GGH life sciences sector has potential, but needs space, funding

RENX  Commercial  •  Office, Technology  •  Ontario, Toronto / GTA, Greater Montreal

Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) has many of the ingredients needed to become a global life sciences hub, but a lack of proper facilities and investment is holding it back.

Bolt Logistics balances rapid growth, sustainability

RENX  Commercial  •  Industrial, Investment  •  National

Rapidly expanding logistics company Bolt Logistics says it will become carbon neutral by the end of its 2023 fiscal year. Bolt will achieve that in part with energy-efficient lighting, but also by converting to electric vehicles for last-mile deliveries.

Multi-tower project proposed for T.O. Canadian Tire site

Residential, Commercial  •  Retail Insider

A proposed redevelopment for Toronto’s historic Canadian Tire store at 839 Yonge St. would include residential towers as well as a new Canadian Tire, according to sources. If approved, Canadian Tire will likely sell the site, valued in excess of $100 million.

Where’s the C-suite in an open, hybrid office?

Commercial  •  Globe and Mail  •  Financial Post

Traditionally, the perks that come with an executive position included expansive and exclusive real estate, i.e. the C-suite. However, as the pandemic is proving we don’t need to rely on the physical workplace, the corner office is becoming an anachronism.

DIALOG files patent for hybrid timber floor system

Commercial  •  Sustainable Biz Canada

Canadian design firm DIALOG has filed global patents for a hybrid timber floor system (HTFS) which it hopes to utilize in super-tall skyscrapers. The HTFS combines cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels with steel and concrete.

Heatherwick Studio’s design for Van. towers reimagined

Residential, Commercial  •  urbanYVR  •  Daily Hive  •  RENX

London-based architects Heatherwick Studio’s latest design for Bosa Development and Kingswood Properties‘ 1700 Alberni Street in Vancouver consists of 30- and 39-storey mixed-use towers. They will include 387 residential units, boutique retail spaces and a “destination restaurant.”

Sponsored by MNP What you need to know to build your tax and business plans

Real estate and construction companies have faced shortages of products, supplies, and workers in the past year. The uncertainty has driven up costs and caused projects to be delayed or cancelled. Now’s the time to plan the future of your business by focusing on what you can control.

Hazelview Ventures invests in SuiteSpot proptech

Residential  •  Canada Newswire  •  RENX

Hazelview Ventures Inc., a subsidiary of Hazelview Investments, has partnered with proptech cloud solution SuiteSpot. The software is designed to optimize end-to-end operations for multiresidential unit turnover, renovations and maintenance.

What led to Calgary’s collapsed arena deal?

Commercial  •  CBC  •  Toronto Star

Calgary city council is set to meet today to discuss what happened to the collapsed arena deal and what’s next, but if the project’s history and rapid-fire updates have caused confusion, city hall reporter Scott Dippel has some answers:

Firms apply for 40-plus new pot shops in Ottawa

Commercial  •  Ottawa Citizen

As of Monday, there were more than 40 applications for new pot stores across Ottawa, according to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the agency in charge of regulating the sector. Ottawa-based Ouid is looking to add three more stores.

Manulife launches Manulife Real Asset Investment Fund

Residential, Commercial  •  Canada Newswire

Manulife Investment Management announced the launch of the Manulife Real Asset Investment Fund providing Canadian accredited investors access to a mix of global private and public investments, combining the benefits of broad private asset exposures with the benefit of liquidity.

REIT/REOC business updates

Residential, Commercial  •  Globe Newswire

Boardwalk REIT, (BEI-UN-T), Canada Newswire
Sienna Senior Living Inc, (SIA-T), Globe Newswire

CABOT acquires first U.S. golf course in Florida

Commercial  •  Canada Newswire  •  Golf.com

Cabot, a developer and operator of master-planned golf resort communities co-founded by Canadian entrepreneur Ben Cowan-Dewar, announced the acquisition of World Woods Golf Club in Central West Florida. Cabot’s portfolio includes Cabot Cape Breton, Cabot Saint Lucia and Cabot Revelstoke.

U.S. REITs ended 2021 up more than 41.3% Y-O-Y

Residential, Commercial  •  Wealth Management  •  CP Executive

U.S. publicly traded REITs rode a strong December to wrap up 2021 with total returns for the year up 41.3 per cent, according to the FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs index — the best single-year gain since 1976.

Harrison Street enters $1.5B single-family rental JV

Residential, Commercial  •  Bloomberg  •  Business Wire  •  CP Executive

Harrison Street and Core Spaces have entered into a $1.5-billion JV to build communities of homes in Austin, Denver, Nashville and a handful of other cities, appealing to young families as well as older renters who are looking to downsize.

SL Green, NYC’s largest office owner, in seller’s mode

Residential, Commercial  •  Commercial Observer  •  Bloomberg

New York City’s largest office landlord has been selling assets at a noticeably more brisk clip the past few months — and shedding the equity it holds in the assets that remain — raising questions about SL Green Realty Corp.’s long-term strategy.

Victoria rent prices more expensive than Toronto’s

Residential  •  Daily Hive  •  Daily Hive

Victoria just surpassed Toronto as the second most expensive city to rent across Canada. According to a new rent report from liv.rent, it’s a new year, with new higher rental averages for Victoria.

EDITORIAL: B.C. renters are still subsidizing B.C. homeowners

Residential  •  Globe and Mail

A federal-provincial panel on B.C. housing supply and affordability called for the end of the homeowner grant, which starts at $570 per homeowner per year. The subsidy is only for homeowners who live in their homes. Landlords nor renters are eligible.

OPINION: Taxing homes has had little effect

Residential  •  Globe and Mail

Toronto’s enormous tax bite has seemingly been shrugged off, as the runaway price spiral continues. Ending that spiral would require federal and provincial governments to coordinate a slew of unpopular measures including an end to easy money from low-interest-rate loans.

The answer to housing crisis? Let cities sprawl

Residential  •  Globe and Mail (Sub. required)

OPINION: There’s an easy solution to skyrocketing housing prices. Lift restrictions on new housing on the urban periphery. Free developers to build as much as the market will bear. Pave more farmland. Build more highways. Let cities sprawl.