ClickSpace, Lauft, Werklab and CoWork Halifax have launched a network of 11 flexible workspaces in Montreal, the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver and Halifax and they expect to add more local operators in more locations.

The current facilities combine for more than 100,000 square feet of working space and the network includes a rooftop lounge, a third-party logistics fulfillment centre, storage space, conference and videoconferencing rooms, collaborative lounges, programming and networking opportunities.

Montreal-based Avenir Properties is the parent company of ClickSpace, The Hive and Montreal Mini-Storage, and it also owns a real estate portfolio that includes 9200 Meilleur and 1 Chabanel as well as Devenir Construction.

“Our ClickSpace division was actually strengthening consistently,” Avenir founder and chief executive officer Simon Berman told RENX.

“We were seeing how people were requesting to end leases, downsize and basically share spaces more frequently with other businesses, and with even other types of companies altogether outside of their industry.”

An alternative to multinational co-working companies

After receiving requests from people looking for similar flexible workspaces in other cities, ClickSpace contacted several like-minded owners to form the network.

“We'll be sending each other referrals,” ClickSpace managing director Margaux Chetrit told RENX, explaining how member companies can benefit from being part of the network. “They're getting new business, they're expanding the network, the name is getting out and the most important thing is that they're able to deliver better to their customers.”

“It allows the independents to compete with the WeWorks and the Reguses,” Berman added. “Without this, we would not be in contention at all for some larger businesses.”

Interest in providing co-working space has also been shown by office building owners dealing with high vacancy rates that want to fill some space, according to Berman.

$25 CANADAYPASS

Individuals and businesses can access the network’s co-working spaces for a flat rate of $25 per day with the CANADAYPASS, which can be purchased directly on the participating brands’ websites.

Berman said many customers prefer to work with local independent businesses instead of multinational corporations, and the relatively low price is also an enticement.

“The idea is to get as many quality partners with reliable spaces as we can across Canada,” Chetrit explained. “So wherever you are or wherever your team is, you're able to find a quiet space where you can concentrate, be creative and be productive.”

“From our pretty narrow angle, we think it's doing phenomenally well,” Berman said of the state of co-working spaces in Canada. “We're watching the local market very keenly and lot of spaces that we thought wouldn't survive are thriving.”  

The network partners

ClickSpace, located at 9320 St-Laurent Blvd. in Montreal, has a focus on the e-commerce sector and women-led businesses. It offers a basketball court, an event space, a rooftop terrace, a kitchen, indoor parking and third-party logistics order fulfillment services. It also provides programming and partners with not-for-profit organizations that support entrepreneurs.

“People like to spend at least half of their time when they're at work just being with other people,” Berman said. “It's really an important part of work that people underestimated when everybody got sent home.

“People were lonely, people were bored, people were not inspiring one another. And we brought that back a little bit and we don't think that social element is going away.” 

Lauft was founded in 2017 and has grown to seven locations offering a variety of desks, offices, conference rooms and community events in Toronto, and the nearby communities of Ajax, Burlington and Vaughan that are activated through an on-demand mobile experience.

Werklab is located at 290-1275 Venables St. in Vancouver. It’s a holistic wellness co-working business that offers members a variety of wellness resources and services in addition to desks, private offices, two boardrooms, two meeting rooms and a treatment room.

CoWork Halifax provides shared workstations, private offices, meeting and boardrooms, and two event spaces at its 6156 Quinpool Rd. location. It also offers shared administrative support, bicycle storage, lockers, printing and complimentary coffee.