B.C. to benefit from federal housing push

The federal government says its Spring Economic Update 2026 marks a major step toward accelerating homebuilding and strengthening communities across Canada, with British Columbia positioned as a key beneficiary of new investments in skilled labour, construction financing, and modern building methods.

At an event held May 6 at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson highlighted a suite of measures aimed at boosting B.C. housing supply. He said the update “provides a clear picture of the strength of Canada’s economy” while delivering targeted support to make life more affordable and help projects move from planning to construction more quickly.

“The Spring Economic Update marks an important step forward in building more homes and strengthening communities across British Columbia and Canada,” Robertson said. “By supporting a skilled workforce, reducing delays, and accelerating modern methods of construction, we are delivering housing at a speed and scale not seen in generations.”

A central pillar of the plan is a $6‑billion investment to recruit, train, and hire skilled trades workers nationwide. The government says the funding will help ensure communities have the electricians, carpenters, welders, and construction workers needed to meet rising housing demand—particularly in B.C., where population growth continues to outpace supply.

“This is especially important as we make the push to build with more Canadian labour and with more Canadian materials,” Robertson added.

To complement workforce expansion, the update accelerates more than $7 billion in low‑cost loans through the Apartment Construction Loan Program. Ottawa says the financing will support up to 16,500 new rental homes, helping bring much‑needed supply to market sooner.

The plan also includes $41.9 million over five years to modernize Canada’s homebuilding system. The funding will streamline regulations, update National Model Codes, and reduce duplicate inspections—changes the government says will speed up approvals for modular and factory‑built housing. Officials also point to opportunities to expand the use of mass timber, supporting both sustainability goals and local jobs.

“Our new government is building a Canada that is not just strong, but good; not just prosperous, but fair,” Robertson said. “We’re building Canada strong, for all.”

Is absenteeism an issue for your cleaning company?

With today’s labour shortages, absenteeism and retention are top of mind for many employers, including cleaning companies. Along with decreasing operational efficiency, absenteeism can also result in lower and inconsistent service quality, a negative reputation, burnout for employees expected to do extra, and even more turnover. Janitorial employment is projected to grow by three per cent by 2033, so employers need to focus on strategies to be able to deliver for their customers, even as labour shortages exist.

Identify the cause

Absenteeism can be caused by a number of issues: illness or injury, burnout, lack of motivation or job satisfaction, transportation or scheduling issues, and more. However, if you have not identified the cause, you cannot create targeted solutions. Make the effort to communicate with your employees to determine the root causes of the issues by sending out employee surveys, conducting one-on-one meetings, and encouraging your teams to have open communication and to provide the feedback that you need to make changes and improve your business.

Improve client communication

In periods of absenteeism, it is critical that you communicate openly with your clients. If there is an expected shortage (in the summer, for example, while many people take vacation time), ensure that clients have a clear understanding of the expectations during that time. Send out amended schedules, if necessary, so that there are no misunderstandings and you do not disappoint your customers. Staying in regular contact with your clients can improve your relationship, build trust, and encourage loyalty as the industry continues to change and evolve.

Focus on retention

Keeping employees happy is the key to long-term employment and loyalty. Create policies and practices that encourage retention and lessen turnover and absenteeism:

Recognize good work with encouragement and support, so that employees are happy and stay motivated.
Encourage training and development to give employees goals and trust them to take on more responsibility.
Pay competitively. Today’s economy is tough and rate of pay is an important factor. Research your competition and invest in your employees with competitive wages.
Schedule with work-life balance in mind wherever possible, creating limits during busy times so you are not left understaffed.
Solicit employee feedback to keep the teams engaged, involved, and to learn about what they need to succeed at your company.

Absenteeism causes inconsistent operational efficiency, less effective results for your clients, and lower morale for your teams.

Survey reveals most Canadians aren’t emergency-ready

A new national survey released for Emergency Preparedness Week offers a stark reminder of how unprepared many Canadians remain for disasters. As wildfires, floods, and severe storms become more frequent, the ability to respond quickly and safely has never been more important—for both residents and the properties they occupy.

“The steps taken before a catastrophic event can define the recovery,” said Jim Mandeville, SVP at First Onsite Property Restoration. “An emergency kit, a plan, knowing your route—these are not dramatic measures. They are what separate preparedness from panic.”

Despite years of climate‑related disasters dominating headlines, only a small share of Canadians have taken even the most basic steps to prepare. Just 28 per cent of survey respondents reported having an emergency kit, and fewer than 40 per cent consider themselves prepared for a weather‑related emergency at all. For rental property owners, one of the most concerning findings is that only a third of Canadians know their local evacuation routes—information that becomes critical when minutes matter.

The survey also points to declining confidence in public systems. Two‑thirds of respondents believe governments could be doing more to prepare for disasters, and fewer than half feel confident in their local emergency response. When tenants are unsure whether help will arrive quickly, they turn to the people closest to them for guidance—often their landlords or property managers.

What Canadians say they would take during an evacuation further underscores the preparedness gap. Pets, phones, and wallets top the list, far ahead of emergency kits, food, or first aid supplies. This reflects a modern reality: connectivity has become the lifeline people depend on when everything else breaks down. A charged phone can help tenants receive alerts, contact emergency services, and reach their landlord. But that lifeline only works if tenants already know who to call and what steps to follow.

For landlords, the groundwork laid before a disaster often determines how smoothly recovery unfolds. Tenants who understand evacuation procedures, know how to report damage, and have a basic plan in place are less likely to panic and more likely to help protect the property.

Emergency Preparedness Week, running May 3 through 9, is an ideal moment for landlords to start—or renew—these conversations. Sharing evacuation routes, outlining building‑specific procedures, reminding tenants who to contact in an emergency, and encouraging them to assemble a simple emergency kit can make a meaningful difference. Even small actions, such as posting information in common areas or sending a seasonal reminder email, help close the gap between awareness and action.

For tips and resources, visit: https://firstonsite.com/en-CA

Alliance REIT moves to grow ‘missing middle’ portfolio

Alliance REIT has launched a targeted acquisition initiative to expand its portfolio of “missing middle” housing across Toronto—an increasingly vital but undersupplied segment of the city’s residential market. The initiative builds on more than a decade of execution, during which Alliance has converted over thirty underutilized properties into boutique multi‑unit buildings, consistently operating near full occupancy with a waitlist.

CEO Hooman Tabesh describes the strategy as rooted in creating housing that people actively choose, regardless of market conditions.

“Rather than trying to predict the market, we focus on delivering a product that is in demand in any environment,” he said. “We are creating housing at the intersection of location, livability, and scarcity—and that is what drives our long‑term performance.”

The REIT argues that Toronto’s persistent housing imbalance, the result of strong demand paired with a shortage of well‑located, attainable rentals, has made the “missing middle” more essential than ever. While most development gravitates toward high‑rise towers or single‑family homes, Alliance focuses on three‑ to eight‑unit buildings in established, transit‑oriented neighbourhoods. By converting underutilized properties into well‑designed multi‑unit residences, it aims to fill a gap that reflects how Torontonians increasingly want to live.

To support this next phase of growth, Alliance is expanding its capital base to align long‑term investment with a growing pipeline of acquisition opportunities. Currently, the REIT is inviting private property owners, real estate professionals, and potential joint‑venture partners to explore opportunities.

“Every project we undertake is designed to enhance the community and create homes that people genuinely value,” said Tabesh.

B.C. major projects spring brochure released

Infrastructure BC announced the release of the 2026 Spring edition of the BC Major Infrastructure Projects Brochure.

The 2026 Spring edition provides updated project information, including delivery approaches, sector highlights, and planning timelines. The publication reinforces Infrastructure B.C.’s role as a centre of expertise in infrastructure planning, procurement, and delivery, and its commitment to transparency and market awareness.

“The BC Major Infrastructure Projects Brochure reflects the scale, complexity, and opportunity represented by infrastructure investments across the province,” states Mark Liedemann, president and CEO of Infrastructure BC. “By sharing this information at the outset of the Canadian Collaborative Contracts Conference, we are equipping participants with a practical reference to support the conversations, partnerships, and innovation that this event is designed to foster.”

Infrastructure BC also welcomed the City of Surrey to this edition of the brochure. Surrey’s participation reflects the growing collaboration between provincial and municipal partners in advancing market awareness regarding critical infrastructure to support communities across British Columbia.

“Surrey is proud to be featured in this year’s brochure as we build the next major city in Canada,” Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said. “With a growing pipeline of infrastructure and development, we offer strategic investment opportunities in every corner of our city. We are organized, reliable and ready, and we invite partners to be part of this growth.”

The brochure focuses on prospective projects from the early planning stage through to pre-procurement, and active procurement that are $50 million and above. The brochure includes projects from the Province of British Columbia as well as from other public sector bodies in B.C.

ACMO announces 2026–2027 board of directors

The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) announced the 2026-2027 board of directors during its annual general meeting on May 1.

Several of the following members are taking on new leadership roles this year:

President: Mark Daye, RCM, OLCM
Vice President: Craig McMillan, RCM, ACCI, LCCI, CMCA, CAPM
Secretary: John Recker, RCM
Treasurer: Catherine Murdock
Member-at-Large: Juliet Atha
Past President: Eric Plant

Board Directors: Patrick Krall, Jennifer Ricci, and Tracy Hernandez (new member).

Weyburn General Hospital now complete in Saskatchewan

The newly redeveloped Weyburn General Hospital in Saskatchewan will open later this year. The 35-bed facility features 25 acute-care beds, 10 inpatient mental health treatment beds, a heliport and office space for the hospital foundation.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has started moving in furniture, fixtures and equipment after years of collaboration between the builder Wright Construction Western Inc., the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement, and the City of Weyburn. Community donors, the Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation, and a provincial investment of more than $134 million helped to realize the development.

“This facility is the result of years of commitment, collaboration, and generosity from countless individuals, businesses, and partners who believed in this vision,” said Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation Board Chair Jeff Hayward. “On behalf of the Foundation Board, we are proud to see it come to fruition and look forward to the meaningful impact it will have – improving access to care, enhancing services, and supporting the health and well-being of our community for generations to come.”

What are women looking for from a public restroom experience?

Restrooms are an important part of a guest’s visit to your building; they directly influence employee health, brand reputation, and customer perception about your business. A recent poll revealed that 62 per cent of women have an average of four positive connections per month with someone they don’t know in a public restroom. This indicates that women spend some time in the restroom, making it an important consideration for facility and maintenance managers.

When asked, 90 per cent of women expressed that restrooms should mean a safe and secure space, along with providing some basic essentials like free period products (49 per cent), hand sanitizer (40 per cent), wet wipes (32 per cent), and deodorant (19 per cent). Further, 84 per cent of women expect to leave a public restroom feeling more refreshed than before they visited.

How can you make your public restroom more appealing for your female guests?

Making public restrooms more appealing for women in 2026 means rethinking restrooms as spaces that prioritize comfort, safety, and dignity. This includes designing interiors with a more spa-like feel, incorporating advanced touchless technology to improve hygiene and reduce germ concerns, and ensuring greater privacy with floor-to-ceiling stall doors. It also means addressing practical issues, like reducing long wait times by increasing the number of stalls, and supporting “period dignity” by providing free, easily accessible menstrual products.

Design matters

Functionality is also key. Toilet space is typically divided by floor area, giving men and women roughly equal space, but women’s restrooms rely entirely on cubicles, so even when both sides occupy the same area, men’s facilities can serve more users.

Increasing safety can help improve restroom experience. Ensuring that the area is well-lit, that clear signage exists for wet floors and hazards, and installing emergency buttons or intercoms for when needed. As well, designing entrances without doors can help create an open ambiance, increasing touchless benefits while offering a lit space that is easy to exit, reducing safety risks.

Making life easier for moms can also help improve the experience for women, including larger accessible stalls for families and strollers, as well as installing changing tables as part of the design.

Improving the ambiance in the restroom is an experience upgrade and adding soft lighting, plants, and aromatherapy can make the space feel more inviting. Adding spaces for grooming outside of the busy traffic spots, and touchless sanitary bins inside each cubicle are also thoughtful amenities that appeal to female visitors.

Many women visit public restrooms each day and for facility and maintenance managers, making each visit memorable and safe should be a priority.

Feds seek levers for missing middle financing

More flexible financing and openness to innovation are on the Canadian government’s housing agenda for the coming months. The newly released 2026 spring economic update announces plans to amend mortgage insurance rules for low-rise, multi-unit developments, and allocates funds to “reduce regulatory friction” related to factory-built housing and prefabricated construction products.

A pending 30-day public consultation will seek input on the government’s proposal to allow private lenders to:

offer multi-unit mortgage loan insurance on properties with five to eight residential units; and
offer products for borrowers building triplexes and fourplexes.

The envisioned new rules are presented as a way to promote competition and choice among lenders and unlock more financing for the low- to mid-rise housing format commonly referred to as the missing middle. Although a growing number of Canadian municipalities are loosening their zoning bylaws to allow for denser infill development in existing residential neighbourhoods, financing costs still make the business case challenging for builders.

“Building more row homes, stacked townhouses, or smaller low-rise apartments makes better use of serviced land and existing infrastructure while creating attainable housing options in established neighbourhoods,” the economic update states. “Further, the government intends to consult on possible additional financing measures to support the continued supply of more owner-occupied homes in advance of Budget 2026.”

Meanwhile, for large scale multifamily developments, the economic update states that the government proposes to “accelerate over $7 billion in low-cost loans under the Apartment Construction Loan Program to speed up the construction of up to 16,500 new rental homes” but there are no other details in the document.

On the innovation front, nearly $42 million over five years is earmarked for updates to the model national codes, other regulatory streamlining and research. The National Research Council, the Standards Council of Canada, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada will be tasked with:

forging a more proficient and consistently interpreted approval pathway for modular and panelized building systems;
accelerating review and approval processes for innovative building products;
accurately assessing how proposed changes to codes and standards flow through to costs and housing affordability; and
modernizing the collection, tracking, monitoring and sharing of housing data.

The spring economic update also confirms that an extended grace period will remain in place for new participants in the Home Buyers’ Plan. Borrowers who withdraw from their registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) to finance a home purchase between Jan. 1, 2026 and Dec. 31, 2028 will have five years before repayment must begin. That’s the same deadline that borrowers who withdrew RRSP funds between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2025 enjoy, while homebuyers who withdrew RRSP funds at an earlier date had just two years before repayment requirements kicked in.

Vancouver pilot diverts 38,000 kg of plastics

After 14 months of tracking plastics across eight active construction projects in Metro Vancouver, Light House is releasing findings on what can be recovered and recycled, based on one of the first real-world datasets in North America tracking construction plastics from job sites to reuse across multiple active projects.

Across participating sites, more than 38,000 kilograms of plastic were collected. Of the 34,268 kilograms sent for sorting, approximately 77 per cent was successfully classified for recycling. The strongest results were observed in clean, packaging-related materials such as films and wraps. Approximately 23 per cent could not be processed due to contamination, handling conditions, or system limitations, despite being technically recyclable, showing that much of what is lost today is recoverable with the right systems in place.

Launched by Light House in 2024, the Construction Plastics Initiative (CPI) was created to address a major gap in how plastic waste is understood and managed in construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) activities.

Delivered in partnership with contractors including Aecon, EllisDon, and Scott Construction, the study followed plastics across major projects including the Holdom Overpass Project in Burnaby, PNE Amphitheatre, Steveston Community Centre and Library, Cloverly School, Amazon and Microsoft tenant improvement projects, and Lynn Fripps Elementary School. Together, these projects provided a real-world dataset and one of the clearest pictures to date of how construction plastics are generated, handled, and what can be recovered in practice.

“We started this as a pilot to better understand construction plastics, but what it reveals is a much larger opportunity for the industry. There is a consistent and recoverable stream of material being generated across projects, and this work begins to show how that could be captured and kept in use at a much broader scale,” said Gil Yaron, managing director of Circular Innovation at Light House.

Building on these findings, the pilot also demonstrated how these materials can be put back into use. Plastics recovered through CPI were processed into recycled pellets and supplied to Plascon Plastics, where they were used to manufacture components for InfinaNet, a structural system developed by Infina Technologies developed by Vancouver-based Infina Technologies, a venture supported through Light House’s Circular Construction Accelerator (CCA). InfinaNet reduces the amount of concrete required in floor slabs for multi-unit residential projects by up to 30 per cent, illustrating how recovered materials can support more efficient and lower-carbon construction.

The Government of Canada, through PacifiCan, has invested over $1 million in CCA to accelerate the growth of green building companies in B.C.

S2 Architecture principal David Symons retiring

S2 Architecture announced principal David Symons will retire in July 2026 after more than four decades of shaping spaces and fostering relationships,

His journey began in 1981 when he earned his master’s in architecture from the University of Manitoba. In 1994, he took a leap of faith, partnering with his longtime friend, classmate, and university roommate Robert Spaetgens, along with Bill Evans, to form Spaetgens Symons Evans Architects.

Known for his natural design sensibility and approachable demeanor, Symons has been instrumental in the growth and development of S2 Architecture. Throughout the firm’s evolution—from creating an interior design group in 2001 and rebranding as S2 Architecture in 2004 to establishing an Edmonton studio in 2012 and a Vancouver studio in 2018—his steady leadership has helped guide the firm through significant growth.

He has always believed in three core principles: value people, value the work, and do the best job possible. While projects and people have changed over the years, his approach to work and how others should be treated has remained constant. From day one, his goal was to create an environment where people enjoyed working together, where clients felt respected and cared for, and where quality work spoke for itself.

His message to the firm: “S2 exists because of the team we have cultivated over the years. The way we collaborate, communicate and support each other is what got us here. So, thank you, everyone.”

Hazelview greets Presima leadership and clients

Hazelview Investments and the boutique REIT advisory, Presima, have merged their asset management services under Hazelview’s banner. The newly inked deal will see Presima transfer its contracts and leadership team to Hazelview — a move that will expand their joint global reach and is expected to deepen the pool of resources offered to their clients.

“Clients will get access to a strong platform underpinned by familiar leadership,” says Marc-André Flageole, Presima’s head and managing director of public markets.

“Our shared vision is to serve clients better by combining talent, technology and global reach,” concurs Corrado Russo, managing partner and chief investment officer, public markets, at Hazelview.

Presima clients are promised a seamless transition to the Hazelview platform, which reported more than $10 billion in assets under management at year-end 2025. The melded entity will operate from offices in Toronto, New York, Hamburg and Hong Kong.

CRA to speed up delivery of clean tech rebates

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has been assigned a role in the Canadian government’s agenda to expedite key housing and infrastructure projects. The newly released federal spring economic update announces that prospective proponents of “nation-building projects” will get priority in the queue for binding advance tax rulings. Investors eligible for clean technology investment tax credits are also promised that they’ll receive their rebates on a “timely” schedule as additional CRA resources are directed to the task.

“Corporate taxpayers contemplating significant transactions often require certainty on tax treatment before going ahead with a major project,” the economic update acknowledges. Prospective investors in housing, infrastructure, designated critical economic sectors and “clean economy initiatives and projects that may benefit from Canada’s suite of clean economy investment tax credits” may now qualify for quick service.

A new contingent of dedicated CRA staff is expected to speed up the delivery of clean technology tax credits — conveying a 30 per cent rebate on qualifying costs of air-source heat pumps, wind and solar energy systems and stationary electricity storage systems — by this summer. That will come after the 2025 federal budget allocated $146 million over five years for the effort. Initial funding of $23 million for 2025-26 and $28 million for 2026-27 is now taking form as a reported 450 per cent increase in capacity to process claims.

“This targeted investment will help the CRA reduce the backlog of claims over the course of 2026 and ensure a more timely delivery of these credits going forward,” the economic update states.

Meanwhile, a newly announced personal tax measure also reverberates through to the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors. The spring economic update confirms a significant increase in the deduction that tradespeople can claim for the costs of temporarily relocating closer to jobsites that are too distant for daily commuting from their permanent residences.

Previously, the labour mobility deduction allowed workers to claim up to $4,000 per year in costs for temporary lodging near employment that was at least 150 kilometres from their permanent addresses. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, they will be able to deduct up to $10,000 in temporary lodging costs to work at jobsites that are at least 120 kilometres from their permanent addresses. Both employment and temporary lodgings must be located in Canada, and claimants cannot deduct more than 50 per cent of their earnings from those jobsites.

Toronto doubles subsidies for basement flooding protection

The City of Toronto has doubled the financial support it offers through the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program.

The revised program follows severe rainfall events in 2024 that led to basement flooding in more than 1,000 homes. Eligible residential property owners can now access an increase to the maximum subsidy per property from up to $3,400 to a maximum of $6,650 which includes:

- a 28 per cent increase to backwater valve and sump pump subsidy amounts to reflect inflation and market costs;
- a new Home Plumbing Assessment subsidy to help identify internal plumbing issues that contribute to basement flooding;
- eligibility for a second backwater valve subsidy for homes with multiple sewer connections;
- a $300 subsidy for sump pump battery backup systems including retrofits; and
- an extension of the application period from one to two years after eligible work is completed.

Since the program was established in 2007, it has received approximately 59,000 applications. The City has issued about $86 million in subsidies, with nearly 14 per cent of Toronto’s eligible property owners participating.

Concert Properties appoints new president, CEO

Concert Properties has appointed Catherine Roome as president and chief executive officer, effective May 26, 2026, following a comprehensive search.

Roome has more than three decades of leadership experience across infrastructure, regulation and public-interest organizations. She previously served as president and CEO of Technical Safety BC for over a decade, where she led the transformation of the regulatory authority and advanced innovation through data and technology. Most recently, she was Interim CEO of Atira Women’s Resource Society, supporting stability and renewal during a period of substantial transition for B.C.’s largest supportive housing organization.

“Catherine is a highly accomplished, transformational leader with a strong track record of delivering results across a range of organizations,” said Ivan Limpright, chair, Concert Properties. “She brings values that align with our culture, along with a proven ability to develop exceptional teams. Her forward-thinking leadership, financial discipline and expertise in navigating complex environments make her exceptionally well suited to lead Concert well into the future.”

Serving on numerous boards, Roome has extensive governance and capital planning experience. She is a past director of BC Hydro and is currently board chair of its energy trading subsidiary, Powerex, where she has contributed to oversight of major capital programs and long-term investment strategy. She also chairs the operating board for McElhanney and is a board director for Prospera Credit Union.

“I’m honoured to join Concert Properties at an exciting time for the company,” said Roome. “What drew me to Concert is the outstanding team and its commitment to building people-first communities, while delivering stable returns to its owners—represented by over 200,000 working Canadians who depend on Concert for their retirement.”

Call for waste data management can’t be refused

A standardized waste data map is expected to provide consistent direction for users on multiple paths. The Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE) is developing the third of its trio of environmental data standards in sync with mounting pressure on various industry players to accurately report the volume of waste they produce, disseminate and divert from landfill.

Proponents of OSCRE’s in-progress waste data management standard are working to categorize the myriad inputs that flow into the waste stream, and wrestle them into a framework that enables credible analytics and performance comparisons. That would underpin the collection and retrieval of information that’s increasingly in demand from:

retailers and other corporate/institutional players that may be accountable under extended producer responsibility (EPR) or product stewardship schemes;
firms with voluntary commitments and/or looming regulatory requirements to disclose Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
participants in other certification and benchmarking programs; and
property/facility managers looking for operational cost savings.

“What’s going to be great about a data model is it will give us visibility of what’s pushing waste into the supply chain,” Stephen Weir, chief executive officer of the sustainability consulting firm, Radar 2030, observed during a recent OSCRE webinar. “Then we can look at the massive pile of waste that’s at the end and see where it was inserted, how it was inserted and what we can do to remove it.”

EPR motivation

EPR compliance has emerged as a major motivator for the project. In Canada, all provinces/territories except Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut and Northwest Territories compel those who convey designated products into the marketplace to cover at least a portion of the costs of collecting and recovering or disposing of those materials, while many jurisdictions throughout North America have been ramping up obligations in recent years.

In Ontario, for example, Jan. 1, 2026 marked the full implementation of a 100 per cent producer-funded system for managing Blue Box materials after a three-year, phase-in period. Designated producers of six types of materials collected from residential and specified institutional properties — paper, rigid plastic, flexible plastic, glass, metal and beverage containers — pay their share based on the amount of those commodities they delivered to the Ontario marketplace during the previous calendar year.

Since 2024, program rules require producers to report those tallies to the provincial registry, known as the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), by May 31 each year and pay their fees at that time. This year, producers with annual revenue in excess of $2 million can expect to pay $9.70 per tonne if they generated more than 50 tonnes of Blue Box materials in 2025. Those that generated less than 50 tonnes, but more than the threshold for exemption (9 tonnes of paper; 2 tonnes of plastic; or 1 tonne of glass, metal or beverage containers) will be charged a flat fee of $95.

Depending on where they fall on that scale, designated producers could face steeper costs for failing to register or submit required information to the RPRA. For corporations, neglecting to file “complete and accurate” information carries a base fine of up to $50,000 along with a supplemental fee reflective of the costs they avoided or benefits they gained by evading the mandate. Ongoing non-compliance triggers further penalties.

Additional reporting requirements kick in next year. That’s when producers will have to submit a data verification report for their 2026 numbers and the first triennial audit report, covering the years 2024, 2025 and 2026. The latter tracks whether they’ve fulfilled material recovery targets (i.e. 80 per cent of paper or 50 per cent of rigid plastic delivered into the Ontario marketplace) and related promotion/education obligations.

Looking to examples in the United States, panellists participating in the OSCRE webinar speculate EPR uptake at the state level is approaching a tipping point toward widescale adoption. Jim Owens, president of Marrad, a service provider for materials management, and Joshua Witte, director of energy, sustainability and ESG with the U.S.-based national retailer, Dollar Tree, identified Oregon, Colorado and California — where levies have recently been introduced or are looming — as early attention-getters.

“In Oregon, I think there were many organizations that were caught off guard, not only by the fees, but by the magnitude of the fees. When it gets to California, which is coming up soon, I think that’s when you’re going to see a seismic shift,” Owens predicted. “This is a cost that is, in some cases, tremendous, and it’s hitting large organizations and mid-sized organizations particularly hard.”

Dollar Tree estimates indicate it will cost the company more than $15 million to comply with EPR requirements coming into force in Colorado and California. Witte confirms the calculation engendered dismay in the finance department, which had neither anticipated nor budgeted for it and did not have a line item to expense it against.

“I would say this would be a perfect example of data gaps and the impact of not having that data readily available,” he said. “Unless you can put together solid estimates on the weight of your packaging and how much you’re bringing in, it’s incredibly challenging to put together proper reporting. We have hundreds of different vendors that supply our products, and we do not have good visibility into the data around that packaging as far as amounts and weights. It’s very, very disjointed and trying to get that data has been very, very problematic.”

Data demands and gaps

OSCRE delineates five stages of progress in the collection, management and practical application of waste data, ranging from initial estimates to a yet-to-be-realized “pioneering” level. Ian Cameron, OSCRE’s chief innovation officer, suggests the majority of companies are still at stage two with fairly basic data that’s sourced from waste haulers and largely held within one department’s systems. The data management standard is tapped as a vehicle for getting to the next level so that waste data could be integrated into the general ledger, tied to circularity metrics and accommodate diagnostic analysis.

“That’s what we need to do, but many organizations struggle to make that leap,” Cameron said.

Owens acknowledged “it’s not uncommon to see data capture on clipboards” among his client base, while few have tracking capabilities more sophisticated than spreadsheets. Elsewhere, waste data coverage has consistently lagged energy, water and GHG emissions in the annual results of the GRESB global benchmark for ESG performance of commercial real estate portfolios. The assessment asks for an asset-level tally of the total amount of waste generated and a percentage breakdown of its disposal outcome through recycling, reuse, composting, incineration or landfill.

In 2025, participants reported waste data for 58 per cent of assets across the total database, while providing energy data for nearly 79 per cent of assets, water-use data for 77.5 per cent of assets and GHG emissions for 79.5 per cent of assets. Within the database for the Amercias region, which largely represents portfolios based in the U.S. and Canada, waste data was reported for just 50 per cent of assets.

Nevertheless, GRESB administrators express enthusiasm for this highest to-date response. “With this strong baseline in place, the GRESB Foundation will aim to support clearer connections between waste management practices and emissions outcomes to help reward best practices in reduction, diversion and circularity,” states the overview of the 2025 results.

That comes as many firms grapple with measuring their Scope 3 GHG emissions, either to meet voluntary commitments or as real estate entities of federally regulated financial institutions, which will be required to report beginning with the 2028 fiscal year. For the latter group, instructions from Canada’s Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) also require disclosure of the industry-based metrics that underpin their reporting.

Speaking earlier this winter at a seminar sponsored by the Canada Green Building Council, Melissa Menzies, director of sustainable finance with Scotiabank, noted a “spectrum on the maturity scale in terms of disclosure” even among large publicly traded real estate owners and operators.

“I’d say most of my clients are regularly reporting and having verified Scope 1 and 2 emissions. On Scope 3, it’s about starting to focus on what are the most material categories and beginning to report that on a staged approach over their portfolio,” she related. “It might be waste collection, for example — taking a staged approach and being transparent on where they’re at with data gathering, what they expect to do in the next one to three years. That’s a common theme that I’ve seen.”

The OSCRE webinar presented a sample structure for data capture with five broad elements that can be further refined into subsets where needed:

waste category (landfill, recycling, organics, etc.);
material type (cardboard, plastics, food waste, etc.);
destination (recycling, reuse, compost, landfill, etc.);
cost elements (hauling, disposal fees, revenue, etc.); and
source and location (site, building, tenant, department).

“What we care about is information capture and integrating systems of governance,” Cameron advised.

“It doesn’t have to be complex. While a data model might sound like a grand thing, it’s actually just going to be using IT to gather existing data and present it in a useful format,” Weir affirmed. “I would encourage people to start mapping data, even if it’s on a spreadsheet or even on a clipboard, but then to look at how the OSCRE tools in this data model can help and get some benchmarks around that visibility.”

Rising costs challenge Canada’s construction sector

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has released the spring edition of its Construction Quarterly Economic Insights report, outlining a mixed yet resilient outlook for the country’s construction sector. The data shows construction GDP dipped 0.6 per cent in Q4 2025—the first decline after six straight quarters of growth. Even so, rebounding building permits and steady domestic demand are helping lay a stronger foundation heading into early 2026.

“The fundamentals of our sector remain strong, even as risks continue to grow,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, President of CCA. “Builders are adapting to rising costs, weaker population growth, and growing geopolitical uncertainty. But with the right policy environment, our industry is ready to deliver the housing and infrastructure Canadians urgently need.”

Despite the quarterly GDP dip, building permits rebounded sharply, rising 9.8 per cent — the strongest gain since 2021 — driven by broad provincial increases and strong multi-unit permitting. This provides a more stable starting point for construction activity heading into 2026.

Meanwhile, cost pressures remain elevated. The Building Construction Price Index (BCPI) rose 4.1 per cent year-over-year in Q4, with the steepest increases concentrated in metal fabrications, structural steel framing, concrete, and plumbing. Factory construction costs continued to lead all building types, rising 6.2 per cent year-over-year.

The report also discusses ongoing fiscal and policy pressures, including tighter provincial budgets, slowing population growth, and heightened trade and geopolitical risks which will influence how housing and infrastructure projects are financed and delivered.

“Canada’s building needs aren’t going away, and neither are the challenges,” added Gilbert. “But our industry is optimistic. We see a clear path forward if governments at all levels work with us to modernize procurement, reduce barriers, and streamline delivery. Together, we can keep building a strong Canada, together.”

A copy of the latest economic report can be found here: https://www.cca-acc.com/advocacy/economic-insights/

EPR motivation

Data demands and gaps

Heat Happens: Lessons on Cooling and Comfort

Our Latest Issue