North York Central Library reopens after renovation

One of Toronto’s largest libraries has reopened after a major renovation.

The Diamond Schmitt project has “revitalized” the North York Central Library and “reprogrammed space to support the delivery of new services to meet the changing needs and expectations of its users,” the architecture company said in a press release.

A new grand staircase greets visitors and frames the existing atrium to improve wayfinding and pedestrian circulation. A major feature is the reconstruction of the children’s department on the ground floor to create a transportation-themed KidsStop, a learning and early literacy centre with interactive and electronic learning stations with features for children with special needs.

The Creation Loft on the second floor includes a Digital Innovation Hub with 3D printing, plus sound and video recording studios and a Fabrication Studio with sewing equipment.

“This represents a complete rethinking of how libraries can serve and bring diverse communities together,” said Gary McCluskie, Principal, Diamond Schmitt Architects. “Embracing digital technologies opens a new frontier of learning through content creation, which is a natural next step in the evolution of libraries.”

Throughout the building, the renovation brings more study space, light-filled reading lounges and public meeting rooms. The atrium is activated by the addition of reading space and counters that now line the perimeter on each level, effectively doubling the number of seats in the 168,000-square-foot facility. Glass balustrades and amphitheatre seating on widened staircases serve to both improve orientation and invite exploration deeper into the building.

“The transformation of this well-used community hub is fabulous,” said librarian Vickery Bowles. “We are thrilled to offer these open, airy and welcoming spaces, stunning views, and new services that will enable Toronto Public Library to deliver modern and progressive library service to the residents of Toronto.”

Features to come in the next phase of renewal include a multi-function space at the concourse level, expanded collaborative spaces and a local history room on the upper floors.

Restoring a Canadian mall damaged by fire

Time was of the essence when an electrical fire spread chaos through a major Canadian mall in the summer of 2017. With one of the region’s largest business centres under threat, first responders had to move quickly to contain the blaze, and secure occupant safety, before the damage could spread.

“A mall of this size located in a major city centre is an economic force unto itself – a hub of financial activity in which many businesses and employees depend on the mall for their livelihood,” recalls Margo Malowney, Vice President of Communications with FirstOnSite Restoration. “Due to the vast number of businesses at stake, it became extremely important to address the problem swiftly while minimizing disruption.”

A ticking clock

It was a familiar scene for FirstOnSite. Backed by decades of commercial disaster recovery expertise and the company’s more recent experiences on the frontlines of the B.C. and Fort McMurray wildfires, the team wasted no time getting to work once the site was clear.

“One of the first orders of business was quickly mobilizing crews and equipment under the leadership of a project manager with extensive commercial complex loss experience,” Malowney recalls. “The next was to conduct a visual inspection and air quality tests in which the crew discovered the building had experienced smoke infiltration, which was heaviest near the source of the fire.”

Fortunately, the smoke infiltration levels in the mall’s public areas were deemed safe due to quick action from the owner’s property management staff, allowing most portions of the mall to remain open throughout the cleanup process. Nevertheless, working safely around the shoppers and finding efficient ways to manage equipment and mitigate hazards during the cleanup posed a challenge onto itself throughout the restoration process.

A critical mass of equipment was required to restore the building in a timely manner. FirstOnSite’s local warehouse provided the initial equipment immediately, but more resources were needed to purify the air in a building of this size. Fortunately, FirstOnSite was able to draw from its network of industry professionals and Large Loss operational team to scale up in short order and provide sufficient units for the task.

“The project relied heavily on our network, and coordinating with a number of teams, including the property manager, building operators, risk managers, insurance adjuster, key tenants, and sub-contractors,” says Malowney.

A restoration for the books

By the time its team packed up, FirstOnSite had completed its restoration within three weeks with minimal business interruption. According to Malowney, its success was driven by proactive collaboration with key stakeholder who came prepared with a disaster recovery plan and a willingness to work as a team to execute the strategy.

“All told, this was a textbook example of business continuity planning,” Malowney reflects. “There was a plan in place and all organizations worked together safely, effectively, and with constant communication between all parties.”

FirstOnSite Restoration is a leading Canadian-based disaster restoration company providing remediation, restoration, and reconstruction services nationwide, as well as for the US large loss and commercial market. For more information, visit www.firstonsite.ca.

Costs of dismantling cap and trade queried

Ontario-based participants in the Western Climate Initiative were locked out of their carbon trading accounts immediately after the new Ontario government revoked the provincial cap and trade regulation July 3. A notice from Ontario’s newly forged Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MOECP) informed designated and voluntary market players that they can no longer acquire emission allowances and credits nor deal what they’ve accumulated since Ontario joined the trading platform with California and Quebec last year.

“The status of the general account in the Compliance Instrument Tracking System Service (CITSS) belonging to each participant registered in Ontario’s cap and trade program will be changed to: Restricted: Cannot Transfer or Receive,” it states. “The Province is committed to an orderly wind down of the cap and trade program. In the coming weeks, more details will be shared to support the orderly wind down.”

Several prominent business leaders and professionals are expressing disappointment in that decision, and projecting billions of dollars in direct losses and forgone economic development. A joint statement from 73 sustainability champions underscores the potential costs of dismantling cap and trade and, along with it, the many associated greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs funded with cap and trade revenues.

“Ontario committed to the cap and trade program with California and Quebec until 2020. Reneging on that agreement will have significant consequences that will be economically and environmentally harmful to Ontarians, and damaging to Ontario’s reputation as a reliable business partner,” assert the signatories, who are all recipients of the Clean50 award to recognize their outstanding contribution to clean capitalism.

Wary number crunchers foresee a direct financial hit to reimburse the nearly $3 billion that market participants have sunk into investments they will now be forced to abandon, as well as the required surrender of $420 million in federal funding upon Ontario’s withdrawal from the pan-Canadian framework to address climate change. Indirect financial hurt is envisioned as incentive programs with job creation potential are cancelled and spending in the nascent green economy is stunted. Meanwhile, costs related to climate change could continue to climb.

The sustainability proponents lament the cancellation of programs to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy and related clean technologies that were underwritten with cap and trade revenues. These were promised in the former government’s circa 2016 Climate Action Plan and rolled out last year through the newly established Green Ontario Fund.

“Those incentives are already providing countless Ontarians with significant monthly energy savings while supporting thousands of good-paying jobs, such as solar energy installers and roles with clean tech manufacturers,” they observe.

Longer standing conservation programs under the Save on Energy banner remain in place as the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and Ontario’s approximately 70 local distribution companies continue to push toward a target of 7 terawatt-hours (7 billion kilowatt-hours) of energy savings by 2020. Thus far, there have been no announcements related to that obligation, which is entrenched in the plan that has been guiding the provincial energy strategy.

“It makes a great deal of sense to continue or even increase the amount of these consumer-centric energy efficiency programs in the market,” maintains Andrew Pride, an engineer and consultant specializing in energy management and strategic conservation planning. “Save on Energy has been measurably delivering the most cost-effective energy to consumers for nearly a decade. At its current effective rate of two to four cents per kilowatt-hour, it keeps bills lower for all consumers.”

Nevertheless, conservation advocates are keenly aware of the new government’s recent campaign promise to reduce electricity rates, in part by transferring the cost of conservation programs to the general tax base.

IFMA introduces 2018-19 board and executive committee

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has announced the member-elected executive committee (EC) and new members of its global board of directors for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Graham John Tier was named chair of the board of directors, effective July 1. He is accompanied by first vice chair John Carrillo and second vice chair Peter Ankerstjerne. All three positions carry a term of one year.

In addition, four new board members, Beverley Farrington, Kate North, Michael Redding and Dean Stanberry, were appointed to three-year terms. These four individuals bring extensive knowledge and experience to the organization.

“I am pleased to announce we had an overwhelming response to fill the limited vacancies on the IFMA global board for 2018-19,” said Tier, in a press release. “I would like to thank all the applicants for their dedication and service to the profession and IFMA. As incoming chair it is essential that I ensure the organization is supported by a well-rounded board of industry professionals to shape the future of IFMA and further advance our global leadership position. Our new board members are outstanding additions who complement the seasoned team we have in place. I look forward to working with them in raising the industry bar and defining FM globally.”

The new board of directors, including the executive committee, represents the global geographic footprint unique to IFMA as well as a broad range of industry subject expertise, including insight into the evolution of the strategic workplace.

Departing IFMA’s board this year is outgoing Chair William M. O’Neill, who will remain involved as Past Chair. Also leaving this year are EC and board members Maureen Ehrenberg, Lynn Baez, Diane Coles-Levine and Wayne Harvey.

Digging into development under Premier Ford

How might Ontario’s development landscape shift as the Progressive Conservatives (PCs) take over the provincial policy levers from a 15-year-old Liberal government? That was the overriding question that the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Toronto chapter asked panelists including lawyers, planners and industry representatives to ponder last Thursday, the day before Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet were sworn in.

Moderator John Matheson, principal at Strategy Corp, observed that, other than talk of increasing the supply of affordable housing and vowing to preserve the Greenbelt (after initially saying he would loosen some of it for development), Premier Ford was quiet on land use on the campaign trail this spring. That leaves some unknowns as to how a PC-led government might approach these issues differently from its Liberal predecessors. Among other things, Kathleen Wynne’s government expanded rent control, imposed a speculation tax on foreign home buyers and overhauled the appeal process for land-use planning disputes.

The rationale for Premier Ford’s abandoned plans to make some of the province’s protected lands available for development was to fuel the supply of affordable housing, as Matheson pointed out. Premier Ford could find other ways to fulfill this objective. Panelists zeroed in on his pledge to cut red tape, suggesting that he might aim his scissors at the cumbersome approval processes that can drag out how long it takes to bring homes to market.

But questions remain. Is redrawing the boundaries of the Greenbelt really off the table? Will the OMB-replacing Bill 139 be rolled back? Will the land transfer tax be lowered or scrapped? The answers, respectively, are yes, no and maybe, according to the predictions of some of the panelists at the recent ULI Toronto event dubbed Post Election: The New Development Landscape.

Greenbelt likely to be preserved — for now

Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of Grow Ontario Together, a collaboration of agricultural organizations, said he expects to see Premier Ford make good on his promise to preserve the Greenbelt — for now at least.

Premier Ford backtracked on plans to open up some of the protected lands to housing development in response to public outcry during the election campaign. Mausberg said doing another about-face on this issue would undercut Premier Ford’s claim of listening to the people.

“What he recognized was — as he said, the people had spoken — is that the Greenbelt is near and dear to Ontarians,” said Mausberg, “so if I may make a prediction, I would say that, certainly in the first mandate, that a Ford government will not touch the Greenbelt and will leave it as is.”

With loosening the Greenbelt seemingly shelved as an option for stimulating the supply of affordable housing in the short term, Premier Ford could alternatively look at greasing the development pipeline by finding ways to expedite the approvals process for planning applications.

“We all know that the longer it’s going to take you to get through an approvals process, the more challenging it’s going to be for you to follow through with that project if you’re trying to build affordable housing or that missing-middle piece,” said Emma West, partner at the community planning firm Bousfields Inc.

This is one area where Premier Ford will have an opportunity to deliver on his vow to cut red tape.

“On the intensification front, partly what he and others have been talking about is this red tape challenge — it’s cutting the red tape, getting the supply in more quickly,” observed Marcy Burchfield, executive director of Neptis Foundation, which conducts non-partisan research on urban regions. “Part of doing that is really the pre-approvals — pre-zoning — of certain densities that fit within the current policies, that would cut some of the appeals process perhaps and streamline some of the housing to come on board more quickly.”

OMB-replacing Bill 139 unlikely to be undone

Before the outgoing Liberal government was defeated in the provincial election, it set in motion plans to replace the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). Bill 139, the Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, paved the way for the establishment of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, among other things, when the legislation was passed late last year.

The overhaul of the appeal process was branded as one that would empower communities, in an apparent response to the criticisms leveled against the OMB that it frequently favoured developers and overturned local decisions made by elected representatives.

“I think there are a lot of people who are hopeful that the Conservatives will roll back Bill 139,” said Mark Noskiewicz, partner at Goodmans LLP. “I just don’t see that happening. First of all, it’s too early to tell whether the changes introduced by Bill 139 will be as catastrophic as some think.”

“I think people generally believe Bill 139 has swung the pendulum, giving municipalities more leverage in the approvals process than developers have,” he added, “but interestingly, the province has really retained all of its powers under the Planning Act.”

For one, he said, the province has approval authority over the conformity exercises whereby municipalities align their official plans with provincial plans and for which there are no rights of appeal under Bill 139 as long as a decision is made within a set timeframe. He cited an amendment proposed for midtown Toronto as something the province could potentially alter if it so chose.

“As an example, in the Yonge-Eglinton area, there are concerns that the city has kept densities around major transit station areas too low, so it will be interesting to see what the province does with that,” said Noskiewicz.

Calls for more housing supply likely to be heard

David Wilkes, president and CEO of BILD, said the building industry and land development association will be drawing the PC government’s attention to issues such as the red tape that ties up housing supply and the fees and taxes faced by home buyers, citing the recent finding of an Altus Group study that government charges account for close to one-quarter of the cost of a new home.

Cherise Burda, executive director of Ryerson City Building Institute, predicted that Premier Ford is likelier to lower the provincial land transfer tax and/or rescind the right of municipalities to levy a land transfer tax than he is to abolish the speculation tax imposed on foreign home buyers by the previous government. She pointed out that since Premier Ford floated the idea of nixing the 15-per-cent surcharge earlier this year, a poll has shown that a majority of Ontario voters support the speculation tax.

“I do think on the supply side that the new government will listen to the strong lobby to get more supply in the market,” said Burda. “The question is: Will a ripping of tape or streamlining of approvals or other policies be targeted toward building the right supply in the right places, or will it just be build everything everywhere, as much as we can?”

Burda indicated that one measure of this will be whether the policies improve the cost-effectiveness of building medium-density options that are proximate to jobs, schools and transit and have the potential to bridge the current gap between housing type and location preferences.

“We have 100,000 condo units coming down the pipeline — it’s the most ever on record in the GTA — but the majority of them are one-bedrooms in high-rises and mostly sold to investors before the shovel hits the ground,” said Burda. “I know a lot of people still want to live in detached houses and those are being built in fewer amounts, but most of that is occurring farther and farther away in the greenfield, so it’s becoming more distant to get a home. It’s not where people want to live.”

Will expert predictions come true?

Whether these predictions for the new PC government’s approach to housing and planning will pan out remains to be seen. In the meantime, Premier Ford has named his cabinet, making Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville, his minister of municipal affairs and housing.

Michelle Ervin is the editor of CondoBusiness.

Pictured above L to R: Marcy Burchfield, Burkhard Mausberg and Emma West.

Choose What is Right for You and Your Property

Looking for windows and doors for your property or your next building project? Pollard has the right products for you. Pollard Windows & Doors has been manufacturing quality products in Canada for 70 years. Their longevity comes from the ability to design, develop and manufacture innovative Energy Star products in a 300,000+ sq ft, state-of-the-art facility. Pollard’s expert Project Managers will coordinate with building supervisors and tenants to ensure a worry-free process; and our certified Install Techs will make certain our work meets the highest standard. Rest assured your project will always be clean, efficient, professional, on-time and on-budget. Pollard, your trusted source for quality windows and doors.

Pollard’s Key Benefits:

New construction and replacement applications
Specializing in low to mid-rise, large and small projects
Full supply and install services for a variety of window and entrance systems
Professional Installers are WSIB covered and liability insured
Energy Star qualified to the latest standards and proven energy savings
Industry leading product warranty and 5 year installation warranty
Stability in knowing our manufacturing facility is 100% Canadian owned and operated
Pollard stands behind all its window and door products with outstanding service and support
Pollard’s in-house Research & Development facility develops and tests all products to meet or exceed the most stringent specifications while staying prepared for future changes in the building code
Pollard products were some of the first to meet the NAFS-08 requirements

Pollard Product Solutions:

Advantage Plus Premium All-Vinyl Windows

Advantage Plus lead-free vinyl windows were developed to minimize maintenance for the lifetime of the product and that’s something Property Managers can appreciate. Advantage windows are offered in several complementary exterior colors and various energy efficient glazings and grill options. Installing Advantage windows is a great way to add premium features to your new or existing property.

Liberty Collection Vinyl Clad Wood Windows

Liberty Collection combines a maintenance-free vinyl clad exterior with a warm, beautiful natural wood interior. Liberty windows offer great versatility with a wide range of options for exterior colors, interior finishes and grill designs. You’ll improve the curb appeal and maintain the architectural integrity of your building. With four interior finishes to choose Maple, Oak, Pine and paint-grade Pine – your new Liberty windows will blend beautifully with any interior decor.

Polardor Entrance Systems

First impressions are incredibly important. That’s why at Pollard Windows we don’t just make great windows, we also make beautiful doors and entrance systems. Our Polardor Insulated Entrance Systems are manufactured with insulated steel or fiberglass doors and offer durability and security. Whether you choose a paintable wood or low maintenance vinyl-clad frame, there is a design to meet your needs. Select from a wide variety of decorative lites with both matching sidelites and transoms. Increase the energy efficiency and enhance the curb appeal of your property with a Polardor Insulated Entrance System.

If you are looking for windows and doors for your next project, call Pollard at
1-800-263-6616 for a free consultation with one of our Property Project Managers or visit us online at www.pollardwindows.com.

New procurement strategy for B.C. government

The B.C. government is introducing a new procurement strategy to streamline the way it buys goods and services, and to make it easier for businesses to access opportunities.

The 20-year-old BC Bid system will be replaced with a modernized approach that will remove barriers for small, medium and Indigenous businesses; promote innovation; increase the focus on social, environmental and economic outcomes for people and communities; and enhance procurement capacity within ministries. The strategy also improves transparency in the province’s purchasing processes.

“By simplifying the procurement process, we will provide value for taxpayers and ensure the opportunities are shared with people and communities around the province,” said Jinny Sims, Minister of Citizens’ Services.

B.C.’s new procurement strategy included input from more than 200 vendor representatives and industry groups from the technology, construction and economic sectors, as well as government ministries.

“Procuring construction services in the public sector is highly specialized,” said Chris Atchison, president, B.C. Construction Association. “At BCCA, we have been working very closely with the Ministry of Citizen’s Services and other branches of government to be a champion for fair, open and transparent processes. Modernization is a big part of that, and we sincerely applaud the efforts of Minister Sims and her team – not least because government, as a major owner of construction, has the potential to positively impact thousands of construction contracts through its approach to procurement.”

Major changes include:

Designing clear, simple-to-use processes targeted to the size of the procurement.
Introducing a “procurement concierge” program, to act as a matchmaker between government buyers and suppliers of innovative products.
Ensuring B.C. suppliers are preferred, while still meeting trade obligations.
Creating a new analysis process for large strategic contracts to improve opportunity for businesses of all sizes.
Introducing new social and environmental purchasing guidelines to realize added benefits for British Columbians.
Implementing a centralized tool to manage pre-qualified contractor lists.

The B.C. government spends more than $6 billion annually on goods and services.

Ontario qualifies previously approved EVC grants

Commercial building operators will have to send their receipts to Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation to confirm their eligibility for rebates that the former government approved for electric vehicle chargers. Instructions were sent yesterday afternoon in a memo announcing the cancellation of the Workplace Electric Vehicle Charging Incentive Program (WEVCIP), which was funded with revenue from the recently terminated cap and trade system.

The grant covered 80 per cent of capital costs, to a maximum of $7,500 per charging space, for level 2 electric vehicle chargers installed for tenants’ use. Employers holding control of staff parking facilities were also eligible for the incentive. Vehicles can be recharged in four to six hours using a level 2 charger versus the eight to 12 hours needed to recharge with a level 1 charger.

Ontario’s new provincial government has now added some extra qualifications for proponents trying to collect previously approved EVC grants. Owners/managers who moved quickly on the former government’s promise will be in position to receive the funds, while those who have not yet obtained the equipment or signed a contract to authorize the investment will be out of luck.

Approved WEVCIP recipients have been informed they will have to “provide evidence acceptable to the Ministry” of receipts or purchase orders made no later than July 3, which must be submitted to Ministry by the end of the day on July 11. Installation of the chargers and a follow-up report are then required no later than November 12, 2018.

“If any of the above requirements are not met, you will no longer be eligible to receive WEVCIP funds despite your receipt of the Notification of Approval letter,” yesterday’s notice warns. “For those who did not receive a Notification of Approval letter, this letter is meant to notify you of the cancellation of the WEVCIP program.”

Granville Island issues call for ideas

CMHC-Granville Island has issued a “call for ideas” for the redevelopment of the former Emily Carr University of Art and Design north building into a new Arts and Innovation Hub. With this initiative, they are hoping to receive input from specialists in the arts, cultural, creative and business sectors about how the 120,000-square-foot space should be used.

The call for ideas is part of a multi-phase redevelopment plan with an EOI process scheduled for 2019 and the opening of the Hub slated for 2021.

“This is the most significant redevelopment project on Granville Island in decades and an extraordinary opportunity for new organizations to establish a presence on the island,” says Lisa Ono, manager, Public Affairs & Programming for CMHC-Granville Island. “By participating in the Call for Ideas, individuals and organizations will be able to help shape this new space on Granville Island”.

The creation of the Hub, which will house a mix of arts-focused and innovative organizations as well as restaurants and services, is part of the Granville Island 2040 vision that outlines future development on the island over the next two decades.

The purpose of the call for ideas process is to identify what types of organizations, businesses and activities should be included in the Hub and gauge demand from prospective tenants. The findings from this process will then be used to further refine the vision for this building as well as to help shape the criteria for the subsequent EOI.

A series of building visits and information sessions will be held over the summer to help participants prepare their ideas in advance of the submission period, which will run from September 1 to 30.

Individuals and organizations interested in participating in the Call for Ideas
process are invited to register at: artsandinnovation.com

Autonomous robots and the cleaning industry

It’s been quite a journey for two University of Waterloo Engineering graduates who dreamed of creating an autonomous robot company. The story of Neo, the self-driving, floor-scrubbing robot, began when the two former classmates collaborated on the idea of launching an automated snow removal robot. But as with many start-up ideas, they pivoted early on from the original idea due to its business seasonality.

With the help of advisors and mentors, they went on to examine niches within the service-robot sector. There were lots of sectors with problems to solve: material handling, security, elder-care, to name a few. They then decided to focus on the multi-billion dollar indoor cleaning industry. Keeping with the industrial theme where robots were originally invented to handle the dirty, boring, dangerous and monotonous tasks, they looked around and decided that floor scrubbing was on target.

Driving or pushing a floor cleaning device fit the bill nicely. It’s tiring, often boring, can be dirty, and can cause repetitive strain injuries. As a result, the industry has an ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining people who want to do this kind of work.

“This solution helps free up time from cleaning crews to focus on higher value tasks of which there are many in any given facility,” according to the company’s CEO, Faizan Sheikh.

Avidbots was started in the high-tech corridor of Waterloo. The region in Southwestern Ontario is home to some of the country’s top rated technology universities. These schools have produced some of the brightest minds in tech including robotics engineers, AI/ML engineers, computer vision professionals and systems programmers. In fact, Waterloo Region is home to hundreds of companies that also service the automation industry.

“The difference with Avidbots is that we started as a robot company first, not as a retrofit or an add-on idea. We have built the most technologically advanced and robust robotic hardware and software platform in the industry. Avidbots is 100 per cent vertically integrated in that we have the ability to control and change the hardware, software and support which makes us nimble and better able to respond to customers needs than the competition”, said Pablo Molina, Avidbots CTO, Chairman and Co-founder.

Another major differentiator with Avidbots is that Neo is in it’s ninth generation. This is no small task in any industry.

“We have been working exclusively solving the self-driving floor scrubber problem for almost five years. We have kept our prototypes on display in our facility to remind us where we came from, where we are right now and where we are going next,” Molina explained. “We are committed to building the highest quality self-driving floor scrubber; there are many aspects to consider; safety, productivity, ease of use, diagnostics and reporting – we want to delight our customers at every touch point. We are also lucky to be involved in the early days of robotics and standards in our industry – we are actively involved in driving the industry standards for this type of technology.”

Avidbots has both end users and cleaning companies that utilize their robots. According to Cameron Waite, Director of Sales at Avidbots, there are specific groups of customers that are a great fit for their current product. These targeted customers are companies with large floor spaces that include retail, malls, airports, hospitals, warehouses, colleges and universities. “We are finding some particular niches within these areas, but in the end, customers want a fast return on investment and usually have large floor spaces to clean – a perfect fit for automation and robotics.”

Data is a big driver at Avidbots. Integral to the system is a suite of reporting tools that track how much area Neo cleaned and how much water was utilized, for example. The technology provides metrics and KPIs that many companies have never had access to before.

“After shipping our first hundred robot units, we noted that many of our customers use Neo in different ways,” Sheikh said. “Because we collect data on each robot, we start seeing these patterns in use. We also are different from our competitors in how we have an intense focus on customer success. When we started Avidbots, we understood that floor scrubbing robots and automation are new territory for almost all of our clients, so we implemented a customer success team that is cross-functional. This team supports clients onboard new customers and regularly checks in with existing customers to provide useful training and helpful tips to make sure they are seeing success, as ultimately their success is our success.”

ULI Toronto announces new Management Committee members

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Toronto has named three influential industry professionals to helm its Management Committee. Jennifer Keesmaat, the former Chief Planner for the City of Toronto, and CEO at the Creative Housing Society, will join the Management Committee of ULI Toronto as the new Chair.

Michelle Ackerman, Infrastructure Development Consultant at Kilmer Group will serve as Vice Chair, and Hillary Marshall, Vice President of Stakeholder Relations at Toronto Pearson, will serve as Vice Chair and Chair of Mission Advancement. Derek Goring, Vice President of Development at First Gulf, who recently completed his two-year term as Chair of ULI Toronto, is moving into the role of Chair of the Governance Committee to continue his strategic leadership of ULI Toronto. Rob Spanier, the outgoing Governance Committee Chair, will be moving into the role of Chair of the Advisory Board.

“We are very excited for the fresh ideas and creative thinking this new leadership group will bring,” said Derek Goring, in a press release. “Jennifer, Michelle and Hillary’s professional experiences with community outreach, combined with their passion for city building, will propel ULI’s mission of promoting the responsible use of land across the region in a significant way.”

ULI Toronto has proven itself to be one of the most dynamic District Councils in the entire global network, due to the region having to rise quickly to the challenges of massive public policy changes and urban growth. In the past two years, ULI Toronto has tripled the number of events it has hosted, ranging from large educational panels to smaller networking events and tours, which has resulted in over 7,500 registrations, the highest of any District Council in the global network. Under the direction of ULI Toronto Executive Director Richard Joy, the new leadership will be tasked with continuing to inspire and connect ULI Toronto members with its achievements, while also broadening the discussions about progressive city building to a wider audience.

“We are very pleased with the impressive new leadership for ULI Toronto. Our Governance Committee conducted a thorough year-long process to identify the right candidates that can continue to advance ULI Toronto’s trajectory and the momentum of ULI Toronto’s growth,” added Rob Spanier. “We look forward to enjoying the continued delivery of our mission to promote leadership in the responsible use of land and creating sustainable and thriving communities worldwide with Jennifer, Michelle and Hillary at the helm.”

Streamlined approvals to provide faster housing: report

A new report by the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) finds that although the housing supply chain in the GTA can feature delays, there are ways to increase the speed and efficiency of housing approvals, which will in turn help provide more housing supply.

The report, called “Streamlining the Development and Building Approvals Process in Ontario: Good Practice Concepts and a Guide to Action,” suggests the fastest way for the Progressive Conservatives to produce results is streamlining the development and building approval process.

“Representing Canada, Toronto is 54^th out of 190 countries assessed by the World Bank in terms of the efficiency of its approvals process for routine building projects,” said Richard Lyall, president of RESCON, in a press release. “This ranking isn’t for an 80-storey mixed-development high-rise – it’s for the most basic of buildings such as a warehouse. We are a G7 nation – 54^th for Toronto, Ontario and Canada isn’t acceptable.”

“We must do something about this ranking within the next three years: delays on this scale cost the Ontario government, industry and consumers billions of dollars,” he continued. “If this is not addressed, we will lose out on potential international investors.”

The report, which was created by World Bank consultant Michael de Lint (also of RESCON) over the past nine months, includes the recommendation from RESCON’s director of building regulatory reform and technical standards that the Ontario government complete the following:

Pass a Transparency Act to improve timelines and support a transparency checklist.
Establish a common data or file platform for electronic permitting to allow the move to a state-of-the-art digital system.
Require a coordinating professional and supportive documentation to ensure all submissions are complete and accurate, leading to faster approvals.

“The slow approvals process inhibits the ability of builders to provide the supply of new houses and condos that new home buyers should be able to purchase,” said de Lint. “This report can help point the government in the right direction toward less red tape and faster compliance.”

Ryder announces reopening of maintenance facility in Quebec

Truck rental company Ryder has announced the reopening of its maintenance and rental facility in Boucherville, Quebec.

The 17,500-square-foot newly renovated building now boasts a brand new drivers’ lounge, a new service counter, and a full service rental counter for businesses in need of commercial vehicles on a short-term basis.

Additionally, the bay and service area has expanded to 4,000 square feet, doubling the number of bays from three to six, with the inclusion of a drive-through option allowing for tractor trailers.

“We are very pleased to serve our growing customer base in the Boucherville area and to provide them with a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet all of their maintenance and rental needs,” said Paul Ayotte, Group Director of Operations, Ryder Canada.

The service shop—which provides maintenance to Ryder’s fleet of commercial vehicles, including light-duty and heavy-duty straight trucks and tractors from the company’s existing contractual and rental customers in the area—will be open from Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and the rental operations will be open from Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

C. difficile rates plummet in Canadian hospitals

Clostridium difficile rates in Canadian hospitals dropped 36 per cent between 2009 and 2015, a new study has revealed.

The report, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that infection rates for the bacterium peaked in 2011 at 6.7 cases per 10,000 patient days but dropped to 4.3 cases per 10,000 patient days in 2015, a 35.8 per cent decrease.

Referencing data from 53 hospitals across Canada, the researchers believe the improvement in infection control measures since the initial outbreak of C. difficile has led to the stark drop.

The bacterium initially came to the fore in Canada 15 years ago, however more stringent policies – such as frequent hand washing for staff and deep cleaning for facilities, has led to the drop in rates.

C. difficile is a recurring bacterial infection of the colon that causes debilitating diarrhea.

The study also revealed that the NAP1 strain of the bacteria, which in the past had led to some of the most severe cases, has become less dangerous.

Previously, the NAP1 strain has led to patients having to be admitted to intensive care. In some cases it led to death.

The researchers recommended continued infection control vigilance, including strengthening of environmental cleaning, to continue the downward trend of C. difficile infection rates.

KingSett’s Jon Love named to Order of Canada

Jon Love, founder and chief executive officer of KingSett Capital, has been appointed to the Order of Canada. Governor General Julie Payette announced the honour just prior to Canada Day with the accompanying citation: “For his contributions to the Canadian economy as a business leader and for his generosity to numerous health care and educational institutions.”

The Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication and service to the community and the nation, and is bestowed to recipients who exemplify its motto, Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam — translating to: They desire a better country. Love is one of 82 new members Canada-wide, who will receive the Order’s distinctive insignia at a ceremony later this year.

He has played a notable role in Canada’s commercial real estate sector, serving as president and chief executive officer of Oxford Properties before founding the private equity real estate investment firm, KingSett Capital, in 2002. Today, the company has $11.1 billion in assets under management and provides multidisciplinary expertise in real estate acquisition, ownership, development, leasing, management, financing, construction, disposition and lending.

“Canada is a phenomenal investment platform. We are blessed with a very sophisticated industry,” Love told attendees at last year’s BOMEX, the national conference of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada, where he was part of a senior executives’ panel discussion.

He also participates in the wider professional community as a board member of the Chief Executives Organization, and member of YPO and the Business Council of Canada. He holds an Honours degree in Business Administration from Western University’s Ivey School of Business and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Western University in 2016.

“Building a high-performance team and a high-performance culture is a core focus of my career,” Love reiterated at BOMEX 2017. “Every CEO, and any manager who’s any good, is interested in what people are saying and thinking.”

“Jon Love is an icon of the Canadian real estate industry. He was the first to do so many things or be the best at it,” observes Michael Brooks, chief executive officer of REALPAC, the association representing most of Canada’s major real estate companies and institutional investors. “Probably less well known is his philanthropic work, through the Jon and Nancy Love Foundation, and his work with Junior Achievement to name a few. Jon is a principled guy, a world class real estate investor and a proud Canadian — a very worthy Order of Canada recipient.”

Calgary’s AVLI on Atlantic offers customizable units

AVLI on Atlantic, a new development in Calgary’s Inglewood neighbourhood, is providing unit owners with the opportunity to design their own living space by selecting custom finishes, layouts, design choices and options, so each condominium suite is unique.

“All too often in Calgary, owners are restricted to the same cookie-cutter layouts and finishes when buying a new build condominium,” said Jerilyn Wright of Jerilyn Wright and Associates (JWA), the interior designers working on AVLI. “We’ve taken the opposite approach here, maximizing choice and prioritizing many different luxury finishes and options for owners.”

Every room in the new concrete development – the first of its kind in Inglewood – was designed to be light, fresh and functional, with a handcrafted feel. The first 75 per cent of AVLI on Atlantic’s homeowners have been working with the development’s design team to customize their space. As completion approaches, the remaining buyers will have their suites designed for them with a unique, luxury design.

The 65-unit, seven-storey condominium was designed by Sturgess Architects, the creators of Jasper National Parks’ iconic Glacier Skywalk and features $5 million in retail space on the ground level. The condominium is a short walk to Calgary’s Stampede grounds, ‘Mom and Pop’ stores, unique restaurants and entertainment options.

“We believe AVLI on Atlantic will be the keystone of more unique developments in Inglewood and become the address of choice for those who want to enjoy events and community life while having a retreat of personalized design in the heart of Calgary’s first neighbourhood,” added Brian Kernick, president of Greenview Developments, in a press release.

Alignvest launches Canadian student housing investment trust

Alignvest Management Corporation announced it has launched Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust (ASH REIT), an investment vehicle focused exclusively on consolidating the highly-fragmented Canadian Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (“PBSA”) real estate sector.

ASH REIT has launched with over $65 million of capital commitments. Together with access to substantial additional capital from Alignvest and proceeds raised from subsequent offerings, ASH REIT is well-positioned to acquire high quality PBSA assets and quickly become the largest owner/operator in Canada.

“We are pleased with the response of so many investors across Canada who share in our enthusiasm for ASH REIT,” said Drew Coles, Chair of the Board of Trustees of ASH REIT. “We feel positive about surpassing our initial target for the fundraise. This is a testament to the strength of the strategy, our experienced management team and the attractiveness of our offering.”

Alignvest believes there is a unique and attractive opportunity to invest in the PBSA sector in Canada and to become the leading owner/operator of student accommodation properties in Canada. Canadian post-secondary student population growth is greater than many of its global peers, driven by recession-resistant domestic and international student growth. The limited funding available to Canadian universities is decreasing their ability to provide additional beds to service the increase in demand. As a result, there is a unique market opportunity to acquire, build and operate high-quality, institutional-grade PBSA assets across Canada.

ASH REIT is scheduled to close on the purchase of its first PBSA asset at 181 Lester Street in Waterloo, Ontario, in July 2018. This asset is a 455-bed (18-storey) high quality purpose-built building that is over 98 per cent leased for the upcoming school year, and strategically located between the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Reza Satchu, Managing Partner of Alignvest said: “We are excited to bring this investment strategy to Canadian Investors. The low-risk and low market correlation of the strategy combined with the unique upside of the Canadian PBSA market presents an attractive risk/reward proposition for investors.”

ASH REIT will seek to generate attractive returns to investors in what the Trustees and management of ASH believe is a low-risk student housing sector by: (a) acquiring high-quality, newly-built, operating assets in attractive student housing markets; (b) taking advantage of its early-mover position to consolidate the industry at attractive purchase prices; (c) improving the underlying operations of purchased assets; (d) maximizing economies of scale and creating operational savings by integrating the operations of assets; and (e) consolidation and internalization of property management to enhance long-term margins and maximize value realization for investors.

ASH REIT expects to generate returns to investors from both: (a) growing current income (distributed quarterly and, to the extent reasonably possible, tax deferred); and (b) long-term appreciation in value. ASH REIT is targeting an initial annual distribution of approximately 6% ($6.00 to the initial investors based on an initial closing price of $100.00 per unit) and a long-term 15% aggregate annual return inclusive of an anticipated increase in the value of the assets.