Housing market vulnerable despite easing overvaluation: CMHC

Although overvaluation has eased in Toronto and Victoria, the national housing market remains vulnerable for the tenth quarter in a row, finds the most recent Housing Market Assessment (HMA) released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

According to the HMA, despite house prices and housing market fundamentals becoming more aligned in the previous quarter, moderate evidence of overvaluation continued to be detected nationally in Q3-2018. Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Hamilton are all experiencing a high degree of overall vulnerability due to overvaluation, although evidence of overvaluation has been downgraded to moderate in both Toronto and Victoria.

In the Greater Toronto Area, the decline in the evidence of overvaluation is due to the gaps between actual home prices and price levels estimated by narrowing fundamentals, according to Dana Senagama, CMHC’s manager of market analysis and market insights for the central region.

In Metro Victoria, evidence of overvaluation declined due to an increase of the population of young adults in the region in Q3-2018, adding support for home price growth, reported CMHC’s Braden Batch, senior analyst, economics and market insights for the West. According to Batch, the support from the population growth in the region was mitigated by a slight decline in disposable income and an increase in mortgage rates.

Meanwhile, imbalances in Metro Vancouver’s housing market have eased in recent quarters, but home price levels are still high relative to local economic fundamentals, resulting in overvaluation continuing to be detected.

In the Hamilton CMA, evidence of overheating and price acceleration continue to be detected. Despite overvaluation slowing over the past few quarters, there is still moderate evidence of it being detected. With the inventory of completed and unsold new homes falling, evidence of overbuilding remains low. Housing demand in the region is being driven by an influx of people in the 25 to 34 age group, as it remains strong due to high immigration levels and high in-migration from the GTA.

In Q3-2018, both Calgary and Edmonton continued to show a moderate degree of overall vulnerability. However, as the rental apartment vacancy rates fell, the evidence of overbuilding has been revised from high to moderate in these two regions.

The Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg CMAs all continued to show a moderate degree of overall vulnerability. In Saskatoon, the inventory of unsold completed units has stayed below CMHC’s threshold over the past three quarters, resulting in the evidence of overbuilding revising from high to moderate. In Regina, evidence of overbuilding remains elevated due to a high vacancy rate and new housing inventory. Meanwhile, Winnipeg continues to see a moderate degree of both overvaluation and overbuilding, and the overall assessment of the housing market remains unchanged from Q2-2018.

A low degree of overall vulnerability remains in place for Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Halifax and St. John’s. The resale market in Montreal continues to be closely watched due to a tightening between supply and demand, creating significant upward pressure on home prices.

Results of the HMA are based on data as of the end of September 2018; the annual rental apartment vacancy rates are from October 2018 and market intelligence as of the end of December 2018. The report provides the housing market assessment nationally, as well as summary assessments for 15 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs).

“We are seeing overvaluation pressures unwinding in Toronto and Victoria, despite the fact that Canada’s overall vulnerability remains high,” said Bob Dugan, CMHC’s chief economist, in a press release. “Nationally, overheating and overbuilding remain low. It should also be noted that price acceleration may be downgraded in upcoming reports which would lead to Canada’s overall vulnerability moving from high to moderate, provided other HMA factors do not change.”

AHIP appoints new chief investment officer

American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP (AHIP) has appointed Chris Cameron as its new chief investment officer, effective February 11.

According to a press release, Cameron will be responsible for leading the Company’s investment and capital recycling strategies, including evaluating alternatives to redeploy capital and executing hotel transactions in line with the Company’s strategic plan, in this role.

Cameron is a Chartered Professional Accountant and has over 14 years of experience in the hotel industry, overseeing multiple disciplines including hotel acquisitions and dispositions, debt financing, and operations.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Chris to the AHIP team,” said John O’Neill, CEO in a press release. “I’ve worked closely with Chris for many years, including when AHIP was founded nearly six years ago – as he worked with us during the IPO process. As a result, he is already intimately familiar with much of our hotel portfolio. His extensive knowledge about the North American hotel industry and capital allocation strategies will be instrumental in helping AHIP achieve its long-term strategy and cash flow targets.”

AHIP currently has 112 hotels and is engaged in growing its portfolio of premium branded, select-service hotels in larger secondary markets that have diverse and stable demand.

Historic Quebec site gets $3.6-mil for museum development

The Government of Canada is supporting the Centre historique de la mine King (KB3) by providing $3.6 million towards the development of the historic site in the form of a non-repayable contribution through the Canada Economic Development for Quebec regions. The funding will go towards the addition of new outdoor spaces, the enhancement of the museum and the completion of architectural lighting work.

In July 2012, the Musée minéralogique et minier de Thetford Mines was tasked with completing the KB3 project, which has the goal to showcase the site of the former mine, located in downtown Thetford Mines, and turn it into a main tourist attraction. The region’s mining activity began in part at this mine, where asbestos production began in 1878. The mine has been closed since 1986.

KB3 is a key project in the region for its contribution to economic diversification. The site restoration will be completed in two phases. Phase one involves renovating three of the mine’s former buildings and fitting out interpretation stations. Phase two involves the development of outdoor spaces and building an underground gallery.

The funding was awarded under CED’s Canadian Initiative for the Economic Diversification of Communities Reliant on Chrysotile, which has the purpose of supporting projects that are related to the economic diversification of the Des Appalaches and Des Sources regions.

“We are thrilled with CED’s financial support, which will allow us to restore mining – the industry that has supported our community all these years – to its former glory,” said Yvan Faucher, Chair, Board of Directors, Musée minéralogique et minier de Thetford Mines, in a press release. “Transforming the KB3 mine into a mineralogical museum is a major accomplishment in terms of the legacy that all of us, as residents of Thetford Mines, will leave behind for future generations.”

CISC opposes steel trade action launched by AISC

The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) strongly opposes the Petitions for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on certain fabricated structural steel from Canada, filed by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) on February 4, 2019.

“AISC’s allegations that these products from Canada are unfairly traded and cause injury to U.S. producers of fabricated steel products are baseless,” says Ed Whalen, president and CEO of the CISC. “The negative effects of the Section 232 steel tariffs are the more likely cause of injury for the U.S. downstream steel sector, not Canada. Canada and the U.S. have been in each other’s markets for generations.”

Canadian fabricators of structural steel compete fairly in worldwide markets, including the United States. Canada offers high quality fabricated steel produced with significant experience in design and engineering with unique design-assist/engineering capabilities, delivered timely to customers.

In addition, a significant number of Canadian fabricators have made important investments in the United States, such as establishing American subsidiaries and affiliates that produce fabricated structural steel and employ U.S. workers.

CISC is confident that the investigations will prove that imports from Canada are fairly traded and cause no injury to U.S. producers. CISC will vigorously defend the industry’s interests in these investigations.

BACKGROUND
On February 4, 2019, the AISC launched a trade action against China, Mexico and Canada on certain fabricated structural steel products. The U.S. Department of Commerce will be investigating these three countries for evidence of dumped and subsidized products. The U.S. International Trade Commission will be investigating whether the U.S. industry is being materially injured or threatened with material injury from the subject imports.

FSI names Jon Benjamin region manager for Canada

FSI Global, a leading facilities management software provider, recently opened a Canadian office in an effort to expand its global operations. The company has named Jon Benjamin region manager for the Canada office.

Benjamin brings nearly 30 years of experience in technology consulting, sales and strategic business corporate development, both in North America and globally, to the role. His experience includes management in strategic areas including corporate expansion, developing and executing on sales and market development, and growing sales for companies both large and small from conception through IPO.

Benjamin’s career includes past experience working in ERP, HRIS, privacy and security, digital encryption and data protection, hospital infrastructure and information systems and in public-private partnerships in Canada. A subject matter expert and trusted advisor across various sectors, Benjamin will help further raise the FSI profile in Canada by promoting the Concept Evolution CAFM/IWMS, Concept Advantage Apps and FSI GO Workforce Mobility solutions from FSI.

“I am thrilled to have joined FSI Global at the ideal time where my background is suited to deliver maximum value to FSI’s existing client base and stakeholders,” said Benjamin, in a press release. “With FSI and the range of workplace technology solutions seen as market leaders, I welcome the opportunity to promote both FSI and these leading-edge solutions in the region.”

Some drag in buoyant 2018 investment returns

A surging industrial sector helped to counterbalance slipping retail values and push up 2018 investment returns on Canadian commercial real estate. Annual results of the MSCI/REALPAC Canada Property Index, released February 1, reveal a national total return of 7.4 per cent across 2,424 directly held standing assets. That’s an improvement over 2017 when the national total return was 6.7 per cent, and also exceeds the five-year average of 7 per cent.

Contributing components of the broad all-property average — which breaks down to 4.7 per cent income return and 2.6 per cent capital growth — include the highest capital growth rate since 2015, continued cap rate compression, particularly strong markets in Toronto and Vancouver and greater divergence between leading and trailing property sectors. Meanwhile, Calgary and Edmonton showed some upward momentum, largely credited to multifamily and industrial performance.

“National returns may be up because Alberta is less bad than it used to be,” Simon Fairchild, executive director with the Index producer, MSCI, told a Toronto gathering.

Conversely, retail’s 38.5 per cent share of the Index’s capital value gives it the weight to pull returns down. “We may be seeing in Canada things that we’ve seen playing out in the U.S. (retail sector) for a couple of years now,” he speculated.

A panel of industry insiders enlisted to provide on-the-spot feedback concurred with Fairchild that the 2018 numbers follow logically from 2017 trends and reinforce what they’re seeing in their own portfolios. That’s also true for Canada’s comparatively better results than the 7.2 per cent total return in the United States or 6 per cent total return in the United Kingdom in 2018.

“I’m not surprised by any of the numbers. Canada is our best business, globally, this year,” reported Michael Turner, president of Oxford Properties and OMERS’ executive vice president and global head of real estate. He’s in a good position to judge given that 58 per cent of Oxford’s approximately $58 billion worth of assets under management are outside Canada.

With the exception of retail’s decline, most of the changes in direction were positive in 2018. Looking back to the Index genesis in 1985, Fairchild called the 2.6 per cent capital growth rate “pretty good in historic terms” and noted that it represents an unprecedented ninth consecutive year of rising values. Last year also saw a 1.3 per cent increase in net income.

“We are actually in the longest run of uninterrupted capital growth we’ve seen in the history of the Index,” he said. “We are seeing actual real improvement in rents.”

“I am glad to see income growth is the lion’s share of the growth given the underlying fundamentals of the property market,” reflected Emily Hanna, a partner, investments, with Crown Realty Partners.

As of year-end 2018, the Index comprises 45 portfolios collectively valued at more than CAD $160 billion. Retail and office properties account for nearly three-quarters of the capital value, with industrial and residential carrying lesser weights of 12 and 11 per cent respectively. Hotel and other properties make up the remaining 3 per cent.

Toronto is home base for 41 per cent of the capital value, while Calgary and Vancouver each host roughly a 12.5 per cent share. Among the five other markets highlighted in the 2018 results, Montreal represents about 9 per cent, Ottawa and Edmonton have portions in the 5 per cent range, and Winnipeg and Halifax are indistinctly lumped into the approximately 14 per cent stake of capital value in the “rest of Canada”.

Gap widens between industrial and retail

“Industrial and residential tend to be strong wherever you look,” Fairchild observed. Office also surpassed the national average, as the three property sectors delivered stronger returns than in 2017.

Industrial tops the chart with a total return of 13.8 per cent, followed by multifamily at 11.5 per cent and office at 7.8 per cent. Similarly, three markets — Toronto at 11.1 per cent, Vancouver at 10.6 per cent, and Ottawa at 7.7 per cent — outperformed the national average and their own 2017 returns.

“You have to go back to 2013 to see Toronto under-perform the national rate of return,” Fairchild added. (Calgary and Edmonton were the top markets that year, recording 12.9 and 12.8 per cent total returns, while regional malls delivered a total return of 14.2 per cent.)

Varied regional results underpin retail’s average total return of 4.4 per cent — a slide from 5.3 per cent in 2017. After recording a national capital growth rate of 0.8 per cent in 2017, retail properties enjoyed gains ranging from 5.3 per cent to 0.8 per cent in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, while losing value in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Halifax. Sector-wide, a 4.3 per cent income return exceeded multifamily’s 3.9 per cent yield.

“It’s maybe a bit of a surprise that the gap between industrial and retail is opening up as wide as it is,” Fairchild said. “The mid-size regional malls have tended to under-perform of late. The main challenge for 2018 is the continued weakening in the super-regional malls.”

The divide between industrial and retail performance is most obvious in the strongest market, Toronto, where industrial boasted a 14.6 per cent capital growth rate versus retail’s 2.7 per cent gain, and in the weakest, Halifax, where industrial squeaked out 0.7 per cent capital growth, while retail lost 9.9 per cent in value. Wide splits were also recorded in Montreal (8.4 per cent) and Vancouver (7.2 per cent).

Calgary office still losing value

In contrast, office remains Calgary’s most troubled sector. Office properties in the city dropped 6.7 per cent in value — a much steeper decline than retail’s 1.9 per cent negative capital growth. On the flipside, the industrial and residential sectors saw gains of 2.4 per cent and 1.9 per cent respectively.

“Values are still falling, but investors aren’t losing all of their money,” Fairchild said.

“We are still seeing an impairment of values in Calgary,” agreed Steven Marino, senior vice president, portfolio management, with GWL Realty Advisors. “We have been taking write-downs in Calgary for the last four years. There are some aggressive leasing deals being done in Calgary, which is affecting value every day.”

Elsewhere, Toronto and Vancouver, again, post healthy gains in office value — 7.3 and 7 per cent, respectively — while Ottawa was the only other market boasting capital growth in the office sector. Multifamily was the only sector to enjoy capital growth in every major market where Index participants hold assets. It also posted the lowest yield in a year when income return nudged down across all property sectors.

From a regional perspective, Fairchild noted that Montreal has joined Toronto and Vancouver in the lowest-yield zone. Together, Montreal and Toronto also captured more than two-thirds of net investment last year equating to nearly $2 billion in Montreal and $2.8 billion in Toronto. “Toronto is the main destination for net new money from the institutions,” he said.

Looking to 2019

While citing “record low yields and record high prices” as defining features of the market, Fairchild makes no dire prognoses. “I can make an argument, I think, that the market is actually pretty healthy right now,” he submitted.

Nevertheless, that double whammy is causing some wariness. “We are long into the cycle,” Turner advised. “I think the biggest risk is cap rates. They have to normalize or expand at some point.”

Economically damaging fallout from political manoeuvring — via either “Trump”, as Marino hypothesized, or “populism across the board”, as Hanna conjectured — is seen as another plausible risk for 2019. Yet, REITs’ relative standout status in tanking capital markets last year offers some reassurance

“It’s almost a vote of confidence in real estate,” suggested Michael Brooks, REALPAC’s chief executive officer.

Panellists also expect to see continued new development in a market where there is not much left to buy. “In the property market, fiduciaries like us have such a pent up demand for product,” Hanna noted.

“Real estate is fully priced,” Turner said. “The best return we see for unit of risk is development.”

“We are seeing a lot more of our peers move into the development space,” Marino concurred.

Looking ahead, Marino predicted a total return of 7.3 per cent for 2019, while Hanna went just one notch lower in her projection of 7.2 per cent. Turner was the outlier on the low end as he pegged the 2019 total return at 5.7 per cent, albeit with a qualifier. “By the way, Oxford will beat that number,” he quipped.

Honours for most accurately projecting the 2018 total return go to Paul Au of Blackwood Partners. He emerged the winner from 140 submissions to the annual contest made at the release of 2017 investment results last winter.

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

New boutique condo Enticy launches in Montreal

Enticy, a new boutique condominium project from Omnia Technologies and financial partner Claridge, is set to begin construction in spring 2019. The 24-storey project will be located at the corner of René-Lévesque and Mackay in downtown Montreal, a short walk from both Concordia University and McGill University, as well as central subway and train stations.

Enticy, designed by Geiger Huot, will feature a contemporary design built around a façade of historical townhouses. The 185-unit condo will feature suites in studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom configurations, as well as ground-level townhouses, with prices starting from $286,950 for a studio unit. Suites will boast nine-foot-high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and superior soundproofing in the modern, open-plan units.

The design was inspired by the modern and minimalist style of a boutique hotel, with units featuring natural light and views of the Montreal skyline and Saint-Lawrence River. Some of its amenities include a heated rooftop pool and patio, a fully-equipped gym, a co-working café and security cameras and controlled access. The condominium also boasts lower condo fees than most surrounding projects.

“Enticy is a modern and upscale condo project providing living spaces and a solid investment, with a prime location in downtown Montreal,” said Jean- François Beaulieu, president of Omnia Technologies, in a press release.

Units are expected to be in move-in condition by spring 2021.

True North Commercial acquires the Ottawa Property

True North Commercial Real Estate Investment Trust (the REIT) has announced it has closed the acquisition of an 11-storey 107,066 square foot office – the Ottawa Property – for $24.5 million.

It is located at 360 Laurier Avenue West in Ottawa and is adjacent to 340 Laurier Avenue West which is also currently owned by the REIT.

“This acquisition will help solidify our footprint in Ottawa’s central business district and allow us to capitalize on operating synergies and efficiencies,” said Daniel Drimmer, the REIT’s President and Chief Executive Officer in a press release.

“As we continue to strengthen our position as a pure-play office REIT, we are pleased to redeploy the proceeds from the recent sale of our two industrial properties into an office property in Ottawa occupied by one of the highest quality tenant covenants available in the Canadian marketplace.”

The Ottawa Property is certified as BOMA BEST Silver and is expected to receive LEED EB Gold certification in early 2019. With a remaining lease term of 3.5 years, the building is 100 per cent occupied with the Federal Government of Canada occupying 95 per cent of the building’s gross rentable area.

Canada funds first net-zero multi-res building in London

The Government of Canada is investing $3.9 million toward the construction of Canada’s first net-zero, mixed-use, multi-unit residential building in the West 5 sustainable community in London, Ont. The investment is being provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program.

The residential building, Helio, hopes to demonstrate the possibility of net-zero energy for residences, and inspire change across the country’s construction industry. Net-zero buildings are designed and constructed to produce at least as much energy as what they consume on an annual basis.

“This project will demonstrate first-of-its-kind net-zero energy construction in high-rise residential buildings, making it a model for the future,” said Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources, in a press release.

The building, which will be constructed by Sifton Properties Limited, will include a monitoring system that will be used to optimize energy-efficiency performance, which may become a boon to the industry, going forward.

“Helio will be the most energy-efficient high-rise in Canada, designed and constructed to be 77 per cent more efficient than a similar building built under the current Ontario Building Code,” added Richard Sifton, president of Sifton Properties. “This is quite an accomplishment, and there is no doubt that the Energy Innovation Program has enabled us to push Helio further than thought possible. It will be an incredible addition to West 5.”

New association of real estate brokers launched in Quebec

A new provincial real estate association was formed in Quebec at the beginning of the year called The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB), bringing together more than 12,500 real estate brokers and agencies.

According to a press release sharing a common vision for the future and a desire to promote the real estate brokerage industry, the Greater Montreal(GMREB), Quebec City (CIQ) and Laurentides (CIL) real estate boards held general meetings last year where more than 96 per cent of real estate brokers voted in favour of a merger.

The three presidents of the former real estate boards – Nathalie Bégin, Christiane St-Jean and Anouk Vidal – are all acting co-presidents of QPAREB until the first annual general meeting of the new association, which will be held in April.

“Our goal is to bring real estate brokers together in a new provincial association model that will become the only organization in Quebec dedicated to promoting our profession and defending and protecting our interests with government authorities,” said Christiane St-Jean, co-president of the QPAREB. “We can now speak with a united, credible and consistent voice to better address the issues facing our profession.”

The QPAREB headquarters are located in Quebec City while its administrative offices are in Montreal. It has two subsidiaries: Centris Inc. and the Collège de l’immobilier du Québec. The first annual general meeting of this new association will be held in April.

Passing the lead test in institutional buildings

Many schools across North America are failing government-mandated lead level tests. It’s not unique to a single geography; schools in big cities, suburbs, and rural areas are equally affected.

School administrators are required to flush their plumbing systems regularly in order to keep lead levels low. Flushing is needed because lead was widely used as a soldering element in pipes until 1986, and some plumbing systems installed before 1975 may have lead pipes, according to the Government of Canada. In both cases, lead from corrosion can contaminate water that passes through the pipes, especially if the water is hot. Water that has been sitting in pipes for six or more hours or over extended periods of time such as weekends, holidays, and especially over the summer break, is more likely to be contaminated. Lead is difficult to trace in drinking water because it carries no odour, taste or smell.

According to Health Canada, it is normal for Canadians to be exposed to low levels of lead. Food and drinking water are among the most common routes for lead to enter the body, in part owing to lead plumbing fixtures, according to the CMA Journal. Blood lead levels have decreased by more than 70 per cent over the last 30 years, but lead is still commonly detected in the Canadian population.

Lead exposure for children is of particular concern. According to KidsHealth, lead is a neurotoxin associated with several health risks, including damage to the central nervous system and learning disabilities, among others. Additionally, children’s bodies are more likely to absorb and retain lead than adults’. Ultimately, there is no “safe” amount of lead for children to consume.

Risk management is imperative for protecting children’s health. Regular pipe flushing is a standard practice and required by law to help keep lead at safe levels. Without a national system for collecting data and monitoring lead poisoning in children, facility managers and administrators can take a leadership role in ensuring lead levels are safe throughout their schools by monitoring lead flushing on a continuous basis.

Traditionally, the frequency of flushing was tracked manually, if at all, sometimes resulting in spotty records and a lack of insight into proper lead flushing. Otherwise, monitoring required sizeable investments in invasive plumbing infrastructure to track water flow.

More recently, IoT technology has made available commercial-grade, low-cost options for managing the process. Sensors that affix to water meters and do not require technical or plumbing knowledge can be used to make smart water-flow monitoring a collective effort.

By monitoring water flow minute by minute, school facility managers and administrators can ensure that essential lead flushing is being performed, and also quantify the length of each flushing event. For example, to flush the plumbing at a school, the Government of Ontario recommends staff turn on “the last tap/faucet (not a fountain) on each run or branch of plumbing, and let the water run for at least five minutes.” Running times differ depending on rate of flow and how far the water taps are from the water main on the street as well as the plumbing fixture involved, and age of building. A refrigerated water fountain requires 15 minutes of flushing, for example.

It’s possible to track lead flushing by manually recording flush times and durations on a spreadsheet that is shared with school administrators, but this method has its potential shortcomings, as mentioned earlier. Real-time water usage data can be used to avoid lead flushing that is either too short, and therefore ineffective, or too long, thus resulting in high water bills and water waste.

When water usage is tracked automatically, historical data and analytics can be used to create a consumption profile for each school and establish a benchmark for normal water use across all buildings in the district to help determine when unusual activity occurs. Smart sensors can also send mobile or email alerts for leaks, floods, unusual water usage, pipe freezing, power outages and humidity levels to help protect school buildings 24/7 from water damage as well as aid administrators in utility management and conservation efforts.

Facilities and maintenance departments can and should take proactive measures to ensure lead flushing is being performed effectively in order to meet legal and health requirements within their schools and across districts.

George Tsintzouras is CEO and co-founder of Alert Labs, a Kitchener, Ontario-based company that produces intelligent leak detection devices. George graduated from the University of Waterloo with his Bachelor of Physics and entered the field of optics. He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, with a specialization in marketing strategy.

New partners join ISSA Show Canada

The International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA), a division of ISSA, and the Ontario Healthcare Housekeeping Association (OHHA) have announced their partnership with ISSA Show Canada.

“In our ongoing effort to unite the industry and tap into all of our educational resources, we are so pleased to have IEHA and OHHA collaborate with ISSA Show Canada,” said ISSA Canada executive director Mike Nosko in a press release.

“Both IEHA and OHHA bring industry-leading expertise to assist with ISSA’s mission of changing the way the world views cleaning. The top-notch educational programming that they will provide is sure to help further professionalize our front-line workers and instil the confidence they need in order to keep our facilities healthy and sustainable.”

IEHA will present a session on Healthcare Sustainability, with sustainability being a trending issue among all industry sectors. According to the press release, this in-depth session will focus on the facts about sustainability as a planetary and business imperative, as well as providing practical tools to make sustainability goals achievable.

Within healthcare facilities, there appears to be a disconnect between environmental services and infection control departments. In the Healthcare Infection Control session, that disconnect will be addressed and broken down. From working together to identify high-touch areas that require more frequent cleaning to outlining practices and protocols that will help reduce the risk for healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), this session will look at proven infection control procedures, as well as the superbugs that may become problematic if teams don’t work together to utilize strategies that work.

The trade show and conference will be held June 11-13, 2019, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre located at 255 Front St. W. in downtown Toronto in tandem with the REMI Show whose delegates include building owners and managers.

For more information on the ISSA Show Canada, please contact Mike Nosko, ISSA Canada Executive Director at [email protected].

For more information on the REMI Show, please contact Chuck Nervick, senior vice-president, MediaEdge Communications at [email protected].

Better Buildings BC finalists selected

Fifteen building projects have been selected in the design incentive portion of the Better Buildings BC contest, a provincial program and juried competition to support, promote and celebrate the design and construction of net-zero energy-ready buildings.

The Better Buildings BC contest is one of many CleanBC initiatives aimed at turning buildings all over the province into lower polluting, warmer, more comfortable and healthier spaces.

Since the contest was announced in October 2018, 51 expressions of interest were submitted, naming more than 170 different organizations as proponents, suppliers or partners. The 15 finalists of the design incentive will receive a total of $318,923. The dollar amount of the reward will vary according to the size and complexity of the various building designs: $40,000 is largest single incentive awarded, while $21,000 is the average incentive.

Finalists of the design incentive are now required to submit a full application by March 31, 2019, for the Net Zero Energy Ready Incentive, which provides assistance for the construction phase of the building. The Province will announce final winners in May 2019. An open house will be held to showcase the winning designs.

The Better Buildings BC program is administered by Integral Group and funded through the Innovative Clean Energy Fund for $1 million and Forestry Innovation Investment for $200,000, for a total provincial contribution of $1.2 million.

Finalists selected for the Better Buildings BC design incentive are as follows:

ZGF Architects
Community Land Trust (3279 Vanness Ave.), Vancouver

MCMP Architects
Concert Properties, North Vancouver

Meiklejohn Architects Inc.
Pacific Arbour Seven Residence Ltd., Kelowna

ZGF Architects
Community Land Trust (1190 Burrard St.), Vancouver

Cornerstone Architecture
51561 BC Ltd, Vancouver

Jack James Architect
DB Services of Victoria Inc., Victoria

WD Fisher Architecture
Highstreet Ventures, Kelowna

Murdoch + Co
Whistler Housing Authority, Whistler

Dennis Maguire Architect
Vidorra Developments Ltd., Golden

VIA Architecture Inc.
B.C. Conference of the United Church of Canada, Vancouver

Perkins + Will Architects
University of Victoria, Victoria

Elevation Collective
Elevation Collective, Squamish

Perkins + Will Architects
Delta Land Development, Vancouver

Dialog
Bentall Kennedy, Vancouver

IBI Group Architects
Grosvenor Americas, Vancouver

Best of B.C. engineering honoured

Technical excellence and skilful innovation were honoured at the 2019 Deputy Minister’s Consulting Engineers Awards. The annual awards recognize consulting engineer services provided to improve B.C.’s transportation infrastructure.

The categories for this year’s awards included design and contract preparation for roads and structures, construction management and supervision services, specialized engineering services and alternate transportation.

Alternate Transportation

The award for Excellence in Alternate Transportation went to VIA Architecture for its part in upgrading the Metrotown SkyTrain Station and Exchange Upgrade project. The large-scale upgrade included a complete overhaul and transformation of the station footprint to address overcrowding.

Design and Contract Preparation – Structures

Associated Engineering received this award for its work in retrofitting and seismically upgrading the Alexandra Bridge in Spuzzum. The bridge, built in the early 1960s, carries the Trans-Canada Highway over the Fraser River. The project reshaped the bridge’s approach spans and made significant structural modifications to bring the bridge up to modern engineering code.

Design and Contract Preparation – Roads

SNC-Lavalin Inc. is this year’s Deputy Minister Award winner for its work on the six-laning project from Highway 33 to Edwards Road in Kelowna. The project involved great complexity, innovation and detail as work was completed to widen 4.5 kilometres of road from four lanes to six. Despite the natural geographical challenges and compressed schedule, the team at SNC-Lavalin maintained a high level of service to help deliver a quality project.

Construction Management and Supervision Services

The top honour for this category went to WSP Canada Inc. for its work on the Roche Cove Bridge Replacement project near Sooke. Overcoming numerous challenges, including working on a previously known archeological site, the company demonstrated innovation and careful planning to deliver a new two-lane bridge.

Specialized Engineering Services

In June 2016, a massive storm surged through the South Peace region, flooding out infrastructure and causing damage to surrounding communities. During this trying time, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants provided extensive engineering support, while conducting emergency repairs and replacements. For its ongoing support and response to changing project priorities, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants is this year’s award winner.

Phil Soper ranked top Canadian in real estate

For the sixth consecutive year, Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage and Bridgemarq Real Estate Services, has been named the most influential person in Canadian residential real estate by the Swanepoel Power 200 (SP200). The SP200 ranks residential real estate leaders across North America. Overall, Soper was ranked 11^th, up three positions from last year.

“I would like to congratulate those honoured in the 2019 Swanepoel Power 200. I am grateful to be recognized again this year among the highest echelon of the real estate brokerage industry,” said Phil Soper. “Every leader knows that exactly zero is achieved alone. I am exceptionally proud of my team who continue to elevate the company and the Canadian real estate industry overall through their passion for the business and relentless desire to do more and to do better.”

Soper joined Royal LePage as president in 2002. In 2016, he became the first Canadian to receive the Real Estate Leadership Award at the U.S. National Realtor Expo, for being “an industry visionary who embraces innovation and blazes new paths.” He has been named one of the 25 most influential leaders of the past 25 years by Real Estate Marketing magazine, and in 2015, he was named CEO of the Year by the Canadian Public Relations Society, the first time a real estate industry executive has been honoured with the title.

Prior to moving into the real estate industry, Soper was an executive with IBM, where he held both national and global leadership roles. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta’s School of Business, as well as the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey Executive Program.

Real estate leaders tapped for Alate advisory board

Alate Partners has formed an advisory board of real estate developers, owners and operators that will help the company identify and scale the most promising smart real estate solutions.

Alate, which was formed from a partnership between Relay Ventures, Dream Unlimited and Dream Office in 2018, is focused on accelerating the growth of technologies that enhance how real estate is designed, built and managed. The advisory board was created to better understand the needs of real estate owners, operators, builders and customers.

“Real estate companies continue to look for ways to incorporate technology that improves their operations and provides a better experience for those living and working in their properties. This newly formed advisory board of industry experts will come together to share their collective knowledge and accelerate the growth of real estate technology companies,” said Courtney Cooper, director of corporate development at Alate Partners, in a press release. “Advisory board members will also have access to some of the most innovative entrepreneurs and solutions, and gain early insight into the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of real estate.”

Alate tapped nine industry leaders that represent a diverse group of commercial and residential real estate and software companies with expertise in investment, development, asset management, operations, leasing and technology. They include:

Mike Abramsky, former president, Argus Software
Subhi Alsayed, vice president, sustainable development, Mattamy
Tim Aubrey, executive vice president, customer, product and innovation, Great Gulf
Jeff Hull, president, Hullmark Development
Jonathan Fleischer, executive vice president, operations, CAPREIT
Stuart Lombard, chief executive officer, ecobee
Sean Menkes, development manager, commercial, Menkes
Aliyah Mohamed, managing director, investment banking, real estate, TD Securities
Jonathan Pearce, executive vice president, leasing, Ivanhoé Cambridge

“Alate’s advisors and partners are some of the largest and most innovative home builders and landlords in the country,” added John Albright, co-founder and managing partner at Relay Ventures. “Their deep industry expertise and relationships provide tremendous value to the entrepreneurs we work with and can help them achieve more rapid growth.”

Bryan Cox named BC LNG Alliance president

Bryan Cox has been appointed president and CEO of the BC LNG Alliance (BCLNGA). He will begin his new role mid-February, taking over from David Keane, who tendered his resignation in August 2018.

Cox currently holds the position of president and CEO at the Mining Association of BC (MABC), having joined the MABC in 2014 as vice-president of corporate affairs. Previously, he held the role of vice-president, Western Canada for Canada’s National Brewers following leading public affairs in Western Canada for Molson.

Cox began his career in Victoria, working for the ministries of health and education for the B.C. government.

“We are very pleased Bryan has joined the BC LNG Alliance as president and CEO,” said Rod Maier, board chair of the BCLNGA and vice president policy, government and public affairs for Chevron Canada Limited.

“He has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his career and his recent experience leading the MABC makes him extremely qualified for this position to lead the BCLNGA into a new chapter as a leading industry in B.C. and Canada.”

The BCLNGA is the voice of the LNG industry in B.C., representing the province’s leading LNG projects with the purpose of fostering the growth of a safe, inclusive, environmentally responsible, and globally competitive LNG industry in Canada.

“I look forward to engaging with Canadians about this exciting industry and the opportunity we have to build a safe, inclusive, environmentally responsible, and globally competitive LNG industry,” wrote Cox in a post on LinkedIn.

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