Building owners and managers from across the country came together Wednesday night in Calgary to honour the best practices at the annual BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Canada National Awards Gala.

The Southcore Financial Centre in downtown Toronto. (Google Street View image)

The event, which was part of the BOMEX 2018 conference, celebrated the achievements of owners and managers as shining examples of what the commercial real estate industry is capable of achieving.

“To be a member of BOMA is because your goal is to always get better. Get the most information, the greatest information on how to better manage your building,” said Anne Marie Guèvremont, president of BOMA Canada, who is also with GWL Realty Advisors Inc. in Montreal. “Don’t forget, we work for our investors, our stakeholders, so they want the best value for their asset.

“You want to increase the value of your asset. So the better you manage it, the better you take care of your energy management, the better you take care of your customers, that means you’re going to sign your lease again and you’re not going to have go through vacancy. It’s just the recognition by our peers in our industry.”

Guèvremont said the national awards, which have been held for more than two decades, exist to recognize excellence for management teams that worked together to bring buildings up to a certain standard of quality.

“You’ve got your leasing team, your green team, your operational team, your management team. And then we have to go through everything in our building and we want it to be the best possible operational level that we can do,” she said. “It’s being recognized by your peers that you are an exceptional building. All finalists are exceptional buildings. The teams have managed these buildings in an exceptional operational manner.”

The national winners are now eligible to compete for the international awards which will be held in June.

This year’s BOMEX 2018 – the 28th annual conference for commercial real estate professionals – had its theme as Embracing Change in the ever-changing industry landscape. The national winners are:

BOMA TOBY Awards

The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) Awards salutes the stars of the commercial real estate industry, recognizing quality in commercial real estate buildings and excellence in building management. Judging is based on building standards, community impact, tenant relations, energy conservation, environmental, regulatory and sustainability practices, emergency preparedness and security standards, and the training of building personnel.

Under 100,000 square feet: 161 Portage Avenue East, Winnipeg; owned by Richardson Centre Limited; managed by Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP.

100,000 – 249,999 square feet: 330 St. Mary Avenue, Winnipeg; owned by I.G. Investment Management Ltd.; managed by Colliers International.

250,000 – 499,999 square feet: Performance Court, 150 Elgin Street, Ottawa; owned by Morguard Performance Court Limited; managed by Morguard Investments Limited (MRC-T) . 

500,000 – one million square feet: Livingston Place, 250-2nd Street SW, 222-3rd Avenue SW, Calgary; owned by bcIMC Realty Corporation; managed by QuadReal Property Group.

Over one million square feet: Southcore Financial Centre, 18 York Street & 120 Bremner Boulevard, Toronto; owned by British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC); managed by QuadReal Property Group.

Corporate facility: Preservation Centre, 625 Boulevard du Carrefour, Gatineau, Que.; owned by Library and Archives Canada; managed by BGIS.

Medical office building: Cochrane Community Health Centre, 60 Grande Boulevard, Cochrane, Alta.; owned by Grand Central Health Inc.; managed by Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP.

Earth Awards

The Earth Awards are BOMA Canada’s recognition of excellence in resource preservation and environmentally sound commercial building management and are presented for buildings at which significant efforts have been made to address environmental issues faced by both older and newer buildings:

Mixed-use building: Meadowlark Health and Shopping Centre, 87 Avenue & 156 St. NW, Edmonton; owned by First Capital (Meadowlark) Corporation (FCR-T); managed by FCR Management Services LP. 

Retail building: Park Place Shopping Centre, 501-1 Avenue S., Lethbridge, Alta.; owned by H&R REIT (HR-UN-T); managed by Primaris Management Inc. 

Suburban office park – mid rise: Aerocentre, 5500, 5520, 5550-5570, 5560, 5580, 5600 Explorer Drive, Mississauga; owned by Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) Realty Inc.; managed by Menkes Property Management Services Ltd.

Office building: Eighth Avenue Place, 525 8th Avenue SW, Calgary; owned by MATCO, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Epic Investment Services; managed by Hines Canada Management Co.

Universal facility: Calgary Courts Centre, 601-5th Street SW, Calgary; owned by Alberta Infrastructure; managed by SNC Lavalin O&M (SNC-T). 

Retail building: Seton Gateway, 19489 Seton Cres. SE, Calgary; owned by First Capital Realty Inc.; managed by FCR Management Services LP.

Net Zero Challenge Awards

BOMA Canada’s Net Zero Challenge Awards, supported by Natural Resources Canada and sponsored by Bullfrog Power, recognize the leadership of buildings which demonstrate significant progress along the path toward net-zero energy usage and/or carbon emissions:

Most improved: 4711 Yonge Street, Toronto; owned by Marisa Construction Limited; managed by Menkes Property Management Services Ltd.

Innovation – office: Le 100 Alexis Nihon, 100 Boul. Alexis-Nihon, Montreal; owned and managed by Choice Properties REIT (CHP-UN-T). 

Innovation – universal: Earth Rangers Centre For Sustainable Technology, 9520 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge, Ont.; owned and managed by Earth Rangers Foundation.

Best in class: 980 Howe Street, Vancouver; owned and managed by Manulife Real Estate (MFC-T) .

Pinnacle Awards

BOMA Canada’s Pinnacle Awards recognize organizations and industry service providers that represent a standard of excellence to which all BOMA members and their employees should aspire. The Pinnacle Awards recognize innovation, teamwork, outstanding service and commitment to clients:

Above and beyond: B.G.E. Service & Supply Ltd. (The Filter Shop), Edmonton.

Customer service: Oxford Properties Group (Waterpark Place), Toronto.

Innovation: KRP Properties, Ottawa.

Chairman’s, scholarship awards

BOMA Canada’s Chairman’s Award is bestowed for longstanding leadership and outstanding commitment to the success of BOMA in Canada and the commercial real estate industry:

Chairman’s Award: Randal Froebelius, President, Equity ICI Real Estate Services, Toronto.

Vyetta Sunderland Scholarship Award: Omar Jesus Montes Casanas,  Board of Government at Exhibition Place, Toronto.