The Long View

Richard Crenian Founder & President, ReDev Properties

The Long View

The future of commercial real estate in Canada: A brighter horizon

Richard Crenian Commercial Office National Jun. 20 2024

Commercial real estate has long been a cornerstone of Canada’s economy. As we progress further into the 21st century, our industry appears to hold great promise – driven by innovation, sustainability and changing market dynamics.

Commercial rent trends in Canada: What to expect for the balance of 2023

Richard Crenian Commercial Leasing National May. 26 2023

Staying updated with real estate market happenings isn't an easy task especially at a time when things are changing day-to-day. In similar fashion to the residential market, the commercial market is currently going through major shifts that will impact the rest of the year.

Timing the market: Is real estate investment a good move right now?

Richard Crenian Residential Investment National Apr. 13 2023

The real estate world has been ablaze with both excitement and nervousness this year. As everyone is buzzing with speculation about what the future holds, investors are especially eager to find the holy grail of perfect time and property selection.

Why apartment rents are expected to continue rising

Richard Crenian Residential Apartments National Feb. 28 2023

Over the past few months, the Canadian housing market has undergone significant changes. Primarily influenced by the Bank of Canada’s decisions to raise its interest rates, sales and home prices have been declining across the country.

Suburban Toronto records first period of positive net absorption since pandemic

Richard Crenian Commercial Leasing Toronto / GTA Nov. 11 2022

Commercial real estate firm CBRE says for the second quarter in a row, the country’s suburban office vacancy level was lower than the rate seen for downtown regions.

Is Canada’s REIT sector softening?

Richard Crenian Commercial Market Trends National Sep. 28 2022

Canadian commercial real estate companies saw positive leasing momentum, stable occupancy and strong rent collections as there were continued efforts to battle back from the pandemic during the first six months of 2022. The question now, of course, is whether

The smart buildings market is worth billions

Richard Crenian Commercial Proptech National May. 12 2022

It’s estimated the North American smart building market will to grow to $121.6 billion by 2026. You deserve a chunk of that! Smart buildings are a large part of creating a sustainable future, as about 28 per cent of global

Rising prices and rising real estate today. Why? A quick explanation.

Richard Crenian Residential Market Trends National Mar. 15 2022

There is a lot of investment capital out there that has been building up waiting to be spent, and a significant amount of that money is now flowing into real estate. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Signs point to CRE revival in downtown Toronto

Richard Crenian Commercial Market Trends Toronto / GTA Oct. 15 2021

Since the official start of the pandemic in March 2020, Toronto’s downtown has been nothing short of a deserted wasteland. The retail and office CRE sectors saw little activity during the past year and a half, with the majority of

Canadian commercial real estate: An investor’s best-kept secret?

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy National Aug. 28 2018

At a time when it appears politics is just another reality TV show, it seems too many people are willing to resort to hyperbole and make extravagant promises in bids to boost their egos. Few industries are immune from individuals

Building better communities, one shopping centre at a time

Richard Crenian Commercial Shopping Centres National May. 8 2018

For too long, suburban living has been perceived to be all about the automobile, home-ownership, detached properties and sometimes a white picket fence. Given what has occurred over the past two decades, it is a mystery why this image still

Retail strategies to survive, and thrive, in 2018

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy National Jan. 23 2018

In the time it takes you to read this sentence you could have Googled “the power of innovation” and your search would have produced 3.82 million results in just 0.87 seconds. Collecting data has never been easier but knowing what

Community plazas thrive when they look good

Richard Crenian Commercial Development National Dec. 7 2017

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a phrase you’ve heard many times, but when it comes to plazas, appearances do make a difference. For potential tenants, few things raise a red flag quite like seeing litter in a

Retail is not going anywhere; it’s just changing

Richard Crenian Commercial Market Trends National Oct. 5 2017

It is hard to believe the hype surrounding the announcement Target was coming to Canada just FOUR years ago. The frenzy suggested this was going to herald a new era for consumers. Many analysts were right; things were about to

Avoid the unexpected through good planning

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy National Aug. 15 2017

Thirty years ago, Geraldo Rivera created a media sensation with a TV show that focused on the opening of a special vault in a Chicago hotel owned by gangster Al Capone. Despite all the build-up and hype, nothing was found.

Understanding and investing in commercial real estate

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy National Mar. 19 2017

Too often you hear a phrase that is commonly used and you have a rough idea what it means without fully grasping its proper definition. For many, commercial real estate may be one that is widely talked about but not

Buyer beware

Richard Crenian Commercial Transactions National Nov. 14 2016

Property owners need to be on top of environmental regulations It’s a challenging time in the commercial property development industry. The present economic uncertainty means everyone is looking for ways to save costs. Add the myriad of government environmental regulations

Staying true to its character will help Fort McMurray rise from the ashes

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy Alberta Oct. 14 2016

Few cities epitomize the word resilience as much as Fort McMurray. Its fortunes have been largely dependent on being able to find innovative ways to get a precious commodity from the ground. Since the 1960’s people with a can-do attitude

Working with municipalities

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy National Sep. 7 2016

Often, builder and property owners don’t recognize the challenges of working with municipalities until it’s too late. Mitigating some of the risks is all part of the process, but it can sometimes feel like you’re working through layers of barriers.

Getting through tougher times

Richard Crenian Commercial Strategy National Aug. 8 2016

Businesses are bound to go through ups and downs. That’s normal. As a property owner, learning how to mitigate long-term risk takes some experience, but also common sense. Unexpected occurrences will happen – be prepared, stay calm and remember the

Alberta: From state of emergency to back to business

Richard Crenian Commercial Natural Disasters Alberta Jun. 1 2016

Over the last few weeks, Alberta residents have been wondering what happens next. After homes were destroyed and a massive amount of commercial properties burned to the ground, it’s apparent the silver lining is people from around the world, Canadians and

Your neighbourhood: Keeping mom and pop shops happy

Richard Crenian Commercial Shopping Centres National Apr. 5 2016

Everyone wants to discover that hidden gem in their neighbourhood. Visiting a certain store or restaurant that just has that something special be it comfort food, nostalgia, or price point. In addition, when small business owners have found their niche,

Industry Events

CRE.Converge 2025 Sep 08 2025 to Sep 10 2025

Sheraton Centre Toronto
Canadian Apartment Investment Conference Sep 11 2025

Metro Toronto Convention Centre
BOMEX Halifax 2025 Sep 15 2025 to Sep 17 2025

Halifax Convention Centre
Ottawa Real Estate Forum Oct 09 2025

Rogers Centre, Ottawa
Saskatchewan Real Estate Forum Oct 16 2025

TCU Place, Saskatoon

Industry Events

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