PGE launches two Waterloo rental projects in record time

Waterloo-based developer and property manager Prica Global Enterprises (PGE) is nearing completion on two rental housing developments in record time thanks to advanced cloud technologies that enabled the integration of construction partners and teams in a unique phased approach.

“The challenge in constructing any building, let alone projects that can be completed efficiently, is the time spent collaborating and coordinating multiple construction teams,” says Bruno Pinto, Project Manager at Prica Group Construction Management (PGCM). “Through our use of the most modern cloud technologies, integrating BIM designs with construction teams occurred daily and in real time. It made for faster and more effective construction for all, as did sourcing more local, Canadian materials, rather than relying on overseas distributors that might take far longer to deliver their products.”

Both developments will relieve pressure on the overheated Waterloo rental market, which the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported to be at record low vacancy rates in early 2023.

“We’re proud to bring two developments to market so quickly after their shovels first went into the ground,” says Dusan Dukanc, Project Manager for PGCM. “We’re excited to help students, young professionals, and families find their homes in today’s tough rental market,” he adds.

308 King St. N (pictured above) is comprised of 340 rental units and 14 commercial rental spaces. Construction began in January 2022, with occupancy now underway. While the average construction time for a building of this size is approximately 42 months, the 20-month timeframe was accomplished using a unique three-phased approach to construction whereby the lower levels of the building were completed and furnished first before attention was directed upwards to the higher storeys.

The building features a rooftop amenity space as well as a park and garden on its east podium, and is designed to resemble a tree in the midst of an urban landscape. Its orientation, windows, and building envelope are based on the principles of phototropism – the way in which living things respond to light.

298 Hemlock St. (pictured left) is a six-storey building comprising 92 rental units with office space on the ground level. It was constructed efficiently in just 10 months, well below the average construction time 18 to 24 months for a building of this scale. Building orientation for this property was based on the Danish concept of hygge – using space and surroundings to establish feelings of joy, vitality, and coziness.

The PGE team prides itself on embracing new technologies, from innovative geothermal energy and heating systems to the integration of social and affordable housing into residential neighbourhoods and commercial buildings. Find out more at: Property Development | Prica Global Enterprises Inc. | Waterloo

Expanded ICU set to open at Nanaimo hospital

A new 12-bed intensive care unit (ICU) at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital is set to open at the end of June, providing greater access to care for patients.

“The new, expanded ICU brings health-care services closer to home for people in Nanaimo and surrounding areas,” said Adrian Dix, minister of Health. “We heard the needs of people in Nanaimo, and I’m proud that our government responded with a new ICU that provides both a technological upgrade and an expansion in size to provide better health-care services.”

The ICU includes larger single-patient rooms; ceiling-mounted service booms and overhead patient lifts; a medication room; and a family consult room. The ICU will be south of the current emergency department.

“We all want better health care for people, so we delivered on a new ICU that Nanaimo can count on,” said Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo. “A new ICU for Nanaimo means more people can get vital, urgent health care.”

The current 10-bed ICU, built in 1970, is outdated in its space and functionality.

“It is fantastic to see construction complete on the new ICU. It will provide our care teams at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital with the space they need to deliver safe quality care. This new space is equipped to provide patients with specialized care, which will help save lives and support the critical care needs of the people we serve,” said Leah Hollins, board chair, Island Health.

Construction also continues on a new 12-bed high-acuity unit (HAU) at the hospital, which will provide patients with more acute care and closer monitoring than a general hospital ward, but requires fewer resources than an ICU.

The new HAU will replace the current, temporary eight-bed unit. If there is an influx of patients requiring ICU-level care, the new HAU will be equipped to support these patients and provide the same level of monitoring and care as the ICU. The HAU is slated to open in summer 2024.

Range of CRE stakeholders demand ESG metrics

Canada’s leading commercial real estate players are increasingly turning to ESG metrics to track responsiveness to a range of emerging risks and business imperatives, and to benchmark their competitiveness as new tenant, investor and regulator expectations reshape the market. The task is both growing in complexity and gaining more resources as companies set in-house targets and prepare for mandates that may be imposed upon them in the future.

REALPAC, an industry association that counts many of Canada’s most prominent real estate companies, investment managers and institutional investors in its membership, has released a macro-level look at the trends in an inaugural ESG report, drawing from a recent survey of its members along with Canadian data from sources such as GRESB and the Global Real Estate DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) Survey. Meanwhile, several REALPAC members are also affiliated with OSCRE (Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate) International, which is currently developing standards for managing and reporting environmental data.

“Investor demand for more ESG data could not be higher. Having good quality data is fundamental,” Ailey Roberts, principal, sustainable investing, with BentallGreenOak, asserted during a recent webinar sponsored by OSCRE. “It’s actually a business critical need. We can’t raise capital without it. We can’t report to investors without it. It’s going to impede our ability at the end of the day if we don’t wrap our heads around it.”

Information silos impede organization-wide exercise

OSCRE identifies some core elements of that process. ESG should be incorporated into a company’s overarching data strategy with a clear delineation of how it connects to all business functions and how it is to be collected and aggregated. That will entail what’s known as master data management to ensure uniformity and accuracy, and to assign reporting accountability across the enterprise. A specific ESG data standards strategy then provides further tools and processes for managing and analyzing the data.

Many companies are still grappling with the logistics of that framework as demands for data collection and management evolve rapidly. Experienced practitioners are scarce, data can be difficult to locate and retrieve, and longer established business units may not be aware of, or receptive to, their required contributions.

Landlords can encounter complications in trying to track energy and water use, waste generation and other pertinent ESG factors within tenants’ premises, while, within their own operations, there is a vast supply chain to consider. Chris Lees, an OSCRE technical director, notes that both internal business units and external contractors tend to be largely focused on the types of information that they need for their own purposes, which is often narrower than ESG’s expanding scope.

“Even if you can establish some clarity around the ownership, it still doesn’t mean the data is just there for the taking,” he observed. “You’re often asking for something that people don’t feel very obliged to provide.”

“ESG data is embedded throughout the organization, in places that you probably didn’t know it existed. As we think about what is included within the pillars environmental, social and governance, this really does touch on all facets of an organization,” Roberts concurred. “We need to get incredibly granular with the level of detail, and the expectations to report on ESG data is typically put on our team, not necessarily on some of these other groups to report that data.”

For now, that’s necessitating some labour-intensive exercises. For example, Roberts’ team is currently going through BGO’s leases to identify clauses that are relevant to ESG and the company’s target for net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Extracted information is being plugged into a spreadsheet at this initial stage, with the goal of converting it into more workable data.

“These are things contained in very manual PDF documents that possibly no one has looked at for a number of years,” Roberts recounted. “The next question is: where’s this information going to live? We’ve never had this quality or this level of data before, but now our team is challenged with finding a home for it so that we can access it in the future and actually leverage it to make decisions and have an informed conversation.”

IT is critical to the endeavor as the ESG team collects everything from asset-level operational data to HR and financial data. In reaching into almost every department within the company, Roberts suggests it’s also something of a new conduit for communications between them.

“There’s a lot that the entire industry is learning about,” she said. “There’s constantly some new regulation, new standard, new framework to report on, and it’s our job to figure that out, and not only educate ourselves, but educate our stakeholders.”

REALPAC members rank priorities and report on indicators

REALPAC’s ESG report reiterates commercial real estate’s direct interest in nine of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals, including:

good health and well-being;
gender equality;
affordable and clean energy;
decent work and economic growth;
reduced inequalities;
sustainable cities and communities;
responsible consumption and production;
climate action; and
partnerships for these goals.

The membership survey, conducted in April 2023, finds that respondents’ most pressing ESG priorities, in order, are: net zero carbon; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); reporting disclosures; energy management; and green building certifications.

Currently, 83 per cent of REALPAC members have either a formal DEI policy or some measures in place; 75 per cent consider climate risk in investment decisions; 70 per cent participate in the GRESB annual ESG reporting and benchmarking exercise; 48 per cent report on scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, encompassing direct emissions from on-site or fleet use of fossil fuels and indirect emissions from the production of electricity that assets consume; 37 per cent have a target to achieve net-zero emissions; and 33 per cent report on at least some categories of scope 3 emissions, encompassing the broad range of emissions from activities within a portfolio over which landlords have no control.

In his introduction to the report REALPAC’s chief executive officer, Michael Brooks, commends the membership for proactively embracing ESG and grasping how it underpins their business credibility and agility. Along with the snapshot of industry efforts, the report discusses the challenges to comply with and report on an expanding list of fiduciary and regulatory requirements. It also highlights some convincing economic prompts as the price of carbon ticks upward in $15 annual increments to reach $170/tonne in 2030, and there is increasing pressure to integrate ESG and financial reporting.

“REALPAC is proud to support our members on ESG — from developing the first office green lease in North America, to setting targets for energy consumption in office buildings, to publishing guidance on greenhouse gas accounting and net zero carbon, to offering insights and best practices on diversity, equity and inclusion, and to being a strong voice on affordability and housing solutions,” Brooks states.

Envisioned OSCRE environmental data management standards will drill down to technical protocols for exercises like greenhouse gas accounting — which the REALPAC ESG report identifies as a “key challenge for the industry” fraught with “greater uncertainty around the quality and availability of scope 3 emissions data”.

“At the industry level, we can’t make progress without having these environmental data standards,” Roberts maintained. “There are so many different pieces of data that we are talking about. If we’re not able to compare apples to apples, it makes our jobs really difficult.”

Lees further places that in the context of a comprehensive strategy to address inherent dynamism in the standards themselves.

“Actually, you’re looking at a kind of hybrid set of standards effectively to cover all of your needs, and how you brings those together is an important part of the standard strategy,” he advised. “Those standards will not be static because the world is changing all the time. If you’ve got several standards today and they are evolving, you’ve got to have a strategy about how you’re going manage that.”

Barbara Carss is editor-in-chief of Canadian Property Management.

What to do after falling victim to mortgage fraud

The first part of this two-article series on mortgage fraud outlined two types of real estate fraud on the rise and seven practical tips for condo owners to protect themselves from mortgage schemes. What if you do become a victim? Here are some legal remedies and next steps when reclaiming the interest in your home.

Picture a scenario in which you receive a Notice of Sale from an apparent mortgagee of your condominium. The Notice of Sale states that your mortgage (which you know nothing about) is in default, and the mortgagee will sell your condo to recover the mortgage debt if payment of the full amount of the mortgage, including accrued interest, penalties and other exorbitant fees are not paid within 35 days. You have never even heard of or met the mortgagee and you thought your mortgage was in good standing.

This is the stuff of nightmares for many first-time homeowners who may have used their life savings to purchase their first condominium. If you do find yourself in this nightmare scenario, here is what you can do next to try and reclaim this interest in your home.

Consult with a commercial litigation lawyer immediately, preferably a lawyer with real estate dispute and mortgage fraud experience. The lawyer will search the Property Identification Number (PIN) confirming whether the subject mortgage has, in fact, been registered on title to the property and will also identify precisely what other mortgages are registered on title to the property to see if there are any that you do not recognize.

Your lawyer can also get a copy of the mortgage document which will identify the face value of the mortgage, the identity of the mortgagee, and the law firm that was responsible for registering the mortgage on title to the property.

From there, your lawyer can contact that law firm and request the mortgage file, including the copies of the mortgage documents that were used to register the mortgage. This will help your lawyer assess your case and determine whether the mortgage documents were forged, falsified or registered in other fraudulent circumstances. Depending on the evidence, your lawyer should now be able to determine how best to proceed in the short-term to preserve your rights.

If you need to go to court, time is not on your side. These initial steps should be taken as soon as possible. Hopefully by the time you receive the Notice of Sale, you still have the benefit of the full 35-day statutory notice period under the Mortgages Act that the mortgagee is required to provide before exercising any enforcement methods, including proceeding by way of power of sale and potentially selling the property from under you or prejudicing your rights to redeem the mortgage.

Depending on the circumstances of the fraud, your lawyer may seek an injunction in court seeking to restrain the mortgagee from selling the property under power of sale, if advisable, or take other such steps as are necessary under the Land Titles Act to preserve your rights and the status quo, pending determination as to the validity of the mortgage.

If a review of the file indicates that the mortgage documents were forged, you may have recourse outside of court by seeking a hearing before the director of titles to discharge the fraudulent mortgage, pursuant to the Land Titles Act. Under this scenario, the director of titles may freeze the PIN pending the hearing, precluding any dealings with the property until the hearing.

If the mortgage fraud did not involve forgery and you may have been duped into signing mortgage documents unwittingly, you may still have recourse in court to seek a discharge of the mortgage or modification of its terms.

If you succeed with your court case, you will ask the court for an order removing the mortgage from title which you can then file with the Land Registry Office. This will effectively remove the encumbrance from title to your property.

If you are the victim of mortgage fraud involving a mortgage lender and a third-party fraudster, chasing after the fraudster should be secondary to taking immediate steps to try and preserve your rights and prevent your condo from being sold. Ultimately you may succeed in obtaining a civil judgment against the fraudster, but this will take time and cost money. Typically, fraudsters do not keep money in the jurisdiction, and your money as well as their assets likely will be long gone by the time you obtain judgment against them.

So, you may end up with what is known in the litigation business as a “hollow judgment,” in other words, judgement in your favour with no money or assets available to recover.

Therefore, as a practical matter, a civil judgment against the third-party fraudster may not be all that useful unless you have evidence that the mortgagee was also involved or complicit in the fraud.

If you purchased title insurance when you purchased or re-financed your condo, you or your lawyer should file a title insurance application as soon as possible to preserve possible coverage. Title insurers may cover losses sustained by homeowners who are victims of fraud when there is evidence of forgery or falsification of documents.

Lastly, you can report the mortgage fraud to the police as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Unfortunately, this is mostly a matter of public record and recognition. Unless the fraud is widespread (affecting hundreds of homeowners), the police may not investigate. They have limited resources and may view any isolated incident as a civil matter that does not warrant their involvement.

Even if the police do investigate the fraud and charge or convict the fraudster, this may not assist you in retrieving your money or discharging the mortgage unless the fraudster is willing to make restitution for your damages to be factored into sentencing.

If you have fallen victim to a mortgage fraud, you should consult with an experienced commercial litigator immediately to help you navigate through the very difficult process of trying to discharge the mortgage and regain the equity in your home.

Ellad Gersh is a partner at Robins Appleby LLP, with an emphasis on litigating real property disputes, including construction litigation, mortgage fraud, and condominium disputes.

Your flooring can affect seasonal allergies

‘Tis the season for allergies, lasting in some cases until mid-October, including everything from grass to ragweed pollen. With 25 per cent of the population reporting that they have allergies, keeping them at a minimum will improve your staff and visitor experience in your facility.

It is important for facility and maintenance managers to prioritize the air quality in the building to help keep people safe. Ventilation is one of the ways to improve air quality, but what about flooring? Dust mites and allergens can accumulate in carpet fibres and hardwood floors, so it’s important to have a strategy to address these issues to improve your facility’s air quality.

Hardwood floors

While these may be a better choice because they don’t collect as many particles, contaminants can still accumulate between the floor boards, so it’s important to stay vigilant. The floor might look clean and shiny but could still be harbouring allergens and mould that threaten your air quality. Keeping your hardwood floors clean and dry is the secret to them staying allergen- and mould-free.

Tile and stone floors

Though these floors can be easily maintained, the risk lies with keeping the grout lines clean and free of contaminants. Sticking to a consistent schedule will help you stay on top of the cleanliness of these floors, with a monthly deep clean, the appropriate products, and sealants that can help keep allergens from settling into the grout. Maintain these floors on a regular basis to ensure that they are not helping to lower the air quality in your building.

Laminate floors

Just like hardwood, these floors may present less of a risk, as they do not tend to trap as many particles as carpet flooring. However, the risk with laminate is that many of these floors can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have been linked to potential health issues. Consider switching to a low-VOC type of flooring and adhesive to mitigate this risk and improve the condition of your building.

Carpet floors

This type of flooring is probably the most likely to affect the air quality in your building, as it can hold allergens, dust, and invisible contaminants that fall from the air and get trapped in the fibres. Some experts feel that carpet actually helps air quality because it traps those contaminants, removing them from the air. The caveat, though, is that the floors must be cleaned and vacuumed regularly to avoid buildup.

Detergent helps get those carpet fibres clean, followed by vacuuming for removing anything loose and a clean appearance. Be sure to open windows and add ventilation to help carpets dry as quickly as possible and lower the risk of mould developing as it dries. Maintaining a regular, thorough routine of cleaning your carpets will reduce the risk of it adversely affecting the air quality or the health of the people in your building.

While flooring is not always immediately tied to air quality, your flooring can have an effect on the allergens and mould amounts in your building. Clean your floors regularly with a focus on hygiene to keep your building safe, cut down on allergens, and improve your air quality.

Mississauga appoints new director of building

Rick Conard has been appointed as the new director of building and chief building officer for the City of Mississauga. He replaces Ezio Savini, who retires this month.

Reporting to Andrew Whittemore, commissioner of planning and building, Conard will oversee six key areas of operations that focus on administering zoning by-laws, the Ontario Building Code Act and its regulations; processing applications for building permits, zoning certificates, sign permits, second unit registrations as well as ensuring building compliance and conducting building examinations and field inspections.

“Rick will help guide the City through the rapidly changing landscape of regulations and reform in development and building, while continuing to create a culture that promotes strong customer service values, innovation and continuous improvement,” Whittemore said in a press release.

Prior to joining the City of Mississauga, Conard served as the chief building official at the City of Brampton, where he worked to create a culture of innovative, creative design thinking and implemented strategic process modernization. Most recently, he was the acting commissioner, corporate services and the acting director of purchasing at the City of Brampton where he was able to drive meaningful policy changes. Prior to that, he held the role of deputy chief building official at the City of Toronto.

“I am excited and flattered to have the opportunity to join the team at the City of Mississauga,” he said. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the ongoing efforts of delivering, supporting and implementing key initiatives for the continued successful planning, building and growth of Mississauga.”

Strong mayor powers expanded to 26 municipalities

The Ontario government is expanding strong mayor powers to the mayors of 26 municipalities that have committed to a housing pledge as part of the province’s work to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. Announced today by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, the new strong mayor powers will take effect on July 1, 2023.

“Municipalities are critical partners for our government as we help communities get shovels in the ground faster and work to build more homes,” Clark said. “By adopting ambitious and absolutely necessary housing pledges, these 26 municipalities have demonstrated they understand the importance of that target, and we are ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed. We welcome housing pledges from other municipalities to help reach our goal of 1.5 million homes by 2031.”

Strong mayor powers for Toronto and Ottawa took effect in the Fall of 2022. The enhanced power provides tools that allow heads of council to “cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as housing, transit and infrastructure in their municipalities.”

Strong mayor powers and duties include:

Choosing to appoint the municipality’s chief administrative officer
Hiring certain municipal department heads, and establishing and re-organizing departments
Creating committees of council, assigning their functions and appointing the chairs and vice-chairs of committees of council
Proposing the municipal budget, which would be subject to council amendments and a separate head of council veto and council override process
Vetoing certain by-laws if the head of council is of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority
Bringing forward matters for council consideration if the head of council is of the opinion that considering the matter could potentially advance a provincial priority

“Ontario’s Big City Mayors back the province’s goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031, and all of our members have accepted their housing pledge in support of that target,” said Marianne Meed Ward, Chair of OBCM and Mayor of Burlington. “Different communities require different tools and approaches to address local housing needs, and strong mayor powers are one such tool that can help mayors and municipalities meet their housing targets. We’re committed to continue working with the province to build the homes our residents need.”

“Today’s announcement by the provincial government providing strong mayor powers for Ontario’s largest and fastest-growing cities comes at a time when mayors need every tool to advance work on housing pledges and meet new challenges,” said Cam Guthrie, Mayor of Guelph and past chair of OBCM. “Although strong mayor powers may not be required in all contexts to reach our collective housing goals, our citizens expect results – and tools such as this can help us achieve them.”

The new municipalities announced today include:

Ajax
Barrie
Brampton
Brantford
Burlington
Caledon
Cambridge
Clarington
Guelph
Hamilton
Kingston
Kitchener
London
Markham
Milton
Mississauga
Niagara Falls
Oakville
Oshawa
Pickering
Richmond Hill
Catharines
Vaughan
Waterloo
Whitby
Windsor

Canadian home sales gain ground in May

The Canadian Real Estate Association is reporting that national home sales are continuing to climb and up 5.1 per cent between April and May of this year.

Sales rose in about 70 per cent of all local markets, including the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Montreal, Greater Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa.

The actual number of transactions (1.4 per cent above the same period last year) was the first national year-over-year sales increase since June 2021.

“The rebound has been evident for a number of months at this point, but May really drove the point home with year-over-year comparisons for both national sales activity and national average home price back in positive territory,” said CREA Chair Larry Cerqua in a statement. “That being said, the degree to which a recovery will be able to play out on the sales side as opposed to the price side will come down to supply, which remains quite low.”

The rebound doesn’t come as a surprise for Shaun Cathcart, CREA’s senior economist. “The 2023 housing puzzle piece that was less obvious was the reluctance of existing owners to take advantage of a slower market to make a move because they don’t want to mess with the ultra-low fixed rates they locked in during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he noted. “Without existing owners supplying the market with new listings, this housing demand rebound may play out more acutely than might have been expected on the price side this year.”

The number of newly listed homes was up 6.8 per cent in May, but new supply remains at historically low levels. The sales-to-new listings ratio was 67.9 per cent, little changed from 69 per cent in April. There were 3.1 months of inventory, down from 3.3 months at the end of April and down more than a full month from the most recent peak at the end of January. The long-term average for this measure is about five months.

The average home price rose 2.1 per cent between April and May and is now $729,000, up 3.2 per cent from May 2022. This was the first year-over-year gain in this measure in 12 months. As CREA found, the average price recovered by more than $116,000 since January 2023 owing in large part to outsized sales rebounds in the GTA and B.C. Lower Mainland. Excluding the GTA and Greater Vancouver from the calculation cuts almost $150,000 from the national average price.

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New digital permit tools slated for Vancouver

The City of Vancouver is launching two new digital tools to streamline the permitting process.

The Project Requirements Exploration Tool (PRET) will allow applicants to explore and understand regulations and requirements for locations throughout Vancouver. Applicants can identify potential costs, map out timelines, and determine project feasibility – all before they pursue a potential application.

The other tool is eComply which is an online design compliance check tool, developed by Archistar,. eComply will allow applicants to upload their designs and drawings, check if they meet City of Vancouver regulations, and receive a compliance report.

The city is the first in North America to partner with Archistar and improve its permitting process using this technology. The first iteration of PRET is slated to launch later this summer, while eComply’s initial component will be available early next year.

“Embracing technology for permitting will have a huge impact for Vancouver’s residents and businesses,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “Applicants will receive feedback on any items that are incomplete, missing or not permitted so they can resolve it before they submit their application.”

The complexity of some applications can result in multiple rounds of manual review between staff and applicants. The interactive PRET and eComply will help to reduce this complexity.

“Our partnership with the City of Vancouver will help Vancouver residents and businesses to assess land potential at the click of a button,” said Dr. Ben Coorey, Archistar chief executive. “Anyone will be to instantly pre-check their plans for compliance, ultimately making the approval process faster, easier, and cheaper.”

digital

Net-zero labour strategy in the works

The Canadian government is moving to establish a promised sustainable jobs secretariat and associated advisory council, meant to guide a labour strategy for wide-scale decarbonization. Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson has tabled proposed legislation to enable both bodies, and to ensure the government will continue to devote resources toward training, skills development and matching the workforce to employers’ and the wider economy’s evolving needs.

“Workers will lead our energy transition,” maintains Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s Minister of Labour. “It’s workers who know how to build up renewables and lower emissions. We need them. We need more of them.”

Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Job Act, would begin to implement measures outlined in an action plan released earlier this year. As envisioned, the sustainable jobs secretariat will be a new stream under the existing Union Training and Innovation Program along with a new training centre. It will provide “a one-stop shop for workers and employers and provide the most up to date information on federal programs, funding and services across government departments” and will take the lead in negotiating policies and programs with provincial/territorial governments.

The sustainable jobs partnership council is to be comprised of stakeholders representing government, employers and workers, including industry organizations and labour unions. It will consult nationwide and provide advice to the government.

“Canada’s Building Trades Unions are pleased that this government is conducting meaningful consultation with labour on the transition to net zero,” says Sean Strickland, executive director of the umbrella group, which represents 14 international unions encompassing more than 500,000 workers in more than 60 different trades and occupations. “We have, and will continue to work closely with the government on this important legislation because workers must be at the forefront of the transition to net zero, one of the greatest economic transformations of our time.”

How EV chargers can help your business

Are you considering adding EV chargers to your outdoor maintenance plan? As the demand for sustainable practices continues to grow, many companies are looking for ways to lower their carbon footprint and up their commitment to the environment.

Maintaining your property means offering your staff and guests amenities to attract them to your facility, along with leaving a lasting impression, and adding EV chargers to your facility can have several positive effects on your business.

Increase sustainability

Making it easier for guests and staff with electric vehicles to visit is a step in the right direction – and it may even encourage your staff to go greener when you lead by example. Installing chargers at your business shows your commitment to the environment, and it might lead to other green initiatives in your building. For example, once the chargers have been installed, maybe it makes sense to start to switch over your equipment to electric versions to save money while you’re saving emissions.

Attract talent

In today’s labour market, many people are now aligning themselves with companies whose mission and vision are compatible, and sustainability is at the top of many people’s priorities. Studies show that candidates are looking to join companies they are proud to work for, and over one-third of candidates would turn down a job from a company with poor environmental practices.

By providing EV chargers for your staff and guests, you may be attracting talent that will be compatible with your business. This can also help with retention, as many people will stay with a company that supports them with initiatives like increased sustainability. Prioritizing things that are important to your team will help you attract like-minded candidates and hold onto employees that align with your business values.

Grow your business

Similarly, companies like doing business with other companies with the same values, so when you make your commitment to green initiatives known, you may well attract companies with the same priorities, broadening your network and expanding your bottom line.

EV chargers can also become an additional revenue stream. You may decide to charge a nominal fee (by the hour or by the day) for use, to help offset the costs of installation and boost your margins. You may decide to charge a separate fee for guests and a lower fee for your staff as n employee perk, while still paying back the investment and adding revenue.

Getting it right

As you are deciding on whether EV chargers make sense for your business, it’s important to consider all factors before you forge ahead. Ask the following questions to determine the feasibility of going forward:

What is the cost of the project? Is there a way to spread out the costs over more than one fiscal budget to make it more reasonable?
Is there enough demand from employees? Ask them about the level of interest and usage. How far do they commute, and do they come in every day?
Do you have enough parking space to add chargers and electric vehicle spots? This may also be important if you are looking to use these chargers for your equipment and vehicles.
If you don’t own your building, will you need permission to install chargers?
Can your facility support the potential demand for electricity?
Will you charge for the use of the chargers to cover operating costs?
Consider the infrastructure, too. Do you prefer RFID or credit card access, and what measures will you need to take to offer those options?

Grow into the future

Investing in innovation like EV chargers not only demonstrates your commitment to sustainability but also a forward-thinking approach to your business. Stay ahead of the curve so you can take advantage of future innovation and continue to boost your building’s sustainability practices.

Ontario Teachers to realign real estate oversight

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is set to realign oversight of its global real estate activities, while Cadillac Fairview Corporation continues to manage its Canadian holdings. The new organizational structure will see 37 investment management positions migrate from Cadillac Fairview to a new in-house real estate asset group as of January 1, 2024, in keeping with the pension fund’s approach to the other asset classes in its CAD $247-billion portfolio.

A search is now underway for a new global head of real estate, who will step into the role soon after Salvatore Iacono takes the helm at Cadillac Fairview on November 1 of this year. Iacono, currently serving as executive vice president of operations, has been appointed to succeed John Sullivan as president and chief executive officer.

“I would like to thank John for tremendous leadership over many years,” says Jeff Jacobson, chair of Cadillac Fairview’s board. “I would also like to congratulate Sal on his new role as president and CEO. I am confident that given his extensive experience, broad network and strong leadership capabilities he is well placed to lead CF in the coming years.”

With the reorganization, Cadillac Fairview is mandated to grow, diversify and densify a Canadian portfolio that now encompasses 38 million square feet of retail, office and mixed-use space in 68 buildings, and will also provide real estate services for Ontario Teachers’ real estate portfolio beyond Canada. Meanwhile, the new home for the global real estate investment team is expected to support information sharing and co-sourcing with teams managing the pension fund’s assets in public and private equities, fixed income, credit, commodities, natural resources, infrastructure and venture growth.

“We are excited to continue our decades long relationship with CF under an evolved model that will capitalize on expertise across our two organizations and further strengthen our respective positions as a leading global investor and a best-in-class Canadian real estate owner and developer,” says Ziad Hindo, chief investment officer with Ontario Teachers’.

B.C. issues RFQ for $4B George Massey Tunnel

B.C. has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the $4.15 billion George Massey Tunnel project.

“This is a major milestone in the project to replace the George Massey Tunnel,” said Rob Fleming, minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “We are making significant progress on this important project that will improve travel times and transit options for people who live on both sides of the Fraser River.”

Following the RFQ, the province will issue a request for proposals (RFP) from a shortlist of qualified teams to select a single proponent to move forward in the procurement process. Concurrently, the project is progressing through the province’s environmental assessment process. Corridor improvements and construction of a new five-lane Steveston Interchange are already underway.

The new crossing will be an eight-lane immersed tube tunnel with three general-purpose travel lanes and one dedicated transit lane in each direction. The new tunnel will have bike and pedestrian crossings to support active transportation options in the region. The project also includes replacing the existing Deas Slough Bridge as well as the addition of a southbound general-purpose lane on Highway 99 between Westminster Highway in Richmond and Highway 17 in Delta.

With the new tunnel and approaches in place, travel will flow smoothly at 80 kilometres per hour, unlike the current average of 30 kilometres per hour.

The project will be constructed under a project labour agreement, similar to the Steveston Interchange. The project labour agreement will support local jobs, apprentices and training opportunities, as well as maximize participation of groups under-represented in the construction sector.

A new connection for transit buses between Bridgeport Road and Highway 99 southbound has opened, saving transit users minutes on their southbound trips. New bus-on-shoulder lanes south of the tunnel are in construction, which will improve travel times and add to the reliability of transit along the corridor.

Mass retrofit model set for low-rise trial

The Canadian government is seeking candidates to demonstrate aggregated deep energy retrofits in a cluster of at least 100 units of low-rise social, community-based non-profit or cooperative housing. Prospective proponents have until September 14 to apply for the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Project, which will provide up to six chosen housing providers with $1 million to $10 million to cover 50 per cent of their project costs.

Funding for the pilot was first announced in the 2022 federal budget. It is intended to test a group approach to residential energy retrofits that can leverage economies of scale to reduce per-unit costs for material and labour, speed up construction time and create possibilities for innovation across a broader base of homes. The concept, known as energiesprong, was developed in the Netherlands and has also been applied in retrofit projects in France, Germany the United Kingdom and the United States.

The pilot is open to not-for-profit groups, provincial/territorial and municipal governments and their associated agencies, and Indigenous organizations, including for-profit businesses in which Indigenous parties hold the controlling interest. They will be expected to undertake a whole-building retrofit involving, at minimum, envelope and mechanical upgrades that aim for a 50 per cent annual energy use reduction and an 80 per cent annual reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in each dwelling unit.

Retrofits can be conducted in one of or a combination of low-rise housing types, ranging from single detached homes to multifamily buildings of up to four storeys. Work must be completed by March 31, 2028.

Qualifying proponents will be required to supply one year of baseline data, drawn from utility bills prior to the retrofits, and one year of post-retrofit data. Planned upgrades must be based on whole-building energy modelling, while estimates of return on investment are to be derived based on analysis of the total cost of building ownership rather than a simple payback formula.

“Retrofitting Canada’s buildings stock provides us with the opportunity to make communities more resilient to climate-related impacts while reducing emissions and utility bills, increasing energy efficiency and creating good-paying jobs in construction and maintenance,” says Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

The government has designated a slate of expert advisors — chosen through a call for proposals earlier this year — who will be available to shepherd housing providers through planning, procurement, construction and required reporting processes. A parallel program for commercial, institutional and larger multifamily buildings, dubbed the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative, is also in progress.

B.C. family donates $20M for recovery care centre

The Diamond Foundation has announced a $20-million donation to fund a brand new Road to Recovery at St. Paul’s Hospital, a ‘first-in-Canada‘ model of treatment that could transform addictions care across the country.

Road to Recovery aims to cut weeks off waitlists and support patients to move through a full spectrum of treatment services all in one location.

It will eventually house 95 beds for seamless transition between all stages of the recovery journey—from the Rapid Access Addiction Clinic through withdrawal management, in-patient recovery-focused beds, transitional housing, outpatient treatment and more. The first beds, focused on stabilization, will open in fall of 2023.

One of the key factors driving substance use-related harms in British Columbia is the lack of a seamless system of care to support people with addiction. Gaps failing to connect prevention, treatment, and recovery mean that people are unable to access the supports they need, when and where they need them.

The Diamond Foundation’s gift is made in honour of Steven Diamond, who is remembered as an “immeasurably giving” addictions counselor and massage therapist with a “healing touch”. While his life was punctuated with long periods of sobriety and joy, he faced a prolonged struggle with substance use disorder that saw him in and out of treatment for years.

“This donation demonstrates the power of philanthropy to drive systemic change,” says Dick Vollet, president and CEO of St. Paul’s Foundation. “Despite the most difficult circumstances, the Diamond family is bravely stepping forward to help fix a broken system—and giving families hope there is a path to recovery.”

The provincial government has also committed $60.9 million toward operating costs.

Making meaningful impacts in FM

Facility managers impact building occupants everyday through value-added services, primarily because we care about keeping our facilities functional, safe, and comfortable for customers

Behind the scenes, we contribute to our organization’s production and success by establishing positive relationships and encouraging buy-in to vital facility initiatives. Therefore, it is imperative that we continue to grow and nurture these relationships with teams and stakeholders through meaningful impacts. Here are some key ingredients to accomplish this.

Trust, honesty and respect

A range of strategies that build trust, honesty, and respect ensure effective and efficient support services. Meaningful intent stems from our demonstrated empathy towards stakeholders, understanding their health and safety concerns and needs, working collaboratively, and remaining accountable for our decisions.

This can come in the form of implementing policies that promote safety, security, and comfort—for example, improving lighting conditions, conducting accessibility assessments, adding ergonomic furniture, creating enticing break spaces, etc.

Communicate regularly in a transparent and honest manner. Be upfront about decision-making processes and offer timely information. Each project requires follow-up and evaluation to ensure thoroughness and to review performance with feedback from stakeholders. Staying in touch builds a foundation that fosters relationship building.

People management and team leadership

Leading teams to align with company priorities is another meaningful impact. Assign tasks based on each team member’s strengths and encourage them to advance the workplace experience based on current and futuristic trends. The right FM team provides a forward-thinking mindset and a desire to want to make a difference. Model the behaviour you expect. Create a productive, engaged, and motivated team that is capable of achieving their goals.

Alignment and future planning

A facility manager’s work is often aligned with the corporate vision, mission, and values. Having a strong grasp of the organization’s goals helps realize their responsibilities with greater drive and passion. Brainstorming plans to support sustainability, energy initiatives, workplace strategies, and technology enhancements are a few common business priorities.

Maintenance and workspace management programs reflect the company culture and impact our future planning. Have a strategic vision and recommend strategies to improve operations.

Offer suggestions to improve health and safety and move towards sustainable practices. We took charge when responding to the recent pandemic, and our executives have recognized our expertise. We are the problem-solvers that puzzle through our systems, ensuring a balanced approach within our buildings for our customers, technology, and operations.

Sometimes, it is easy to forget that we not only maintain buildings and operations; in the end, everything we do is for our staff and customers. Keep your lines of communication open, be effective leaders, keep up-to-date with your corporate culture, be able to pivot, but most of all, be approachable, friendly, patient, and flexible with the needs of your staff and customers

Marcia O’Connor is president of AM FM Consulting Group. She is a strategic-minded leader with more than 20-plus years of progressive experience in corporate real estate, asset management, and integrated facilities management. Marcia has a passion for mentoring young professionals and helping people, teams, and organizations see their potential. She is the lead instructor for the University of Toronto School of Continued Studies’ facilities management courses, including the FM Certification Program and many others.

Canada to pursue energy efficiency improvements

Canada has signed on to a global effort to foster energy efficiency improvements. The pledge from 45 governments worldwide — including 43 nation states, the African Union and the European Commission — emerged last week during the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) global conference on energy efficiency in Versailles, France, and targets a 4 per cent annual reduction in energy intensity by 2030. That would apply across the buildings, transportation, industrial and agricultural sectors, and include electricity and fossil fuels.

This envisioned pace of progress is a significant leap from the 2.2 per cent year-over-year drop in energy intensity realized in 2022, demanding an estimated tripling of the current level of investment in energy efficiency. While worldwide spending is expected to total about USD $624 billion this year, IEA analysts calculate that yearly injections of more than USD $1.8 trillion will be required throughout the latter half of this decade to stay on track with goals for net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.

An average 1.6 per cent annual reduction in energy intensity during the decade from 2011 to 2020 curbed output of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 5.7 gigatonnes (Gt). When accounting for rising global population and GDP per capita, a 4.3 per cent average annual improvement in energy efficiency is projected to circumvent 10.6 Gt of emissions this decade. Even with an anticipated 3.3 per cent annual boost in global GDP throughout the 2020s, targeted energy efficiency improvements could trim 190 exajoules (EJ) of demand. In the IEA’s net-zero aspirations, this would be combined with a threefold expansion in renewable power capacity.

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of energy efficiency for strengthening energy security and keeping the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 Celsius within sight so I’m delighted that countries from across the world are uniting around the IEA’s call to double energy efficiency progress by 2030,” observes Fatih Birol, the agency’s executive director.

Looking to where and how that is to be achieved, a briefing document for the global conference attendees highlights opportunities for private sector involvement and underscores governments’ key role in driving energy efficiency policies through directives and strategic stimuli. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, Japan’s Green Transformation Plan and upping of the European Union’s energy efficiency target are listed as leading proactive examples from 2022 and early 2023. Meanwhile, delivery of all IEA-member-countries’ existing energy efficiency commitments would translate into 137 EJ of demand reduction, requiring about USD $930 billion in annual investment to 2030.

“Ambitious actions should be taken by every country across all sectors, taking into consideration different starting points and national circumstances, to lead to an acceleration in overall global energy efficiency progress and to reduce energy demand, where possible,” the new pledge, dubbed the Versailles statement, urges.

The briefing document cites recent progress after something of a lull just prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year saw rising sales of electric heat pumps and electric vehicles (EVs), with EVs further projected to account for 18 per cent of global automobile sales in 2023. A decline in sales of smart meters for first time in a decade is considered a positive indicator of nearly complete market saturation. Nevertheless, rising interest rates will likely erode some of the momentum. in the buildings sector this year.

“Global sales of energy management systems (EMS), enabled by digitalization, are expected to increase by over 17 per cent in 2023,” the briefing document states. “Investment in the electrification of transport is expected to continue increasing in 2023. However, investment in energy efficient buildings is likely to be constrained by the higher cost of capital.”

The Versailles statement calls on governments to implement policies to encourage: decarbonized heating sources; digital technology to better control building- and grid-level operations; and behaviour change among energy consumers. It acknowledges that “enabling regulatory frameworks” and vast investment will be needed to build the capacity to electrify transportation and building heating in step with the 2050 net-zero schedule, and also prioritizes protections for low-income consumers in both developed and developing countries.

The statement reiterates the recent G7 recognition of energy efficiency as the “first fuel” of the low-carbon transition and urges delegates to the upcoming 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to follow suit. Six of the G7 nations are signatories, with France absent from the list.

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ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference

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