Top ten bedbug cities in Canada

Toronto tops a list of cities bed bugs love to call home, according to Orkin Canada’s second annual list of the top bedbug cities in Canada. Winnipeg kept its spot at number two while Windsor, Ont., came in new to the top ten replacing Calgary.

The top ten cities are:

Toronto
Winnipeg
St. John’s
Vancouver
Halifax
Ottawa
Hamilton
Sudbury
Windsor
Scarborough

The findings are based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments carried out by the pest control provider from Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018.

According to an Orkin press release, inspection is key to prevention.

What to look for:
Tiny dark coloured stains, cast skins or live bed bugs.

Where to look:
Mattress tags and seams, under seat cushions, behind headboards, creases of drawers, buckling wallpaper or carpet.

Prevention Tips

Dry potentially infested bed linens or clothing on the highest heat setting possible.
Inspect all second-hand furniture before bringing it into your home.
Before returning home after travel, examine your bags, inspect your clothing and other items for bed bugs.

Early detection, reporting and taking action will eradicate bedbugs from a facility. More bedbug prevention tips for facilities and vacationers can be viewed here.

BOMA Canada raising awareness for cyber wellness

As the commercial real estate industry becomes increasingly mindful of the cyber risks in building operations, it’s critical to address existing and new cyber threats for better protection against cyber attacks.

At BOMEX 2017, BOMA’s annual conference, Cheryl Gray, executive vice-president of enterprise innovation, QuadReal Property Group approached Benjamin Shinewald, President and CEO of BOMA Canada expressing that she felt the industry could use help to be better prepared for cyber attacks. One year later, in collaboration with leaders across the industry, BOMA Canada launched the 2019 Cyber Wellness Guide, available for free in French and English, to address cybersecurity and help create more awareness about cyber wellness in commercial real estate building operations.

Understanding cyber wellness

“The complexity of building operations is only growing as the number of vendors is only increasing, the Internet of Things (IoT) is connecting various moving and non-moving parts in the building. So it’s becoming a bigger challenge for property managers, building operators and others to simply track and understand it all,” Shinewald says.

The particular challenge in the industry is that cybersecurity has been overlooked in building operations. So the guide is geared toward introducing the concept of cybersecurity planning and was deliberately written in a simple, readable manner to help managers and operational leaders of real estate have more secure and resilient systems and response plans to cyber threats.

Cyber insurance to surge in 2019

Cyber risks evolve rapidly, making it hard to ensure you have the right defences in place to protect your organization. While there are many free strategies that organizations can implement without having to purchase insurance as cyber threats become more frequent, billions of additional IoT devices come online, and operations more vulnerable, insurance will play a key role in cyber risk management strategies.

According to Mintel, the global market research firm, cyber insurance is one of the four trends set to reshape the Canadian insurance industry in 2019. As the industry looks to defend their companies from cyber attacks rather than react to breaches, competition in the cyber insurance market will grow.

Shinewald predicts more key stakeholders, including the boards of public companies, will start asking questions about cyber wellness. The key thing he says is for building owners and managers to start thinking about cybersecurity if they have not already started looking into it by reading BOMA’s guide and other resources mentioned in it.

“Cybersecurity is not a static issue, the environment is always changing. The way to think about it is the way to think about sustainability, ordinary building operations or tenant relations,” Shinewald adds. “It is woven into what we do.”

Looking ahead, BOMA Canada will update its cyber wellness guide every year.

CMLC breaks ground on 9th Avenue Parkade

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has broken ground on a new parkade located on 9th Avenue and 3rd Street S.E. for the Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) and Platform (Zinc Ventures).

The approximately $80-million project will comprise seven levels with a 500+ stall parkade (and plenty of bike parking), plus a fully integrated 50,000 sq. ft. innovation centre, dubbed PLATFORM, that will be operated by Calgary Technologies Inc.

“This is a strategic future-focused development coming to life and just as we embraced the challenge of delivering a landmark Central Library, we embraced CPA’s need for more downtown parking and coupled it with the opportunity to create an innovative community hub,” says Michael Brown, CMLC’s president & CEO.

The 9th Avenue Parkade and Innovation Centre will integrate a 508-stall parkade on five levels, the Platform Innovation Centre, a ground floor café and an outdoor sport court – a combination of active public uses that will energize 9th Avenue SE and make far better use of a large land package previously serving as a surface parking lot.

Designed by architects Kasian and 5468796, the building’s design allows for future conversion of the space into commercial or residential uses through such considerations as increased floor to ceiling heights which are one and half times that of traditional parkades; a central atrium space that allows for natural light to penetrate through the building; and a responsible long-term approach that allows for the re-purposing of the existing building structure into future uses.

“Our objective at CPA is to provide parking structures that not only service today’s needs but have the ability, should the need arise, to convert into residential, commercial or mixed-use space as the future Calgary will likely be very different than the Calgary of today”, says Glen Furtado, general manager for CPA. “And this building is a prime example of that type of forward-thinking and strategy.”

With construction scheduled to be completed in fall 2020, Platform will be operated by Calgary Technologies Inc.—an organization that aims to accelerate the impact of innovation-driven ventures by providing access to space, programs, mentorship and capital.

“Having proven our capacity in vertical development with the new Central Library, we look eagerly forward to ‘going vertical’ again with the 9th Avenue Parkade and Platform,” says Brown, adding that the project has been mindfully designed to integrate into its surrounding neighbours of the new Central Library, Studio Bell and East Village community.

Canadians join select slate of ASHRAE Fellows

Arthur (Artie) Irwin’s peers conveyed one final honour earlier this week as he was named among 17 new ASHRAE Fellows, elevated to the special category of membership for exceptional contributions to the HVAC industry and a sustainable built environment. Formal bestowal at the society’s 2019 Winter Conference, taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, sadly came just after the well known energy consultant’s death on January 7. He was 85.

Artie joined ASHRAE’s Halifax chapter in 1965. He’s a past president and a recipient of the Chapter Service Award who was named a life member in 1998. However, residents of Atlantic Canada might know him best as the home-heating expert who answered questions on a monthly radio phone-in show for nearly three decades.

His professional life began in 1955 after graduating from Halifax Regional Vocational School, as today’s Nova Scotia Community College was then known. Over the years, Artie worked in private industry in commercial heating equipment sales and as a consultant and program developer for the Nova Scotia department of energy before establishing his own consulting practice specializing in energy assessments. He served the industry and the public at large through his participation on advisory committees on energy and technical standards, developing HVAC training courses and materials, and publishing numerous papers.

Another author of influential research papers, Bert Phillips, a professional engineer and president of Winnipeg-based UNIES Ltd., is the other Canadian named to the select slate of ASHRAE Fellows. A specialist in building envelope issues, indoor air quality and HVAC system design, he holds a B.Sc. in Agriculture Engineering and an MBA from the University of Manitoba. He is a member of the board of directors of the Manitoba Building Envelope Council and served on the scientific committee for the 2018 Cold Climate HVAC Conference in Kiruna, Sweden.

ASHRAE Fellows are designated via an extensive peer nomination and vetting process. They are ASHRAE members of at least 10 years’ standing deemed to have a notable, unique and positive influence in advancing HVAC&R practices and the understanding of the industry’s role in a sustainable built environment.

In addition to recognizing new ASHRAE Fellows at the 2019 Winter Conference, the society handed out its Technology Awards for proven innovative projects, student design awards and three other individual awards for contributions to ASHRAE, education and public service. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft Corporation, was named an honorary ASHRAE member.

Gibbs Gage & KPMB to lead Planetarium makeover

Contemporary Calgary announced it has selected the team of Calgary-based Gibbs Gage Architects and KPMB Architects of Toronto after an international search for prime consultants to help transform the Centennial Planetarium into a world-class gallery for modern and contemporary art.

“We are thrilled to have the talents of Gibbs Gage Architects and KPMB Architects collaborating on this next phase with us,” said David Leinster, chief executive officer of Contemporary Calgary. “The transformation of the iconic 1967 Planetarium into a destination for modern and contemporary art will be a dynamic catalyst for the emerging Downtown-West community, providing an important cultural anchor in the Centre City. The project will both reflect and enrich the evolving values of Calgary as a sustainable, creative and entrepreneurial city.”

In June 2018, The City of Calgary and Contemporary Calgary announced its intent to partner on a new world-class gallery for modern and contemporary art to be opened in the Centennial Planetarium. Following this announcement, Contemporary Calgary issued a Request for Proposals for architectural design services that drew significant international interest.

“The quality of the submissions and the enthusiasm of the respondents was impressive,” said Douglas Olson, Contemporary Calgary board member and chair of the Building Committee. “We were unanimous in our decision to hire this very capable team, given their proven design acumen and the close match of their approach with the vision and values of our organization.”

The design will be led by KPMB Partner Bruce Kuwabara. Bruce and the team at KPMB have a depth of experience designing award-winning galleries and museums including the recent success of the Remai Modern in Saskatoon, the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, the Ottawa Art Gallery, and the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.

Contemporary Calgary expects to be underway with design in the coming weeks, and looks forward to sharing concepts in the spring.

“Key to our pre-design work will be engagement with the community and our stakeholders to ensure we understand what is important to them and how the design can reflect their concerns and values,” said Leinster. “The Planetarium has always been a place where Calgarians have come to learn, be challenged and inspired, and we are excited to bring this amazing new experience to a familiar and much loved destination in the City of Calgary.”

Gibbs Gage Architects is proud and honoured to have a leadership role in Contemporary Calgary’s new facilities.

“It’s an exciting time for our city and putting art into the forefront will have a significant positive impact to the cultural make-up of our city and region,” said Chito Pabustan, partner and managing director of design at Gibbs Gage Architects. “We see Contemporary Calgary as a transformational project for Calgary. We are looking forward to collaborating with Contemporary Calgary in designing a destination that serves the arts as well as the community.”

Penticton Hospital tower reaches substantial completion

EllisDon Infrastructure announced it has achieved substantial completion of the tower at Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH) on December 15, 2018.

“This milestone marks an important step in the long-term partnership between EllisDon and Interior Health,” said Ben Deeley, vice-president, EllisDon Capital. “This is the end of the first phase of construction, and the beginning of a 30-year partnership that will see the residents of Penticton and the South Okanagan receive care in a state-of-the-art facility.”

The David E. Kampe Tower is six storeys that will bring PRH up to a modern standard of care by providing ambulatory care, surgical services, 84 inpatient beds in single-patient rooms, a new medical device reprocessing unit, space for the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine and a roof-top heliport.

In 2016 EllisDon Infrastructure was awarded the contract by Interior Health to design, build, partially finance, and maintain the David E. Kampe Tower. EllisDon Facilities Services Inc. will provide facilities maintenance services at PRH for a 30-year period.

Interior Health employees, physicians and volunteers will start going through building orientation and training. New equipment, computers and furniture will be installed over the coming months. The hospital is slated to be open for the public in April 2019.

Once the tower is open, Phase 2 renovations will commence to the existing hospital to allow for an expanded emergency department plus renovations to the pharmacy and material stores.

“This hospital will enhance the care patients are receiving in Penticton and across the South Okanagan Similkameen region,” said Petra Veintimilla, chair of the Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District.

New community group fights for access to Ontario Place

A new community group, Ontario Place For All, was recently established to campaign for a publicly accessible future for Ontario Place. The founding meeting of the group took place at Toronto’s Metro Hall, with over 150 concerned citizens present to discuss the Ontario government’s intention to redevelop Ontario Place.

The group is demanding that the lakefront park continue to be a publicly-accessible waterfront space. It also requests that any changes to the park follow a thoughtful and comprehensive consultation process.

The meeting was sponsored by two community groups, Waterfront For All and Park People.

“Ontario Place is a vital green connection to Toronto’s waterfront,” said David Harvey, the executive-director of Park People, in a press release. “There was great excitement and energy at today’s rally with ideas and support for making Ontario Place the kind of great park we all want.”

A number of politicians for the area were present at the meeting to voice their support for the group, including Toronto Councillor Joe Cressy, MPP Chris Glover and federal MP Adam Vaughan.

According to Adam Vaughan, MP for Spadina-Fort York, access to water is a right for Ontarians. “It’s a human right. Toronto has one lake and Ontario Place is where we must act to protect water for everyone in this province.”

Deep energy retrofit a winner for Olympic Park

A deep energy retrofit at Montreal Olympic Park has received a major honour for the second time in recent months at the ASHRAE 2019 Winter Conference, now underway in Atlanta, Georgia. Engineers Dominic Desjardins, Maurice Landry and André-Benoît Allard were named Technology Award winners in the existing public assembly category for comprehensive upgrades to the aging thermal plant and systems and equipment serving Olympic Stadium, its adjoining tower and associated aquatic complex. This follows last fall’s Canadian Energy Project of the Year award from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

The Technology Awards recognize ASHRAE members for innovative projects that deliver proven occupant comfort, indoor air quality and energy conservation, backed up with one year of operating data. At Montreal Olympic Park evidence shows a 31 per cent cut in energy consumption, a 26 per cent reduction in energy costs and a 57 per cent drop in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Efficiencies and environmental improvements came through the decommissioning of the circa 1970s steam plant, installation of new high-efficiency boilers, chillers and heat recovery equipment, along with new controls and lighting upgrades for the stadium and aquatic centre. A combination of guaranteed incentives, government funding and projected energy savings underpinned the business case for the 36-month project with the integrated energy performance contractor, Ecosystem. The $6.5-million capital investment is expected to have a 12-year payback.

“In the past, we mainly did one-for-one equipment replacement at the Olympic Park. This meant that no one examined the systems as a whole and their interactions. By taking a closer look and speaking with specialists in the field, we quickly realized it was advantageous to carry out all these projects at the same time,” Maurice Landry, vice president, construction and maintenance, at Olympic Park recalls in an interview posted on the Ecosystem website.

“Considerable budgets had already been forecasted for projects that, at the time, were seen as independent from one another,” adds Olympic Park’s energy manager, Dominic Desjardins. “Consolidating all our projects resulted in a much more coherent design. Project implementation was also more efficient since we only needed to manage one project rather than several smaller ones.”

ASHRAE Technology Awards were also handed out to seven other engineering teams, including three in the commercial building category for new, existing and existing building commissioning projects. The remainder went to institutional buildings including educational facilities, a business/technology incubator and a library.

Kenall acquired by Legrand North and Central

Legrand, North and Central America (LNCA) recently announced its acquisition of Kenall, manufacturer of energy efficient and sustainable specification grade lighting and control solutions for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. LNCA’s addition of Kenall to its portfolio allows the company to participate in additional market segments.

Kenall was founded over 55 years ago, and has since experienced consistent growth to become a leader in the specialty lighting segment (dedicated to specialized applications and critical non-residential environments); providing intelligent, durable and sustainable lighting solutions for high impact environments, such as hospitals, schools, public buildings, food processing, transportation and correctional facilities. Their solutions, along with LNCA’s other lighting entities and business lines, will allow the company to deliver more tailored products to the industry.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in the specialty and architectural lighting segments through commercial, industrial and institutional channels,” said John Selldorff, LNCA president and CEO, in a press release. “With the acquisition of Kenall, Legrand expands its ability to bring innovative, intelligent, and solution-oriented products to new market segments enabling us to meet our customer’s evolving needs. Kenall’s unique products, customer focus, and innovative technology align perfectly with Legrand’s strategic market approach.”

Together, the two brands will be better positioned to create and support a broader range of lighting and controls solutions to meet their customers’ needs.

“We are excited by the opportunity to leverage Legrand’s broad lighting and IoT capabilities to deliver more comprehensive solutions to our customers,” added Jim Hawkins, Chairman and CEO of Kenall. “Kenall, as part of Legrand, will continue to offer expertise in specification-driven markets with stringent requirements, while also meeting shorter lead-times for our customers, ensuring exceptional quality and performance, as well as a willingness to support modifications and customization.”

Despite the acquisition, Kenall will remain an independently operated, self-directed company.

Parking rates in Toronto’s Green P parking facilities increase

According to a memo from the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA), daily rates at Green P uncontrolled parking lots will increase today. Followed by controlled facilities on February 11, while monthly rates will increase on February 1.

“At a number of uncontrolled facilities that have a high occupancy and/or a large number of long-stay parkers, TPA has removed the day maximum, and where applicable, either left the half hour rate as is or reduced it slightly,” read a memo from the TPA.

“The removal of the day maximum and in some instances a reduction in the half hour rate will accommodate short-stay patrons and deter all-day parkers.”

These rate changes were approved by the Board of Directors of the TPA at its meeting on Oct. 24, 2018.

The Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) operates municipal off-street parking facilities and on-street metered parking in Toronto.

Terrence Philps joins Devencore Victoria

Terrence Philps has joined Devencore’s Victoria office as vice president, associate broker.

Before making his move to the west coast, Philps served as vice president, associate broker in Devencore’s Calgary downtown office where his focus was on corporate advisory services.

With more than 22 years of commercial real estate experience and 30 years of management and sales experience, Philps’ career has included brokerage management and compliance, office leasing and sales, industrial leasing, land sales, retail leasing, and development. Philps has a passion for business acumen, remarkable attention to detail and superior technical skills within the financial, documentation and negotiation realm.

“We are excited to welcome Terrence to our team,” said Rick Pettinger, president, in the Victoria office. “His expertise and well established relationships within the industry are a significant asset to our team.”

Prior to joining Devencore, Philps acted as the managing director and broker for the DTZ Calgary office, where he was responsible of leading and managing the brokerage team through eight years of growth and varying economic landscapes.

“My wife Karen and I have spent the majority of our years living and raising our family in Calgary, Alberta and are excited to learn about and become a part of the west coast community.” said Philps.

Devencore is a leading, privately owned commercial real estate company with offices across Canada.

Home prices expected to remain in check in 2019: CREA

While economic and demographic conditions remain encouraging for housing demand in many regions across Canada, policy headwinds and rising interest rates are restricting access to mortgage financing and negatively impacting homebuyer sentiment, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)’s updated forecast for home sales activity in 2019. At the same time, home price growth has slowed significantly in some regions. In fact, home prices are falling in parts of the country where the supply of available homes is elevated relative to sales.

National home sales were predicted to post a sizable decline in 2018, falling to the lowest level in five years despite supportive population and job growth. In 2019, home sales activity and prices are expected to be reined in by recent policy changes from different levels of government, as well as additional interest rate increases.

The national forecast has been revised lower following CREA’s September forecast as a predicted rebound in British Columbia home sales has so far failed to take place, the recovery in Ontario sales this summer has now come to a close, and sales activity in Alberta has fallen. These developments were partially balanced by stronger than expected sales figures in Quebec. National sales are now predicted to fall by 11.2 per cent to 458,200 units in 2018.

British Columbia and Ontario accounted for the majority of the national sales decline in 2018. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador are also expected to fall to multi-year lows. In comparison, activity remains historically strong in Quebec and the Maritime provinces, particularly New Brunswick.

The national average price is predicted to fall 4.2 per cent year-over-year to $488,600 this year. This decline has been mostly compositional, reflecting slowing sales in British Columbia and Ontario, the two most expensive provinces in the country. The predicted decline in the weighted national average price (weighted by annual sales by province over the last 10 years), sat at one per cent.

Over half of all provinces including British Columbia are forecast to report average price increases in 2018. The average price decline expected for Ontario (-2.6 per cent) is largely due to fewer higher-priced home sales in Toronto, particularly during the spring, which ordinarily sees a seasonal increase in the average price but did not occur in 2018. In comparison, the seasonal jump in Toronto’s average prices during spring 2017 was unusually strong, which contributed to the annual decline in the province’s average home price this year.

Eastern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are all expected to see rising home prices due to a market that is steadily becoming more balanced in recent years.

Home prices are predicted to fall by about 2.5 per cent in Alberta and Saskatchewan and by about two per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador. These regions have seen an elevated supply of homes available to sale, compared to sales activity. The imbalance has deteriorated over the past year.

National sales are projected to only fall 0.5 per cent in 2019 to 456,200 units as rising interest rates combined with the mortgage stress-test offsets continuing population, job and income growth. CREA expects a nine-year low for Canadian home sales. Meanwhile, British Columbia and Alberta are predicted to see further activity declines, offsetting a small rebound in Ontario and continuing growth in Quebec.

The national average price of a home is expected to rebound by 1.7 per cent in 2019, growing to $496,800, reflecting average price growth ahead of consumer price inflation in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as a recovery in Ontario sales activity as a share of overall national sales. Slight gains are predicted for British Columbia, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. In comparison, prices are projected to continue falling in 2019 in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ted Shore to retire from Quadrangle

Ted Shore, a principal at Toronto-based architecture and interior design firm Quadrangle, announced in December that he is retiring from the firm, effective January 31, 2019. Shore will continue to support Quadrangle as an advisor to projects and ongoing firm operations. He will be succeeded by Caroline Robbie and Jeff Hardy, who will assume responsibility for content media and special projects.

“It’s been over 30 amazing years,” he said, in a press release. “There’s been a lot of gratifying projects, but really the highlights have been collaborating with a talented team, visionary clients, and supporting the growth of a successful architectural practice.”

Shore joined Quadrangle in 1986 as its first employee with founding principal Brian Curtner. Since the beginning, he has been critical in shaping the direction of the practice. He has been a principal at the firm for almost 20 years.

Over the course of his career, Shore led several of the firm’s most-recognized projects that represent the firm’s signature style of melding adaptive reuse, interior design and content media. Quadrangle’s work on the CityTV/MuchMusic building in Toronto preserved the landmark property while transforming it, including retractable glass doors that opened the interior of the studio onto the street. The firm was hired to recreate the concept in cities across Canada, as well as internationally.

Another notable project Shore contributed to is Corus Quay Headquarters, which combined open offices, television and radio production studios and post-production facilities without “sound creep”. The facility also introduced a slide, tiers of open kitchens and playful furniture to represent the office and creative work being done.

Most recently, Shore has been working on new Maison Radio-Canada media headquarters in Montreal, with a consortium led by Broccolini Group.

“I’ve enjoyed combining retrofit and broadcast because of the architectural challenges they bring, their inherent sustainable characteristics and the unusual creative environments that they generate,” he added.

“We wish Ted all the best in his upcoming retirement,” said Anna Madeira, executive principal at Quadrangle. “He has been invaluable in shaping Quadrangle, and we look forward to his continued involvement through ongoing mentorship and guidance on projects and special initiatives.”

ClubLink partners with developers for Kanata golf lands

ClubLink, owner and operator of the Kanata Golf & Country Club, has announced plans to pursue options for alternative use of the golf course lands. ClubLink has partnered with developers Minto Communities and Richcraft Homes to assist with community engagement and redevelopment plans for the property.

“Golf courses are struggling across the country, and particularly in saturated markets like Ottawa. Participation levels have declined and people are playing less golf while operating costs continue to rise,” said Rob Visentin, ClubLink’s senior vice-president of investments, in a press release. “Ottawa is a vibrant, growing city and we believe there is an opportunity to better utilize this 70 hectares of land to meet the interests of the community.”

“This is a special opportunity to have such a significant piece of property inside the city’s urban boundary that can be designed to reflect the community’s needs – such as much needed new housing for families, and high quality public green spaces,” added Brent Strachan, Ottawa division president at Minto Communities. “We look forward to contributing to a project that we as a company and the broader community can be proud of.”

Beginning early this year, ClubLink, Minto Communities and Richcraft Homes will begin a community engagement process that will inform a land-use plan for the property. City of Ottawa officials will also be closely involved in this process to ensure the plan is supportive of the city’s priorities of liveability and smart growth.

Stories to watch in 2019

With 2019 underway, REMI’s award-winning editorial team takes a look at the top stories from 2018 and how they will continue to impact the commercial real estate management industry. The articles appear in no particular order and are based on reader traffic.

Proptech and smart buildings

Barbara Carss, editor-in-chief, Canadian Property Management: Proptech and the data that underpins it play an increasingly influential role in real estate investment, management and operations. With algorithms taking on some of the traditional labour-intensive aspects of gauging building, asset and portfolio performance, the focus is turning to big data’s predictive capabilities and the emergence of networked smart buildings that can communicate with the urban infrastructure around them.

The affordable housing crisis

Erin Ruddy, editor, Canadian Apartment Magazine: Affordable Housing is a topic that isn’t going away anytime soon. Much discussed in 2018, and sure to be equally compelling this year, the lack of affordable rental housing in Vancouver, Ottawa and the GTA, namely, is a subject of considerable debate. In Ontario, Doug Ford’s announcement that his government was removing rent control on all new apartment buildings constructed after 1991 garnered more views on Canadian Apartment than any other news brief in the website’s six-year history. From new government policies to funds designed to spur new development, rental housing professionals are tuned in to this ongoing discussion and hopeful that some day soon, building affordable rental housing will emerge as a fiscally viable option. For now though, it would seem market and high-end rental properties remain the more attractive investment. What will the new year bring in terms of new affordable housing? It remains to be seen, but we’ll be eagerly covering this story as it unfolds…

Ongoing issues with the rollout of legalized cannabis

Kavita Sabharwal-Chomiuk, editor, CondoBusiness, Canadian Facility Management & Design: Those managing and living in multi-residential communities had many concerns prior to the introduction of the Cannabis Act on Oct. 17, 2018. The Act permits each household to grow up to four plants for personal use, but this allowance does not come without risk.

The hazards of growing cannabis include electrical overloading due to increased electricity consumption; excess humidity, leading to the growth of mould; use of hazardous chemicals, such as pesticides; strong odours; potential liability for the landlord and risk to the tenants and mortgage holder; and potential cancellation of building insurance. Meanwhile, smoking cannabis indoors could result in odour complaints from other residents; health impacts from second-hand smoke; and altered behaviour.

Landlords in Quebec were among the first to insist that property owners should be entitled to ban cannabis cultivation from their premises. The province ended up amending legislation so all residents, both homeowners and renters, were prohibited from growing cannabis for personal consumption. Nova Scotia similarly granted landlords the authority to amend existing leases to implement rules regarding recreational cannabis smoking and cultivation.

Expect this divisive topic to be covered in greater detail in 2019.

The impacts of tariffs on the construction industry

Cheryl Mah, editor, Design Quarterly, Construction Business: Policy changes at all levels of government in 2018 raised concerns and questions about potential impacts to the construction industry. One of the major issues last year and into 2019 is the steel tariffs and safeguards imposed on aluminum and steel products. The duties are creating steel shortages and driving up prices. Supply of construction steel is particularly challenging in B.C. and the industry will continue to push the federal government for a solution to the ongoing trade dispute.

The evolution of commercial floor cleaning

Zandile Chiwanza, online editor, Facility Cleaning & Maintenance, Canadian Property Management: Autonomous cleaning equipment continues to replace or complement jobs as the professional cleaning industry embrace robots. According to a study by Techsci Research, cleaning robots – including automated sweepers, scrubbers, vacuums and burnishers – are projected to be a market worth $4.38 billion by 2023.

Currently, cleaning robots are extensively used in healthcare and high-traffic facilities such as airports. As Canadian cleaning companies continue to think how technology can make them more efficient and competitive, expect the conversation about how robotic cleaning equipment is changing the industry to rise to the forefront.

The realities of retrofits

Erin Ruddy: Aging apartment buildings in need of repair are a huge burden on property owners, as evidenced by the number of readers seeking out solutions to address the growing concern. Furthermore, with an aggressive COP21 target pledging to eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the operation of all buildings by 2050, every conscientious building owner is primed to do their part. Hence, topics like “deep retrofits” and “energy efficient upgrades” had the sector riveted. Whether you are a small landlord looking for ways to cut energy costs through LED lighting or HVAC improvements or a large portfolio owner with a fleet of relics in need of complete overhauls, Canadian Apartment will continue to be your source for the latest maintenance and retrofits information, helping you bring your buildings up to a whole new standard of efficiency.

The move towards hot-desking

Kavita Sabharwal-Chomiuk: While hot-desking first became an office design buzzword a few years ago, it has taken a few years for this trend to gain traction in real-life applications. Attributed with facilitating a more efficient use of space while reducing real estate and operational costs, hoteling is seen as a more convenient alternative to traditional cubicles and assigned workspaces.

Some firms with large offices in Canada, such as KPMG and LoyaltyOne, have moved away from traditional cubicle-style workstations and into hot-desking, which can not only free up space for more employee-centric amenities in an office, but also provide a cleaner, more efficient environment. Employees are sometimes assigned a locker in which they can store personal items, which can allow building cleaners to more effectively sanitize workspaces in the absence of personal effects.

In 2019, expect to hear more about the benefits and potential ergonomic implications of hot-desking as more firms transition their workplaces into this model.

Diversity in construction

Cheryl Mah: Canada pledged $76 million to draw more women into the construction trades in the 2018 federal budget. Skills training remains a top priority for the construction industry. With men comprising the majority of workers in the building trades, and a significant portion of them set to retire, creating a diverse workforce will be critical to addressing labour shortages. Attracting and retaining talent will continue to be at the forefront in 2019.

Climate risk and resilience

Barbara Carss: Climate risk drives a corresponding demand for resilient buildings and portfolio-wide risk management strategies. The buildings sector has a critical role to play in achieving Canada’s greenhouse gas reduction targets and has been flagged as a potential economic driver in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Real estate investors, owners, managers and occupants all have a stake in buildings and infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events and promise a timely return to normal operations after the onslaught. As major consumers of electricity and natural gas, commercial real estate operators know they must prepare for flow-through costs of carbon tax in 2019. What Mother Nature will deliver is yet to be revealed.

Occupant well-being in the built environment

Kavita Sabharwal-Chomiuk: While it is already established that green building and design features can improve the health and wellness of building occupants, recent research from Harvard suggests that green design features can also lead to more productive building occupants. A study from the World Green Building Council similarly found that workplaces with natural light, thermal comfort and minimal contaminants in cleaning agents helped cut down on absenteeism and enhanced job satisfaction.

Since employers spend up to 90 per cent of their total costs on employee salaries and benefits, many find it is in their best interest to invest in building improvements that support employee health and well-being. Last year, the first office building in Canada became Fitwel-certified following a stringent process, but many employers are taking it upon themselves to at least introduce some wellness features into the workplace, such as bike racks and showers, fitness centres or a nutrition program for employees.

As more focus is placed on occupant health and well-being, the WELL v2 pilot, which was launched in 2018, and Fitwel standards are guiding steps companies can take to improve employee wellness in the workplace. In 2019, expect more companies to make strides towards improving quality-of-life for employees, leading to more productive workers.

Addressing the effects of tariffs on the cleaning industry

Zandile Chiwanza: There has been a trade war brewing between the U.S. and China since last year, and the big question for many in the professional cleaning industry is how much tariffs might impact the cleaning industry in Canada. ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, publicly opposed the proposed tariffs, that would affect, among other things, intermediate component parts or ingredients used by U.S.-based manufacturers in the production of finished goods such as mops, buckets, brushes, janitorial carts and cleaning product formulations.

Looking ahead, industry experts are concerned these tariffs will continue to hurt the entire supply chain as there is potential for more price increases in 2019 passed on to governments, manufacturers, distributors, and ultimately consumers.

Regulatory manoeuvres

Barbara Carss: Whether it’s the introduction of new rules or relaxation of old ones, the regulatory landscape is likely to shift in 2019. Provincial governments are just settling into office in Ontario and Quebec, watching a slim majority margin in British Columbia and readying for an election in Alberta — translating into manoeuvres with repercussions for real estate investors, owners, managers and occupants. Environmental and economic pressures are flagged to headline this fall’s federal election debates, while Canadian cities experience rising demand for affordable housing, sustainable growth and business certainty. Taxes, tariffs, codes, standards, targets, incentives and promised red tape reduction will all play into the mix.

Innovation influences design

Cheryl Mah: Building livable future cities will mean embracing technology in its various forms. Self-driving vehicles is one technology that is being actively developed and will impact urban design. Technology and innovation is changing the way industry is designing and constructing buildings, and will once again be at the forefront of conversations for design professionals this year.

HDR l CEI announces name change to HDR

Canadian architecture firm HDR | CEI has announced a name change with the firm now becoming known simply as HDR.

HDR has one of the world’s largest architecture practices, with a highly-regarded design portfolio in diverse markets. The global firm comprised of architects, engineers and economists provides architecture, engineering, sustainable design and construction services in multiple market sectors.

Since HDR acquired CEI in 2015, the Western Canada architecture offices have developed their sciences and justice practices while continuing to grow their healthcare, sports and recreation, post-secondary and commercial/corporate portfolios.

“As an integral part of the expansion strategy for HDR’s Canadian architecture practice, the time is right to move forward with the HDR name,” said John Scott, a founding partner of CEI and a current HDR vice president. “HDR’s values, such as listening to our clients, pushing boundaries, assembling the right experts for every project and delivering unique skills and experience, are values that have informed the way we have been practicing architecture in Western Canada for more than 20 years.”

Reflecting on the success of the acquisition, he added: “In becoming part of a global business, the leadership group saw great opportunities to provide our clients access to a deeper specialized knowledge, capabilities and expertise, and to give our people the chance to develop their skills locally and globally. We’re delighted this has proven to be true.”

Throughout its history, the British Columbia architecture practice has delivered award-winning designs for many clients, including most recently the Delbrook Community Recreation Centre, the Penticton Lakeside Resort, the Richmond City Centre Community Centre and Mulgrave Senior School.

National home sales activity dips lower in November

National home sales declined 2.3 per cent from October to November 2018, according to statistics from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). This comes after home sales fell 1.7 per cent on a monthly basis in October. While the number of homes being sold is still up compared to spring of last year, it remains below monthly levels posted between 2014 and 2017.

The number of home sales transactions fell in just over half of all local markets, with lower activity in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Greater Vancouver Area (GVA) and Hamilton-Burlington balancing increased sales in Edmonton.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity fell 12.6 per cent year-over-year, falling below the 10-year average for the month of November. Sales were down on an annual basis in three-quarters of all local markets, including the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Calgary, the GTA and Hamilton-Burlington.

“National sales activity has lost a bit of momentum over the past couple of months, but local market trends can be, and very often are, different by comparison,” said Barb Sukkau, CREA president, in a press release.

“The decline in homeownership affordability caused by this year’s new mortgage stress-test remains very much in evidence,” added Gregory Klump, CREA’s chief economist. “Despite supportive economic and demographic fundamentals, national home sales have begun trending lower. While national home sales were anticipated to recover in the wake of a large drop in activity earlier this year due to the introduction of the stress-test, the rebound appears to have run its course.”

The number of newly-listed homes dropped 3.3 per cent month-over-month, with new supply dwindling in approximately 70 per cent of all local markets.

As new listings declined by more than home sales in November, the national sales-to-new listings ratio rose to 54.8 per cent, compared to October’s 54.2 per cent ratio. This measure has remained close to its long-term average of 53.4 per cent since the beginning of 2018. About 60 per cent of all local markets were in balanced market territory in November.

There were 5.4 months of inventory nationally at the end of November 2018, a figure in line with the long-term average of 5.3 months. However, in the Prairie provinces and in Newfoundland & Labrador, the number of months of inventory is well above its long-term average, while it is well below its long-term average in Ontario, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. In other provinces, sales and inventory are more balanced.

The Aggregate Composite MLS Home Price Index (HPI) climbed two per cent year-over-year in November 2018. Apartment units saw the largest annual price increases in November, climbing six per cent, followed by townhouse/row units, which rose four per cent. One-storey single-family homes only saw prices rise 0.4 per cent, while two-storey single-family homes held steady at a 0.1 per cent increase.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in November 2018 just surpassed $488,000, a 2.9 per cent decline compared to November 2017. When removing the GTA and GVA from calculations, the national average price sat at just over $378,000.