Dalfen Industrial finds success with focus on infill

RENX  Commercial  •  Industrial  •  International, Greater Montreal

Dalfen Industrial is one of the largest buyers of industrial properties in the U.S., closing on over $400M in deals in 2019 with plans to add to that total before year-end. Dalfen’s Limited was founded in 1935 as a retail apparel chain.

Trillium centre in Markham being sold to True North

RENX  Commercial  •  Office  •  Toronto / GTA

True North Commercial REIT (TNT-UN-T) has an agreement to purchase its second major office property in the past month in the GTA city of Markham. The REIT will acquire the Trillium Executive Centre, a class-AAA, BOMA Best Gold-certified office complex.

LeBreton Flats plan leaves space for NHL arena

Residential, Commercial  •  CBC  •  Ottawa Citizen  •  Ottawa Business Journal

The National Capital Commission‘s latest concept for Ottawa’s LeBreton Flats puts the spotlight on a public entertainment area surrounding the historic aqueduct, but still sets aside space for a major events centre like an NHL arena.

Apt. buildings may be coming to Van. side streets

Residential  •  Vancouver Sun  •  Globe and Mail  •  Globe and Mail

Many side streets dominated by detached houses in residential neighbourhoods throughout Vancouver could soon be opened up to four-storey apartment buildings. Next week, council will consider a staff report containing recommendations for boosting construction of purpose-built rental housing.

Federated Co-op to close warehouse, lay off 200

Commercial  •  Calgary Herald  •  CBC

More than 200 jobs in Calgary will be lost this spring as a result of Calgary Co-op’s decision to source groceries from a private wholesaler, Federated Co-operatives announced. Saskatoon-based FCL is owned by more than 170 independent retail co-operatives across Western Canada.

CP building Montreal transportation/distribution terminal

Commercial  •  Canada Newswire

Canadian Pacific (CP-T) is leveraging its unique real estate holdings in establishing a new multicommodity transload terminal that offers transportation and distribution services from CP’s existing and strategically located Côte Saint-Luc yard in Montreal.

The Saskatchewan Edge › Saskatoon’s industrial vacancy continues to trend lower

Barry Stuart: Managing Partner and Senior Sales Associate , ICR Commercial Real Estate

How proptech is disrupting the property industry

Commercial  •  Financial Post

Proptech is disrupting just about every aspect of the real estate industry and interest is at a fever pitch. Global investment in proptech companies has grown from US$1 billion in 2012 to US$18 billion in 2018, according to Statista.

Hotel might replace two Victoria heritage buildings

Commercial  •  Victoria Times Colonist

A controversial proposal by UVic Properties and Chard Development  to demolish significant parts of two heritage buildings in Victoria’s Old Town and replace them with a 139-room hotel appears headed for a public hearing.

Rona’s tragedy in three acts: Opinion

Commercial  •  Financial Post  •  La Presse  •  La Presse

Act I: In July 2012, Lowe’s makes some noise about acquiring Rona, the Quebec-based chain of hardware stores. On the eve of an election campaign in Quebec, the prospect of a foreign acquisition of a “strategic” Quebec company generates strong reaction.

How IKEA Canada is changing

Commercial  •  Financial Post

PODCAST: President Michael Ward discusses how IKEA Canada is evolving for the digital world. Despite the shakeup, 31 million people walked through the doors of an IKEA in Canada last year. How does IKEA plan to keep these shoppers interested?

Sidewalk Labs, Plaza Ventures plan venture fund

Residential, Commercial  •  Financial Post (Sub. required)

Sidewalk Labs and Plaza Ventures plan a venture capital fund focused on smart-city technology. Expected to be between $20 million and $30 million, it would focus on high-risk investments in early-stage companies to establish Toronto as a “global centre” for smart-city tech.

CPPIB, Teachers’ acquire 40% of Mexican infra owner

Commercial  •  IPE Real Assets  •  RENX

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan are together acquiring 40 per cent of the listed owner of 18 infrastructure concessions in Mexico, Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo en América Latina (IDEAL).

OMERS, Brookfield, OPTrust after $2.7B Aussie firm

Commercial  •  Financial Post (Sub. required)

Institutional investors OMERS, Brookfield and OPTrust are looking to acquire Air Trunk, which has data centres in Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore. Goldman Sachs is working on the sale process, for which first-round bids were due by Nov. 23.

Apple breaks ground on $1B Austin campus

Commercial  •  CP Executive

Apple has broken ground on a $1-billion, 33-acre office campus in northern Austin, Texas, as the consumer electronics giant continues to grow its real estate footprint across the U.S. The project will expand Apple’s current presence in the city.

Mattamy increases ownership of Florida’s West Villages

Residential  •  PR Newswire

Mattamy Homes announced it has reached agreement to acquire all of Vanguard Land’s partnership interest in the West Villages. Upon closing, Mattamy will own 98.5% of the interests in the partnership that owns the land in the Venice, Fla., master-planned community.

Vancouver’s empty homes tax raises nearly $40M

Residential  •  CBC  •  Business In Vancouver

Vancouver’s empty homes tax has put an extra $38.7 million into the city’s coffers since it was launched in 2016 and the tax seems to be having some effect in motivating owners of vacant properties to put them into the rental pool.

Toronto no-fault eviction applications soar

Residential  •  Toronto Star  •  Globe and Mail (Sub. required)

Toronto tenants are at increasing risk of losing their rental housing through no fault of their own, pushed out by landlords seeking to renovate or reclaim properties, and the province must take action, says the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario.

Kingston urged to rise to address growing population

Residential  •  CBC

Chief planner Paige Agnew is calling for a new building policy that looks up rather than out as Kingston, Ont., scrambles to house a rapidly growing population. Most buildings in Central Kingston are no taller than three or four storeys.

Demand for Cape Breton real estate on the rise

Residential  •  The Guardian

Harbourview Inn and Suites is no longer for sale after its owners turned many of its rooms into permanent month-to-month rental spaces to meet a growing demand for temporary housing in Sydney, N.S.