Canada, Quebec invest in library expansion

The governments of Canada and Quebec are each investing nearly $1.3 million to renovate, upgrade and expand the Dollard-des-Ormeaux library. This investment comes from the New Building Canada Fund, Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component—Small Communities Fund. The City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux is also investment nearly $1.3 million into the project, bringing the total government and municipal investment to over $3.8 million.

The Dollard-des-Ormeaux library was built 25 years ago. The facility needs a renovation to provide adequate services that meet the current needs of the public. As well as undertaking general renovations to modernize the building and make it more accessible, the building will be expanded by 150 square metres, allowing the library to offer more books, audiovisual materials, computer terminals and seating. Special areas for youth and an outdoor garden are also planned for the space.

“The City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux is happy to be getting this federal and provincial financial contribution, which has allowed us to reach the funding target we needed to redevelop our library. Our goal is to meet the needs of our citizens and to make this “third place” a space where they can thrive and grow not just in the short term, but also over the next 20 to 30 years,” said Alex Bottausci, Mayor of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, in a press release. “We want to be as forward-thinking as possible about this project and thank the government for sharing this vision with us.”

Majority of Canadians support public-private partnerships: survey

According to a new Nanos Research survey, 64 per cent of Canadians remain supportive of public-private partnerships (P3s) to build critical infrastructure. The survey results were presented by Nanos at a Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) luncheon on Voter Rage & Populism: The Threat to Building Infrastructure, which took place in Toronto on Jan. 23.

In Canada, P3s are responsible for 281 projects across the country, with those already in operation or under construction valued at $136.9 billion. Examples include hospitals, courthouses, highways, bridges and transit projects. In Canada, P3s help deliver large-scale public infrastructure assets that are financed either entirely or partially by the private sector, yet remain publicly owned and controlled.

The survey asked respondents their views on a variety of hot-button infrastructure issues, such as who is responsible for budget overruns, foreign companies bidding on Canadian projects and whether governments have a balanced consultation and approvals process between the interests of business and environmental and Indigenous concerns.

The purpose of the survey was to gauge whether infrastructure delivery in Canada could become vulnerable to an angry, populist wave, as seen in other countries where trust in government, media, big business and institutions have dropped to all-time lows.

“Overall, the survey suggests Canadians continue to support public-private partnerships, but the infrastructure sector is not immune to voter rage,” said Nik Nanos, executive chairman of Nanos Research, in a press release. “It’s reassuring to see that despite a tumultuous last few years in global politics, Canadians are largely moderate in their views on these issues although there are some significant differences among men and women, the regions and even age groups that bear watching.”

“Given the long-range planning, significant investment and public goodwill needed to bring critical infrastructure to life, it is a sector that is especially vulnerable to changes that favour ideology over sound public policy,” added Mark Romoff, president and CEO of the CCPPP. “We know this uncertainty drives project risk, leads to reduced competition during procurement and reduces the desire to innovate, which negatively impacts taxpayers and the private sector.”

The full survey results can be found here.

REFBC poll reveals B.C. opinions on land use

A poll of land use, sustainability and regional planning in B.C. reveals that the natural environment and climate are keys to quality of life for residents in the province.

Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC), a philanthropic organization that helps advance sustainable land use in B.C., commissioned the poll to better understand B.C. residents’ values, opinions, and knowledge on land use issues.

Conducted by McAllister Opinion Research, the poll drew on a cross-section of British Columbian residents. Questions focused on quality of life, sustainable economy, local needs, land protection, penalties for polluters, First Nations as partners, and regionally specific concerns.

By sharing the findings from Sustainable Land Use: A Public Opinion Survey of British Columbians, REFBC hopes to help policy makers, governments, First Nations, non-profits, and others make decisions that align with public values.

“Poll findings help to quantify the needs and opinions of the people of British Columbia,” said Jack Wong, CEO of the REFBC. “Climate change is a large concern for people across the province and we hope that decision makers will use this data to make choices that are in the best interests for everyone.”

Highlights from the poll include:

Quality of life. One in two British Columbians (54%) rate quality of life in their region of BC as “excellent” or “good”. Natural beauty and the environment (41%) and climate (22%) are most often named as the top factors contributing to quality of life in the province. Cost of living (18%), cost of housing (11%), and population increase (11%) are most frequently named as top threats to quality of life.
Penalties for polluters.81% of residents support strong penalties (including jail time) for companies and people who pollute or degrade the land and water.
A sustainable economy. Asked to identify which types of future economy most appealed to them, British Columbians are most likely to pick environmental themes like, “sustainable economy” (53%), “clean energy economy” (34%), and “green economy” (25%). The least popular types of future economy are “service” (9%), “industrial” (9%), and “extraction” (3%) economies.
Local needs first. Nearly half (48%) of British Columbians want to see local needs prioritized over provincial interests.
Land protection. British Columbians name “habitat for bird, fish, and animals” (66%), “local food security” (62%), and “large-scale wind, solar, and geothermal power” (61%) as their top three land use priorities for the province.
First Nations as important partners. When it comes to ensuring First Nations are included in land use decisions, 86% of respondents agree that “we are neighbours and friends and we need to live together”.

“These findings show that British Columbians value our shared land and water and want to see more local input into land use decisions,” said Ramona Faust, chair of REFBC’s board of governors. “In our grantmaking, we’ve seen how investments in watershed governance, community engagement, and public outreach can contribute to more sustainable land use outcomes.”

Overall, residents support investments in local decision-making as 80 per cent of respondents agree with “establishing local decision-making bodies to ensure that all local citizens have meaningful input into land use decisions”.

St. John’s office vacancy rate continues to climb

The Atlantic Canada real estate advisory firm, Turner Drake & Partners, reports the office vacancy rate in St. John’s rose again year over year, and now sits at 17.21 per cent overall. Up from 15.96 per cent a year ago, this marks the fifth straight year of vacancy increases for the city.

The St. John’s market is broken down into five submarkets: the two smallest submarkets, Central – fell from 10.83 per cent to 7.37 per cent – and Mount Pearl –dropped from 16.57 per cent to 10.41 per cent. Together, these submarkets represent less than 20 per cent of the total gross leasable area (GLA) in the rental market.

Recent years have seen additions to supply totalling over 800,000 ft.² in these submarkets, resulting in a downtown vacancy rate of 26.69 per cent, up from 22.15 per cent a year ago, a vacancy rate of 16.31 per cent in North St. John’s, up from 14.85 per cent a year ago, and a comparatively moderate 11.12 per cent vacancy rate in the East & West submarket, up from 10.17 per cent in 2017.

According to a press release the construction boom which started when oil prices were high, but which saw buildings coming on stream just as oil prices tumbled and the economy contracted accordingly, is felt particularly in the remaining submarkets.

Safety compliance for condo corporations

Now more than ever, condo corporations are at a heightened risk of legal exposure as employers as a result of an important decision handed down by the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2017 that provided interpretation around the “general duty” clause 25(2)(h).

Employers know they must “take every precaution reasonable for the protection of a worker,” a standard mandated in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), however the judge in Ontario (Labour) v. Quinton Steel (Wellington) Limited, 2017 ONCA 1006, stated that, “compliance with regulations may not be enough” to comply with 25(2)(h).

To put it bluntly, it appears that compliance to the Act and Regulations may not necessarily represent the entirety of an employer’s obligations, and that employers may be required to go above and beyond the minimum legislated standards. Compliance with the Act and Regulations no longer means you are necessarily risk-free. The legislated requirement of “general duty” must look at the circumstances and need for every reasonable precaution, legislated or not.

Tragically, in the above noted case from 2012, a welder employed by Quinton Steel died after falling six-and-a-half feet, or two metres, from one of the A-frame platforms, below the height at which tying off was considered required. The Ontario regulation that applied to the workplace had no provisions relating to scaffolds (to which the A-frame platform was similar) or temporary platforms; however, the regulations applicable to construction projects required that a guardrail be erected around a scaffold when working at 2.4 metres (eight feet) or above.

The employer faced charges, but a trial and appeal justice dismissed them, stating that the applicable OHSA regulation dealing with guardrails did not require them to be at a height of six feet in this specific situation. The lower court’s argument maintained that the general duty clause cannot be used by the Ministry of Labour to levy requirements greater than those in the OHSA and Regulations.

The Ontario Court of Appeal disagreed, noting that the trial justice failed to address whether the guardrails system in place was a reasonable precaution.

In Ontario (Labour) v. Quinton Steel (Wellington) Limited, 2017, ONCA 1006, the judge said:

[44] “But prescriptive certainty is not required in the context of regulatory offences such as s. 25(2)(h). That section establishes a standard, rather than a rule, the requirements of which are tailored to suit particular circumstances. Employers must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances in order to protect workers. Reasonableness is a well-known legal concept that is interpreted and applied in a wide variety of legal contexts. Its use in s 25(2)(h) does not give rise to intolerable uncertainty”.

[45] “It may not be possible for all risk to be eliminated from a workplace, as this court noted in Sheehan Truck, at para. 30, but it does not follow that employers need do only as little as is specifically prescribed in the regulations. There may be cases in which more is required – in which additional safety precautions tailored to fit the distinctive nature of a workplace are reasonably required by s. 25(2)(h) in order to protect workers. The trial justice’s erroneous conception of the relationship between s. 25(2)(h) and the regulations resulted in his failure to adjudicate the s. 25(2)(h) charge as laid”.

The subsequent decision means that an employer can comply with all of its obligations under the regulations under OHSA and yet still be prosecuted under the “general duty” clause, even where the charges impose obligations that are greater than those set out in the Act.

The general duty clause therefore requires all employers, whether they are condos, property managers, property management companies, contractors or service providers to the condominium industry to “take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances” using the Act and Regulations, along with precautions to address each working circumstance.

Now more than ever, the risks are too high to ignore.

Roger Tickner will be a panel member on the topic of condo safety for boards and property managers at the inaugural CAI Canada Conference & Expo, taking place on Feb. 7, 2019.

Canadian home sales decline further in December

According to statistics released by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales posted a decline of 2.5 per cent from November to December 2018, marking the fourth-straight monthly decline in home sales. These results also capped the weakest annual sales since 2012.

Home sales declined in about 60 per cent of all local markets in December, led by lower activity in Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Ottawa, London & St. Thomas and Halifax-Dartmouth, along with a mix of other large and medium-sized urban centres across the country.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity fell 19 per cent year-over-year in December 2018 and was nearly 12 per cent below the 10-year average for the month of December. Sales were down on an annual basis in three-quarters of all local markets, led overwhelmingly by the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, the Okanagan Region, Calgary, Edmonton, the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton-Burlington.

This decline is due in part to elevated activity in December 2017 as homebuyers rushed to make a purchase prior to the new federal mortgage stress test, which came into effect on January 1, 2018.

“The Bank of Canada recently said that it expects housing activity will stay ‘soft’ as households ‘adjust to the mortgage stress-test and increases in mortgage rates,’ even as jobs and incomes continue growing,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s chief economist, in a press release. “Indeed, the Bank’s economic forecast shows it expects housing will undermine economic growth this year as the mortgage stress test has pushed home ownership affordability out of reach for some home buyers.”

The number of newly listed homes rose by a slight 0.2 per cent from November to December 2018, with declines posted in nearly half of all local markets, offset by gains in the other half.

With sales down and new listings relatively unchanged in December, the national sales-to-new listings ratio eased to 53.3 per cent, compared to 54.8 per cent in November 2018. The national sales-to-new listings ratio has remained close to its long-term average of 53.5 per cent since the beginning of 2018. About two-thirds of all local markets were in balanced territory in December.

There were 5.6 months of inventory nationally at the end of December 2018. While close to its long-term average of 5.3 months, the number of months of inventory has increased far beyond its long-term average in Prairie provinces and in Newfoundland & Labrador. Meanwhile, the measure remains well below its long-term average in Ontario and Prince Edward Island, as other provinces are seeing more balanced sales and inventory.

The Aggregate Composite MLS Home Price Index (HPI) was up by 1.6 per cent on an annual basis in December 2018. Although the increase is smaller, it is still in line with the annual price gains posted since July.

Apartment units posted annual price increases of 4.9 per cent in December, followed by townhouse/row units, which saw prices climb 3.1 per cent year-over-year. Meanwhile, two-storey single-family homes saw prices climb 0.4 per cent, but one-storey single-family homes saw prices decline by 0.3 per cent annually.

Trends varied across the housing markets tracked by the MLS HPI. Although prices fell 2.7 per cent year-over-year in Vancouver, they remained 2.5 per cent above year-ago levels in the Fraser Valley. However, Victoria saw home prices increase 6.4 per cent annually, while they climbed 11 per cent elsewhere on Vancouver Island.

In the Greater Golden Horseshoe, home prices jumped 6.8 per cent in Guelph and the Niagara Region, 6.4 per cent in Hamilton-Burlington, 3.3 per cent in Oakville-Milton, and three per cent in the GTA. Meanwhile, home prices in Barrie and District fell 1.1 per cent year-over-year.

In the Prairie provinces, home prices fell 3.2 per cent on an annual basis in Calgary and two per cent in Edmonton. Regina saw prices fall 5.2 per cent year-over-year, while Saskatoon saw declines of 1.2 per cent. Home prices in the Prairies is likely to remain weak until elevated supply is reduced and becomes more balanced, according to the CREA.

In Ottawa, home prices climbed 6.9 per cent annually, while in Montreal, they rose six per cent. Meanwhile, Greater Moncton saw home prices climb 2.5 per cent year-over-year. All three of these regions saw increases due to climbing townhouse/row unit prices.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) average price for homes sold in December 2018 just topped $472,000 nationally, a decline of 4.9 per cent year-over-year. When removing sales figures from Greater Vancouver and Greater Toronto, two of the country’s most active and expensive housing markets, drops the national average price to just below $375,000.

Canada funds historic building restoration in Quebec

The Government of Canada is providing $400,000 in funding over three years to the Centre des arts contemporains du Québec in Sorel-Tracy. The funding is being used to restore and redevelop the former customs office in the historic building, bringing to mind the city’s industrial heritage.

The project, called “Cost to Coast… Our 375 Years,” was developed to celebrate the 375^th anniversary of the City of Sorel-Tracy, which took place in 2017. It entails the restoration and renovation of one of the buildings on the former site of the Sincennes-McNaughton Line, transforming it into an exhibition and promotional space. The redeveloped space will provide residents with an exhibition area, creative workshop space, training and education rooms, interpretation panels and other features, which will highlight the history of the site and the city.

“Le Centre des arts contemporains would like to thank the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Quebec Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and the City of Sorel-Tracy for their contribution to this project, which will benefit our artists, artisans, citizens and cultural organizations,” said Dominique Rolland, CEO of Centre des arts contemporains du Québec in Sorel-Tracy, in a press release. “We are all proud of this redevelopment as it perfectly matches the values we uphold and the goals we have pursued for more than 35 years.”

The funding is provided through the Legacy Fund of the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, administered by Canadian Heritage. The City of Sorel-Tracy is investing $730,000 in the project. It is the lead provider of funding and principal partner of the Centre des arts contemporains du Québec in Sorel-Tracy.

Deloitte Canada to be sole tenant of Spaces Granville

Deloitte Canada recently reached an agreement to become the sole tenant of Spaces Granville, the new Vancouver outpost of the co-working office space provider. Spaces Granville will provide Deloitte Canada with a temporary home for the firm through its new location, which is situated in Vancouver’s historic Tom Lee Music Building on Granville St.

Amsterdam-based Spaces provides dynamic work environments, including office space, memberships and meeting rooms. This office format supports Deloitte’s vision to increase flexibility and choice around how people work, encouraging social interaction and collaboration to provoke greater innovation for their employees and clients.

“We are proud to collaborate with Deloitte as they continue to lead in reimagining the workplace with their national strategy to build unique destinations that foster innovation,” said Wayne Berger, CEO of IWG Canada and Latin America, which owns Spaces, in a press release. “There is a revolution happening in the way people work, and we are supporting enterprises like Deloitte to achieve their new workspace vision.”

“This move to Spaces Granville—a ‘non-traditional’ location for a professional services firm—is a milestone in our journey and commitment to flexibility, collaboration and innovation for our people and clients,” added Etienne Bruson, managing partner, British Columbia at Deloitte Canada. “It’s an exciting move for us at a time of significant growth and change. Spaces provided a unique environment and the flexibility to work with our evolving needs and timelines.”

OSC filers surveyed on their regulatory load

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is asking market participants for input on streamlining the filing process, improving disclosure to investors and better harmonizing practices with regulators in other Canadian jurisdictions. Issuers, registrants, investors and affiliated stakeholders are invited to submit written comments to the OSC’s newly established Burden Reduction Task Force.

“Our markets and businesses are better able to compete, innovate and flourish when we lighten the regulatory load,” says Maureen Jensen, chair and chief executive officer of the OSC. “We are launching a wide-ranging consultation, with the support of our government, to identify new actions we can take to save time and money for Ontario businesses by eliminating rules and requirements that are outdated or unduly burdensome.”

This initiative is in addition to the OSC’s ongoing collaboration with the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) on reducing regulatory burden for the investment funds and public companies obliged to file documents on the SEDAR system. The OSC task force will accept responses to its online questionnaire until March 1, and plans a follow-up forum on March 27 to discuss the received suggestions.

KnightsBridge’s Arborescence set to rise in Bromont

Arborescence, a sustainable condominium development project from KnightsBridge, is set to rise alongside the Kamloops Trail on Bromont Mountain.

KnightsBridge initially received a general resolution in principle approving the development concept from Bromont City Council in July 2018, which prompted the company to refine the plans and specifications for the development. After review by the Urban Planning Consultative Committee, a positive recommendation was issued in November 2018, in accordance with the Site Planning and Architectural Integration Regulations. The committee’s recommendation was approved by Bromont City Council on Jan. 14, 2019. At the same time, a memorandum of understanding on the construction of municipal infrastructure for the project was also approved.

“Since Arborescence is all about providing unparalleled access to nature and the mountain, it was important for us to ensure that the development would integrate harmoniously in its surroundings and comply with municipal regulations,” said Simon Boyer, co-founder of KnightsBridge, in a press release.

Construction on the first phase of the project, which will feature 48 units, is expected to commence in March, with completion slated for winter 2020. The LEED-targeting project features several phases, with an approximate total of 280 units in the project. In total, over $100 million is being invested into the project.

In its design, effort has gone into ensuring minimal impact on the local ecosystem and preserving as much forest cover as possible. In addition, Knightsbridge has committed to planting a new tree in Bromont for each one that is cut down during construction.

The development will feature Scandinavian-inspired architecture and materials sourced in Quebec. Arborescence will offer unobstructed views of the Eastern Townships and a variety of amenities that complement the natural surroundings, such as a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, tennis and beach volleyball courts, and a relaxation area with an outdoor fireplace.

The Co-operators aims for new WELL-certified HQ

The Co-operators announced the completion of a land deal for the company’s new head office to be located at 101 Cooper Drive in the south end of Guelph. The insurance co-operative plans to pursue WELL Certification making it the first insurance and financial services company to target this certification for a new building in Canada.

According to a press release, the project will also pursue LEED Gold Certification from Canada Green Building Council for leadership in energy and environmental design.

“We’re thrilled to unveil our new location as we get ready to put down some new roots in the same community we have proudly been a part of for more than 50 years,” said Rob Wesseling, CEO of The Co‑operators.

“Pursuing both the WELL and LEED-Gold certifications aligns with our co-operative values and commitment to fostering the health and wellbeing of both our employees and the environment on which we depend.”

In its efforts to achieve the certification, The Co-operators will prioritize natural light throughout the building and will feature in-house athletic facilities, healthy food services, and outdoor nature trails and activity areas.

Construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2021 with the anticipated move-in to occur in 2023. The new location will allow the organization to bring together nearly 1,200 employees from three city locations under one roof.

Michigan prison to treat 2000 inmates for scabies

Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, a Michigan women’s prison, has been closed to visitors in order to treat a scabies outbreak that has afflicted the inmate population for more than a year, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Paul Egan, a journalist for the Free Press first reported the problem in March last year, revealing that more than 200 women have complained about suffering from a “mysterious” itchy rash.

Dermatologist Dr. Walter Barkey finally diagnosed the inmates with scabies following a few phone calls pleading with officials to let him see the inmates. Barkey had read the reports about the outbreak and was asked by a friend whose daughter is locked in the prison to look into it. After getting a state health department official to vouch for him he was able to get to the bottom of the issue. (Barkey previously volunteered to help diagnose rashes among residents in Flint, Mich., who’d been exposed to the municipal water system in 2016.)

The women’s prison officials have claimed scabies had been ruled out as they brought in an outside dermatologist before Barkey, to identify the rash – the tests came back negative. They also partly blamed the inmates for the spread of the rash saying that it had been caused by “improper mixing of prison-issued cleaning fluids by inmate porters who are charged with cleaning the prison, along with an inmate practice of using homemade laundry detergent to hand-wash their brassieres and underwear, rather than sending them to the prison laundry.”

Chris Gautz, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections, told The Free Press “prison officials have been too busy trying to solve the problem to assess whether mistakes were made.”

Prison officials will give the same treatment to all of the inmates as a measure to help control the further spread of infection.

Final design and $40M for Vancouver Art Gallery

The new Vancouver Art Gallery is one step closer to reality with the announcement of a $40 million lead gift from the Chan family.

The donation brings the gallery’s capital campaign to $85 million in private sector funding toward the new purpose-built facility. In recognition of this extraordinary gift, the Vancouver Art Gallery’s new building will be named Chan Centre for the Visual Arts.

The Chan family’s contribution is the largest single private sector donation towards the gallery project to date, and it brings the combined public and private fundraising total to $135 million.

“With this unprecedented gift to the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Chans are demonstrating a profound investment in the future of this city and country, and one that will impact many generations to come,” said Kathleen S. Bartels, director of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Designed by world-renowned, Swiss-based architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, the final design for the 300,000 square foot building was also unveiled. Local firm Perkins+Will Vancouver is executive architect on the project.

Herzog & de Meuron have designed the Vancouver Art Gallery’s new museum as a sculptural, symmetrical, upright building combining opaque and transparent surfaces, with larger volumes concentrated at the top and minimal mass at the bottom. By lifting the bulk of the structure high above the street, the design allows light and air to filter down to an active, open-air courtyard below.

“The new Vancouver Art Gallery is a vertical building, distinctly spectacular at first sight, with an arrangement that resonates with the place where it is built. It offers ample outdoor spaces that are sunny in summer and protected from rain in winter, to suit the climate and life in British Columbia. Visitors to the building will be able to perceive Vancouver’s urbanity and its amazing natural setting in many different ways”, described
Christine Binswanger, partner in charge, Herzog & de Meuron.

“Together with our team of BC experts and our client, we defined the building to a much higher degree: galleries, classrooms and reading rooms, the theatre, restaurants and shops, and all the public outdoor spaces are well enhanced. The new Vancouver Art Gallery is close to reality.”

The next step for the Vancouver Art Gallery Capital Campaign will be to continue
its work with senior levels of government and the private sector to secure the additional funding needed to begin construction.

Construction starts on Eagle Ridge Hospital ER

Construction has begun on a new emergency department at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody, B.C.

The provincial government is investing $22.6 million through the regional health authority in the emergency department expansion. The Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation is providing an additional $5 million.

“Our government is making the investment for an expanded emergency department at Eagle Ridge Hospital that will meet the needs of the growing Tri-Cities population,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “We are treating emergency care in this region as a priority, so people will be able to receive health-care services in a state-of-the-art facility, and health-care workers will have the room they need to help patients get better, quicker.”

The expansion will more than double the number of patient treatment spaces in the emergency department from 19 to 39. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2020.

In order to expand the emergency department, health records will move to the basement of the hospital, diagnostic cardiology will expand its functional space by moving to the existing health records area, and rehabilitation services will also relocate to a partially vacant part of the hospital.

The work will include four new isolation rooms to support improved infection-control measures as well as two new trauma resuscitation bays. Walk-in patients and ambulances will have separate entrances. An area will be designated for chemical decontamination.

When Eagle Ridge Hospital opened almost 35 years ago, the hospital’s emergency department had about 20,000 patient visits per year. Since then, visits have increased to more than 50,000 per year. By 2030, demand is projected to increase to 68,000 per year.

Slate Office REIT sells 225 Duncan Mill Road

Slate Office REIT announced it has entered into an agreement to sell 225 Duncan Mill Road in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for $27.3 million.

“The disposition of 225 Duncan Mill Road is another example of the REIT’s ability to source and execute on transactions that generate meaningful returns for unitholders,” said Scott Antoniak, the REIT’s Chief Executive Officer.

“This disposition will reduce leverage and create liquidity for new opportunities in the future.”

In total, the REIT, in support of its capital recycling program, will have disposed of seven properties in the past 12 months, for aggregate gross proceeds of $106.5 million.

The REIT expects to use the net proceeds to reduce outstanding debt. This transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2019.

PortsToronto unveils winter-themed art exhibition

The third-annual Ice Breakers Exhibition, a winter-themed public art exhibition, is now open to the public. The collaboration between Winter Stations and the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA), along with PortsToronto, features five outdoor winter-themed art installations located along Queens Quay West at Toronto’s downtown Waterfront.

“As a sponsor of Ice Breakers, PortsToronto is supporting an initiative that brings colour, warmth, and activity to the water’s edge, inviting people out of their buildings to take a winter walk along the Waterfront and appreciate Toronto’s unique landscape at this time of year,” said Deborah Wilson, vice-president, communications and public affairs for PortsToronto, in a press release.

This year’s exhibition features four winning installations, which were selected during an international design competition. Teams from Hamburg, Germany, and Athens, Greece, were joined by two local groups, as well as an installation completed by students at Ryerson University. Each of the designs respond to this year’s exhibition theme, “signal transmission.”

The 2019 Ice Breakers installations include ‘Chroma Key Protest’ by Andrew Edmundson of Solve Architects Inc. of Toronto, Ont.; ‘Tweeta-Gate’ by Eleni Papadimitriou and Stefanos Ziras of Space Oddity Studios SOS of Athens, Greece; ‘Connector’ by Alexandra Griess and Jorel Heid of Hamburg, Germany; ‘Stellar Spectra’ by Rob Shostak and Dionisios Vriniotis of Toronto, Ont.; and ‘Tripix’ by Ryerson University of Toronto, Ont. The installations will be available for viewing until Feb. 24.

IFMA joins forces with ISSA Show Canada

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is joining forces with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association, and MediaEdge Communications to support the ISSA Show Canada – a new trade show and conference for the cleaning and maintenance industry taking place June 11-13, 2019 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

This joint event supports IFMA’s critical goal of unifying the global built environment industry.

“The competitive focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship has made comprehensive asset management mission critical, advancing green technology that is transforming operations into a sophisticated strategic field,” said IFMA COO Don Gilpin in a press release. “In such a dynamic environment, FM professionals depend on the best practices and innovations that develop at an event like this. Just as a facility team requires many different players and skills, IFMA is proud to be working together with industry leaders across the spectrum to push the envelope and advance the profession.”

As part of its commitment to the success of the event, IFMA is helping to recruit keynote speakers and with the development of the educational programming.

The joint trade show will be held in tandem with the REMI Show whose delegates will include building owners and manager. FM professionals can access details, including instructions for registration, at www.issashowcanada.com.

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