Perkins and Will offers project carbon assessments

In recognition of the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day, the Vancouver and Calgary studios of Perkins and Will announced that they will begin offering clients a Carbon Impact Statement with every project at no additional cost to help identify carbon reduction measures.

The statement will build upon best practices to limit “operational” carbon—greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted during the project’s operations phase—through the integration of passive design measures, minimization of energy loads, optimization of systems, and integration of energy renewables. It will also include recommendations on the use of low-embodied-carbon materials, striving to limit GHGs emitted during the materials’ life cycle.

The new offering represents the next chapter in the studios’ long-standing commitment to reduce GHG emissions, and will be integrated into the early design stage of every project. Led by their research and sustainability team, this initiative will be applied to projects located in Western Canada.

“Building upon our legacy of designing great places for people and our planet, we are committed to helping our clients create buildings and spaces that are climate-positive,” says Susan Gushe, managing director at Perkins and Will’s Vancouver and Calgary studios. “We are at a critical juncture to make meaningful change, and are pleased to offer our clients a Carbon Impact Statement as a means to help reduce each project’s GHG emissions.”

Contributing 39 per cent of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions (according to the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction), the building and construction industry faces increasingly aggressive regulatory performance requirements, like the BC Energy Step Code and City of Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Building policy. The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) also recently released version two of its Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard, further illustrating the motivation to raise the bar on carbon reductions in the industry.

Designed to help clients address these requirements, the Carbon Impact Statement provides carbon reduction strategies for all project types—from interiors and retrofits to new builds and community planning.

“Our aim is to help our clients get ahead of the curve in delivering sustainable buildings and spaces that meet or exceed progressively demanding energy codes within their budget,” says Kathy Wardle, associate principal and director of sustainability in the Vancouver and Calgary studios of Perkins and Will. “We will not only provide clients with proven design measures for reducing operational carbon, but we will also future-proof their projects for emerging embodied carbon policies.”

In support of this effort, the studios’ research and sustainability team is releasing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment—A Primer that summarizes emerging knowledge on embodied carbon targets, conservation strategies, tools, and timelines for action.

Calgary Cancer Centre marks topping off milestone

Construction of the new Calgary Cancer Centre has reached its highest point. The last concrete pour (topping off) of about 163 cubic metres now encloses the highest level of the main structure.

A total of more than 124,000 cubic metres of concrete has been poured in the Calgary Cancer Centre project. Construction activity will continue until late 2022 with the centre expected to open in 2023.

“Achieving [this] construction milestone under the present circumstances is a remarkable achievement and is a testament to Alberta contractors and tradespeople. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 1,000 workers are working on site each day, keeping this important $1.41 billion project on schedule and budget,” said Prasad Panda, Minister of Infrastructure.

Construction of the steel room, which houses the mechanical and electrical operating systems, and the exterior building envelope, which includes the installation of roofing, exterior walls, and windows, will take place next. This will seal the building from the elements and turn the construction focus to the internal construction of the health-care facility.

About 7,600 construction-related jobs have been created as the result of the Calgary Cancer Centre infrastructure project.

Over the next couple of months, work on the building’s interior will increase as all of its floors become accessible. Construction activity will focus on the installation of electrical and mechanical systems, studs and drywall, and completion of the radiation therapy vaults.

The Government of Alberta in conjunction with public health officials will carefully monitor worksites across the province through the COVID pandemic to ensure the construction season proceeds while keeping workers safe. This will help ensure that not a single day of the construction season is lost and keep workers safe and construction sites open.

Survey examines impacts of COVID-19 on Americans’ hand hygiene

The Bradley Corporation’s recently conducted its Healthy Hand Washing Survey in early April to examine the impacts of the coronavirus on U.S-based consumers’ hand hygiene behaviours and preferences, particularly in public restrooms.

Findings show that 91 per cent of Americans believe it’s extremely or somewhat important that public restrooms are equipped with touchless fixtures, while 60 per cent of respondents say that their preference for touchless hand washing fixtures has risen a great deal since the pandemic. Another 30 per cent say their preference has increased somewhat.

Another insight is the fact that Americans have reordered their priorities as to how facilities should improve their restrooms.

“Making everything touchless is now the most-requested improvement,” says Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corp. “Just months ago in December 2019, the most desired upgrade was keeping restrooms cleaner and better stocked. In both cases, it’s clear that Americans have grown more adverse to germ hot-spots in restrooms.”

Germ concerns give new urgency to hand washing

Dommisse notes that 70 per cent are extremely or very concerned about contracting coronavirus, particularly millennials and baby boomers. Retail stores give Americans the most trepidation about coming into contact with germs, followed by hospitals/health care facilities, restaurants and workplaces.

The survey also shows how Americans have altered their hand washing habits, s 90 per cent say they are washing their hands more frequently or more thoroughly or longer; 78 per cent are washing their hands six or more times a day, only 37 per cent washed that often prior to the outbreak, and 77 per cent are washing their hands for at least 20 seconds.

“Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 outbreak has had a dramatic effect on Americans’ hand washing behaviour – and it appears those shifts will stick around for a while,” says Dommisse. “In fact, 88 per cent believe they are extremely or somewhat likely to maintain their increased hand washing regimen once the virus has passed.”

Survival prospects upbeat for living walls

Like humans, living walls might be overdue for a trim, but few are imperilled in the now largely empty surroundings of commercial and institutional buildings. Horticultural technicians are among designated essential service providers still fulfilling property maintenance requirements during COVID-19-related shutdowns. Even where that’s not happening, building operations staff or an office facility manager should be able to cover the basics.

“I would say that most of the plants will survive as long as there is not some mechanical problem with the irrigation system or a pest invasion that nobody notices,” advises Jason Rokosh, a living wall designer and principal with Vertical Landscape Architects. “Even if it’s just a matter of keeping them alive by ensuring they have enough water and giving them a drink every week, we can deal with the damage when we get back.”

Suspending upkeep for the duration of business shutdowns could be both a costly and unsightly loss on investment. There are typically thousands of tropical plants in a larger living wall installation and Rokosh anticipates heightened demand for available product due to the approaching outdoor planting season and new COVID-19-related pressures on the market.

“Supply chains are trickier now. My plant supply is more limited and I have to go pick them up (from the distributor) myself,” he reports. “The expenditure for maintaining these plants is going to be less than replacement costs. If you’ve got a wall with around 2,500 plants, for example, it’s a lot of money’s worth of plants.”

Living wall designers have already been dealing with increased competition for supply as several Florida-based growers cut production or went out of business in recent years after hurricanes destroyed a vast number of greenhouses. Both production and shipping disruptions are expected now as businesses everywhere face cash flow turmoil, withdrawal of labour and more logistical obstacles moving products to market.

“The supply for tropical plants has gone down and the demand has gone up,” Rokosh says. “If walls slip, it’s going to be more challenging to make them look good again.”

He’s part of the backbone of Canadian contractors and skilled trades still venturing on-site to commercial facilities to perform services that ensure building functions and/or safeguard investments — also placing him among the few with an insiders’ perspective on no-longer-bustling workplaces and retail malls. Rather than eerie, Rokosh finds the quiet reassuring.

“It’s fine. It actually makes my job safer,” he affirms.

While he times some inspection/maintenance tasks for hours when he’s even less likely to encounter other essential workers or, in the case of malls, pharmacy/food store patrons, he also stresses that the eyes-on-the-street philosophy for enhancing public safety is equally effective for monitoring building systems. Leaks, equipment failures or unauthorized entry, for example, are all less likely to be caught early in a sparsely occupied space.

On the indoor plant front, automated irrigation systems for living walls and other types of indoor planters should be checked regularly, and any sign of blight should be reported to horticulture contractors immediately. “We have to proactively prevent pests from overwhelming a wall because that can happen fairly quickly,” Rokosh says.

Meanwhile, survival prospects for the myriad of plants in personal office workspaces across Canada are, sadly, not so optimistic. On the list of instructions for returning staff — when that time arrives — recycling specialists would like to add a reminder to keep the pot and its soil.

“The plant itself can be included in most organics programs, but a clean organics program won’t accept anything but food and plant waste,” explains Jaime Carnevale, manager, sustainability services, with Wasteco. “There are so many items that can contain synthetics so adding anything but food/plant waste really increases the chance that microplastics will get into our soil shed.”

“Keep that soil in the pot and reuse it for a new plant,” she urges. “The root system of the last plant will decompose leaving a boost of nutrients for the new plant — instant compost and less waste.”

That said, at least some workers will return to the greenery left behind weeks before. “I happen to know that some housekeeping staff have been watering plants in tenants’ absence so they can return to as much normalcy as possible,” Carnevale reveals.

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

Canadian Landscape Standard 2nd edition released

The second edition of the Canadian Landscape Standard (CLS) has been released by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) and The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA).

Based on the highly successful British Columbia Landscape Standard, the CLS has been in use since the first edition launched in 2016. It is a single, authoritative resource for landscape construction projects across Canada.

The CLS is a national guideline which establishes the standard of landscape work in every province across the country. Most importantly, the CLS supports sustainable design, green infrastructure and climate adaptation.

“With the CLS Second Edition 2020 on the desk of every landscape professional across the country, we, together, can effect better designed, built, maintained and managed landscapes in our communities, towns and cities,” said Christene Stenhouse LeVatte, chair of the CLS CSLA CNLA joint committee. “It is the landscape horticulture industry’s time as we position as key product and service providers in a world dealing with the real effects of climate change.”

The second edition of the CLS is available by yearly subscription, ensuring that subscribers always have access to current standards and best practices, which the CLS steering committee will release as developed.

All CNLA and CSLA members will receive a digital subscription of the CLS as a member benefit via email. Non-members can purchase the CLS here: https://www.csla-aapc.ca/standard.

Volunteers and subject matter experts in every province reviewed the CLS to ensure that it represents conditions of landscape work in all climatic and geographic regions, making the CLS relevant and applicable to all regions of Canada and available in both official languages.

In addition to being completely revised, the second edition of the CLS features the following new content:

Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute [ICPI] Hardscape Standards – one Standard for North America
Invasive Species and the National Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Ornamental Horticulture Industry
Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide
Snow & Ice Operations Risk Management Guidelines: Cold Climate Factors
Landscape Commissioning Plan [LCx] Checklist.

Day of Mourning honours frontline workers in the building trades

Today’s National Day of Mourning takes on new relevance in the wake of COVID-19. As the pandemic heightens the risk for essential workers on the front lines, the building industry remembers those who have been killed on the job, or who have dies as a result of work-related injury or disease.

“May their memories inspire us to improve health and safety, so that no workers perish and that no family has to endure the pain of losing a loved one at work,” said Patrick Dillon, business manager of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario.“April 28th is a nationally-recognized day to mourn the victims of workplace tragedies, which are all completely preventable.”

Ontario’s construction industry accounts for seven per cent of the province’s economy, yet close to one third of all workers killed at work, are construction workers.

“Sadly, workers continue to be intimidated when they should give voice to their concerns on safety, and that needs to change now.” says Dillion. “The building trades will continue to advocate for real prevention so that workers are empowered and encouraged to speak out when they identify a legitimate risk in the workplace, without facing repercussions.”

To improve workplace safety, Dillion says mandatory training is necessary alongside the establishment of proactive Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs), employers encouraging workers to raise legitimate health and safety concerns, and the implementation of tougher enforcement measures.

“It’s regrettable that it takes an injury, death or a pandemic to have society understand the value of worker safety,” he observes.

The National Day of Mourning was established in 1984 to commemorate workers and their families affected by workplace accidents.

Colonnade BridgePort acquires Ottawa redevelopment site

Colonnade BridgePort and Fiera Real Estate announced they have successfully acquired a five-acre urban industrial site located in central Ottawa to be redeveloped into a mixed-use, high-density community hub.

Currently home to Dustbane Products Ltd., a manufacturer of sustainable cleaning products and equipment, the site consists of 155,376 square feet of industrial buildings and is located just over 3 km from Parliament Hill and downtown Ottawa. It is also adjacent to the Tremblay LRT train station, Highway 417, and is directly connected to Ottawa’s extensive pedestrian and cycling pathways.

The sale was completed as a leaseback with Dustbane, according to Hugh Gorman, CEO of Colonnade Bridgeport.

“The leaseback provides us with an attractive income return from a quality tenant and allows us the time to master-plan the project, and Dustbane the time to find an alternative location,” he said. “Looking ahead, we see a vibrant, walkable, cycle-friendly, transit-oriented community with quality mixed-use development that includes sustainable residential and commercial uses that generate long-term income returns for investors,” continues Gorman.

Colonnade BridgePort and Fiera Real Estate have partnered on several developments in the Ottawa area, including: Westboro Connection, a successful transit-oriented mixed-use development in the heart of Westboro; and Hintonburg Connection, a transit-oriented purpose-built high-rise rental building located close to Tunney’s Pasture LRT station.

“Fiera is a great partner and we have aligned objectives to build transit-oriented, mixed-use developments that are setting the standard for the Ottawa residential and commercial markets. These projects enhance the communities where we build, and they also provide attractive risk adjusted returns for our investors. We look forward to working with Fiera to create a long-term vision for this new opportunity,” said Gorman.

Benjamin Merkley, President of Dustbane, noted how important it was to select the right buyer: “We have operated on the site for most of our 112 years and wanted to ensure we sold the site to an owner who would re-develop and manage the site for the long-term,” said Merkley. “Colonnade BridgePort and Fiera Real Estate are very reputable organizations with a common goal to enhance the communities they develop in. Once we saw their vision, we knew they were the right buyer.”

With the closing complete, Colonnade BridgePort will now begin to execute the strategy to translate the vision for the site into a master plan for this unique new community.

Vague or cumbersome details flagged in OCECRA

Commercial leasing specialists are raising some questions about unspecified and/or potentially cumbersome details of the Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (OCECRA) program. As announced late last week, the Canadian and provincial/territorial governments have reached an agreement in principle for the rollout of the three-month program, and Ontario has committed $241 million for its share of proposed forgivable loans for commercial landlords who agree to a 75 per cent rent reduction for small business and not-for-profit tenants suffering COVID-19-related financial stress.

A newly released advisory memo from Aird & Berlis LLP highlights some of the still unclear qualifications that could exclude some landlords or their tenants, or require extra administrative effort to fulfill. Notably, Ontario proposes to cover only fixed rental costs in its share of the forgivable federal-provincial loan for landlords.

“Landlords are to forgo any profits from their rent during the eligibility period. However, it is expected that the calculation of rent for the purposes of OCECRA will prove difficult for landlords as it will be challenging for landlords to ascertain the quantum of rent attributable to profit at a specific point in time,” Aird & Berlis’ commercial leasing practitioners observe.

Last week’s announcement indicated the program will be tied to mortgaged commercial properties and that Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will deliver a joint federal-provincial loan, equal to up to 50 per cent of monthly rent, directly to the lenders of qualifying landlords. However, there are hints that broader rules might apply.

“The Ontario government has confirmed that further options may be available to property owners that do not have financing in place for the affected property, which may include the option to apply funds against other debt facilities or fixed-cost obligations, such as utilities,” the memo notes.

Property owners are instructed to pursue such negotiations with CMHC. Meanwhile, the stipulation that a landlord must be the registered owner on the property title is seen as potentially problematic for those who own properties through a trustee or nominee or via a leasehold interest. Ultimately, Aird & Berlis’ leasing specialists suggest landlords may prefer to stick with rent deferral agreements they have already negotiated.

“A landlord may decide that OCECRA may be a better option than a previously negotiated rent deferral agreement, in which case it may decide, with the agreement of its tenant, to terminate the rent deferral agreement and opt to apply for OCECRA,” they note. “However, OCECRA does not require a landlord to forgo its rent deferral agreement in favour of OCECRA. In fact, landlords will likely prefer deferral arrangements with their tenants, where the landlord will at some point be made whole, over any arrangement that would require it to forgo rent.”

Toronto developer launches kids’ art contest for charity

Toronto developer Devron has launched the “A Big Picture” art contest, asking children across Ontario to draw or paint positive messages related to the COVID-19 crisis.

At the end of the contest, a young artist will be chosen as the winner for producing the most heart-warming and inspiring message. The artwork will be displayed and illuminated on a large billboard at 1140 Yonge Street, in midtown Toronto.

The top three winners of the art contest will also have the opportunity to choose three local charities for Devron to support, for a combined donation of at least $20,000.

The competition is open to children 12 years old and under. All applicants must have a parent or guardian’s permission and must be residents of Ontario. To learn more visit, A Big Picture.

Avenue Living reports positive April rent revenue

Despite the drastic economic downturn due to the coronavirus pandemic, Avenue Living, owner and operator of almost 10,000 residential apartments in 19 markets across the Prairies, has reported that it has collected over 95 per cent of April rent.

“We have been in constant communication with our residents since the beginning of this crisis, working with them on any financial challenges they may be facing,” said Louise Elsey, Chief Operating Officer of Avenue Living Communities. “We are actually not that surprised by our successful rent collection. Our residents are wonderful people who place a priority on their homes.”

A new academic article commissioned by Avenue Living and published in The Conversation found that consumer behaviour changes drastically in times of crisis. According to the article by Grant Alexander Wilson, PhD, University of Saskatchewan, “Consumer spending on food, shelter and health care generally rises during economic downturns.”

As the pandemic progresses, people are focusing their resources on basic needs, such as food and shelter.

“We’re very aware that we provide an essential need,” said Elsey. “Many of our residents are front line workers – nurses, grocery store cashiers, truck drivers and more. In that respect, our team members are essential workers themselves, helping essential workers.”

With more than 400 buildings throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Avenue Living owns and operates rental housing for over 20,000 people.

“We’ve taken numerous precautions to ensure our residents have a safe place to call home, including extra cleaning, flexible remote payment options as well as a community task force to assist those who may be in isolation and need help with groceries or support like dog-walking,” said Elsey. “We’ve also raised the hourly wage for our essential staff, for their tremendous efforts during this crisis.”

Avenue Living Communities is a division of Avenue Living Group of Companies, a Calgary-based owner of real estate assets spanning residential, commercial and agricultural properties. Avenue Living offers a suite of investment offerings for retail, family offices and institutional capital partners, focusing on maximizing risk-adjusted returns with cash-flowing real estate assets.

Documenting evidence in condos amid COVID-19

Property managers in Canada are no strangers to putting out fires. They often tackle some form of crisis on a weekly basis and are good at what they do. Fortunately, their dedication continues. Along with boards, they remain highly engaged in COVID-19 response efforts, resulting in safer condominiums.

One specific crisis industry should prepare for is the demand for evidence in the coming months due to losses and/or claims. This is an excellent time for both property managers and boards to begin virtual table-top discussions on the corporation’s “risk posture” with respect to documentation, which lawyers and insurance companies will require in the months to come.

Here are some items to consider with your property leadership team.

Employee communications

Ensure the corporation and your leadership teams are able to identify the when and what you informed your staff about regarding both preventative measures in the workplace and employee safety. Keep track of dates, times and content. This should include documentation and acknowledgements of changes to policies and procedures.

Slips, trips and falls

In Ontario, this is one of the leading claims in the facility and property management industry. The risk for claims will continue and may even rise in the coming months. Your organization should be documenting daily checks of walkways, lobby entrances, lobby interiors and parking lots. Not only should these daily checks be documented once completed, but also the weather and ground conditions should be noted in the documentation as well. Simply conducting and documenting exterior lighting inspections at night will also allow you to provide ongoing evidence of due diligence to protect your corporation. If all this sounds like additional work and costs – it’s not. I would expect my security team to already be doing this as a standard practice.

Building cleaning

For a corporation to say it has enhanced cleaning in a building in response to COVID-19 is simply not enough. Documentation of when and what will likely be requested in the event of an insurance or loss claim. The evidence of enhanced cleaning provides your corporation with improved resident safety and a defendable platform in the event of loss. It’s a win-win.

Document the basics (You know, the ones we always seem to forget about.)

The risk of a specific crisis in your building is higher today than it was a month ago, simply due to the population being at capacity 24 hours a day. More cooking means increased risk of fires, for instance. Here’s a brief list of items that your corporation should document and/or have evidence of completion in order to mitigate against some specific issues that can be overlooked.

Monthly tests of elevator emergency communications

Every elevator has either an emergency telephone system or bell button that residents can use to communicate problems in the elevator, such as a medical emergency or an entrapment. Make sure that your staff are not only testing these systems for function, but also confirming that the audibility is clear, so it works in the event the system is needed. Document this test every 30 days.

Weekly tests of sprinkler and standpipe pumps

A fire pump needs to work in the event of a high-rise fire. Your building’s fire pump is required to be run every seven days by building staff. Ensure that this is being both completed and documented.

First aid kits and monthly inspections of AEDs.

Regulation 1101 in Ontario requires that first aid kits in condo workplaces be fully stocked and inspected every 30 days. While most AEDs are now equipped with self-check features, this life-saving vital equipment is required to be inspected every 30 days. Make sure it’s still where it is needed.

Carbon monoxide detection systems

Your condo’s underground parking garage is protected by a CO detection system that requires an annual calibration and a monthly inspection to acknowledge that there are no existing troubles or alarms. This monthly check should be documented with a date, time and name of the person who completed the check. It is this evidence that will create a defendable platform and provide enhanced safety for residents.

Security camera operations and recordings

Your condominium is likely protected by CCTV systems, and their functionality is vital to the safety and security of your building. Daily checks should be documented to indicate that the building’s camera systems are all functioning and recording. I cannot stress enough how many times an incident has occurred at a building only to find out that the system was not recording at the time of incident, or that the camera image was unusable due to a malfunctioning camera. This not only shows a non-defendable platform, but also creates new liabilities. This should be documented daily.

Communication of emergency procedures

Residential building fires have increased in Ontario over the past two months. Reminding residents of the building emergency procedures is vital at this time. As basic due diligence, every condo in Ontario should provide a copy of the Resident Section of the building’s approved fire safety plan to each resident in the building.

Every fire safety plan is required to be reviewed and updated every 12 months in Ontario. It is this fire safety plan that contains both building staff and resident approved emergency procedures. Print the email that you send to the residents containing their procedures and maintain this documentation as part of your due diligence.

What work did you stop doing and why?

By now, all condominium amenities have been closed. If not, your organization owns that liability. Stating why you closed the amenities is going to protect your organization in the months to come. It should be documented that you closed these amenities after careful consideration of both local and international public health guidelines and that resident safety could simply not be achieved with the limited cleaning resources available. The parameters you used to close the facilities may be requested 18 months from now.

Record the date and times of when and why these amenities were closed to provide information that may be used to show a pattern of informed decisions by your board, allowing for the basis of a defendable platform against claims.

Jason Reid is the senior adviser for Fire & Emergency Management with National Life Safety Group in Toronto. He has worked with international embassies, government, public and private sector critical infrastructure facilities; commercial/residential high-rise buildings; world class shopping centres and mass assembly facilities. He is also recognized throughout Canada for innovative best practices in the fire service and property/facility management industry – protecting people, assets, reputation and the bottom line. He can be reached at: [email protected] Main: 647-794-5505 Toll Free: 1-877-751-0508 www.nationallifesafetygroup.ca

UBC students design low-cost COVID-19 ventilator

B.C. engineering students have developed a simple, low-cost COVID-19 ventilator that may very well save lives. Their design—built around a modified BiPAP machine—is among the final 10 in the Code Life Ventilator Challenge, an international competition that has attracted more than 1,000 teams from 94 participating countries.

The competition, hosted by the Montreal General Hospital Foundation and McGill University Health Centre, invited participants to design a ventilator that can be manufactured easily anywhere in the world and adheres to compliance specifications. Final results will be announced by the end of the week.

The team, which calls itself FlowO2, came up with the idea of customizing the BiPAP machine, which has been used for years to treat sleep apnea.

“Instead of building a ventilator from the ground up, we decided to use the BiPAP machine because it’s already approved for medical applications and people know how it works,” explains team member Laura Stankiewicz. “This allowed us to focus our efforts on writing the special software needed and securing additional parts—which are easily sourced from hardware stores or online suppliers—that would turn it into a potential life support tool for people with COVID-19.”

“Where conventional ventilators cost from $25,000 to $50,000, our invention should cost only a few thousand dollars to manufacture—and most of that is from the cost of the BiPAP machine,” says team member Nico Werschler.

The ventilator was assessed on members of the team and a test lung at McGill University, producing what team member Adam Levschuk calls “very promising results.” It will soon be further evaluated at a simulation centre in Vancouver General Hospital and test lungs at TRIUMF.

“This is Canadian innovation at its best: aligning cutting-edge research capability with positive societal impact,” says Walter Merida, associate dean in the faculty of applied science. “The COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on the economy, and the FlowO2 team exemplifies the type of leadership and talent that will be required to ensure Canada’s recovery.”

Quebec residential market forecast updated

The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB) unveiled its residential market forecasts for 2020 into next year. What was supposed to be a record-breaking year for transactions—Q1 recorded a 18 per cent jump in transactions compared to Q1 2019—repercussions of social distancing measures started to take a toll on the market beginning in mid-March.

Charles Brant, director of the QPAREB’s market analysis department, says market forecasts are difficult right now and much depends on medical discoveries, government decisions and the public’s attitude; however, QPAREB is still able to provide a relatively reliable forecasting framework for the resale market based on two scenarios, one more pessimistic than the other.

A slowdown in the activities of most real estate professionals will lead to a record drop in sales of about 60 per cent in the second quarter of the year, compared to the second quarter of last year. A sharp drop in listings will also happen. This freeze on the market is expected to lead to price stability in Q2.

On one hand, the longer the return to normal economic activity is delayed, the less intense the return of sales will be in the medium term.

The less pessimistic scenario is the restarting of sales will take place in a context where unemployment in Quebec is expected to peak above 10 per cent in the second quarter, according to several Canadian financial institutions. The definitive job losses will naturally have reached the economic sectors that are most vulnerable from the crisis and the households that are most exposed to it.

“In our opinion, despite exceptional government assistance, a significant segment of first-time buyers affected by the crisis will have to give up on their plan to buy a property, or will have to sell their first home during the second half of the year, particularly in those areas where prices are highest and where the economic sectors most affected by the crisis are concentrated,” said Brant. “This could intensify the housing crisis in some rental markets. A temporary spike in new listings could coincide with the end of the deferral of mortgage payments granted to households that are economically affected by the COVID-19 crisis.”

However, the forced postponement of purchases since early spring due to social distancing measures could result in an increase in sales. These sales would only partially offset the increase in supply on the market, as purchases would be from more experienced buyers who have suffered less financially and benefit from extremely favourable financing rates, and who are not necessarily looking for the characteristics of the properties that are being returned to the market.

“Market conditions in Quebec could quickly return to their equilibrium level by the fall; in the second half of 2020, a limited drop in median prices is expected to be seen in several geographic areas, which will present buying opportunities,” said Brant. “For 2020 as a whole, we could ultimately see a 22 per cent drop in transactions in Quebec as compared to the sales record reached in 2019, as well as a two to four per cent decrease in median price depending on the property category.”

The market could start to benefit sellers again at the end of the year with the reopening of the economy and a relatively gradual decline in active listings. The rebound in economic activity will be most intense in 2021, with an expected rebound in transactions of about 25 per cent compared to 2020, as well as a six to 10 per cent increase in prices, depending on the property category. However, the level of activity will not reach the record that was set in 2019.

“Keep in mind that the economy is still dependent on several completely unpredictable factors linked to the possibility of new waves of the epidemic in late 2020, assuming a late discovery of effective treatments and vaccines, which is envisaged in our pessimistic scenario,” added Brant.

Ford announces plan to increase protection of vulnerable residents

The Ontario government is rolling out a new COVID-19 Action Plan for Vulnerable People to better protect vulnerable residents during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The plan builds on the government’s previous actions to support Ontarians living in high-risk settings, including those living in congregate care settings due to developmental disabilities and survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking. Details of the plan were unveiled by government representatives at a press conference held April 23rd.

“The plan we are announcing today will build on and support the critical work that is currently being carried out each and every day by our frontline heroes to care for our most vulnerable citizens,” said Premier Ford. “These people are most at risk during this pandemic and that’s why we are helping these organizations immediately ramp up screening and testing, deploy more protective masks and gloves, and put more boots on the ground in the fight against COVID-19.”

“We have been working in close partnership with the federal government, municipalities, First Nations, Indigenous organizations and bargaining agents as part of the rapid response to COVID-19 in congregate care settings,” said Minister Smith. “The action plan we are delivering today lays out a set of interventions, tailored by sector, to enable prevention and infection control, while maintaining service continuity for the benefit of our vulnerable clients and staff.”

The COVID-19 Action Plan for Vulnerable People focuses on three specific areas:

Enhanced Screening and Reduced Exposure to Prevent Spread:

Enhancing screening of visitors, staff, and residents on sites, as well as restricting non-essential visitors.
Providing masks to staff working in congregate care settings and providing training on the use of personal protective equipment in the event of an outbreak.

Infection Control: Managing Outbreaks and Limiting Spread:

Enhancing testing of symptomatic staff and clients to identify the need for isolation and additional infection control measures on-site:
Planning to limit staff from working at more than one congregate care setting during an outbreak, specifically in developmental services, intervenor services, violence against women and anti-human trafficking settings.
Providing additional training and support for high-risk settings dealing with an outbreak, including guidance on how to isolate clients.

Sustaining Staffing and Managing Staff Shortages:

Working with organizations to promote workforce stability and capacity in high-risk settings.

The government will work with Indigenous-led congregate care settings both on and off reserve to ensure that these tools and supports are available and adapted to meet their local needs in keeping their clients and staff safe.

“Indigenous leaders across the province have taken swift action to protect their communities from the spread of COVID-19 and today’s enhanced safety measures will provide additional protection for those community members living and working in congregate care settings,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

The plan also supports mobilizing action to assessed high-risk locations in managing the COVID-19 outbreak in the days and weeks to come by providing assistance with staffing and additional training and support.

The government is also moving immediately to solicit ideas on additional actions and measures that can be taken now to further support vulnerable Ontarians and staff in high-risk settings.

The province has also suspended evictions, provided funds through the province’s $200 million Social Services Relief Fund to service managers, and invested over $37 million to support outbreak planning, prevention and mitigation efforts to ensure the health and well-being of Indigenous people and communities. Constant monitoring is also underway with local public health organizations.

Vancity offers small businesses interest free loans

Vancity has launched the Unity Pivot Business Loan for small businesses who need to adapt due to COVID-19.

Loans of up to $150,000 are available to support businesses pivoting direction to support the fight against the pandemic. These will be interest free for the first six months with no payment required during the first six months either.

From garment manufacturers shifting to produce masks to local perfumeries retooling to make hand sanitizer, local business leaders are lending a hand to those on the frontlines of the pandemic. Others have had to adjust their business to new circumstances – moving their business online, for example.

The Unity Pivot Business Loan is available to all businesses that have been in existence for two years or more, who were profitable before COVID-19, and who need financing to support a shift in direction in response to the pandemic.

In addition, Vancity is offering the Unity Bridge Loan to support self-employed people impacted by COVID-19. This term loan will be offered to those who’ve been self-employed for more than two years and who have an existing business with payroll under $20,000. Individuals with no payroll are also eligible for a loan up to $10,000, available interest free for the first six months with no payment required during the first six months either. The Unity Pivot Business and Unity Bridge programs are capped at $50 million.

In partnership with the Government of Canada, Vancity is also supporting small businesses through a number of loan programs, including the Canada Emergency Business Account and Business Credit Availability Program. Since making the Canada Emergency Business Accounts available to its members, Vancity has approved $84,260,000 in total loans to 2,108 businesses.

“Vancity’s relief programs for small businesses build on the supports already in place from the provincial and federal governments. When the country gets through the worst of this pandemic, small businesses will play a significant role in helping to drive our economic recovery. Now is the time to support these businesses as they get creative and change course in efforts to meet the challenge of this pandemic head on,” said Tamara Vrooman, Vancity’s president and chief executive officer.

Regulators plumb mortgage loan liquidity

As 2020 began, a vast majority of surveyed Canadian lenders predicted their commercial mortgage loan originations this year would match or surpass 2019 levels. COVID-19 has now derailed that $62-billion⁺ prospect as lenders invoke tighter underwriting criteria or withdraw entirely.

Newly released analysis from CMLS Mortgage Analytics Group points to nosediving lender sentiment over the first quarter. The independent provider of mortgage valuation services traces how tenant-prompted pressure for rent deferrals begets landlords’ needs for loan concessions and heightened uncertainty for financiers, who reported approximately $317 billion in outstanding loans in CMLS’ 2019 year-end Canadian commercial mortgage market survey.

“The extent to which the national shutdown will ultimately affect real estate investment cash flows remains to be seen,” the CMLS commentary states. “This uncertainty has led to increased challenges in valuation as investors and borrowers try to determine if the impact to NOI (net operating income) will persist or correct itself in the short term.”

Accordingly, Canadian regulators and institutions — including the Bank of Canada, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) — have introduced measures to counter what CMLS analysts term “rapid deterioration in the lending space for the time being” and bolster mortgage loan liquidity.

In addition to slashing the overnight interest rate to 0.25 per cent, the Bank of Canada will buy back up to $500 million in CMHC-guaranteed Canada Mortgage Bonds (CMBs) per week in the secondary market. That’s aligned with the Commercial Paper Purchase Program, announced in late March to support short-term financing needs.

OSFI has given banks leeway to categorize loans as still “performing” in cases where borrowers have needed to defer payments due to COVID-19- related stress, thus freeing banks from a requirement to hold extra capital to offset those loans. It also reduced the domestic stability buffer to 1 per cent as of April 1 — a 125-basis-point cut calculated to free up an additional $300 billion in lending capacity.

The Canadian government has introduced policies to support the CMHC-insured loan market. Notably, through its Insured Mortgage Purchase Program (IMPP), it will purchase up to $150 billion of insurance mortgage pools.

“The stimulus effectively triples their mortgage purchases from the previous year and more than doubles the amount purchased during the last financial crisis. The move aims to expand stable funding available to banks and mortgage lenders in order to ensure continued lending to consumers and business,” the CMLS analysis explains.

CECRA tied to mortgaged commercial properties

Commercial landlords will activate rent relief levers for small business and not-for-profit tenants under the terms of the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program. Newly unveiled details sketch out a four-way cost-sharing formula that will enable small tenants, paying less than $50,000 monthly, to receive a 75 per cent discount on rent for April, May and June.

The program is targeted to mortgaged commercial properties housing tenants that have either been forced into a COVID-19 related shutdown or suffered a minimum 70 per cent drop in revenues since the outbreak began. Commercial landlords must agree to reduce rents by 75 per cent and halt evictions for the three stipulated months. In turn, they will be eligible for a forgivable joint federal-provincial loan of up to 50 per cent of the monthly rent, which Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will channel directly to their lenders.

“We thank and commend the many property owners who have already taken action to help their tenants during this crisis,” adds Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

The federal and provincial/territorial governments have reached an agreement in principle to proceed with the program, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier this month. Funds are expected to start flowing by mid-May, and will be retroactive to April 1. Ontario is committing $241 million for its 25 per cent share of the program, while British Columbia’s and Alberta’s contributions are estimated at $80 million and $67 million respectively within their provinces.

“While many small businesses have closed their doors to help keep people safe and healthy, this has not stopped the bills from coming in,” observes Carole James, B.C.’s Minister of Finance. “British Columbia is pleased to partner with the federal government on the CECRA, a welcome next step that will help thousands of commercial property owners and tenants in British Columbia.”

Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford hints there is more collaboration to come.

“I want to thank the federal government for partnering with us to help our small businesses and commercial landlords,” he says. “I look forward to working together to also provide much-needed support to residential renters ahead of May 1.”