Commercial building operators could use a combination of air exchange, filtration and purification to comply with the industry-leading guidance for arresting airborne spread of pathogens and contaminants.

After six consecutive quarters of declining occupancy, some of Canada’s office markets began to recover lost ground in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Colliers Canada's Q4 2021 snapshot of 12 metropolitan areas finds industrial vacancy rates below 1 per cent in five markets, and between 1 and 5.4 per cent in the seven others.

The priciest office space in Toronto and Montreal is deemed "mid-level" among 127 global markets, while Vancouver is in a larger group said to offer "value" to premium tenants.

Office and retail were diagnosed as stricken asset classes early in the pandemic, but after 20 months on the disabled list, conventional venues for labour and shopping are rallying to fight for market share.

From now on, companies will distinguish themselves by the enhanced experience they are able to offer their employees who take the time and effort to travel to the office.

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.

Recognizing the dangers of combustible dust accumulations will help to ensure the prevention of explosions.

Developers are facing escalating material costs, supply chain disruptions and labour shortages in step with climbing vacancies and falling rental rates that were not contemplated 18 months ago.

Market analysts anticipate more capital flowing into the sector as vacancies tighten and rental rates rise, and they warn that available space is nearing depletion in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal if leasing continues at the recent pace.

The 2021 versions of REALPAC's normalization methodologies for calculating energy- and water-use intensity address issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and lower occupant densities in office buildings.

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.

Cold storage facilities are flagged to deliver robust returns to investors due to the evolution of food retailing, demand for vaccines and other pharmaceuticals, and the thriving outlook for the warehouse/distribution and logistics sector in general.

Enhancing cleaning, disinfection, and communication is critically important within real estate at a time when health and safety is top of mind.

The 2021 edition delivers critical guidance for designers and operators of these frontline facilities and incorporates 17 changes to the standard.

Economic fallout from COVID-19 is shifting more of the tax burden to this flourishing group of assets via the mill rate, while also driving up the tax rate, for a double-whammy of consequences in jurisdictions that update valuations annually.

Leveraging appropriate service technology and integrated service tools can ensure buildings are safe and properly maintained.