Ottawa sports lab is first certified zero carbon arena

Modern Niagara has converted AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex into the first Zero Carbon Building – Performance Standard certified arena, achieved in December 2020 through the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Program.

The sports lab and ice complex is a privately operated arena and training complex located in the south end of Ottawa. The zero-carbon project focused on energy efficiency and carbon reduction measures within the building and its operations.

“Buildings account for a significant portion of carbon emissions – we believe that what we have accomplished at AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex represents a step in the right direction towards building a more sustainable future. While converting AMPED into the world’s first arena to achieve the Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard certification did not come without challenges, I see this achievement as a great opportunity for Canada’s infrastructure more generally,” said Brad McAninch, CEO of Modern Niagara Group Inc.

Modern Niagara’s work in the arena is recognized by the Canada Green Building Council for its energy efficiency and carbon reduction measures. Not only do these measures entail reducing operational carbon, but they also reduce overall energy consumption by optimizing facility operation through intelligent building automation, on-site renewable energy generation, and replacing all fossil fuel consuming equipment on-site, such as gas-fired rooftop units, hot water heaters, and the ice rink dehumidifier.

Modern Niagara is a national mechanical and electrical, building services, and integrated building technology contractor that delivers to its clients a broad spectrum of service offerings, including data-driven energy solutions for retrofits and new construction alike.

Through the ZCB standard – performance certification, the CaGBC recognizes highly energy-efficient buildings that produce onsite or procure carbon-free renewable energy or high-quality carbon offsets to offset the annual carbon emissions associated with building materials and operations.

IICRC publishes new standard for hard-surface floor coverings

The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) has published a new American National Standard ANSI/IICRC S220 Standard for Professional Inspection of Hard-Surface Floor Coverings.

The ANSI/IICRC S220 standard describes the non-destructive procedures, methods, and systems for professional inspectors to follow when inspecting light commercial and residential hard surface floor coverings. That includes a wide range of materials including stone, laminate, prefinished wood, ceramic, and resilient.

This standard does not specifically address the protocols and procedures for installing hard-surface floor coverings.

A professional inspection of hard-surface floor coverings consists of the following components for which procedures are described in the ANSI/IICRC S220 standard:

Professional Hard Surface Floor Covering Inspector
Commissioning parties
Writing inspection reports
Inspection tools and equipment
Photography
Chain of custody, storage, and handling
Wood flooring inspection
Laminate flooring inspection
Stone, ceramic flooring inspection
Resilient flooring inspection
Limitations, complexities, complications and conflicts

“The importance of the S220 is to give the industry a resource for what goes into a hard surface flooring inspection. This is an invaluable resource to all in the floor covering industry,” said Jessica Violand Bruno, S220 Standard Consensus Body Chair.

“The S220 is the first document of its kind by the IICRC and ANSI. We are excited to finally release this document after many years of work. We are grateful for all those in the industry who volunteered their time to make this standard a reality.”

To purchase a copy of the new ANSI/IICRC S220 and other standards, visit http://webstore.iicrc.org. IICRC standards are also available via the IICRC standards subscription website at http://publications.iicrc.org. For more information on other certification programs and standards offered by IICRC, visit www.iicrc.org.

About IICRC

The IICRC is a global standards developing organization (SDO), accredited through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), as well as a credentialing body that certifies individuals in 20+ categories within the inspection, cleaning, and restoration industries. With more than 60,000 certified technicians and 6,000 Certified Firms in 22 countries, the IICRC, in partnership with regional and international trade associations, represents the entire industry. The IICRC does not own schools, employ instructors, produce training materials, or promote specific product brands, cleaning methods, or systems.

Canadian asset managers among global 150 largest

Brookfield Asset Management sits far atop the field in IPE Real Assets’ 2020 rankings of the world’s 150 largest real estate investment managers, registering nearly CAD $361 billion (€232 billion) in assets under management (AUM) as of June 30. That’s a repeat of Brookfield’s standing in 2019, but with a gain of nearly CAD $85.3 billion (€55 billion) in AUM. It also outdistances The Blackstone Group’s second place tally by CAD $130 billion (€83.5 billion) in AUM.

Value growth is a general trend across the recently released annual list from the European based institutional investment analyst and news service. Collectively, the top ten players recorded a CAD $203 billion (€130 billion) jump in AUM from the previous year. The top 100 managers of 2020 held CAD $577 billion (€370 billion more in real estate assets than the top 100 of 2019.

“The latest numbers continue the trend of recent years — a seemingly inexorable rise in AUM — fuelled by a combination of rising asset values and institutional allocations to the asset class,” the accompanying analysis states.

Five other Canadian asset managers are ranked in the top 50, while four more are placed farther down the group of 150. These include:

Ivanhoé Cambridge, ranked 26th with CAD $72 billion (€46.1 billion) in AUM;
BentallGreenOak, ranked 30th with CAD $68 billion (€43.7 billion) in AUM;
Manulife Investment Management, ranked 40th with CAD $58.5 billion (€37.5 billion) in AUM;
Oxford Properties Group, ranked 43rd with CAD $55 billion (€35.3 billion) in AUM;
QuadReal Property Group, ranked 44th with CAD $54.6 billion (€35 billion) in AUM:
Great-West LifeCo, ranked 72nd with CAD $28 billion (€18 billion) in AUM:
BMO Real Estate Partners (an arm of BMO Global Asset Management), ranked 113th with CAD $11 billion (€7 billion) in AUM;
Slate Asset Management, ranked 131st with CAD $6.2 billion (€4.16 billion) in AUM;
Fiera Real Estate, ranked 134th with CAD $6 billion (€3.83 billion) in AUM.

The top 150 real estate investment managers are predominantly based in the North America, with 58 per cent from the Americas. Europe is home to 29 per cent of 2020’s largest asset managers, and the remaining 13 per cent are headquartered in Asia-Pacific.

Luxury home sales over $3-mil set new record in GTA

Luxury home sales more than $3 million set a new record in Greater Toronto Area (GTA), with the number of freehold and condo properties sold in 2020 topping peak 2017 levels, according to a new report by RE/MAX of Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

More than 1,000 properties changed hands over the $3 million price point in 2020, up 55.7 per cent from 2019 (1,062 versus 682) and edging one per cent ahead of the record set in 2017 (1,062 versus 1,047). The number of homes sold over $4 million climbed 53.4 per cent year-to-date (379 versus 247), while sales over $5 million appreciated 44 per cent to 180 in the GTA, up from 125 in 2019.

“The housing bounce-back — during one of the most tumultuous periods in recent history — has been nothing short of remarkable,” said Christopher Alexander, chief strategy officer and executive vice-president, RE/MAX of Ontario-Atlantic Canada. “A combination of both economic and psychological drivers contributed to a robust upswing in demand, influencing one of the greatest pivots in the GTA’s housing market history.”

Economic stimulus played a definitive role in the uptick in homebuying activity, but the report reveals that the COVID-19 lockdown was the true catalyst. With renewed focus on personal space, and the ability to work from home, luxury buyers doubled down on larger homes and less densely populated neighbourhoods, with some choosing to relocate entirely out of the 416 to the 905 and beyond.

Freehold sales over $3 million surged outside of the 416 area code as a result, with Halton reporting a 188.8 per cent increase in sales over $3 million (130 versus 45), followed by Peel at 112 per cent (89 versus 42) and York at 85.5 per cent (180 versus 97) in 2020.

Luxury condominiums in the GTA also showed upward momentum, with a 28.8 per cent increase in year-over-year sales at $3 million plus (58 versus 45). The number of condo apartments and townhomes that have changed hands at the $3 million, $4 million and $5 million price points have all set new records.

The GTA’s luxury segment benefited from the sharp economic rebound in the third quarter and a stronger than anticipated fourth quarter of 2020. Eighty-seven per cent of job losses that occurred in the Toronto CMA earlier in the year were largely recouped by November. After plummeting in March, North American stock markets also saw strong growth in the second half of the year. Historically low interest rates also helped prop up high-end sales. The Bank of Canada, which held the overnight rate to 0.25 per cent throughout much of 2020, indicated economic recovery would continue to require “extraordinary monetary policy support” into 2023.

“The second lockdown may hamper homebuying activity to some extent in the first quarter of 2021, but the market is expected to take flight in the spring as numbers improve and the vaccine rolls out across the country,” said Alexander. He also notes that while the uber-luxe segment of the GTA market represents only a small fraction of total residential sales, the activity at the top end bodes well for the market overall in 2021.

Repositioning specialist tackles Ottawa market

Repositioning specialist Marlin Spring has ventured into the Ottawa office market via a joint acquisition with Colonnade BridgePort. The two firms have partnered to purchase a 12-storey office building at the intersection of Metcalfe and Slater Streets in Ottawa’s central business district.

The new owners point to the prominent location, nearby amenities, including the easy access to the city’s light rail rapid transit line, and an existing mix of government, health care and professional service tenants as solid fundamentals for unlocking future returns.

“This transaction represents Marlin Spring’s first office acquisition in the Ottawa region as it continues to pursue value-add opportunities in the North American real estate industry,” says Ashi Mathur, the company’s president. “We are very pleased to add this important acquisition to our growing portfolio of income-producing assets.”

Toronto-based Marlin Springs has a track record in residential development and asset management in Canada and the United States, and has acquired more than 30 projects encompassing 9,000 units of housing since 2013. Colonnade BridgePort, which is based in Ottawa, will serve as the property manager for the joint venture.

“In working together through the acquisition, we quickly realized that Marlin Spring and Colonnade BridgePort are well aligned in their approach to managing high quality real estate and we look forward to growing our relationship together in the future,” observes Hugh Gorman, president and chief executive officer of Colonnade BridgePort.

Kirkland Centre set for transit-oriented remake

RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and Broccolini Real Estate Group have joined forces to redevelop the Kirkland Centre, an open-air retail centre in suburban Montreal. With the newly announced partnership, Broccolini acquires a 50 per cent interest in the site and will act as the development and construction manager for the proposed transformation to a mixed-use commercial-residential hub offering convenient connections to Montreal’s expanding public transit network.

The envisioned phased redevelopment will add 250,000 square feet of new office space, 135,000 square feet of complementary commercial space and nearly 2.5 million square feet of residential development proposed to be “of varying heights and density”. Demolition to make way for the first phase of the redevelopment is targeted for late 2022 or early 2023. Until then, RioCan will retain a 100 per cent interest in the centre’s existing leases, which includes a Cineplex cinema as the anchor tenant.

Meanwhile, the Kirkland station on the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light rail line is slated to open in 2023-24. The REM, which is currently under construction, will provide service from Montreal’s south shore and west island to the Trudeau International Airport and downtown.

“Our goal is to facilitate access to the REM by increasing the residential offering in this area, which will be adjacent to the new Kirkland station,” says Roger Plamondon, president of the Broccolini Real Estate Group. “This multi-phase project will be developed in close collaboration with the community and with the municipal authorities of the City of Kirkland.”

Under the terms of the partnership, Broccolini will market the residential units and act as property manager for the office properties. RioCan will manage the retail and residential components of the development.

A statement from RioCan notes the redevelopment will reduce the REIT’s exposure to Cineplex and replace “underutilized space with highest and best uses”. The partnership with Broccolini was announced in tandem with unveiling of a joint effort with Fieldgate Urban to build a mixed-use condominium in Toronto’s Bloor Street West neighbourhood.

“We look forward to working with our two new best-in-class partners as we create long-term value and increasingly transform our portfolio of assets into transit-oriented, mixed-used communities in Canada’s growing major markets,” says RioCan’s chief executive officer, Edward Sonshine.

ISSA Hygieia Network appoints co-chairwomen

ISSA Hygieia Network, an ISSA Charities signature program dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry, has announced Linda Silverman, Maintex Inc. President, and Laura Craven, Imperial Dade Vice President of Marketing and Communications, as its co-chairwomen.

“It’s been a true honour serving as Chairwoman of ISSA Hygieia Network over the last two years,” said Meredith Reuben, EBP Supply Solutions CEO. “Laura Craven and Linda Silverman are both incredible, capable women who are dedicated to helping Hygieia grow its mission and vision. I am confident they will take Hygieia to new heights.”

Before her role as Maintex President, Silverman served as the second female President and International Director of ISSA. As one of the founding Hygieia Network Councilwomen, Silverman has a long and impressive history of championing women in the cleaning industry.

“When I first started working in the industry, I was often the only woman in the room. I understand the importance of building a community and having mentors who truly care, which is exactly what Hygieia Network is all about,” added Silverman. “I look forward to working with Laura and the many wonderful women and men who support our goals.”

In her current role, Craven contributes to Imperial Dade’s growth, profitability, and brand awareness. This year, Craven led Hygieia Network’s Events Committee to develop the highly attended education session focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion during the 2020 ISSA Show North America Virtual Experience.

“I’m thrilled to take on this new role and work closely with Linda,” said Craven. “We have a lot of exciting plans in the works to showcase Hygieia Network’s offerings and reach many more women in the industry.”

As co-chairs, Silverman and Craven will work closely with Hygieia Network Program Director Dr. Felicia L. Townsend as well as ISSA Charities Director of Development Sandy Wolfrum on building awareness and expanding its programs, including mentoring, conferences, webinars, and its online network community, IHNConnect.

To learn more about ISSA Hygieia Network, visit www.hygieianetwork.org.

About the ISSA Hygieia Network

Named after the Greek goddess of cleaning and hygiene, the Hygieia Network is an ISSA Charities non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry.

Montreal area condo listings soar in December

Sales in the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) were up more than 8 per cent in December compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers’ (QPAREB) newly released residential real estate market statistics.

“All areas of the Montreal CMA registered a new sales record for a month of December. However, we continue to see an increase in condominium listings that far exceeds the number of condo sales on the Island of Montreal,” said Charles Brant, director of market analysis at the QPAREB.

Active listings of single-family homes fell sharply by 44 per cent as listings for condominiums rose by 18 per cent—a number that has not been seen for a month of December since 2012. Listing for plexes also increased by 15 per cent.

Condo sales jumped by 26 per cent for December as sales of plexes and single-family homes shot up 35 per cent. Periphery markets are included in these stats, such as Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (+51 per cent), the North Shore (+49 per cent), Laval (+33 per cent), the South Shore (+31 per cent) and Vaudreuil-Soulanges (+25 per cent).

To sum it up, market conditions are said to side with sellers, as average prices continued to increase significantly for single-family homes (+21 per cent), and remained at high levels for condominiums (+14 per cent) and plexes (+10 per cent). The average price for a condo currently sits at $290,000, whereas in December 2019 it was $255,000.

Companies urged to clarify post-COVID workplace plans

A study surveying 145,000 home-based employees across the globe has revealed serious factors impacting their ability to work remotely. According to Leesman, a firm that measures employee experiences, businesses which ignore these stressors risk dismantling years of organizational development and trust in the post-pandemic workplace.

“In times of change, employees need to know what to expect from their workplace when the turbulence ends,” said Leesman Chief Insights & Research Officer Dr. Peggie Rothe. “Without this clarity, employers risk losing those employees that they have spent years developing. And as the global pandemic and the remote working revolution together have removed the geographic boundaries previously limiting organizations’ talent strategies, we are approaching a new war for talent.”

The research is published in a new report titled ‘Your Workplace of the Future’, which reveals that both the physical workplaces that employers offer and the remote work setting the individual employee has available to them are critical in that risk assessment.

Insights from the ongoing home working study serves as a warning, revealing that the ability to learn from others is under threat, with a third (33.7 per cent) of employees reporting that this activity is not supported when working remotely. Nearly half (43.9 per cent) do not agree that their home environment supports ‘informal social interaction’, and a further 28.2 per cent cannot agree that their home set up allows them to collaborate on creative work. More than three in 10 (30.2 per cent) dispersed employees feel disconnected to their organization, and 27.8 per cent are unable to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

“Executive leadership teams must get to grips with how their employees’ experiences, attitudes and expectations have changed and ready their strategies for where employees will be based in the future,” said Tim Oldman, Leesman CEO and founder. “Employees’ demand for clarity and certainty will only increase as global vaccination programmes ramp up, so clear plans, evidenced with front line employee experience data, will be more in demand than ever before.”

On a subset of the data across 22,000+ respondents who reported on both their office and home working experience at the same time, four key variables were found to have the greatest impact on these critical outcomes:

The nature of the home work setting available to an employee

Data consistently found that employees’ physical home settings offer the strongest indicator of their overall remote working experience. Employees with a separate space have a better experience than those without. But for those without a space they can dedicate to work, the negativity towards factors such as learning and social connectivity becomes acute. Without an understanding of this fundamental information, employers will find it impossible to instruct their future workplace strategy.

The complexity of an employee’s role

From individual, desk-based work to creative thinking, the more variety and complexity in types of work activities, the more challenging it is for their work environment to support those different needs. Data showed that employees with less complex roles were more likely to be able to work effectively remotely than those that had greater diversity in the number of activities that make up a typical working day. The more complex an employee’s role, the less likely it is that their home supports their work.

The extent to which employees need to collaborate

While the vast majority of employees agree that they have the remote technology tools they need, the extent to which they need to collaborate in their role still has a bearing on which location they felt was best suited to their role. But the data also showed that this individual or collaborative split was rarely as binary as many commentators suggest, with few employees falling into either the highly collaborative or highly individual categorizations.

The experience employees had in the workplaces they used pre-pandemic

The quality and effectiveness of the spaces previously provided for employees has been shown to strongly impact how they now rate their remote experience. And the better the experience of those corporate workplaces pre-pandemic, the more time employees want to spend back there when it is safe to do so.

Surface testing can be critical in the fight to control COVID-19

As we move into 2021, the battle to understand how to control, monitor, and prevent the spread of COVID-19 rages on. The progress being made on vaccines has been a huge focus and is obviously a considerable advancement in this fight, but new information is suggesting that surface testing can play a large role, too.

Surface testing is an affordable pathogen tracing method that has been used to detect viruses in food manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries for some time. Now, against the backdrop of COVID-19, a biotech company is employing it as a tactic to determine whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus has entered a building.

Enviral Tech has already adapted the technique at long-term care facilities to provide an additional layer of protection for facility residents and workers. It hopes to soon start using surface testing in other high-residency buildings such as workplaces and offices.

Using data collected a decade ago during the H1N1 pandemic, scientists conducted a study between May and June 2020 at more than 50 care facilities across the United States to test high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, railings, and computers for COVID-19. The researchers found that they could isolate a potential outbreak by tracing the movement of people who encountered a surface before they tested positive for the virus.

“We wanted to bring technology that we had been using in the labs for sort of high-tech work, we wanted to bring it out to make it more available on a wider basis,” scientist and Enviral Tech founder and CEO Shula Jaron said. “We’re not looking to say, ‘is that surface infectious?’ We’re looking to see if it’s telling a story of what’s happening with this group of people.”

At the time of the study, more than 45 per cent of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. were reported at long-term care facilities, which is why they chose to focus initially on those facilities.

“We did indeed pick up [COVID-19] in those facilities,” Jaron said. “They didn’t know they had COVID in those facilities at that time. They were able to turn around really quickly based on our results, and start testing people and identify one or two people in each of those facilities that were asymptomatic… By using the surface testing, we were able to give them an early warning and let them take action before people started showing symptoms.”

Though several vaccines are being deployed around the world, inoculation is far from the whole battle, particularly as mutations of the virus emerge in high-population-density regions like the United Kingdom. Methods like surface testing can be used in conjunction with other infection control measures to curb the spread, says Jaron.

Enviral Tech has now provided surface testing to more than 150 facilities, and Jaron said they’re hoping to expand and make it widely available.

“We need to remember that we can’t let our guard down,” Jaron added. “We can’t stop taking the precautions that we’ve been taking. Because these precautions are so instrumental in helping to keep this from being worse than it is.”

Canada’s first-ever tsunami tower to be built in B.C.

Canada’s first-ever tsunami evacuation tower is being constructed in B.C. The provincial government is providing $16.5 million for seismic upgrades and a new tsunami evacuation tower at Gudangaay Tlaat’sa Naay (GTN) Secondary school in Masset, a remote coastal community in Haida Gwaii.

Once complete, the school will be home to both GTN and Tahaygen Elementary students as a single-site K-12 facility that will serve Masset families for generations to come.

“Every family deserves to know their children will be safe at school, especially in coastal, remote communities like Masset,” said Jennifer Whiteside, minister of education, in a statement. “Our government’s Seismic Mitigation Program is investing in schools and communities throughout our province, and I can’t wait to see this one-of-a-kind project completed to protect the health and safety of the school community.”

Construction on GTN and the tsunami evacuation tower is expected to begin in summer 2021 and to be completed by fall 2022. The new tower will be a 10-metre tall steel structure built on school property that includes storage for emergency supplies. This will be a significant improvement, as the current evacuation safe zone is more than 10 kilometres away from the school.

In addition to safety improvements, the project will also include renovations to ensure the school is suitable for students in every grade. This includes the addition of a new main entrance, special education room and the creation of a secondary Xaad Kil Haida language learning space.

“We are so thrilled to be moving forward with this project as it will embody many things for our students,” said Dana Moraes, chair, Haida Gwaii board of education. “School District No. 50 (Haida Gwaii) also recognizes the uniqueness to having the first tsunami evacuation tower in Canada and the additional safety this offers to our students and families.”

Office vacancy rates climb with Q4 sublets

Vancouver and Toronto registered the lowest office vacancy rates among the 11 major markets Colliers Canada surveys as 2020 came to a close, but trends in the two cities were in sync with a nationwide upward trajectory over the course of the year. Vacancy rates of 4.9 per cent in Vancouver and 6.2 per cent in Toronto confirm loosening from 12 months earlier when Vancouver’s vacancy rate was less than 2 per cent and Toronto’s was at 4 per cent.

Meanwhile, industrial availability tightened from the third quarter in eight of the 11 surveyed markets, ending the year at well below 2 per cent in Vancouver and Montreal and below 1 per cent in Toronto. A national industrial vacancy rate of 2.2 per cent is relatively steady with the 2019 year-end tally, while the average net asking rent slipped slightly over the same period to $9.38 per square foot for the fourth quarter.

“Although Q4 2020 has brought good news on the vaccine front and removed some of the overall economic uncertainty, we are not in the clear yet and some asset types will take longer to rebound than others,” cautions Colliers’ National Market Snapshot. “The industrial market continued to tighten in Q4 2020. Despite some weakness in bricks and mortar and restaurant distribution, as well as in experiential users, strong demand from e-commerce and grocery users drove vacancy down and rents stable. The office market continues to experience rising vacancy, predominantly due to rising downtown sublet space.”

Notably, 45 per cent of office availability in downtown Vancouver is now attributable to sublet activity. Toronto’s downtown sublet quotient sits at 37 per cent, while Ottawa’s is at 25 per cent.

Sublet accounts for about 15 per cent of Montreal’s available office space, but Colliers analyst note that 400,000 square feet or nearly 29 per cent of all current sublet space was returned to the office in fourth quarter. This also hit the downtown disproportionately, with the majority of sub-lessors being tech, digital media and advertising tenants.

Canada-wide, an office vacancy rate of 11 per cent reflects relatively even performance of downtown and suburban markets, which posted vacancy rates of 11 per cent and 10.7 per cent respectively. However, that hides more marked discrepancy in some markets. Suburban vacancy rates were lower in seven markets, albeit by just 10 basis points in Vancouver then ranging from 200 basis points lower in Victoria to 820 basis points lower in Halifax.

Vancouver and Toronto landlords holding firm on rents

Downtown markets continue to be tighter than the suburbs in Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Meanwhile, Colliers analysts gauge employee attendance at a sparse 15 per cent in downtown office space versus about 30 per cent in suburban settings.

In Vancouver where the downtown office vacancy rate is pegged at 5 per cent, “fear of using public transit and lockdowns placing less value on amenities” are tagged as brakes on downtown demand, but analysts don’t yet see that filtering through to asking rents. Instead, they note landlords are “willing to negotiate on tenant inducements”.

Similar tactics unfolded in Toronto. “Landlords continue to preserve face rates, preferring to be more flexible on terms and incentives,” Colliers analysts report.

Citywide, Vancouver’s average net asking rent of $26.12 per square foot is a slight increase from year-end 2019, but is a decrease from the third quarter 2020 average. Vancouver also registers the highest average net asking rent among the surveyed markets, with Victoria the next highest at $23.00 per square foot followed by Toronto at $21.95 per square foot. However, Toronto commanded the highest average net asking rent for downtown office, at $36.44 per square foot versus Vancouver’s downtown average of $31.79 per square foot.

Montreal was the sole market to record a slight uptick from the third quarter for average net asking rents, which nudged up to $17.63 per square foot. That’s down slightly from year-end 2019 and on par with the first quarter of 2020.

Calgary registered the lowest average net asking rent, at $13.62 per square foot, among the surveyed cities. Although average asking rents climbed above $14 per square foot in the first quarter of 2020, the year-end average was largely on par with the close out of 2019. Suburban office pulled up the overall average, with average net asking rents of $16.77 per square foot compared to $10.47 per square foot downtown.

The year saw more than 1.7 million square feet of negative absorption, with more than 1 million of that occurring in the suburbs. “A majority of recent transactions in the Calgary office market have been shorter term deals below 10,000 square feet. However, some tenants with longer-term outlooks continue to capitalize on low rents and long terms,” Colliers analysts report.

E-shopping acceleration influences industrial demand for 2021

Turning to the happier story, they point to “steady overall industrial leasing momentum” including several deals for more than 50,000 square feet in large-bay facilities. This contributed to more than 1.5 million square feet of positive absorption for the year. Calgary’s Q4 industrial vacancy rate of 6.2 per cent was relatively the same as at the end of Q4 2019 despite the addition of more than 1.4 million square feet of newly constructed space over the course of 2020.

Nationwide, industrial vacancy rates ranged from a low of 0.6 per cent in Toronto to a high of 7.6 per cent in Edmonton. Q4 net asking rates for rents surpassed Q3 averages in eight of the 11 surveyed markets, topping out at $15.50 per square foot in Victoria. Halifax took most improved honours with a drop of 260 basis points in its industrial vacancy, taking it down to 6.3 per cent at year-end.

Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are experiencing high demand and enjoying an uptick in rents. Rent momentum is most significant in Vancouver where the average net asking rate hit $13.73 per square foot in the fourth quarter. Q4 average asking rates were $10.18 per square foot in Toronto and $7.21 per square foot in Montreal.

Colliers analysts foresee continued demand following a Christmas season in which shoppers were heavily reliant on e-commerce. They predict that will result in “unprecedented levels of returns, requiring space to receive, process and store returns, putting continued pressure on supply chain and transportation networks going into 2021”.

New industrial and office supply also looms for 2021 and beyond. In-progress projects are largely concentrated in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal — with Toronto tallying more than 9 million square feet of office space and 15.5 million square feet of industrial space underway. About 5.8 million square feet of office space and more than 4 million square feet of industrial space is under construction in Vancouver, while 3.2 million square feet of office space and 2.9 million square feet of industrial space is now being built in Montreal.

Creating a healthy home workstation

With work-from-home policies extending well into the year, creating an optimal home workspace remains an area of focus for professionals determined to start 2021 on the best foot possible.

“The average home workstation setup is exponentially worse than workstations found in traditional offices. Already we’re seeing musculoskeletal symptoms on the rise and the need for medical treatment will increase as will the number of injury claims in the coming year, as a result from 2020 work-from-home experiences. This will impact insurance rates, lost work time, and productivity rates,” said Humanscale Consulting’s Jonathan Puleio. “The best way to counteract these risks is through education and proper workstation design.”

1. Task Chair

The best ergonomic task chairs promote spontaneous movement and are easy and intuitive to operate. Look for a chair that automatically adjusts to the body’s needs with dynamic recline and lumbar support, like Humanscale’s Liberty chair (seen above) which provides lumbar support for all sitting positions. Armrests that connect to the back of the chair – so they move with you during recline – are also a valuable feature.

2. Articulating Keyboard Support

Keyboard supports form the bridge between the user and the computer. They help prevent wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, allow the upper body to relax, and maximize the function of an ergonomic task chair by enabling the user to work while fully engaged with the lumbar support. Look for keyboard supports with negative tilt adjustability to keep wrists straight and protect them from injury which ensures ergonomic alignment.

3. Task Lighting

An often-overlooked ergo essential, the task light provides the right amount of light necessary for viewing hard copy documents and helps prevent glare and Computer Vision Syndrome – a condition affecting up to 90 per cent of computer users. This syndrome causes eyestrain, eye fatigue, dry eyes, light sensitivity, blurred vision, headaches and other symptoms. Task lighting has even been linked to boosts in mood and productivity, and allows lower levels of ambient lighting, yielding significant reductions in energy usage and associated costs.

4. Monitor Arms

Monitor arms serve double-duty in the ergonomic workspace. In addition to enabling the correct positioning of the monitor, monitor arms clear valuable desktop space for other users and can make smaller workspaces more productive. Likewise, laptop holders allow for the ergonomic use of a laptop computer by propping the monitor up into an easy-to-view position and requiring the use of an external keyboard and mouse.

5. Sit/Stand Surfaces

Incorporating height-adjustable solutions into a workstation is essential for a balanced and healthy way of working. The benefits of sit/stand go beyond increasing our well-being and reducing the risk of injury. Research has shown that standing for just 15 minutes every hour boosts circulation, takes pressure off the spine and balances muscle use. This simple refresh of the body and mind can enhance productivity and reduce fatigue.

Audrey Loeb appointed to Order of Ontario

Condominium lawyer Audrey Loeb has been appointed to the Order of Ontario. In addition to being a partner at Shibley Righton LLP, she is an educator, author, and consumer advocate—and one of the first advocates of condominium law reform.

She is passionately committed to improving the experience of those buying and living in condominiums in Ontario. As Professor Emeritus of Law, she spent 28 years teaching at Ryerson’s School of Business Management. She is also founder of the Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

Loeb is included among 22 new appointments to the 2019 Order of Ontario, which was announced on January 1.

The Order of Ontario is the province’s most prestigious honour and recognizes individuals whose exceptional achievements have left a lasting legacy in the province, in Canada, and beyond. Members come from all walks of life, represent diverse fields of endeavour, and have played an important role in shaping the province. 798 people have been appointed to the Order of Ontario since its establishment in 1986.

Stuart Olson selected for new Nanaimo jail

Stuart Olson Construction has been selected as the preferred proponent for the design-build contract for the $157 million Nanaimo Correctional Centre (NCC) Replacement Project in Nanaimo, B.C.

The medium-security Nanaimo Correctional Centre will be replaced, with a new facility to be constructed next to the current location at Brannen Lake. Plans call for a 106,347-square-foot facility with 226 cells, up from the current 190.

The NCC Replacement Project features modernized spaces for educational, vocational and certified trades training in addition to rehabilitative and culturally responsive Indigenous programming. It also includes Vancouver Island’s first provincial custody capacity for women with cell capacity to meet the projected Vancouver Island needs over the next 10 years.

The two local First Nations, Snuneymuxw and Snaw’Naw’As, will have input into the design as well as job and contract opportunities during construction. Construction will emphasize a net-zero energy-ready performance.

“We look forward to working with our partners and the local community to successfully deliver this important project. We are proud of the resume we have built in British Columbia and we are pleased to deliver this modern, improved facility to the community,” said Teri McKibbon, president and CEO of Bird Construction, who acquired Stuart Olson last year. “This project further advances our reputation as a strong institutional builder and expands our solid presence in British Columbia working on critical infrastructure projects.”

With contract signing forthcoming, design activities by Stuart Olson Construction are expected to commence in January 2021, with pre-construction proceeding in the first quarter of 2021.

Partnerships BC renamed Infrastructure BC

Partnerships BC has announced the organization will now operate as Infrastructure BC, which better reflects the services provided by the Crown Corporation.

“As we build and recover from COVID-19, our government is committed to getting British Columbians back to work with good paying jobs in the construction industry,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance. “In Budget 2020, we committed $22.9 billion in infrastructure spending, the highest capital spending in B.C.’s history. Infrastructure is a big part of our plan to keep B.C. moving ahead – building schools, hospitals, roads and more affordable housing that our growing province needs – and into recovery.”

Operating since 2002, working with owners, the crown agency has led 61 completed project procurements throughout Canada with a value of $21.4 billion.

Through Infrastructure BC, government will begin to provide information about approved projects, as well as those under consideration – including those in early stages of planning that may not receive government approval. This will come in the form of an information brochure updated each year in spring and fall, which will allow private sector firms to better plan and compete on projects.

“The construction environment of today requires a broad spectrum of procurement options. Infrastructure BC will assist government and project owners in selecting the best delivery model to build complex projects such as highways, bridges, schools, and hospitals,” states Mark Liedemann, Infrastructure BC president and CEO.

Infrastructure BC services include project planning, including procurement analysis (through concept plans and business cases), procurement management, design and construction oversight, contract administration, and project communications support.

Is remote condo management working?

As a large portion of the country’s workforce shifted towards work-from-home settings, this trend also affected condominium managers and condo management service providers. As we enter into the eleventh month of the pandemic, the question arises: is remote condo management working? The answer is – it depends.

As with many aspects of condo life, management has had to adapt to the “new normal.” Many on-site managers have now returned to their buildings, some with part-time schedules and some full-time. Portfolio managers and supervising managers remain in the wilderness of the home office, strategizing, planning, and serving clients from the comfort of their home.

While managing in your pajama pants topped with a shirt and tie sounds like a rosy scenario, there are some downsides to remote management.

Overworking: The effects of the pandemic and resulting responsibilities have increased the amount of communication required for distribution within communities and organizations. While more resident communication seems like a great idea, the time constraint it imposes on other responsibilities is significant. Tasks that could be completed by sticking your head into the office next door, now involve a dozen emails.

More and more managers report working longer hours and feeling overwhelmed, affecting their mental health and other life responsibilities. This can lead to reduced productivity and work-related stress, not to mention the risk of a burn-out.

Isolation: Remote work affects face time with residents, vendors, colleagues, and other stakeholders. The majority of time is spent in front of a monitor, working independently. Some things are just easier to explain and collaborate on face-to-face.

Ambiguous Schedule: The opportunity to work from home may have been presented as a win-win, with work-life balance, no commute, and the ability to set your own hours. However, home-based managers are presented with a flow of distractions and disruptions. In addition, many managers slip into the habit of working through and into personal time.

But remote condominium management is not all doom and gloom. In fact, it offers many benefits, including time savings, flexibility, and smoother operations.

Time Savings: Portfolio managers have reduced travel time from commuting to the head office and visiting sites. While performing inspections has not wavered, this remains one of the PM’s main contractual obligations. Holding meetings can now be done remotely or via phone. Managers are now adopting more technological tools to stay on top of their tasks, ranging from implementing tracking sheets to hosting/chairing virtual meetings. Board meetings and owner meetings are now much shorter than when held in-person.

Flexibility: Management providers have adopted technology, taking full advantage of VPNs, cloud storage, digital solutions for financial management, and virtual meeting software. Managers are increasingly improving prioritization and delegation skills leading to increased productivity. There is also the potential for reduced administrative cost savings. Printing, mail, and deliveries are now increasingly substituted by e-mail, cloud storage, and software.

Smoother operations: Many communities have reported increased owner participation as managers have employed various technological solutions to moderate meetings and engage residents through management portals. Community discussion boards and virtual events are hosted instead of physical meetings. One creative manager created a YouTube channel for the community, which has boosted morale during this difficult time.

Annual General Meetings have seen record participation levels and owner engagement. Numerous bylaws have been passed as a result of instituting technological solutions. There are even examples where a virtual meeting has allowed for a calm removal of board directors, which can be controversial.

Is remote management for everyone? The answer is also – it depends.

Recent developments have shown that condominium managers are highly adaptable creatures, pillars, and sometimes, heroes of condominium communities across the province. Remote management will be an integral part of the condominium management for years to come. It is up to us as managers to lead the way.

Val Khomenko is the principal condominium manager for Regional Group, a full-service real-estate investment and management firm, based in Ottawa, Ontario. Val leads Regional’s condo team with 7+ years of experience in the condominium industry. He can be reached at 613-230-2100, Ext. 7409.

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