U.S. saw strong demand and rent growth in 2021 and 2022 following the pandemic, but last year, Canada’s rent growth increased while it flattened in the U.S. A big factor, according to Yardi, was the sharp supply response in the U.S. that led to the construction of 1.2 million apartment units now underway, and more than 1 million units to be delivered over the next two years.

In contrast, there has been a disconnect between housing and immigration policies in Canada. Housing construction remains weak while the populations is growing at a much faster rate than it is in the U.S. Consequences of this include rapid rent growth, households migrating in search of more affordable locations, and renters staying in place longer to avoid substantial increases in housing costs.

For the full report, click here: Yardi Multifamily Canadian National Report-Q1 2024.pdf

Indigenous laws centre at Uvic wins design award

Located on Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) territory, the National Centre for Indigenous Laws (NCIL) at the University of Victoria is still under construction but its architectural design is already winning awards.

Slated to open in late Fall 2024, the NCIL has received a 2023 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence, celebrating its Coast Salish design elements and focus on bringing the surrounding forest into the building.

The NCIL architectural design was created through a collaborative partnership between three architectural firms led by Two Row Architect, an Indigenous-owned firm, along with Teeple Architects Inc. and Low Hammond Rowe Architects.

In assembling a team for the project, the architects “put themselves in UVic’s shoes” to consider how the university could be best served. They started by appointing an Indigenous firm (Two Row Architect) as the architect of record to provide leadership throughout all phases of the project, with a focus on conducting Indigenous and community engagements.

They enlisted an international-calibre design firm (Teeple Architects) to collaborate with and provide insight into the drawings and specifications, and also joined with a local firm (Low Hammond Rowe Architects) familiar with UVic to respond quickly and provide design input during the construction and commissioning phases of the project.

“UVic has been one of those very rare clients that not only supports the development of an Indigenous-inspired design, but also remains steadfast through all phases of the project to see it through,” said Brian Porter, Two Row Architect.

The 2,440-square-metre addition to the UVic Anne and Murray Fraser law building will provide culturally appropriate space for the learning and teaching of Indigenous laws. This includes the Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders joint degree program (JD/JID), the first of its kind in the world, as well as space for the JD program, public legal education programs, and much-needed classroom, clinical and research spaces.

The building will include an Elders’ room and garden, and spaces for gathering, ceremony, dialogue, research and the sharing of histories and knowledge. The design of the building will facilitate place-based learning and will create a flow between the old and new buildings and indoor/outdoor spaces, including an outdoor learning deck, a sky classroom and a maker classroom.

B.C. standard AE contracts released

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – British Columbia (ACEC-BC) together with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) and the Province of British Columbia announced the release of standard contracts for architectural and engineering design assignments.

The contracts – based on national standard form agreements – support fairness, transparency, and efficiency for architectural and engineering consultants and government.

“The release of standard form contracts is a significant outcome for design consulting firms of all sizes. Contract review and negotiation can be disruptive and lead to project delays; use of standard forms of agreement supports trust, efficiency, and transparency for all project partners. The effort of all members on the subcommittee was significant, and we are very proud to deliver this work with exceptional partners,” said Caroline Andrewes, president and CEO, ACEC-BC.

Background

In 2018 the Deputy Ministers and Industry Infrastructure Forum (DMIIF) formed a subcommittee led by the Ministry of Finance, with participation from the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, BC Housing, ACEC-BC, AIBC, and the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA). The subcommittee collaborated to develop Supplemental Conditions for RAIC Doc 6 2022 Standard Form of Contract for Architectural Services and CCDC-31 2020 Service Agreement Between Owner and Consultant which were reviewed by the provincial legal services and risk management branches before ratification by the DMIIF.

Shared commitment to protect the public

A shared commitment to protect the public was foundational for the industry, regulatory, and public representatives on the subcommittee as they proceeded with review. The resulting contracts are expected to support fairness, transparency, and efficiency in contracting architectural and engineering consultants. Further, the use of standard contracts aligns with the province’s procurement strategy by making it easier to do business with government and creating opportunity for businesses of all size.

Using Agreements

The agreements have been approved for use by all provincial ministries and agencies who directly engage consulting architects or engineers including BC Housing, health authorities, and school boards. Agreements already in place will continue under their existing agreement; new assignments undertaken after February 1, 2024, should use the new agreements.

To assist in the transition, architectural and engineering firms are encouraged to request use of the new agreements if another form of contract is provided after the release date.

A technological revolution for P3

Canada’s public-private partnership (P3) market turned 30 last year. In those three decades there have been more than 300 projects across the country, totalling around $139 billion in value. The model has been used to build, operate, and maintain hospitals, schools, highways, railways, courthouses, bridges, and water and wastewater plants.

P3s are suitable for long-term public infrastructure projects because they allow underfunded and overstretched public authorities to transfer risk to private sector specialists, often integrating key delivery elements, and gain access to outside capital. This helps costs from overrunning, a constant feature of public sector project lifecycles.

But the P3 market hasn’t been all smooth sailing. At the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnership annual conference last year, it was clear that the model does have its challenges. A common fear we hear is that P3s are just too complex, a reputation certainly undiminished by the last three years of challenges, including a global health crisis, major supply chain disruption, labour shortages, inflation, and rising commodity prices.

Tech-forward

With the right technology implementation, systems, and processes, P3s don’t have to be complex. The key, as is so often the case, is data: high-quality, objective, and accessible data on performance that ensures every stakeholder has visibility.

Public authorities are under constant pressure from taxpayers to spend responsibly, so they need to know that performance criteria are being met and that the data they see is fully auditable and transparent. Too often, service providers are penalized with deductions because they cannot adequately monitor or measure what they are doing.

That’s where technology comes in. In the past, facility managers used off-the-shelf software to manage all the operational contract elements. Now, a combination of building information modelling, the emergence of digital twins, and top-end integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) with payment mechanism software integration provide extra layers of data integrity, accuracy, and auditability.

Increasingly, this kind of technology adoption is happening across more high-tech sectors such as healthcare and transit, but also traditional sectors such as schools, offices, and other public buildings.

Better with BIM

Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows organizations to streamline the transition from construction to building operation, derive cost savings, and improve carbon performance in the long term through open shareable asset information. Facility managers can quickly and cost-effectively laser scan existing environments and use this data to create BIM models, aiding decision-making long into a building’s operational life. This means that BIM can deliver significant benefits for long-term projects, especially where contact terms necessitate transparency and performance over periods of up to 25 years.

Paid in full

By integrating BIM with IWMS and payment mechanism (paymech) software, stakeholders can ensure better transparency across the whole P3 contract lifecycle. Paymech technology gives confidence to all parties that the project can operate according to the terms agreed, providing reports and trend analysis of service failures, deductions, and rolling threshold values.

What’s more, aligning BIM with the contractual terms provides users with clearer information, enabling them to deliver on time and within budget, adhere to compliance, and minimize deductions. For FM service providers, integrating BIM with an IWMS enables more effective maintenance regimes as well as maintaining a comprehensive, fully up-to-date BIM model once the contract comes to an end and the building is handed back to the public sector client.

Digital twinning

Smart buildings represent the next leap in innovation for P3s and broader building lifecycle management. Once the BIM model gains access to continuous data, such as through sensors, it becomes a digital twin. BIM integrated with IWMS software provides essential data, including classifications of each space, minimum and maximum temperature requirements, types of materials and details about each asset.

While some new technologies naturally replace others, as IWMS replaces spreadsheets and paperwork, digital twins are built on BIM and do not replace it. Both are built on 3D models, but digital twins represent more advanced modelling. For facility teams looking to use sensors, the BIM model helps them plan their locations and visually understand the data from them. As more data is added to the model, the more easily facility managers can diagnose and fix problems – even before they become apparent to the building’s occupants.

With access to real-time data, digital twins compile it all to form a virtual replica of the building’s state in real time. Instead of viewing data from various sources on multiple reports, the digital twin can be used to view performance, identify trends, and detect building errors – in the same place.

Digital twins can also be used to test different scenarios – like the impact on air quality of a new asset or how cooling systems would cope with more people in the building. This reduces the impact of disruption or dips in performance of the ‘live’ building environment.

The P3 model remains an undeniably effective way to build and run key public infrastructure and that won’t change, especially as public sector facility managers face increasingly tight fiscal conditions. Technology will continue to guide how P3 contract management software needs to operate, and the shift to more sophisticated tools and sources of advice will only gain pace.

Kelly Widger is General Manager (North America) at Service Works Global, international provider of IWMS, BIM and P3 payment mechanism software. Kelly is responsible for managing key customer accounts and overseeing project delivery throughout Canada and North America. She has a background in FM service delivery and P3 contract management gained from extensive experience of working at leading FM service providers.

The feature photo was generated with AI.

Vancouver boasts all round lowest vacancy rates

Vancouver enjoys North America’s strongest demand across all asset types, ending 2023 with the lowest vacancy rates for industrial, office, multifamily and retail properties among the 63 urban markets Lee & Associates monitors throughout the United States and Canada. The firm’s newly released fourth quarter overview also ranks Toronto as a consistent top performer, tied with Vancouver for the lowest multifamily vacancy rate and posting the second lowest industrial and retail vacancy rates. The two cities additionally recorded the lowest cap rates for all asset types across the survey base.

That’s happening in the context of general negative office absorption, decelerating trends in industrial, modest gains in retail and marked Canada-U.S. divergence in the multifamily market. Across the U.S., more than 71 million square feet of additional office space was returned to the market last year, including 15.8 million square feet in Q4, while roughly 165 million square feet of industrial absorption fell far short of 423 million square feet in 2022.

The average office vacancy rate is pegged at 13.4 per cent across 60 U.S. markets, with the industrial vacancy rate at a more temperate 5.8 per cent. Industrial vacancy rates are well below the U.S. average in all three of the surveyed Canadian markets — Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary — while Calgary surpasses the U.S. average for office space.

Vancouver’s vacancy rates are cited at: 1.7 per cent for industrial; 6.1 per cent for office; 1.5 per cent for retail; and 1 per cent for multifamily. Toronto vacancies are at: 1.9 per cent for industrial; 9.3 per cent for office; 1.5 per cent for retail; and 1 per cent for multifamily.

Canadian industrial landlords see greater rent growth in 2023

For Q4 2023, the lowest industrial vacancy rate in the U.S. — 2.3 per cent — was registered in Omaha, Nebraska, a market with approximately 107 million square feet of inventory and roughly 5 million square feet under construction. Two larger markets, Orange County, California, and Miami, are the next tightest, both with 3.3 per cent vacancy. They also command the second and third highest market rents, at USD $20.16 (CAD $27.21) per square foot (psf) in Miami, and USD $19.68 (CAD $26.57) psf in Orange County.

San Diego, where the vacancy rate sits at 6.1 per cent, boasted the highest market rent of Q4 at USD $22.44 (CAD $30.29) psf. Although achieving lower rents, accompanying analysis notes that Canadian industrial landlords realized stronger rent growth of 11.2 per cent over the course of 2023, versus 7.4 per cent for their U.S. counterparts.

U.S. rent growth slowed as nearly 529 million square feet of new industrial supply was delivered to the market, underlying a 200 basis point increase in the national vacancy rate since midyear 2022. Lee & Associates analysts report that much of the 451 million square feet of industrial construction currently in progress has not yet been leased. However, new starts are at a 10-year low and the vacancy rate is deemed “still comfortably below the market’s 20-year average vacancy rate of 7.3 per cent”.

Vancouver and Toronto’s low-end cap rates were at 4.1 per cent and 4.3 per cent respectively, while Calgary’s average cap, at 6.8 per cent, was also lower than the U.S. average of 7 per cent. Vancouver saw the third highest sale price of the quarter at CAD $443 (USD $327.82) psf, shy of the top deals inked in Orange County (USD $346 psf) and San Diego (USD $338 psf) and just surpassing a USD $325 psf sales price in Los Angeles. Average sales prices psf are pegged at CAD $370 (USD $273.80) psf in Vancouver, CAD $276 (USD $204.23) psf in Toronto, and CAD $129 (USD $95.46) psf in Calgary, while the U.S. average price was USD $151 (CAD $203.85) psf for the quarter.

Toronto ranks fourth among the 63 markets for the amount of industrial space under construction. At approximately 22.5 million square feet, that’s just about 500,000 square feet more than what’s in progress in Houston, but less than half the nearly 45 million square feet of new inventory pending in Phoenix.

U.S. office market forecasts deemed “sobering”

Meanwhile, Toronto has the second largest complement of new office space — 11.3 million square feet — in the works. Boston, which currently has an office vacancy rate of 11.3 per cent, tops the list with nearly 16.5 million square feet under construction. More than 9.5 million square feet of new office inventory is underway in Seattle, where the vacancy rate is 14.4 per cent, and nearly 9.3 million square feet is progressing in New York City, where vacancy stands at 14 per cent.

California’s Inland Empire shares lowest vacancy rate billing with Vancouver, at 6.1 per cent. From there, Miami (8.6 per cent) and Orlando (8.8 per cent) are the next tightest office markets.

After cap rates bottom out in Vancouver (4.1 per cent) and Toronto (5.9 per cent), the next lowest are San Francisco’s at 6 per cent, followed by New York City at 6.5 per cent. The U.S. national average cap stands at 8 per cent. The highest valued deal of the quarter occurred in San Francisco, fetching a price of USD $596 (CAD $804.60) psf. Sales averaged USD $290 (CAD $391.50) psf across all U.S. markets, while the Canadian average was CAD $272 (USD $201.28) psf

Lee & Associates analysts point to “sobering” prospects for the U.S. market based on tenants’ demonstrated post-pandemic trend to downsize as their lease terms expire. “Since nearly half of office leases signed prior to the lockdown remain unexpired, the rate of vacant space could grow more than three percentage points by 2026. Leasing volume is down nearly 20 per cent from its average in the late 2010s, driven by deal sizes that are 20 per cent smaller,” they observe.

The assessment of retail is more upbeat. In the U.S., a 4 per cent sector-wide vacancy rate is a record low following 52.8 million square feet of positive absorption over the course of 2023 along with 3.3 per cent annual rent growth. Canada experienced 3.4 per cent annual rent growth as the overall vacancy rate fell to 1.6 per cent. Year-end cap rates were at 4.1 per cent in Vancouver, 4.5 per cent in Toronto and 6 per cent in Calgary — all lower than the U.S. average cap at 6.8 per cent.

Canadian multifamily supply lags U.S. development pace

Toronto is again one of the most active development markets, with nearly 3 million square feet of new retail supply under construction. However, it falls short of the top builder list in the multifamily category, with 22,021 units now underway. New York leads activity with 69,755 units in progress, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth, with 56,199 underway — tallies that exceed the combined construction pipeline in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, which amounts to 40,208 units.

In the U.S., new supply has outstripped tenant growth since Q3 2021 and the national vacancy rate hit 7.5 per cent at year end 2023. That contrasts with a 1.3 per cent national vacancy rate in Canada, underpinning 7 per cent rent growth, nationwide, last year.

Cap rates are pegged at 2.6 per cent in Vancouver, 3.7 per cent in Toronto and 5 per cent in Calgary versus an U.S. average of 5.8 per cent. New York City posted the highest sales volume for 2023 at USD $6.3 billion (CAD $8.5 billion) or nearly 62 per cent higher than the total Canadian sales volume of CAD $3.3 billion (USD $2.4 billion) last year. Total U.S. sales volume was USD $96.8 billion (CAD $130.7 billion).

BC Hydro embarks on 10-year capital plan

BC Hydro will embark on an unprecedented level of construction over the next 10 years, building out British Columbia’s electricity system to power a growing clean economy and communities, and create new jobs.

BC Hydro’s updated 10-year capital plan, Power Pathway: Building BC’s energy future, includes almost $36 billion in community and regional infrastructure investments throughout the province between 2024-25 and 2033-34. This represents an increase of 50 per cent over BC Hydro’s previous capital plan ($24 billion), and includes a significant increase in electrification and emissions-reduction infrastructure projects (nearly $10 billion, up from $1 billion).

These new construction projects are projected to support 10,500 to 12,500 jobs on average annually, and will increase and maintain BC Hydro’s capital investments as major projects like Site C are completed.

The plan reflects growing demand for electricity across sectors due to population growth and housing construction, increased industrial development, and people and businesses switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity, among other factors. It includes:

building new high-voltage transmission lines and supporting infrastructure from Prince George to Terrace to meet industrial customer demand in the north coast area, including in the mining sector;
building or expanding substations and installing new equipment to support residential housing growth and transit electrification in high-growth areas across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island; and
upgrading B.C.’s dams and generating facilities to make them safer, more reliable and more efficient.

“We’re taking action to build a clean energy future and create thousands of construction jobs for skilled workers as major infrastructure projects like Site C reach completion,” said Josie Osborne, minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation. “Together with our first call for power in over 15 years, BC Hydro’s new capital plan – with almost $4 billion in spending every year for the next decade – will drive economic growth for communities all over the province and ensure households and businesses can power up with clean, reliable and affordable electricity.”

The province and BC Hydro are also implementing a new streamlined, one-window approval process to speed up approvals to get electricity to in-demand industries faster, and to support jobs.

Wesgroup moves forward on Inlet District

Wesgroup Properties is getting closer to building the first phase of Inlet District, a master-planned community in Port Moody, B.C.. The 14.8-acre site is located in the area formerly known as Coronation Park.

A newly submitted development permit will make way for six condo towers and three low-rise buildings that will add 2,486 market condos and 101 market rentals to the community. Two daycare centres for 194 children, a four-storey office building, a supermarket, a drug store and other retail are also in the works.

Developed in consultation with Port Moody residents and city officials, the plan entails a 2.55-acre park, a pedestrian overpass to Inlet Centre SkyTrain station, $44 million in infrastructure upgrades and $4.8 million in public art. The park will feature a kids play area, sports court, stage, pollinator meadow, and seating for families and groups.

Dedicated housing for seniors will include ten per cent of the rental housing being earmarked for persons aged 65 and over. Inlet District is also being designed as a fully accessible community thanks alongside Marco Pasqua at Meaningful Access Consulting, a universal design and accessibility firm.

Tenants will be eligible to participate in Wesgroup’s Beyond Rent program, which allows renters at Wesgroup-owned buildings to qualify for large discounts on the purchase of a new home based on how many years they have rented from the development firm. The discount varies from two to five per cent depending on the length of tenancy.

Inlet District will be built over four phases. The first phase will include two 26-storey towers built atop a four-storey podium, which will provide new retail space along Ioco Road for a grocery store, pharmacy and other shops. The office building and a daycare will also be built as part of this phase.

“We are excited to be one step closer to making Inlet District a reality and bringing more than 2,500 new transit-oriented homes to Port Moody,” said Dean Johnson, vice president of development at Wesgroup Properties.

Pushing for a workplace culture shift

Condo managers are becoming more susceptible to hostile work environments. There are several reasons why cases of harassment, intimidation, and even violence, have been rising.

“A lot of condo owners are feeling the pressure of higher fees,” says Juliet Atha, president of Best Practices Property Management. “The board doesn’t have a lot of flexibility with the budget, but at the end of the day, it’s their decision and people then take that frustration out on managers. In some cases, people are going to have to sell their units because they can’t afford the increased mortgage and increased condo fees. That’s a newer contributing factor.”

A statement from the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) last year lists additional causes. A widespread misunderstanding of the specific role managers play in their communities is one. Pressure and lack of support are causing them to leave the profession, which is unsustainable amid a condo building boom.

“I certainly know quite a few managers who have been forced out of their jobs,” says Atha, who is also vice-president of ACMO. “Some have relocated to a different management company and different site, but to the best of my knowledge, they’ve all been excellent managers.”

There are about 2500 general licensees in Ontario and 12,700 condo corporations. The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) found that as of March 2023, the number of managers who decided not to renew their license rose 107 per cent from 2022.

So how can the condo industry support a workplace culture shift? Over the past year, the issue of harassment has taken on a new tone; there is more fire behind the cause. This is partly attributed to the Condominium Authority of Ontario’s (CAO) new template for an anti-harassment rule that corporations can implement for both staff and residents.

This draft rule is a tool among many that leading condo associations have been pushing for as part of a joint industry initiative to create resources and educational opportunities, and propose legislation that addresses violence and mental health in communities.

Atha would also like to see changes with the CMRAO regarding frivolous complaints. Filing a complaint on the CMRAO website requires no more than a text box of words and little effort. This can make it challenging to distinguish a baseless complaint (say, rising condo fees) from one more serious. “Of course, people should have the ability to complain about managers, but it is used as a threat in our industry a lot,” she adds.

To eradicate harassment, ACMO is looking to boost education and training and establish clear communication channels among owners, directors, and managers.

Effective communication takes many forms. “As a policy in our firm, we encourage written communication from owners and residents, either by filing a service request or by sending an email,” says Atha. “I want to paint the trail of what they’re asking for so we can make sure we deal with it and respond and we have a record that we responded.”

Education is also crucial, whether that means clarifying a manager’s specific role and set workplace hours or teaching new hires that intimidation from a board is unacceptable. This comes with support from management firms.

Due to the nature of the job, on-site managers don’t always have in-person colleagues who can rally in support.

“In most workplaces there are other people around to witness behaviour,” Atha observes. “If someone is going to stand at your desk and scream at you, other people will see that, but often, in condo management, there’s no one around.”

Relieving the pressure

The pervasiveness of harassment seems to be moving from a state of awareness to a solution-focused approach. And for good reason.

“I’m seeing more and more court applications seeking orders to terminate tenancies or orders for owners to vacate and sell their units, all relating to conduct that would best be summarized as harassment,” Jason Rivait, a condo lawyer with Miller Thomson LLP, said during a panel discussion at the Condo Conference on November 17, 2023.

Harassment can sometimes be a pattern of small issues that happen over an extended period of time, he finds. A workplace violence and harassment policy is now a must.

Condo corporations can also look at passing civility rules that provide a means for enforcement. New board members should also be asked to sign a code of ethics that sets the stage for their conduct, suggested William Choi, a board rep.

To help foster a positive relationship between the board and manager, clear expectations should be established in writing. Eric Plant, founding partner at Brilliant Property Management and the current president of ACMO, suggests this should happen instantly upon meeting a new manager or management company.

A clash in personalities is another reality when condos experience board and manager turnover. “An abrasive board president may not pair well with a sensitive manager just as an old-fashioned manager may not work well with a young and tech-savvy board member,” he said. “While the style of the board might not be a perfect match, at least the expectations are there and both sides can work on that common ground.”

Open communication is a key component of community culture. “Both parties need to understand a disagreement is not an argument,” he added. “Most of the time, problems can be solved amicably with some give and take on both sides.”

An evolving role

Even in communities with few conflicts, a manager’s role can become distorted, especially with an influx of new owners who may not read the welcoming packages, which include the condo’s declaration, bylaws, and rules.

“Residents often think managers are making these rules,” said Tania Haluk, vice president of operations at Wilson Blanchard Management. “The board actually has the duty to enforce the condo documents and they do that through their managing agent. It’s a matter of getting that understanding and expectation out there to make sure people aren’t stepping over the line before it’s too late.”

Being contacted after work hours or for issues that fall outside a manager’s mandate continues to be a festering problem. “Decision-making should only happen at duly constituted board meetings,” she said. “It’s really hard when you’re a site manager and you’re accessible all the time.”

Reviewing the management contract is also good practice. “If the board has decided to pay for part-time management, they need to understand what that means with respect to accessibility and availability [and] when it’s appropriate to be reaching out or not,” she advised.

As the Condo Act has made way for heavier workloads, managers may be defining more boundaries. “There are a lot more administrative requirements and deadlines and prescribed forms we’re responsible for,” Haluk said. “That’s what we build into our contracts when we are deciding how much time a community needs and how we allocate that time as a manager who is assigned to a site.”

Changing the way managers are perceived means rethinking a whole culture and detoxifying the workplace , especially given the wider ratio of managers to condo buildings.

“We have to raise the bar; we have to demand respect and expect respect, which is kind of a new concept in this industry,” says Atha. “Part of that is standing up for ourselves as an industry, explaining we’re professionals and that we have standards in the way we expect to be treated.”

This story originally appeared in the 2023 winter edition of CondoBusiness magazine and has since been updated.

Tailoring amenities to evolving demographics

Gone are the days when most condo dwellers were young couples or single business professionals who wanted to live close to work. These communities have evolved to include many more families with small children, new Canadians, and empty nesters who have downsized and want to live a more dynamic lifestyle with convenience at their fingertips.

As the demographics of a community evolve, so do the needs and wants of the residents within them.

Desired amenities are changing

The types of amenities that were once popular in condos have changed. Residents are no longer looking for just a place to live; they’re seeking a lively and interactive environment where they can live, work, and play. They look for communities that offer something special for themselves and their families, whether their family consists of only adults, adults and children, or adults and furry relatives.

Certain amenities will always be popular and seen as an added benefit, such as gyms and party rooms. Some amenities that were once sought after, like a pool, are now less desirable. The maintenance and insurance cost of pools significantly add to an owner’s condo fees, and many are reconsidering having to contribute to an amenity that is not widely used.

When planning amenities, developers are now taking the demographics of the community’s residents into account. Providing a variety of amenities and services that can benefit people from different walks and stages of life is paramount.

For the younger generations

Families with young children are becoming much more prominent in condos, and with that, creating spaces that are specifically geared toward younger residents is increasingly important.

New developments are being designed to include an outdoor playground, and indoor amenities that are gaining more traction are playrooms, craft rooms or an area that combines both. Activities being considered for these spaces include chalkboard walls or something similar that can easily be drawn on, cleaned, and used repeatedly, as well as a sink to keep post-craft clean-up simple.

These types of amenities can not only benefit the younger residents, but also be a great help to older ones as well. Residents who have grandchildren appreciate having a space they can enjoy with their young visitors.

Another rising trend within condo communities is stroller parking, which can be compared to bike storage. Strollers are bulky, and depending on the size and design of a unit, they can be very hard to store. Giving residents access to a secure room for their strollers when they’re not in use can make the comings and goings of a parent more convenient.

For the working professionals

A condo unit doesn’t always provide the best atmosphere for those working remotely or in hybrid mode. To help residents who may need a quieter place to take a call or focus on a big project, co-working or wireless workspaces are being added as an amenity. These rooms are equipped with internet, desks, and tables for residents to work from; this way, residents can simply arrive with their laptops and headphones, ready to take on the day with minimal distractions.

For the empty nesters

More empty nesters are choosing to downsize from their single-family homes to condo communities, allowing them to worry less about the maintenance and upkeep that comes with homeownership, and giving them the opportunity to age in place. As a result, developers are incorporating units designed with more accessibility in mind, including walk-in showers, larger entryways, and lower counters that can accommodate a wheelchair.

For our four-legged friends

The well-being of our four-legged family members has also gained importance among residents. Basic pet amenities, like small grassy areas that include pet waste bags and disposal, are no longer enough.

Developers are now going the extra mile for pets by installing luxurious pet wash areas and proper dog runs with fake fire hydrants and easy-to-maintain artificial turf. These areas are great spots for dogs to let out some energy and for neighbours to meet and get to know each other.

The rise of the master-planned community

For condo communities to be desirable, it’s no longer about the amenities that can be found within the building. It’s also focusing on creating a true live, work, and play community environment where a wide variety of amenities are available within walking distance. That’s where the master-planned communities come in.

This type of community is designed to encompass multiple high-rise buildings, townhomes, retail, large recreational centres, dining, professional services, and more. Master-planned communities are beginning to pop up in metropolitan areas across Canada, and are often built near transit hubs. They benefit not only those who choose to live in them, but the cities they’re developed in as well.

For these master-planned communities to get approval, cities can have a say in the types of third-party amenities that are found in them. Cities can mandate certain things be included in the community, such as a city-run recreation facility or a library.

Being flexible with amenities that no longer work

For existing communities, as demographics change, the want for certain amenities will change too. As a board, it’s important to be open-minded and flexible to the residents’ ever-changing needs. While there are some amenities your community will have to stay tied to, like a pool, others can evolve.

Golf simulator rooms continue to be popular, but if not adopted by the residents, result in valuable space barely being used. An amenity like this is worth revisiting and can evolve to better suit the needs of the community’s demographics. Perhaps a TV room that allows residents to have a Superbowl or Bachelorette finale watch party would be more appreciated. Or, for condos with a growing population of children and no kid-friendly amenities, it might be best to convert the space into a playroom.

The bottom line is amenity trends continue to evolve as new services and technology become more widely available. What’s important is ensuring that you consider the ever-changing demographics of these densely populated communities when determining your amenity offerings.

John Brea is President of the FirstService Residential North Region.

Chilliwack leisure centre achieves RHFAC gold

The Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre has achieved a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Gold rating under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) program.

RHFAC helps improve accessibility in the places people live, work, learn, and play. The rating and Gold certification cover the entire 56,000 square-foot building, including swimming pools, fitness area, meeting rooms, aerobics studio, and restaurant, as well as the outside area, including the entrances, parking lots, pathways, transit stops, and outdoor water play area.

“Once again, the City of Chilliwack shows its commitment to provide accessibility for everyone. The Chilliwack Leisure Landing Centre is truly an accessible facility, able to welcome everyone through the doors,” said Jim Ryan, the local Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Professional who completed the grading assessment of the leisure centre.

In order to receive Gold level rating, several accessibility improvements were implemented, including:

The addition of a new fully accessible changeroom with a new lift and powered height adjustable shower bed.
The upgrade of the existing accessible changeroom to include a new lift.
The addition of new water wheelchairs.
Automatic door openers with proximity sensors.
Braille wayfinding signage and other new signage throughout the facility.
The creation of an area of refuge, complete with emergency communications.
The addition of hearing loops to meeting rooms.

“Since the inception of the Mayor’s Task Force on Inclusion, Diversity, and Accessibility Action Plan, we continue to work toward improving the City’s facilities, services, parks, and public spaces for persons with disabilities,” said Mayor Popove. “This certification is a small step in the direction we want to go to make our facilities more accessible.”

DEI progress harder to see in 2023 survey

A jump in participation makes progress harder to see in the third global survey of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the commercial real estate sector. For example, the newly released findings appear to show a sagging focus on pay equity, with a year-over-year decline in the percentage of employers analyzing and addressing gender and race/ethnicity pay gaps. However, that’s likely more reflective of the changing profile of the survey base.

Uptake has grown from seven sponsoring associations and 175 responding organizations in 2021 to 19 associations and 236 respondents, representing nearly 297,000 full-time employees worldwide, in 2023. Public and private real estate entities that collectively hold USD $1.98 trillion in assets under management account for 62.5 per cent of the most recent feedback. Industry-related professional and financial service providers, corporate real estate divisions of other types of companies, developers and institutional investors provide the remainder.

More than 90 per cent of the survey respondents are based in North America, including 44 firms in Canada and 143 in the United States. Results fall roughly into two categories of indicators: initiatives, tracking policies and programs to encourage and facilitate DEI; and outcomes, tallying the gender and race/ethnicity split of employees at various career stages. Initiative indicators are reported at the macro level for the entire survey base, while gender outcomes are broken down regionally for Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Race/ethnicity information is provided only for the U.S.

Some of the findings from data submitted in the summer of 2023 include:

women in Canada fill a larger share of leadership roles and experienced a greater degree of career advancement during the survey period than their global counterparts;
people of colour gained more presence on boards of directors in the United States, while losing ground as a percentage of overall reported jobs; and
an increasing share of participating companies have active leadership on DEI issues within their C-suites and have formal DEI programs, but fewer have budgets to deliver them.

Accompanying commentary from the survey coordinator, the consulting firm, Ferguson & Partners, acknowledges there is some “DEI fatigue” across the economy in general as all sectors grapple with a confluence of financial, climatic and geopolitical pressures. Although arguing that modest year-to-year fluctuations in some indicators shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as a setback or step forward, Ferguson analysts underscore the importance of regular scrutiny and continued commitment.

“Just as DEI is not an afternoon’s training or something to ponder only during Black History Month, DEI is a process and movement to change culture and correct inequities. Fighting DEI fatigue is not only the right thing to do for under-represented peoples, but can also lead to improved performance,” the executive summary to the survey results states.

“The survey results highlight significant progress in DEI, but also uncover areas needing improvement,” concurs Carolyn Lane, vice president and chief operating officer of Canada’s REALPAC, which is one of the founding sponsors of the survey. “We hope the findings act as both a benchmarking and educational tool, guiding the industry towards enhanced DEI practices.”

Canadian women’s career advancement outpaces global counterparts

Looking to the gender split of Canada’s commercial real estate workforce, women fill 45.6 per cent of total full-time positions in companies reporting to the survey. That’s a larger share than at participating companies in the U.S. (41.4 per cent), Europe (39.8 per cent) or Asia-Pacific (44.8 per cent).

Canada stands out most notably for the share of women on boards of directors — 27. 4 per cent versus 23.3 per cent in the U.S., 19.2 per cent in Europe and 17.3 per cent in Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, women account for the majority of junior-level employees in three of the four regions — at 50.5 per cent in Canada, 50.1 per cent in U.S. and 52 per cent in Asia-Pacific — and are almost an equal complement, at 49.7 per cent, in Europe.

This is the first iteration of the survey to separate out Canadian numbers so there is no measure of year-over-year change from 2022, but progress can be seen through a metric that compares hiring and promotions against departures. During the survey period (Q3 2022 to Q3 2023) the percentage of women advancing in their careers exceeded the share that left their employment. For junior and mid-level positions, women were also hired or promoted at a slightly higher rate than their overall proportion of the workforce in those ranges.

“To move the needle on the diversity of a given employee group, the proportion of promotions and hires must be greater than the percentage of that group’s baseline employee population, with the departure rate also lower,” analysis accompanying the survey results advises.

The mid-level career stage is the closest to exhibiting balanced human resources activity, with women representing 47.6 per cent of new hires and 48.4 per cent of promotions during the survey period. That proportion dips as women ascend the career ladder, translating into 28.7 per cent of new hires in senior professional roles and 16.7 per cent in executive management. Promotions were more prevalent as women received 29.8 per cent of those conveyed to senior professionals and 27.3 per cent in executive management.

Although survey coordinators could not always determine the reasons for job departures, six possibilities are cited: joining or starting a competing CRE firm; moving to employment in another industry; retirement; health; childcare; and family care. “Among men and women who left their firms to join/start a competing firm or join another industry, 47 per cent did so for compensation reasons. A lack of opportunities/career progression was cited by 48.4 per cent,” the survey analysis reveals.

Men exited jobs at a higher rate than they were hired in senior, mid and junior level roles, but continued to be hired into executive management at a pace that outdistanced departures. The percentage of new hires for executive management and senior professional roles were also higher than men’s overall representation in those career cohorts. In executive management, men accounted for 76.4 per cent of departures versus 83.3 per cent of new hires. There is greater discordance at the senior professional level, where men represented 88. 2 per cent of departures compared to 71.3 per cent of new hires.

Execution lags intent on some recruitment and retention strategies

Across the entire survey base, 2023 brought a small uptick in the percentage of participating companies that pay attention to DEI, with just 4.2 per cent of respondents undertaking no initiatives. More firms have a formal policy in place — 56.4 per cent in 2023 versus 53.6 per cent in 2022 — while the remainder have some programs.

Yet, there is collectively less funding to support those efforts. About 74 per cent of respondents report they have either a direct or indirect budget for DEI activities, compared to 85.6 per cent in 2022. Among those with budgets, a larger share now have dedicated funds for DEI (36.3 per cent versus 30.4 per cent in 2022) with the rest drawing from human resources and/or other business units.

As well, a reduced share of respondents have formal DEI committees — 63.7 per cent versus 71.1 per cent in 2022 — with responsibility shifting elsewhere in 2023. A growing share of companies direct DEI initiatives from the C-suite and 16.8 per cent have a senior executive dedicated to DEI — either a chief diversity officer or another senior-level position — compared to 11.5 per cent in 2022.

The 2023 survey findings reveal some areas where execution lags intent. Scholarships and internships for under-represented job candidates were ranked as the most effective means for helping companies achieve DEI goals, flagged by 31.6 per cent of respondents. However, there was a year-over-year decrease in the percentage of companies that provide them — dropping to 58.1 per cent from 64.2 per cent in 2022. There were also pullbacks on other recruitment strategies — such as proactively seeking job candidates, including from outside CRE, from under-represented groups, and looking beyond rigid education and experience criteria — but slightly more scrutiny for bias in job postings and application processes.

About 63 per cent of employers analyzed male-female pay gaps — a drop from 70.4 per cent in 2022. Just 44.6 per cent of respondents considered pay gaps from the perspective of race, ethnicity, nationality or age — down from 48.5 per cent in 2022. However, more than one third (33.2 per cent) report they are working to increase the level of pay transparency in their companies — a jump from 22.9 per cent in 2022.

In assessing the most common impediments to DEI initiatives, about a quarter of survey respondents said other business priorities emerged as competition; 17.8 per cent cited a disconnect between DEI and business goals and objectives; and 16.7 per cent reported budgetary constraints. Disinterested senior leadership appeared to be a diminishing problem, with 9.2 per cent respondents identifying it as a barrier in 2023 versus 12.4 per cent in 2022. In contrast, nearly 13 per cent of respondents said it was difficult to get support from the general workforce in 2023, while just 8.2 per cent found it challenging in 2022.

When asked to enumerate important DEI outcomes, 80.8 per cent of respondents are looking for greater organization-wide diversity, 64.7 per cent seek improved employee engagement and productivity and 49.1 per cent see it as means to retain more existing employees. A smaller percentage of 2023 respondents focused on diversity in senior leadership — 46.4 per cent versus 57 per cent in 2022. As well, respondents were less likely to make connections between diversity and enhanced company performance, although slightly more identified DEI as a way to elevate scores for third-party evaluations and certifications than did so in 2022.

The survey coordinators will host a webinar on February 7th discuss the results.

IFMA leveraging resources for AI guidance

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) plans to generate more resources and grounded insights on artificial intelligence. The goal is to help facility management professionals differentiate AI hype from reality and understand how to harness AI’s potential.

The association released a statement that it will leverage its research capabilities to guide near-term practical applications of AI in facility operations, longer-term prospects for more advanced AI capabilities and organizational and technical prerequisites to consider for those seeking to be AI early adopters.

“FM has become a data-driven industry. Basing decisions on incorrect data is far more worrisome than whether AI will take our jobs,” said Chair of IFMA’s Global Board of Directors Dean Stanberry, “FM knowledge, skill and experience requirements have expanded. IFMA is working to identify what knowledge FMs will need to know and when, and to develop informational and educational resources to help FMs apply this new knowledge in practice.”

Canada announces cap on international students

To contend with ongoing housing shortages, the federal government announced it will be limiting the number of international students in 2024 and 2025 by a minimum of 35 per cent, with some provinces, including Ontario, seeing up to 50 per cent reductions. The two-year cap comes after months of mounting pressure by the provinces to limit non-permanent residents due to a critical lack of available housing and infrastructure.

Data shows that more than 800,000 international students were issued temporary study visas in 2022, and according to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, 2023’s numbers were on track to be more than triple the number of foreign students accepted to Canadian colleges and universities 10 years ago. In Monday’s announcement, the minister said he hopes the two-year cap will give the federal and provincial governments enough time to address a system that has been “taking advantage of high international student tuition” without providing the proper supports.

The federal government currently opens its doors to up to 500,000 new permanent residents per year, but there is no limit on the number of non-permanent residents, which includes temporary workers and international students. While in Canada, most temporary residents require affordable rental accommodations near their place of work or study, and this influx of tenants has contributed to critically low vacancy rates.

The newly announced cap will cut the number of approved study permits in 2024 to 364,000, and in 2025, the limit will be reassessed according to pending data.

Arthur Erickson Place achieves zero carbon

Arthur Erickson Place on West Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver has achieved the Zero Carbon Building – Performance (ZCB) Standard certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC).

Achieving ZCB Performance certification for Arthur Erickson Place demonstrates the building’s energy efficiency and the investment made to minimize carbon emissions from its operations. The three-year decarbonization process, which began in 2022, involved an innovative retrofitting of the 363,000 square-foot 26-storey commercial building. The process is expected to be complete in 2025, at which point Arthur Erickson Place will have reduced its carbon emissions by 97 per cent.

Arthur Erickson Place’s new sustainable mechanical upgrades and features include optimized HVAC controls as well as new electric boilers, heat pumps, air handling units, a rooftop beehive installation to promote biodiversity and a spacious outdoor plaza.

The decarbonization of Arthur Erickson Place will result in:

The reduction of carbon emissions from the building by 97 per cent by 2025.
A 40 per cent reduction in the building’s energy consumption.
The equivalent of removing approximately 140 gas-powered cars from the road each year.
Ensuring the building exceeds its individual requirement to meet the Global Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5C.
Further validation of the business case for fuel switching and electrification in Canada.

“This achievement for Arthur Erickson Place is an important milestone in KingSett’s decarbonization program. It strengthens a key asset in our portfolio and advances our value enhancement strategy. In collaboration with our partners, we continue to demonstrate that complex, deep carbon retrofits of iconic buildings like Arthur Erickson Place and the Royal York Hotel can be done in a way that is economically viable and environmentally impactful,” said Rob Kumer, CEO, KingSett Capital.

In 2019, a partnership comprised of Reliance Properties, KingSett Capital, and Crestpoint Real Estate Investments acquired the property.

RioCan REIT marks 30 years as public company

RioCan real estate investment trust (REIT) ushered in the TSX trading day, January 19, to mark 30 years as a public company. Founder and chairman, Edward Sonshine, and other members of the REIT’s senior leadership team were on hand to perform the daily bell-ringing ritual.

RioCan is one of Canada’s longest established REITs. Initially focused on retail properties, today it boasts a diversified portfolio of retail, office and multifamily assets with more than 34 million square feet of leasable space concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. As well, five mixed-use developments are in the planning approval process.

“With an industry leading team, we have curated an irreplaceable portfolio that is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of Canadians in the nation’s six largest markets,” says John Ballantyne, RioCan’s chief operating officer. “Over the past 30 years, RioCan has grown from one of Canada’s first REITs to Canada’s premier REIT. We are extremely proud to own, manage and develop mixed-use urban assets, which serve a mix of retail, residential, and office tenants.”

Three decades out from RioCan’s launch, the TSX REIT index comprises 16 constituent companies. On the morning the RioCan team opened the market, its unit price opened at $18.68.

Clamping down on renovictions

Hamilton will soon be the first city in Ontario to introduce a renoviction bylaw forcing landlords to obtain a licence prior to engaging in building upgrades that require a unit to be vacated. Based on similar policy in New Westminster, BC, the Renovation Licence and Relocation Bylaw is another way to deter landlords from displacing tenants and hiking rents. While advocates refer to its recent passing as a “trailblazing victory”, landlords in the Hamilton area are far less celebratory. In fact, the Hamilton and District Apartment Association (HDAA) says the new legislation will lead to a more competitive and unaffordable rental market by deterring investment, lowering rental supply, and creating a worse environment for the most vulnerable tenants in the city.

“Housing providers will see Hamilton not as a place to invest, but rather a place to avoid and those who suffer will be our residents,” said Daniel Chin, President HDAA. “Although it may help address ‘bad faith’ renovictions, the licence fees will put more strain on housing providers, including the good and honest operators that make up the majority. Consequently, it will be more challenging for Hamilton landlords, and for many, it may no longer be economically viable to continue providing housing, especially in these unprecedented times.”

Meanwhile, arguing for stronger tenant protections, Monica Ciriello, Hamilton’s director of licensing and bylaw enforcement, sees the new legislation as a positive step for the city—particularly after Hamilton recorded a 983 per cent increase in the number of N-13s issued between 2017 and 2022.

“I am pleased that Committee supported this long-awaited bylaw, the first of its kind in Ontario,” she said, clarifying that it will not prohibit the issuance of an N-13 notice, but rather, ensure the City is informed and trigger the provision of information to tenants regarding their rights. This includes the first right of refusal to return to the unit at the same rate they were paying previously, and the right to temporary accommodations for the duration of the renovations paid for by the landlord.

As the HDAA argues, the $700-license and exorbitant costs of renovating and rehousing tenants will only further dissuade landlords from investing in their properties, particularly if they can’t increase rents afterwards.

“The RTA already doesn’t make it financially feasible to renovate properties and ask for N-13 evictions if the tenant intends to move back in,” Chin said. “The fact is, prices go up. In no other facet of our lives do prices stay the same. If we take this mindset, we should also ask why our municipal and property taxes are not the same as they were 10 years ago. It is not feasible, and costs unfortunately increase over time.”

Furthermore, the group asserts that provincial legislation already exists to dissuade unlawful renovictions. In June 2023, Ontario passed Bill 97, which amped up tenant protections and raised fines for ‘bad faith’ evictions. Landlords are now required to give tenants a 60-day grace period to return to their units at the same rate they were paying previously. If a landlord fails to comply, the tenant may file a complaint with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) with fines for offences now up to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations.

But the reality, according to tenant advocacy group ACORN, is that ‘bad faith’ renovictions continue to happen all-too often and landlords are going unpenalized.

“Renoviction shatters the lives of families, breaks long-held community bonds, drives up rents in the neighbourhood, increases homelessness and strain on social services, incentivizes landlords to allow their buildings to fall into disrepair and destroys existing stock of affordable housing,” ACORN Hamilton wrote in a recent update. “While tenants do have the legal right to return to their unit at their current rent once renovations are complete, ACORN has yet to see a landlord follow the law and honour these requests. The Renovation License and Relocation Bylaw aims to address this in many ways, most notably by requiring that landlords provide returning tenants with either suitable alternative accommodation for the duration of the renovations or compensation in the amount of the difference in rent.”

At the end of the day, the HDAA says that landlords really just want the same outcome as the City: to have a healthy rental market with happy tenants who are able to afford their units. “There does not need to be an adversarial relationship. If all parties worked together cohesively, a more positive impact could be made for the benefit of everyone while making sure our taxpayer funds went even farther.”

CCA partnership tackles workplace harassment

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has partnered with WomanACT and the Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology (SCWIST) to launch a transformative micro-lesson training series. This dynamic initiative, available through CCA partner associations to CCA integrated members at no cost, aims to reshape workplace cultures and eliminate gender-based and sexual harassment within workplaces.

The micro-lesson series offers an interactive training program encompassing essential concepts, practical strategies, and actionable steps. Participants will delve into trauma-informed practices, procedural fairness, equity, as well as the nuances of gender, sexual orientation, and harassment, and will receive a certificate upon completion. The series empowers participants to foster accountable workplace cultures, implement preventative measures, and respond effectively to incidents.“Our partnership for the micro-lesson training series with CCA signifies more than collaboration; it signifies our shared commitment to reshape workplaces. We’re writing a story where harassment has no place, and equality and respect thrive,” said Harmy Mendoza, executive director of WomanACT.

The micro-lesson series epitomizes the synergy achieved through cross-sectoral partnerships. The Canadian Construction Association’s commitment to cultivating a culture of respect and safety aligns seamlessly with the shared objectives of WomanACT and SCWIST.

“The construction sector continues to invest in an inclusive and respectful workplace. We are delighted to offer this training to our member firms through our integrated partner associations across Canada,” said Mary Van Buren, CCA president.

The series of micro lessons is being offered at no cost through CCA’s integrated partner associations. The on-demand, self-paced micro lessons consist of six short modules offered in English and French, from core concepts and principles to building accountable workplace cultures.

This program could not be possible without the involvement of employers such as the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), Chandos Construction, Tandem Launch, and EllisDon, who are among many employers dedicated to nurturing respectful and secure work environments.

Canadian industrial landlords see greater rent growth in 2023

U.S. office market forecasts deemed “sobering”

Canadian multifamily supply lags U.S. development pace

Canadian women’s career advancement outpaces global counterparts

Execution lags intent on some recruitment and retention strategies

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