The landlord’s guide to PIPEDA

Beginning November 1, 2018, all private businesses across Canada, from small residential landlords to large multifamily portfolio owners, will be impacted by the latest changes to PIPEDA.

PIPEDA, also known as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, is Canada’s federal private sector privacy law that sets out the ground rules for how businesses must handle personal information in the course of their commercial activity. PIPEDA was significantly amended when The Digital Privacy Act received Royal Assent in June 2015.

Under PIPEDA, all landlords must:

• Obtain a tenant’s consent to collect, use or disclose a person’s personal information;
• Identify the reasons for collecting the personal information (before collection) and only ask for the limited information needed for what a reasonable person would consider appropriate to the circumstances;
• Provide an individual with access to the personal information the holder has obtained and allow them to challenge its accuracy;
• Only use a tenant’s personal information for the purposes for which it was collected.

As of November 1, 2018, PIPEDA will include a mandatory requirement for organizations to give written notice to affected individuals and to the Commissioner about privacy breaches, while maintaining records for 24 months about each breach.

All businesses (including landlords of every size) must ensure that personal information is protected by the appropriate safeguards. These might include: locking filing cabinets, restricting office access, employing alarm systems, strengthening technical tools (i.e. passwords, encryption, firewalls), and boosting organizational controls (i.e. security clearances, staff training, agreements, etc.).

In short, there’s a lot to know about PIPEDA and how, beginning November 1, it will affect all rental housing operations. Take this Landlord-Tenant Privacy Test to determine your level of preparedness:

1. Do you need a tenant’s SIN number for most things?
Answer: No.

2. Do you need permission to capture a tenant’s face on a surveillance camera?
Answer: Yes, but that permission can be implied.

3. Do you need written permission to do a credit check?
Answer: Yes.

4. What minimum information is needed to do a credit check?
Answer: At minimum, a full name, address and date of birth.

5. Is it against the law to demand a tenant’s SIN number?
Answer: No law currently prevents landlords from asking for a SIN for purposes of identification.

6. Can you deny a tenancy applicant because they didn’t give you their SIN number?
Answer: No

7. Can you use the SIN as a general tenant identifier, in your accounting system for example?
Answer: No.

8. Can a landlord ask for a driver’s license, tax information, pay stubs?
Answer: Privacy law doesn’t prevent such requests but any information obtained must be fully protected.

9. Can you look into a tenant’s background by checking their social media postings or calling another landlord?
Answer: Informal checks are still considered a collection of personal information—therefore, permission is required and privacy laws do apply.

10. Can you put a tenant’s name on a ‘bad tenant’ list?
Answer: Not to an unregulated or ‘ad hoc’ list.

11. Can you verbally disclose bad tenant behaviour to other landlords—for example, during a phone reference check?
Answer: No. Despite bad behaviour or poor payment history a landlord doesn’t have the right to ‘shame’ a bad tenant by disclosing such information, which can be construed as ‘vigilante’ actions. Formal, regulated mechanisms such as credit agencies may be notified in appropriate circumstances.

12. Can you take pictures of a tenant’s apartment and contents if you suspect a tenancy agreement breach?
Answer: Yes, however strict rules apply.

13. Can you set up surveillance cameras in your building that capture tenant faces?
Answer: Yes, but strict rules apply here, too.

14. Can a tenant ask what information you hold about them?
Answer: Yes.

15. Can other tenants collect information on a tenant?
Answer: Generally, no.

16. How long can you retain a tenant’s information?
Answer: There is no prescribed period, but not indefinitely.

17. Is there a prescribed process for personal information destruction?
Answer: No, but it must be done appropriately.

18. Can you disclose personal information to pursue a debt?
Answer: Strict rules apply.

19. Can police agencies demand tenant information from you?
Answer: Strict rules apply here too and specific documentation is required.

20. Can police agencies demand the landlord allow them entry to a tenant’s unit?
Answer: Maybe, if police declare it an emergency. Otherwise, a warrant is usually required or 24-hours’ notice to tenant. Strict rules apply.

In conclusion, landlords should have all of these risk exposures covered in their rental application forms and Standard Lease appendix B clauses before the changes take effect November 1. Find out more at: www.priv.gc.ca.

Chris Seepe is a published writer and author, ‘landlording’ course instructor, president of the Landlords Association of Durham, and a commercial real estate broker of record at Aztech Realty in Toronto, specializing in income-generating and multi-residential investment properties. (416) 525-1558 Email [email protected]; website: www.drlandlord.ca

Morguard wins workplace safety award

For the sixth year in a row, the Morguard Corporation was honoured as one of Canada’s safest employers through Canadian Occupational Safety, a Thomson Reuters Awards Program.

The real estate company received a silver award in the services category at a ceremony in Toronto on Oct. 18, 2018 for its ongoing commitment to the engagement of senior leaders, managers and employees across the organization.

“Morguard recognizes the importance of leading a robust occupational health and safety program to ensure our business, employees, tenants, vendors, and partners realize the benefits of our safety culture,” said K. Rai Sahi, Chairman and CEO, Morguard Corporation. “We embrace occupational health and safety as an opportunity to invest in the company and the wellbeing of all stakeholders in our communities.”

According to a press release, Morguard keeps safety at the forefront of all initiatives. This approach to risk management in occupational health and safety is key to maintaining a productive workforce, managing liability for property owners, and upholding a reputation as a landlord of choice Morguard said.

The firm also empowers all employees to be accountable for contributing to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) system and providing feedback on how to improve it. Every year, the organization invests in educational programs and tools designed to keep people safe in Morguard’s owned and managed shopping centres, office buildings, industrial properties, hotels, and apartments.

Canada’s Safest Employers awards boast 10 industry-specific categories, ranging from hospitality and healthcare to mining and manufacturing.

WorkSafeBC launches impairment awareness

With recreational cannabis legal as of Oct. 17, WorkSafeBC is launching an awareness campaign about workplace impairment for both employers and employees.

“Impairment in the workplace isn’t a new issue in B.C., but it’s become top of mind as cannabis becomes legal for recreational use,” said Tom Brocklehurst, director of Prevention Practices and Quality for WorkSafeBC. “We’re reaching out to employers and workers to remind them that they share responsibility for managing impairment in the workplace.”

WorkSafeBC is advising employers to develop policies and procedures that address impairment in the workplace. To assist, WorkSafeBC has created a guide for managing workplace impairment and developing a policy. The need for an impairment policy is even more relevant with the legalization of recreational cannabis.

“An impairment policy that takes a fit-to-work approach to impairment can help employers meet their workplace-safety obligations,” said Brocklehurst. “It’s also very important that employers clearly communicate their impairment policy to workers.”

Under current occupational health and safety regulations, employers must:

Not allow a worker who is impaired for any reason — alcohol, drugs (including cannabis), or any other substance — to perform work activities that could endanger the worker or anyone else.
Not allow a worker to remain at any workplace while the worker’s ability to work safely is impaired by alcohol, drugs, or any other substance.

Employers also need to make workers aware of their responsibilities, including:

Making sure that their ability to work safely is not impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other causes. This means showing up fit to work and remaining so throughout the work day.
Not working if their impairment may endanger them, or anyone else.
Notifying their supervisor if their ability to work safely is impaired for any reason.

WorkSafeBC’s awareness campaign includes online educational materials and radio ads in major markets across the province starting Oct. 22, including Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, Vancouver/Lower Mainland and Victoria. Radio ads in Vancouver will include Cantonese, Mandarin and Punjabi languages.

Reducing damaging noise in the workplace

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, a time to raise awareness about noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and steps you can take to prevent it. According to WSIB thousands of Ontarians report having work-related hearing loss each year and over 30,000 people needed support from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) for work-related NIHL between 2007 and 2017.

The top two sectors for allowed NIHL claims over the last 10 years were manufacturing (25 per cent) and construction (16 per cent). Men accounted for most (93 per cent) of all industry claims.

“The good news is that NIHL is the only type of hearing loss that’s completely preventable,” said Elizabeth Witmer, WSIB Chair. “We want to get workplace-related noise-induced hearing loss on people’s radar early because if they understand the dangers of noise, they can protect their hearing for life.”

“We see people every day who are suffering from hearing loss as the result of decades spent working in places that are just too loud,” said Tom Teahen, WSIB President, and CEO. “The problem is, it’s easy to get used to loud, harmful noises in the workplace since they’re rarely painful or irritating. But long-term exposure to these noises can cause irreversible hearing loss.”

Steps you can take to prevent NIHL for facility managers to consider:
Recognize the risk
Know which noises can cause damage. Prolonged exposure to noise over 85 decibels (dBA) can cause damage to your hearing over time. For context, the noise levels in a busy restaurant range from about 70-90dBA, and noise from power tools (i.e. an electric drill) can range from approximately 90-120dBA.

Assess the cause
Once the problem with excessive noise has been identified, the next step is to find its source. Where is it coming from? When does it occur? Why is it happening?

Control the noise
Once the hazard has been recognized, the next step is to create a plan to control it. Different sources of noise will require different strategies. Eliminate the source of the noise by doing things like tightening machine parts to reduce rattling or installing the sound-absorbing material. Substitute noisy equipment with quieter options and use administrative controls that limit the time a person spends on a noisy task.

Evaluate the solution.
Once work has been done to reduce noise levels in your workplace, those efforts should be checked. If noise levels haven’t gone down, wear hearing protectors, such as earplugs or earmuffs, when you’re involved in a noisy activity and keep searching for new strategies to control the source.

If you think you might be exposed to hazardous noise at work, talk to your supervisor, health and safety rep or a joint health and safety committee member.

Viva-Cité rental project breaks ground in Montreal

Habitations Trigone and its partner Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ recently broke ground on a new rental project, Viva-Cité Saint-Constant, aimed at adults 55-plus.

Viva-Cité Saint-Constant is ideally situated in Saint-Constant, just steps from the commuter train station and Lac des Fées, and across the street from a park and trail system.

Slated for completion in spring 2019, the first phase will consist of 154 apartments. Another 174 units will be built next summer as part of Phase 2. Grouped under the Viva-Cité banner, this residential rental project is part of 11 complexes in 10 cities on the South and North Shores of Montréal.

The Viva-Cité concept offers all-inclusive condo-style apartments geared to 55+ active adults. Occupants have access to a terrace, gym, pool and multipurpose room. Among the services available to residents is an activity program developed by a recreationologist. Rent includes Internet, telephone, cable, electricity, air conditioning and appliances.

“In light of its popularity with 55+ adults, we are continuing with this formula,” said Habitations Trigone’s president, Patrice St-Pierre. The construction of a Viva-Cité in Saint-Constant rounds out the range of products offered by the Carré Bloomsbury project, where Phase 3 of the condo development is underway. Located in a green setting close to all services, this new Viva-Cité phase is consistent with our vision of a living environment that combines well-being with accessibility.”

“With Habitations Trigone, we are participating in the creation of new real estate niches that are responsive to specific clienteles,” added Normand Bélanger, president and CEO of the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ. “The Viva-Cité banner is geared to baby boomers in search of a different type of housing, one without the maintenance obligations that come with a house, while the new banner, Axcès Trigone, will appeal to a broader public. Both use the all-inclusive formula. We are proud to say that since 2015 we have been supporting the growth of this Québec developer whose success benefits the entire Québec economy.”

New York targets rent-to-own marketing tactics

New York State is cracking down on rent-to-own marketing tactics in the manufactured home sector. Eight companies, operating more than 100 manufactured home parks throughout the state, have agreed to revise contracts and refund tenants’ down payments if they’re unable to exercise the option to purchase their homes.

State Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced the settlement as she released details of an investigation into the sector’s use of contracts heavily weighted against prospective homebuyers’ interests. Through the option-to-purchase approach, they legally remained tenants until the end of the option period, but were induced to waive many of their regulatory protections.

For example, contracts typically demanded that optionees submit a non-refundable down payment and assume costs for maintenance, repairs and taxes throughout their tenure. Investigators found evidence of abuse as optionees were required to accept their manufactured homes without prior inspection, while landlords were indemnified against liability.

Although marketed as a path to home ownership for people who are unable to secure mortgage financing, Attorney General Underwood argues the practice preys on the vulnerable through imbalanced rules that place them at heightened risk of losing their investment. “New Yorkers across the state are already struggling to afford a home, and these companies took advantage of that struggle, promising home ownership and, instead, leaving families with default, eviction and financial devastation,” she asserts.

Under the terms of the settlement, existing and new optionees with the eight companies can withdraw from rent-to-own agreements and receive reimbursement of their down payments and any expenditures made on maintenance, non-minor repairs and taxes. In future, option-to-purchase agreements must clearly state, in capital letters, that it is a lease, not a contract for home ownership.

After wresting these concessions from the eight companies — Garden Homes Management; Harper Homes; Hoffman Homes; Horizon Land Company; JKLM Communities; Kingsley Management; Sun Communities; and UMH Properties — Underwood pledges to implement further reforms in the manufactured home sector.

Building capacity for care in Medicine Hat

Consider what a patient who is about to begin dialysis or chemotherapy might be going through, both emotionally and physically. Then add to that the prospect of having to drive three or more hours to access those treatments.

The more than 100,000 residents served by Medicine Hat Regional Hospital are less likely to face that prospect following the completion of a 245,000-square-foot expansion. The six-storey addition, officially opened this summer, increased the capacity of the healthcare facility’s cancer clinic and renal program, among other ambulatory care areas. The addition also introduced a rooftop helipad, expanded the central utility plant, and replaced the hospital’s medical devices reprocessing and surgery departments as well as its labour and delivery suites and neonatal intensive care unit.

Michael Stanford, executive director of capital management at Alberta Health Services, said the province has expanded both of its south regional hospitals — the other one is located in Lethbridge — to alleviate pressure on inpatient beds and speed up access to important outpatient services.

“Adding those outpatient treatment spaces to these programs allowed us to expand that capacity for care within the community,” said Stanford.

Without access to local treatment, patients might otherwise have to travel to tertiary hospitals in Calgary and Edmonton, he explained.

The $274-million redevelopment of Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, which includes an ongoing emergency department renovation, will help to ensure residents can get ambulatory and acute care close to home. The renewal project also emphasized the patient experience while accounting for advances in medical technology and changes in infection prevention and control standards.

Changing standards and technology

Advances in medical technology have introduced new equipment to accommodate and transformed procedures that once required overnight hospital stays into day surgeries. With this shift came a need for more space for ambulatory care, especially in light of the original 1950s-era building’s roots as an acute care-focused facility. The expansion not only brought together and increased the capacity of the cancer clinic and renal program, but also cardio-respiratory, maternal newborn and surgical services.

Increased demand for ambulatory care isn’t the only reason more space was needed at the site, which was last added onto in the 1980s. Greg Colucci, principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects, explained that current infection prevention and control standards prescribe greater square footage per program area.

“Any space where patients are going to be present has generally increased in area, relative to space allocated in the existing hospital, because evidence has shown that one of the best ways to prevent hospital acquired infections is simply to segregate or give more space between patients and isolate patients from soiled equipment,” said Colucci.

These principles can be seen in practice in the new addition at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital in provisions such as dedicated service elevators for clean and soiled supplies, private labour and delivery suites and reception areas that control access to clinical areas.

Patient care drives design

While conforming with infection control and prevention standards was an important part of the project, it was patient care that really drove the design, which was done in joint venture by Diamond Schmitt Architects and Gibbs Gage Architects.

Colucci observed that the notion of what a hospital should be has also changed considerably in the last few decades. Much more than clinical places to treat disease, illness and injury, designed around the work of doctors and nurses, healthcare facilities are now seen broadly as places of healing and well-being, he said.

“The essential here is not to compromise or diminish the importance of operational efficiency, but rather augment it by recognizing the place of the patient, his or her family members, friends, and the community generally,” said Colucci.

Consideration for these groups started at the front door. The addition expanded the footprint of the healthcare facility southward and eastward, providing an opportunity to create a new entrance that shelters visitors from the harsh elements during the winter.

The new entrance rises one-and-a-half storeys, mediating the difference in grade between the addition and the existing building, which share a spine.

The air intake for the existing building was located on the side where the work was set to occur, demanding measures to mitigate dust and exhaust as the hospital remained operational through the course of construction.

“As part of that, we stipulated that large diesel equipment require an air scrubber installed on the exhaust, for example, in order for any equipment to be permitted on site,” said Stanford.

Reflecting the local context

Colucci said masonry was used on the exterior to acknowledge the brick-making that occurred in Medicine Hat for so long and serve as a point of continuity with the existing building. Other materials, namely curtain wall and metal panel systems, were used to segment the sizeable addition in order to prevent it from imposing upon its low-rise residential surrounds, he said.

On the interior, small doses of green and orange — colours Colucci said were drawn from southern Alberta’s landscape — identify the east and west wings of the hospital, fading with each floor ascended. He said the only other hue, yellow, was used to highlight nursing stations in the otherwise bright, white interiors.

Natural light filters into the facility through clerestory windows, not only illuminating the series of atria that Colucci said give visitors visibility to where they’re going, but also reaching into some of the procedure rooms, where he said ceramic frit protects against solar gain and provides privacy.

“When the medical staff come out of surgery spaces, they actually have opportunities to see outside,” added Stephen Mahler, partner at Gibbs Gage Architects. “It’s not very often that you would see that in an OR suite.

“Often, you’re really thinking a lot about the patients and the families, but the caregivers are under a lot of stress as well.”

Recognizing the stress caregivers are under, the addition introduced a well-appointed outdoor space, giving staff a place to escape to that Mahler said was configured to offer a connection to nature and views to the river valley beyond. Visitors can similarly get some fresh air thanks to the provision of a neighbouring outdoor space that is open to the public.

Consideration for patients is even reflected in the rooftop, where a helipad caps the addition, making it possible to airlift patients directly to the hospital. Stanford said that before, patients transported by helicopter faced a 10-minute drive by ambulance from the airport.

Emergency department reno ongoing

With the expansion of Medicine Hat Regional Hospital now complete, work is underway on the renovation of its emergency department, which will increase its capacity to handle major traumas and thus help ensure residents can access life-saving treatment locally when minutes and seconds count.

Michelle Ervin is the editor of Canadian Facility Management & Design.

National Urban Design Awards winners announced

Twelve projects from nine different Canadian communities are recipients of the 2018 National Urban Design Awards. The recipients reflect a range of ideas about reclaiming and enhancing public space while addressing challenges such as urban density, environmental sustainability, and affordability.

Established in 2016 by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects the program showcases excellence in urban design, raises public awareness of the role of urban design in sustainability and quality of life in Canadian cities, and recognizes the contributions of individuals, organizations, firms, and projects.

The 2018 Urban Design Award medal recipients include:

Urban Fragments
Discovery Halts (Escales découvertes), Montreal,Que., lead by civiliti and julie margot design.
Urban Design Plans
TOcore, Toronto, Ont., lead by PUBLIC WORK and City of Toronto.
Sustainable Development
Rehabilitation of the waterfront and boardwalk at the Anse-du-Sud sector of Percé, Que., lead by AECOM.
Small or Medium Community
The Kuujjuaq Hackathon 2017: Reassembling the North, Northern Village of Kuujjuaq, Que., lead by McGill University, Minimum Cost Housing/Hackathon Group.
Community Initiatives Award
Urban Beehive Project, Charlottetown, P.E.I lead by Nine Yards Studio.
Student Projects
[tactical] Infrastructure, Edmonton, Alta., lead by Bryce Clayton (University of Waterloo).
Urban Architecture
Place des Canotiers: Parkade, Artifact Wall, and Public Realm, Quebec City, Que., lead by DAOUST LESTAGE and ABCP.
Civic Design Projects
Place Vauquelin, Montreal, Que., lead by Lemay (Marie- Ève Parent, Jean-Philippe André, Sophie Lacoste, Carlos Santibanez).

The 2018 Urban Design Award merit recipients include:

Student Projects
Domestic Insurgency – Towards Affordable Housing in Vancouver, Vancouver, B.C., lead by James Banks (University of Waterloo).
Urban Fragments
More Awesome Now Laneway Activations, Vancouver, B.C., Alley-Oop (2016); Ackery’s Alley (2018), HCMA Architecture + Design.
Urban Design Plans
Six Points Interchange, Etobicoke, Ont., lead by SvN.
Community Initiatives
The 4th Ave Flyover, Calgary, Alta., lead by Tawab Hlimi, assistant professor in landscape architecture, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary.

The awards ceremony will take place on Jan. 7, 2019, at the Ottawa Art Gallery.

CDBI recognizes design-build excellence

The Canadian Design-Build Institute (CDBI) announced the winners of its 2018 Design-Build Award of Excellence at the National Design-Build Conference. The winner in the buildings category was the recently opened Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, AB. The winner in the major structural project category was the Vedder Bridge Replacement Project in Chilliwack, B.C.

“It’s is a pleasure to highlight these design-build projects that not only got the job done in time and on budget, but include a high level of innovation,” said Gary Bale, CDBI chair. “The results underscore the benefits of design-build – the team approach – as a project delivery method.”

Buildings category: Royal Alberta Museum

This building, designed to change the traditional perception of a museum, will function more as a cultural learning and entertainment space. It has quickly become a focal point in the downtown Edmonton Arts District.

The project was completed on time with minimal change orders. The contract used was the CDBI recommended CCDC 14 – Design-Build Contract with a “not to exceed” budget of $260 million. To promote an integrated design process, the team coordinated their efforts using building information modelling (BIM) right from the start of the submission, which greatly facilitated evaluation of alternative solutions and element coordination.

The engineering features include the use of poured concrete and structural steel large span spaces, both favourable to budget control. Some special elements include the feature cast-in-place spiral staircase and cantilever overhangs. The mechanical and electrical systems needed by the museum’s changing exhibits and events required a significant operational flexibility both in temperature and humidity control.

Owner: Alberta Infrastructure
Design-builder: Ledcor Design-Build (Alberta) Inc.
Consultant: DIALOGUE & Lundholm Assoc.

Major structural project category: Vedder Bridge Replacement Project

This project involved the replacement of a 1947-constructed steel girder bridge with one with wider traffic lanes and shoulders as well as two additional lanes. The selection process for the replacement design-build project was a two-stage: a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) followed by a request for proposals (RFP).

The Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada funding was based on a budget for a steel girder bridge; however, the City of Chilliwack wanted a more aesthetically-pleasing steel arch structure. The RFP was structured for teams to provide two proposal options: Option 1 (steel girder) – approximate value of $11 million, and a more aesthetically-pleasing option 2 (steel arch) – approximate value of $12.75 million.

The final decision to choose option 2 was made by city council at the time of proposal acceptance. The design-build team lead by Emil Anderson Construction Inc. proposed an innovative approach to the construction of an arch design – an approach that controlled the cost and included the city’s desire for a feature design.

The city selected the winning team based on price as well as design innovation. The designers, Klohn Crippen Berger, developed a highly-innovative engineering solution for the erection of the new structure and the demolition of the existing structure, avoiding any in-stream temporary works. This minimized both environmental impact and cost and made scheduling much more reliable.

Owner: City of Chilliwack
Design-builder: Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc.
Consultant: Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd. & Urban Systems Ltd

The Woodsworth launches affordable units in downtown Toronto

Lamb Development Corp. and architectsAlliance have launched The Woodsworth, a 17-storey condominium set to rise in downtown Toronto in 2021. The building, designed by Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance and interiors by Kelly Cray of U31, will be located at 452 Richmond St. West, near Spadina Ave. in the heart of Toronto’s Fashion District.

Designed with young professionals in mind, condominium units will start in the high $400,000s. The building will be almost entirely condominium-style units in junior one bedroom, one bedroom and one bedroom plus den configurations ranging from 406 to 791 square feet. The top floor will be divided into two Sky Penthouse units: a two bedroom condo (1,359 square feet) and a three bedroom condo (1,587 square feet), each featuring a large terrace and spectacular city views.

“It’s hard for young professionals to afford living in the city, close to work,” said Brad Lamb, CEO of Lamb Development Corp., in a press release. “The Woodsworth makes owning a high quality condominium, while simultaneously enjoying downtown living and building a career a reality.”

The condo will be located in Toronto’s trendy Fashion District, which is surrounded by trendy shops, galleries, restaurants and nightlife, and is flanked by Spadina, Queen and Bathurst streetcar routes.

The Woodsworth’s amenities include a modern fitness studio and a 16^th floor indoor/outdoor Sky Lounge and a party room. In addition, units were designed using modern European-style kitchen cabinetry, double thick stone kitchen and vanity counters, nine-foot ceilings or higher, loft-style exposed concrete features, spa-quality bathroom finishes, natural gas ranges and gas BBQ nozzles on all balconies.

“Young professionals have a growing appreciation for good design and they want a home that reflects their own sleek and stylish aesthetic,” added Kelly Cray, creative principal at U31. “We’ve designed The Woodsworth with them in mind, providing quality and detail at an attainable price.”

The project is expected to break ground this winter, and is estimated to be complete in September 2021.

Fort Edmonton Park expansion breaks ground

Representatives from the Governments of Canada, Alberta and the City of Edmonton were on hand as the Fort Edmonton Park expansion project recently broke ground. Fort Edmonton Park is a 64-hectare living history park located along the city’s river valley.

The expansion will create new spaces and attractions that showcase the history of First Nations and the Metis, as well as new learning facilities, a treaty lodge, a new Ferris wheel, maze and new game booths for the 1920s Midway, a renewed admission area and expansion of the Hotel Selkirk. Once the project is complete, it will allow visitors to experience new educational programs and take advantage of the newly modernized facilities.

The Government of Canada is contributing up to $47,794,500 towards the expansion of Fort Edmonton Park. Of that amount, $500,000 was invested under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, which is supporting the renovation of the Fort Edmonton Park midway and fairgrounds. The remainder of the funds is being contributed through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Fund – National and Regional Projects.

The Government of Alberta is providing $33.5 million towards the project aspects already mentioned, plus an expansion of the Hotel Selkirk. The City of Edmonton will provide the largest portion, $72,559,000 toward the expansion. The Fort Edmonton Foundation has committed to raise an additional $10 million for the project.

“We’re excited to work with our partners on this important project. The enhancements to the park, along with our new strategic direction, will make Fort Edmonton Park the premier cultural tourism attraction in Western Canada,” said Darren Dalgleish, president and CEO of Fort Edmonton Management Company, in a press release. “This project along with a focus on relevant experiences, accessibility and financial sustainability will lead the way in making Fort Edmonton Park a favourite destination for many years to come.”

GBCI Canada announces first Parksmart certifications

Two Toronto parking facilities are the first Parksmart certified projects in Canada under the Green Business Certification Canada’s sustainable parking certification system.

Oxford Properties’ Yorkdale Shopping Centre’s Parkade G achieved Parksmart certification at the Pioneer level and Yorkdale’s Parkade E achieved Parksmart Bronze. The parkades are also the first retail certifications in the world.

The sustainability measures that helped earn these certifications include:
• Rainwater collection through four cisterns in Parkade G and one in Parkade E, with a capacity of 60,000 litres and 749,000 litres respectively, used for irrigation of the centre’s landscaping and green roofs, and to power wash the garage;
• Grey water from a 30,000-litre tank in Parkade E that is repurposed for toilets and urinals in the public washrooms of Yorkdale’s East expansion;

Energy-saving programmable lighting with occupancy sensors and exterior photocell lighting.

• A complimentary tire inflation station at each parkade that can be used by both drivers and cyclists;

Four electric vehicle charging stations for Parkade E and 10 for Parkade G.

For Oxford Properties Group, the Parksmart certification process for both projects has served to highlight opportunities to maximize and modernize parking assets, ensure strong returns on investment, and provide an enhanced parking experience for mall patrons.
Parksmart certification recognizes parking structures that reduce their environmental impact, increase their energy efficiency and performance, manage parking spaces efficiently, and increase their energy efficiency and performance.

Stanis Smith named chair of RHFAC committee

The Rick Hansen Foundation has named Stanis Smith as the chair of the Foundation¹s Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) Advisory Committee.

Smith, executive vice president of Stantec, has been a board member of the RHFAC Advisory Committee since early 2017. Having worked in the industry for 30 years, Smith is known for his leadership on issues relating to building design, the built environment, and corporate governance. He has lent his vision and expertise to building projects around the world in the educational, entertainment and transportation sectors.

“Improving the lives of people with disabilities means breaking down barriers and creating an accessible environment with the same opportunities for everyone. I am proud to work with the Rick Hansen Foundation on creating an inclusive world. As an architect, I have long been committed to designing accessible spaces that can be enjoyed, appreciated, and utilized by everyone,” said Smith.

Brad McCannell, vice president, Access and Inclusion, at the Rick Hansen Foundation, said: “Smith brings a wealth of industry knowledge, experience and passion to our Advisory Committee. With his leadership, we look forward to certifying more buildings, improving the accessibility of the built environment, and positively impacting the lives of more people.”

The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification is the first-of-its-kind rating system developed to help property owners and managers measure the accessibility of their buildings and sites, and promote increased access through the adoption of Universal Design principles. The RHFAC Committee is tasked with advising staff on the design, scope, development, and distribution of the RHFAC program.

The RHFAC Advisory Committee continues to focus on developing and expanding the program to increase accessibility in Canada’s built environment.

Walmart Canada investing in store upgrades

Walmart Canada will be investing $175 million to upgrade its network of stores with dedicated features and improvements to enhance the overall customer experience. Several stores across the country will be refurbished or updated to provide a comprehensive omni-channel experience featuring a seamless intersection of the in-store and online shopping experience.

Twenty-three Walmart stores across the country are set for renovation before February 2019, creating more than 2,500 construction jobs.

“Walmart Canada is committed to helping Canadians shop when they want, how they want and where they want,” said Lee Tappenden, president and CEO of Walmart Canada. “As we move into 2019, we’ll continue to invest in more store remodels, including new and creative concepts in key urban stores.”

Enhancements customers can expect to see in their local stores include:

Contemporary updates: Physical updates that provide a refreshed look and feel including wider aisles, updated colour palette, new signage, and, in some stores, an updated exterior store front design to provide clearer access.
Optimized omni-channel experience: Creating seamless integration of online shopping and in-store experience for omni-channel customers. Updated features include dedicated parking spaces for online grocery pickup and new areas in stores devoted to online orders to help facilitate the interaction between Walmart Canada’s ecommerce and bricks and mortar operations.
Expanded assortment: Adding more product assortments to further integrate stores into the community including new ethnic selections and organics.

In July the company announced another $175 million spend on a new warehouse in Surrey, B.C. The retailer said construction on the new fulfullment centre will start in 2021 and employ about 300 workers over the 14- to 18-month construction period.

Walmart Canada opened a new Supercentre in Burnaby, B.C. on October 11, 2018.

IPI renamed International Parking & Mobility Institute

The International Parking Institute (IPI), the world’s largest association of parking professionals, has changed its name to the International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI).

IPI’s 2018 Emerging Trends in Parking survey earlier this year revealed more than 90 per cent of those surveyed felt that “parking and transportation or mobility professionals” is a more apt description of their jobs, which today encompass such tasks as curb management, alternative commuting methods, data collection, and more.

IPMI CEO Shawn Conrad said the renaming signifies changes in the industry “where mobility is emerging as a more inclusive term for the expanding role of parking professionals.”

“We feel the new name provides an umbrella that incorporates parking and mobility and thus will better serve our members by ensuring future opportunities for growth,” Conrad said.

The decision was made by the board of directors in Denver, Colo., on Oct. 17, 2018.

Visit www.parking.org for more information on the association’s new direction.

Steel safeguards a blow to construction industry

To prevent diversion of foreign steel products into Canada, the federal government is imposing provisional steel safeguards on imports of seven products: heavy plate, concrete reinforcing bar (rebar), energy tubular products, hot-rolled sheet, pre-painted steel, stainless steel wire and wire rod.

Beginning October 25, 2018, imports of these seven steel products will be subject to a surtax of 25 per cent, in cases where the level of imports from trading partners exceeds historical norms.

Provisional safeguards are intended to provide Canadian steel producers and workers relief from the harm caused by excessive imports of steel products into Canada. The Government is requesting that the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) conduct an inquiry to determine whether final steel safeguards are warranted. The provisional safeguards will be in place for 200 days pending the CITT’s findings.

On July 1, 2018, the government began applying measured reciprocal countermeasures on $16.6 billion of imports of steel, aluminum, and other products from the U.S., in response to the unjustified and counterproductive U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

The Canadian Construction Association says the construction industry has been disregarded by the Canadian government in its decision to impose provisional safeguard measures on steel products.

‘’We have been understanding while the negotiations were in progress with the US government, but the outcome is that the construction industry has been ignored. Not only do the steel and aluminium tariffs remain; these safeguards are another blow to the industry,’’ said Mary Van Buren, CCA’s president.

The U.S.-imposed tariffs and these safeguards on the import of foreign steel will hurt the construction industry, its workers and fundamentally all Canadians by raising prices, damaging competitiveness for business and potentially delaying projects necessary for building Canada’s infrastructure.

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) echoes the disappointment expressed by the CCA.

“The opportunity to secure relief appears well intended, however, the process is not practical,” said VRCA president Fiona Famulak. “It is unclear, administratively burdensome and does not guarantee relief. Our member companies are already running at capacity and the process represents a hurdle to their securing relief in a timely manner.”

Canada is a net-importer of certain types of steel, meaning the Canadian construction industry relies heavily on foreign steel to build our cities and infrastructure.

“Our members need to import from both the American West Coast and Asia because the cost of shipping steel from Ontario to B.C. via rail and land is more expensive than by water,” said Famulak. “The tariffs and the safeguards are therefore a double whammy for the B.C. construction industry.”

CRE gender pay gap widens at mid-career

Recent social movements have heightened society-wide awareness about negative treatment and pay disparities women are facing in the workplace. Like other industries, commercial real estate is now under greater pressure to address these issues, as companies strive to meet equality, diversity and inclusion goals.

CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Network is well placed to track that progress — both through the collection and analysis of data that goes into the benchmark studies the organization produces on a five-year cycle, and drawing from the knowledge and experience of a professional membership in 74 chapters in major urban regions of Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. This year, the CREW Network Industry Research Committee has produced the whitepaper, Achieving Pay Parity in Commercial Real Estate, which looks at what the numbers reveal, delves into the underlying reasons and offers some strategies for closing the pay gap.

Though the gender pay gap has decreased since the initial release of CREW Network’s initial benchmark study in 2005, it persists and is strongest for respondents earning less than $100,000 and above $250,000. The 2015 CREW Network benchmark study found the median total annual compensation — including bonuses, compensation, and profit sharing — was USD $150,000 for men and USD $115,000 for women, demonstrating a disparity of 23.3 per cent between genders. The size of the gap varies by occupation, with the greatest difference in the study observed among commercial real estate brokers, at 33.8 per cent.

Although compensation is nearly equal for men and women at the entry level, the gap widens mid-career. The benchmark study found that, in addition to the pay gap, there continues to be an aspiration gap. Only 28 per cent of women aspire to the C-suite versus 40 per cent of men.

The majority of women (47 per cent) indicated their aspirations topped out at the senior vice president or partner level, and they consider the lack of a mentor or sponsor within their company as the number one barrier to success. Women in the industry are 54 per cent less likely than men to have a sponsor who can provide career advice or help advance a career path.

According to the Pew Research Center, much of the gender wage gap has been explained by measurable factors such as occupational segregation and work experience. The narrowing of the gap has been attributed to gains women have made in those areas. Other factors, which are more difficult to measure, may still contribute to the gap, including gender discrimination.

Discrimination prorated to education level

A 2017 Pew survey showed four in 10 women in the U.S. have reported experiencing discrimination on the job, with 25 per cent reporting earning less than a man doing the same job — versus only 5 per cent of men reporting earning less than a woman. That number increased with educational level — 20 per cent of women with some college or less reported pay inequity, while 35 per cent of women with postgraduate degrees experienced the same discrimination.

Commercial real estate recruitment and staffing firm RETS Associates’ 2018 Women in CRE Survey found that 65 per cent of respondents were made aware of being paid less than a male counterpart at some point in their career. Of those, 75 per cent noted it happened at least two times. Sixty-one percent felt they were bypassed for a job, assignment or listing at some point in their career based on gender. Of those, 82 per cent said it happened more than once, while 54 per cent said it happened three or more times.

Almost two-thirds of those women did not take action after being bypassed for a job, assignment or listing, citing fear of losing future career opportunities, fear of poor treatment from leadership and fear of reputation damage. Of those who did take action, 45 per cent began to look for a new job; 28 per cent had issues unresolved by human resources or management; 17 per cent resigned; and 3 per cent took legal action. Only 7 per cent had the issue resolved to their satisfaction.

As past CREW Network research has shown, the pay gap widens as women in commercial real estate move up in the ranks, with the gap widening mid-career. PayScale, a software company specializing in pay data, suggests one reason this happens is because women ask for raises less frequently than men, which has a cumulative effect as women progress in their careers.

Despite this inequity starting mid-career, Alison Harrigan, who works in executive search for global organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry, observes that women and men on the executive level take a similar approach to negotiating their salaries. When it comes to recruiting top-level executives for the largest organizations, most candidates seem to have outside guidance on the offer process, such as an employment lawyer or mentor.

According to the 2015 CREW Network benchmark study, men in the commercial real estate C-suite earn 29.8 per cent more than women at the same level. If executive level men and women are negotiating their salaries equally, this may indicate women are starting from lower offers and basing negotiations on salary history rather than their skills, abilities and experience.

Harvard University researchers Hannah Riley Bowles, Linda Babcock and Lei Lai show that, for women, sometimes it does hurt to ask. In a series of experiments, they found that evaluators penalized women more than men for initiating negotiations, and nervousness around male evaluators made females less inclined to negotiate compensation versus encountering a female evaluator.

Calls for transparency

Closing the pay gap could be determined by how employers react to women’s increased and improved negotiations for compensation — and how transparent each employer’s hiring practices are. Sixty-two percent of respondents to a 2016 CREW Network white paper survey believe that pay would be more equitable in commercial real estate if employers were required to share compensation information.

Harrigan reports that many women are open to sharing their compensation information with other women, especially when they’re in similar positions or markets. “Because pay parity is coming to the forefront, I see female executives sharing notes with each other more often,” she said.

A survey conducted by Challenger, Grey & Christmas in 2014 showed that 55 per cent of human resources executives thought companies should practice salary transparency in some form, either full or providing a range of compensation for a given position. But by its 2018 survey, it found that only 3 per cent of companies actually execute transparency practices, while 7% will provide information on a need-to-know basis.

As Harrigan mentioned, more commercial real estate companies are taking notice of the lack of women on their boards and are taking steps to rectify these glaring omissions. In the U.S., real estate investment trusts (REITs) are leading the way. The Wall Street Journal reports that the sector named a record number of women to board positions in 2018, with 49 women filling the spots of 94 REIT directors.

Women comprised 52 per cent of this year’s slate, compared to the 41 per cent of newly elected women in 2017, according to statistics from Ferguson Partners. However, 32 of 192 REITs have no women on their boards, and only eight have female chief executives.

The preceding is an excerpt from the CREW Network whitepaper, Achieving Pay Parity in Commercial Real Estate.