Canadian Facility Management & Design - Federal
REMI

Federal

Environmental mishaps can herald personal liability

Environmental mishaps herald personal liability

Personal liability is a mounting possibility for directors, officers and supervisors of organizations that run afoul of environmental regulators or are on the losing side of civil litigation.
Post-CERS property expense relief announced

Post-CERS property expense relief announced

A new iteration of property expense relief will be more bountiful for many recipients than recent payouts of the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidiary, but fewer commercial tenants or owner-occupiers will qualify.
inclusive

A path to fully inclusive community hubs

The idea of creating inclusive community hubs—where people of all ages and abilities can gather together—is gaining significant momentum.
CERS uptake falls short of potential

CERS uptake falls short of potential

Removing landlords from the application process hasn’t necessarily made the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) more accessible for commercial tenants experiencing pandemic-related financial stress.
FM

Pandemic intensifies evolving role of FM

Facility managers are no longer viewed as a back-office function, but rather “a strategic instrument to attract and retain talent and create a great experience,”
Fossil fuel fired cogeneration systems to lose eligibility for accelerated capital cost allowance

Cogeneration systems to lose tax enticement

The 2021 federal budget adds some clean energy equipment to immediately qualify for accelerated capital cost allowance, and names various combined heat and power applications to be delisted after 2023.
toxic chemicals

What toxic chemicals are lurking in our buildings?

In the age of COVID, it's also important to consider how chemical exposures influence our ability to fight disease.
employment

Top employment law issues during COVID-19

Employees may refuse vaccines for reasons such as religious belief or medical reasons, and requiring these employees to undergo inoculation would be a human rights violation.

COVID-19 related investment unveiled

The commercial real estate, facilities management and construction/retrofit sectors appear poised to capture a share of the spending announced in the Canadian government’s fall economic statement.

CERS draft legislation awaits adoption

CERS will deliver direct rent support to qualifying tenants without the need to work though their landlords. As a direct subsidy, unlike CECRA, no loan agreement is required.

Feds to invest $2 billion in energy retrofits

A promised $2 billion investment in large-scale building retrofits will be central to the Canadian government’s job creation ambitions. Energy efficiency champions have plenty of ideas of how and where the funds could be best leveraged.

Stop-gap September CECRA coverage offered

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance will be offered for a sixth month. The announcement comes eight days after the portal for new applications for the relief program appeared to be closed.

CECRA now closed to new applicants

With the August 31 deadline for first-time applications for Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) now passed, the three-month program that evolved into five months of relief is closed to new recipients.

Reopening the workplace amid COVID-19 fears

Collaborative spaces will take on new importance as flexibility remains a key factor moving forward when reinventing and reopening the workplace.

Details of CECRA program rollout still emerging

The CECRA program is voluntary. Not all eligible landlords will necessarily take advantage of this program for various reasons.

Gen Z friendly cities foster a rising cohort

The study assesses and scores 110 prominent international cities on 22 indicators deemed to support and/or influence the age cohort born between 1997 and 2012.

Canada advances HFC phase-down

Impending environmental regulations will push the Canadian and American real estate industries toward cooling and insulation options with lower global warming potential.