It's been a long, hot summer across much of Canada and we're sure that many of you were distracted at times. So, today RENX is offering its annual back-to-school opportunity to catch you up on major headlines you might've missed during vacation season.

While investment activity and development fundamentals remain challenged in many sectors, there were several major announcements during the past couple of months - with a particular focus on multifamily and retail sectors.

This is far from being a comprehensive list of the major headlines over the past three months, but is curated to be representative of major sectors of activity. While the headlines are numbered, they are only loosely ordered, as the most important articles to you will depend on your particular sectors of interest.

For a full listing, you can scroll back through our Commercial and Residential article directories.

Without further ado, here are some of the major Canadian CRE articles and columns ....

The summer CRE headlines list

1. Zellers makes surprise return at Leyad's Londonderry Mall in Edmonton: The Montreal-based commercial real estate investor, operator and developer continued making headlines and expanding its portfolio of retail assets with a series of major announcements. It also acquired Niagara's Pen Centre Mall for $140M.
2. Altus Group considers potential transaction to acquire the company: The Toronto-based global data, analytics, applications and commercial real estate services provider acknowledges it is undergoing a "strategic review" in response to an inbound offer.
3. Oxford acquires 100% stake in 7 W. Canada office buildings for $730M: Ontario pension fund manager buys out CPP Investments' interest in a premium, four-million-sq.-ft. portfolio.
4. Amazon building massive 3.1M-sq.-ft. Ottawa distribution centre: Company says the new facility, its third in the national capital, will serve customers across the country.
5. Is it time for a major new Toronto office development?: A series of Toronto and GTA office reports this summer, including Avison Young's Q2 stats, show declining vacancy in the trophy office segment. This could lead to a space crunch in the segment soon ... might someone be ready to pull the trigger on a new tower?
6. Oxford, CT REIT, Canadian Tire plan $200M Canada Square renovation: Canadian retailer signs new 20-year lease for 550,000 square feet at its longtime Toronto head office as more employees return to the office more often.
7. Strategic Group buys Calgary tower for $17M, plans residential conversion: Meanwhile, conversion activity continues in office sectors which continue to struggle. Yet another downtown property in Calgary will be taken out of inventory and repurposed.
8. Chartwell to acquire $432M portfolio of Ontario seniors residences: The seniors living sector continues to see high levels of acquisition activity from its major players. This deal involves six properties, with over 1,000 suites.
9. Starlight, CIBC partner on $750M in apartment investments: The new Starlight Canadian Core Multi-Family Fund will launch with the acquisition of a seed portfolio of properties.
10. Primaris REIT to acquire Lime Ridge Mall for $416M: Quality retail properties remain highly valued assets, as this 793,000-square-foot mall in Hamilton is being bought from an entity managed by Cadillac Fairview.
11. Broccolini enters new realm with 800-apartment Montreal development: More major developers are diving into affordable and social housing components within their new builds. The Pointe-Saint-Charles Northern Triangle project includes twin 20-storey towers with a range of housing types.
12. High-density land values nosedive in the Greater Toronto Area: The latest figures from Ben Myers' Bullpen Consulting and Batory Management show a significant decline in pricing and investor sentiment in Q2.
13. Oxford secures $650M CMHC loan, kicks off Alta in Toronto: The three towers are to contain 1,285 apartments, plus retail space; development kicks off the much larger Scarborough Town Centre project.
14. Rogers to sell 9 Canadian data centres to InfraRed Capital: Proceeds from the sale will go mainly toward repaying Rogers' debt generated from its Shaw acquisition.
15. Woodbine's 684 acres to host Toronto's largest development: We spoke with Woodbine officials about the project in the wake of its announcement that construction is proceeding with a new GO station and transit hub, which unlocks the development potential at the horse racing and entertainment venue and its adjacent land.

Some of the most-read Columns and Guest Submissions from this summer.

• CMHC updates: Premium hikes for MLI products, holdbacks eliminated for MLI standard: Guest contributor Nadeem Keshavjee outlines the changes, and the implications for developers and investors.
• What will renters pay more for? Apartments that offer human connections: In CRE Data Deep Dive, columnist Sarah Segal sifts through the results of a major national survey to isolate what really resonates with apartment and condo residents.
• Master plan the missing middle: Toronto-based Naama Blonder offers some thoughts on how to truly deliver missing middle housing at scale, in the cities where it is most needed, in Design, Policy and Canadian Cities.