2014 Program

Title

Principal Sponsoring Association

Gold

Supporting Associations

All delegates will automatically be registered to attend the Colliers International Market Update Presentations.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

7:15 a.m.
REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

7:50 a.m.

INSIGHTS FROM A LEADING CANADIAN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: WHERE IS THE ECONOMY HEADING? WHAT MAJOR TRENDS CAN WE LIKELY EXPECT IN 2015? WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REAL ESTATE MARKET?

In her various journalistic roles, Amanda Lang has a front-row seat to the world’s daily top stories in business, politics, and economics. She has a no-holds-barred approach to the people, companies, and stories making the news.

Having interviewed thousands of captains of industry and business leaders, Lang’s has a unique vantage point and experience. She will discuss:

  • Where do the economic fundamentals suggest that the Canadian economy is heading?
  • What factors are playing a major role in this direction, e.g. demographics, monetary and fiscal policies, commodities, capital markets
  • Where are most likely pockets of opportunity?
  • Where does capital appear to be heading?
  • Can we expect more merger and acquisition activity in 2015 in the Canadian market?
  • What are the main reasons that could cause us to be more bearish or more bullish?
  • What does all of this likely mean for the commercial real estate market?

Lang is also senior business correspondent for CBC’s The National. She was part of the team that launched BNN in 1999 and, shortly thereafter, moved to CNN as a reporter and anchor. She returned to Canada in 2002 to rejoin BNN and CTV, before moving to the CBC.

She is also the author of the bestseller, The Power of Why: Simple Questions That Lead to Success, a book that shows readers how to reignite curiosity at any age to become more innovative and productive.

Amanda Lang, Senior Business Correspondent, CBC News,

Co-Host of Lang and O’Leary Exchange, and author.

A Conference Format That Offers You Better Quality Choices

Four major theme areas with four sessions each. The program for RealLeasing 2014 has been designed to offer the greatest possible value and flexibility to asset managers, leasing executives, corporate real estate directors, in-house legal counsel, lawyers in private practice, commercial real estate brokers and others.

A wide range of the most significant leasing trends, issues, challenges, and strategies were identified and then grouped into four theme areas with each one offering four sessions.

You have a choice of attending all the sessions of a particular theme or selecting up to four various topics in two or more theme areas to make up your itinerary for the day.

 

THEME A

Commercial Leasing Market Trends Across the GTA

THEME B

Legal Issues and Best Practices in Today’s

Leasing Market

THEME C

Strategic Issues for Landlords, Tenants, Brokers and Lawyers

THEME D

Corporate Real Estate Trends and Tenant Issues

9:25 a.m. – Session A1

9:25 a.m. – Session B1

9:25 a.m. – Session C1

9:25 a.m. – Session D1

Downtown Office Market: Can It Support All the New Development? How are Existing Buildings Competing?

Landlord & Tenant Rights And Remedies: Five Common Default

Scenarios and Other Issues That You Need To Be Aware Of

Understanding Asset Management Strategies in Today’s Market: From Creating Greater Value to Pursuing Operational Excellence

Operating Cost Charge-Backs:

Five Key Issues on the Edge

10:50 a.m. – Session A2

10:50 a.m. – Session B2

10:50 a.m. – Session C2

10:50 a.m. – Session D2

How is the 905 Office Market Really Performing? From Challenges That it Faces to Emerging Opportunities on the Horizon

Rapid Fire Roundtable: Hot Trends and Puzzling Issues in 60 Minutes

The Growing Use & Importance of Technology in Real Estate Leasing and Space Design

Case Studies of Tenants Who Recently Completed Transactions:

What Do You Need to Know Before You Go to the Leasing Market?

1:30 p.m. – Session A3

1:30 p.m. – Session B3

1:30 p.m. – Session C3

1:30 p.m. – Session D3

The Transformation of the Retail Market and Traditional Formats:

New Tenants, Urban Demand and E-Commerce

Legal, Technical & Financial Issues That Can Arise During the Term of the Lease
Ten Different Clauses That Create the Perfect Lease from Both the Tenant and Landlord Perspectives
From Green to Great: The WELL Building Standard and the Evolution of Healthy and Productive Workplaces

2:40 p.m. – Session A4

2:40 p.m. – Session C4

2:40 p.m. – Session C4

2:40 p.m. – Session D4

Industrial Leasing Across the GTA: A Tale of Two Markets?

Where Are They Heading?

Recent Case Law: Implications for Leasing and Other Real Estate

Activities

Negotiating in Today’s Market: How to Resolve Key Issues, Offer Effective Strategies, Understand the Deal, and Close the Transaction

Strategic Approach to Corporate Real Estate: What Does It Really

Mean? What is Tenant Perspective in Today’s Market


9:25 AM
FOUR CONCURRENT SESSIONS (SELECT A1, B1, C1, OR D1)
SESSION A1:
THE DOWNTOWN OFFICE MARKET: CAN IT SUPPORT NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT IS STILL UNDERWAY? HOW ARE EXISTING BUILDINGS COMPETING?
The downtown Toronto office market is comprised of approximately 400 buildings totaling nearly 70 million square feet. Only 20 of these properties were built in the past fourteen years. This new “Class A” stock comprises a mere 10% of the inventory. The remainder – some 60 million square feet – is aging and requiring in some instances significant cosmetic and infrastructure upgrades to remain competitive and counter the “flight to quality” currently taking place among tenants. What are the key leasing trends? Is it becoming rather segmented? What are the prevailing rents at this time and where are they heading over the next twelve months? The flight to quality, the trickle up theory and the issue of suburban tenants moving downtown: are these short or long term characteristics? What is creating demand for the new space particularly if many larger corporations are re-evaluating their real estate footprints with the intention of reducing them? What is being done with Class B and C buildings in order to remain competitive with new space and avoid double digit vacancies?

Sandy McNair

Tim Low

John Peets

Geoff Rayner

Jeff Thomas

Moderator:
Sandy McNair
, President, Altus InSite

Panel:
Tim Low,
 Vice President, Leasing, Allied Properties REIT
John Peets, Vice President, Office Leasing, Oxford Properties Group
Geoff Rayner, Director, Leasing, Dream Office Management Corp.
Jeff Thomas, Managing Partner, Ashlar Urban Realty Inc.


SESSION B1:
LANDLORD & TENANT RIGHTS AND REMEDIES: FIVE COMMON DEFAULT SCENARIOS AND OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF IN TODAY’S MARKET
Rights and remedies are an established common element of commercial real estate leases that are at times contentious issues for landlords as well as to tenants. This panel will examine a range of issues beginning with five common default scenarios: what are the reactions of the respective parties, what makes sense, and how are litigators contending with these clauses where defaults occur. They will also discuss the differences and latest practices in rights of expansion, rights of contraction, early termination, rights of first refusal, rights of first offer, co-tenancy clauses, exclusives, renewal options and other real estate leasing tools. What are tenants asking for and why in today’s market? What are some sources of common conflict between a landlord and a tenant over special rights and how can they be avoided through the drafting process? Both landlords and tenants are trying to build flexibility and control into their leases. How can competing interests co-exist? How are litigators contending with these clauses where defaults occur? Where does the law of waiver fit in? Learn how these issues are addressed from the perspective of a landlord, a tenant, and a litigator in today’s market conditions.

Natalie Vukovich

Sharon Addison

Jim McLellan

Alison Tortorice

Moderator:
Natalie Vukovich
, Partner, Daoust Vukovich LLP

Panel:
Sharon Addison, 
Managing Partner, McLean & Kerr LLP
Jim McLellan, Senior Corporate Counsel, Tim Hortons Inc.
Alison Tortorice, Senior Director, Legal, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited


SESSION C1:
UNDERSTANDING ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN TODAY’S MARKET: FROM CREATING GREATER VALUE TO PURSUING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
From REITs and pension fund advisors to passive equity investors and privately-owned companies, the range of asset management practices, policies and strategies in today’s market can be quite considerable. One the challenges that they need to address is how does a real estate entity grow in a market where there has been a decline in investment activity. Aside from developing new properties in some instances, their focus is on creating greater value from their existing assets. This session will examine how leasing transactions and activities are part of the core of growing a building’s NAV. Discussion will focus on a broad range of topics including: how important is operational excellence as a way to raise the quality of the landlord’s brand in this very competitive leasing market and to tenant retention; what type of practices are companies using to achieve both in terms of their leasing strategies and their property management strategies; and how do you develop a strong relationship with tenants during the life of a lease. What are some of the most effective ways of increasing the value of your existing assets while in turn providing greater value to your tenants?

Craig Tresham

John Duda

Jim Hewitt

David Hoffman

Glenn Way

Moderator:
Craig Tresham
, Principal, Avison Young

Panel:

John Duda, Senior Vice President, Eastern Region, Real Estate Management Services, Colliers International
Jim Hewitt, Partner, Portfolio Management, KingSett Capital
David Hoffman, General Manager, Toronto-Dominion Centre, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Glenn Way, Senior Vice President, Asset Management, GWL Realty Advisors Inc.

 


SESSION D1:
OPERATING COST CHARGE-BACKS & FIVE KEY ISSUES ON THE EDGE: WHAT TENANTS NEED TO KNOW
This session will focus on the often-thorny issue of operating cost charge backs in a net lease and where the most significant difficulties lie with this practice. Operating costs and charge-backs are one of the most negotiated issues in lease negotiations, and sometimes they are the most misunderstood. What exactly is an operating cost and what is not? Do tenants understand them? What are the courts saying notwithstanding what the lease says? How transparent are landlords? How transparent do they need to be? Is there a challenge in allocating costs in a mixed-use building? If CAM costs are reduced, how are these savings passed on to tenants? If a tenant asks for full audit rights, can they exercise such a right? How frequently are landlords of office and retail space being audited by their tenants? What are their experiences and policies with respect to lease audits? What is the language of a good and a bad audit clause, including how to settle audits, the timing and the process? Is there an appropriate administrative fee that landlords can charge? Do gross leases have an appeal to tenants and/or landlords? If so, why are they not commonly used? How would a gross rent be calculated?

Susan Rosen

Lance Duke

Keith Major

Nicole St-Louis

David Thompson

Moderator:
Susan Rosen
, Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP

Panel:
Lance Duke, 
Principal, CRE Advisory Services Inc.
Keith Major, Senior Vice President, Property Management, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP
Nicole St-Louis, Counsel, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (Ottawa)
David Thompson, Partner, WeirFoulds LLP


10:25 AM
MORNING REFRESHMENTS

10:50 AM
FOUR CONCURRENT SESSIONS (SELECT A2, B2, C2, OR D2)
SESSION A2:
CLARITY ON HOW THE 905 OFFICE MARKET IS REALLY PERFORMING: FROM CHALLENGES IT FACES TO EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON
Given the amount of new development in downtown Toronto, there is a considerable amount of “spin” that a surprising number of tenants are leaving suburban office locations and heading into the inner city. To what extent is this trend true? How much migration is there actually and why? Are we facing a growing unbalanced and highly segmented market where a growing number of 905 office buildings will face major leasing challenges? Or is more occurring here than meets the eye? What caused an institutional investor to proceed with a 1 million square foot office development near Pearson International Airport? How much other new space is coming onto the market from mixed-use developments in 905 communities? In terms of suburban leasing activity, is the West still best or do Vaughan, Markham and other nodes have compelling benefits that are attracting tenants? This panel discussion will try to provide some clarity to the GTA suburban office market.

Paul Langer

Lisa Lafave

Peter McFarlane

Michael Molyneux

Scott Moyes

Moderator:
Paul Langer
, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

Panel:
Lisa Lafave, Senior Portfolio Manager, Real Estate, HOOPP
Peter McFarlane, Vice President, LaSalle Investment Management
Michael Molyneux, Director, Leasing, Slate Properties
Scott Moyes, Vice President, Office Leasing, Orlando Corporation


SESSION B2:
RAPID FIRE LEGAL ROUNDTABLE: HOT TRENDS AND PUZZLING ISSUES IN 60 MINUTES

A fast-paced session that will cover an assortment of “odds and sods” that people often experience in the leasing process and do not always fully understand. Each issue will be addressed by a legal expert in approximately five minutes, and a debate is sure to ensue with the other experts – and the audience. Among the questions that will be covered are the following:

Renewal Clauses, Tricks and Traps – While they have tremendous value for tenants, how does a tenant make sure that its rights are properly exercised? What steps must be taken in the negotiation process? What happens if the parties cannot agree on the renewal rent?

Operating Covenants/Go Dark/Recapture Clauses – Why do landlords care about them so much and what can tenants do to make them more livable?

“Make Good” Provisions – What does it mean when a tenant has the obligation to return the leased premises in the condition they were in at the commencement date? If improvements were made to the leased premises, will the tenant have to remove them and restore the leased premises to their original condition? Would a lease renewal or a new lease provide an advantage to the tenant by pushing the base condition date forward? What if there is no proof of the original condition of the leased premises?

Dealing with the Outrageous Landlord or Tenant – Surprise! There are limits to what the parties to a lease and their lawyers can foresee and try to protect against when drafting lease clauses. What do you do when you face a defaulting landlord or tenant who has a “sue me!” attitude and won’t play by the rules?

What’s the Use? – The vagueness of the notion of “principal use” in exclusivity clauses. How do you ensure that the lease reflects the true deal that the parties have made, and that the lease clauses are drafted in terms that are clear enough so that the “entire agreement” clause is not set aside by the Courts?

Who Cares about Contaminated Lands? – Hey, I’m not buying the place, just renting. Why should I worry about land contamination? This presentation will outline the often misunderstood environmental obligations of tenants.

Whose Roof Is It Anyway? – What landlords need to understand when solar energy providers coming knocking on their doors with proposals

How To Properly Draft Arbitration Clauses?– Is it a remedy? Should they be final and binding? How do they apply to ground lease situations? Should you use a single arbitrator or a panel of three?

Operating Cost Estimate- What good are they if they cannot be relied upon? Why landlords do not like to give estimates and how can tenants be satisfied they are reasonably accurate.

Monty Warsh

John Brunt

Harvey Haber

Stephen Posen

Panelist and Moderator:
Monty Warsh
, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

Panel:
John Brunt,
 Partner, Blaney McMurtry LLP
Harvey Haber, Q.C. Senior Partner, Goldman, Sloan, Nash & Haber LLP
Stephen Posen, Partner, Minden Gross LLP


SESSION C2:
THE GROWING USE & IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN REAL ESTATE LEASING & SPACE DESIGN
Technology is becoming a significant game changer with respect to how organizations improve their productivity, their branding and their competitive position in the market. On the one hand, social media is the tsunami that is revolutionizing human interaction. This rapidly growing field is transforming how people think, make decisions, gather information and work. But what other major sources and tools are also affecting the practices of landlords, tenants, brokers and lawyers who play the key principal roles in commercial lease negotiation and transaction? Are there any transferable lessons to be learned from the range of technological innovations that can be accessed today? How can you use technology to be more effective and productive in commercial leasing and creating indoor environments?

Phil Notley

Michel Blackler

Alain Cohen

Chris Gadula

Sandy McNair

Moderator:
Phil Notley,
 Senior Vice President, Strategic Operations, JLL Canada

Panel:
Michael Blackler,
 Regional Sales Director – Canada, CoStar Group
Alain Cohen, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Arcestra Inc.
Chris Gadula, Chief Executive Officer, Space Database Inc.
Sandy McNair, President, Altus InSite


SESSION D2:
CASE STUDIES OF TENANTS WHO RECENTLY COMPLETED TRANSACTIONS: WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU GO TO THE LEASING MARKET?
While a large number of retail tenants are chains and are therefore in the leasing market on a continual basis, that is not the case for most office and industrial users along with retail independents. For the latter group, it might mean being engaged in leasing only once every 5, 10, 15 or perhaps 20 years. Consider also that in the office market, the average tenant is not a major corporation occupying numerous floors of a tower but tends to need 7,000 sq.ft or less. This session will focus on how do tenants prepare themselves when the time comes to enter the leasing market. What information do they need know about their own space needs, possible locations, trends that are emerging in the market, and their employee preferences? How do they prepare themselves prior to selecting a broker to work with? What data is available and easily accessible about the market? What process and criteria should they consider in selecting a broker? At what point do they need to engage a lawyer? What instructions do they need to issue to him/her? What are the most important do’s and don’ts in proceeding with a lease renewal or finding a new space successfully?

Mary Mowbray

Janine Reaburn

Michael Rende

Rob Renaud

Speakers:
Mary Mowbray
, Senior Vice President, Retail, Colliers International
Janine Reaburn, Director, Real Estate, LoyaltyOne
Michael Rende, Director, Leasing, Corporate Real Estate, Royal Bank of Canada
Rob Renaud, Senior Vice President & Managing Principal, Newmark Knight Frank Devencore


11:50 AM
LUNCHEON AND MINI-ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
MINI-ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS – WITH THE EXPERTS AND YOUR PEERS!

Take advantage of this opportunity to participate in informal discussions on the dynamics of key legal issues, market trends, and transaction activity. Tap into the minds of experts, gain insight into proven strategies, and share experiences with your peers. You will have an opportunity to be part of one of the following small discussion groups that will be held as an extension of the luncheon. Discussion topics will include:

Topic 1
Downtown Office Market and New Developments

Sandy McNair, President, Altus InSite
Jeff Thomas, Managing Partner, Ashlar Urban Realty Inc.

Topic 2
Suburban Office Market Across the 905

Glen Moore, Senior Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

Topic 3
Industrial Leasing Market in the GTA

Werner Dietl, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Toronto West Office, CBRE Limited

Topic 4
Retail Leasing Market Trends in the GTA

Glenn Featherstone, Vice President, Retail Leasing, Morguard

Topic 5
Urban Retail Activity and Formats

Steven Alikakos, President, Canada, RKF

Topic 6
Role of Social Media in Marketing and Leasing

Chris Fyvie, Sales Representative, Associate Vice President, Colliers International

Topic 7
The Continuing Debate Over Operating Costs

Rosalyn Wallace, Partner, McMillan LLP
Matt German, Partner, McMillan LLP

Topic 8
Green Buildings: An Update

Nancy Prenevost, Vice President, Legal, Oxford Properties Group
Karen Sweet, Director, Oxford Properties Group

Topic 9
Covenant Enhancement & Tenant Worthiness in This Market

Krista Chaytor, Partner, WeirFoulds LLP

Topic 10
Leasing to Government as a Tenant

Marco Gammone, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

Topic 11
Landlord & Tenant Rights During Building Renovations/Demolitions

Dennis Tobin, Partner, Blaney McMurtry LLP

Topic 12
Five Lease Clauses That Do Not Get Enough Respect

Syll Kushner, Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP

Topic 13
The Challenges of Leasing in Mixed-Use Developments

Mary Mowbray, Senior Vice President, Retail, Colliers International


1:30 PM
FOUR CONCURRENT SESSIONS (SELECT A3, B3, C3, OR D3)
SESSION A3:
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE RETAIL MARKET AND TRADITIONAL FORMATS: NEW TENANTS, URBAN DEMAND, E-COMMERCE, OUTLET MALLS

The Canadian retail market is continuing to experience some dramatic change. U.S. and European retailers continue to enter Canada notwithstanding the challenges that some of the recent entries are facing. Some pundits are predicting the decline and potential obsolescence of power centers. One aspect of that view is that the popularity of Walmart has peaked and Target may fail to catch on with Canadian shoppers. How much risk does e-commerce pose to what portion of the Canadian retail market? The data shows that unlike American shoppers, Canadian online buying is still below 2% of all sales. How are regional shopping malls transforming to meet the needs of today’s consumer demographics? What has been the experience with the new premium outlet centers that have opened in Canada – a flash in the pan or a solid new trend? What impact is inner city condominium development having on retail formats to serve that new market segment? How are traditional retailers adapting to this urban environment? How is the luxury market being segmented? How are the new entrants changing the nature of the Canadian retail lease, LOIs and transaction process.

Steven Alikakos

Graham Crowder

Glenn Featherstone

Jeff Ross

Jodi Shpigel

Moderator:
Steven Alikakos,
 President, Canada, RKF

Panel:
Graham Crowder, 
Director, Retail Leasing, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Glenn Featherstone, Vice President, Retail Leasing, Morguard
Jeff Ross, Senior Vice President, Leasing, RioCan REIT
Jodi Shpigel, Senior Vice President, Central Canada, First Capital Realty Inc.


SESSION B3:
LEGAL, TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL ISSUES THAT CAN ARISE DURING THE TERM

OF THE LEASE

Changes that can arise during the term of the lease including subleasing, change of control, relocation et al are prevalent commodities in the office, industrial and retail markets. It is important for both tenants and landlords to understand the key issues, the implications of all these changes, and their respective rights in the event of any of these situations. In this session, the panel will discuss various scenarios where changes arise during the term of the lease, how to deal any related issues, and how to settle the matters in the best interest of both parties. Changes discussed will include:

  • Technical issues (change of destination of part of building, change of use of premises, relocation, new owner, new tenant, change in the business of the tenant, etc.);
  • Legal issues (change of control of tenant or owner, name change, change in laws); and
  • Financial issues (need for owner to compromise, for tenant to open up).

Dennis Daoust

Mervyn Allen

Marta Lewycky

Bill Rowlands

Moderator:
Dennis Daoust,
 Partner, Daoust Vukovich LLP

Panel;
Mervyn Allen,
 Senior Legal Counsel, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited
Marta Lewycky, Vice President, Legal Affairs, First Capital Realty Inc.
Bill Rowlands, Partner, Co-Chair Commercial Leasing Group, McMillan LLP


SESSION C3:
TEN DIFFERENT CLAUSES THAT CREATE THE PERFECT LEASE FROM BOTH THE TENANT AND LANDLORD PERSPECTIVES
An interactive session featuring tenants and landlords examining key points of view that can often be involved in structuring a lease and completing a negotiation. Successive versions of standard lease provisions will be discussed, e.g. right of first refusal, right to extend, assignment and sub-lease. Part of the discussion will focus on ten key clauses that brokers, landlords, tenants and lawyers need to be particularly cognizant of. Legal, logical, and business justifications for these clauses will be discussed. The implications of the changes to each party will be also examined. Potential variations will be explored, comparing the position of the landlord to the perspective of a tenant. What are the issues and sticking points when negotiating in today’s market and what are the arguments that could be used to reach the middle ground on lease terms? Variations for retail, office and industrial space will also be discussed.

Lisa Borsook

Jane Helmstadter

Amelia Nasrallah

Nancy Prenevost

Moderator:
Lisa Borsook
, Executive Partner, WeirFoulds LLP

Panel:
Jane Helmstadter,
 Partner, Bennett Jones LLP
Amelia Nasrallah, Vice President, Legal, Brookfield Office Properties
Nancy Prenevost, Vice President, Legal, Oxford Properties Group


SESSION D3:
FROM GREEN TO GREAT: THE WELL BUILDING STANDARD AND THE EVOLUTION OF HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACES
Many organizations are very focused on having workplaces that are conducive for optimum productivity and that help attract and retain valuable employees. The typical employee spends over half their waking hours in the office. A workplace environment can either increase or reduce employee stress. Can an office be created that improves employees’ well-being, making them healthier and happier through the space they occupy? Combining medical research and architectural and engineering advancements into the physical environment, new standards are emerging on how employees can live well within the spaces tenants occupy. This session will examine the emerging WELL Building Standard, details on implementation, a case study of an organization that has pursued and attained the certification and how they designed and created such a market leading space.

Barbara Ciesla

Judith Amoils

Tina Lamkey

Phil Williams

Moderator:
Barbara Ciesla, Senior Vice President, JLL

Panel:
Judith Amoils,
 Managing Director, Consulting Services, CBRE Limited

Click on the links below to view CBRE’s videos

‘A New Way’ – Downtown L.A.

CBRE Global Headquarters Office Unveiling

Tina Lamkey, Senior Associate, Workplace Strategy, CBRE
Phil Williams, Executive Director, Project Delivery, Delos Living


2:40 PM
FOUR CONCURRENT SESSIONS (SELECT A4, B4, C4, OR D4)
SESSION A4:
INDUSTRIAL LEASING ACROSS THE GTA: A TALE OF TWO MARKETS? WHERE ARE THEY HEADING? WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR OLDER BUILDING STOCK?
Industrial real estate across the GTA appears to be a very polarized. It also can be categorized as a tale of two markets comprised on the one hand of new modern warehousing buildings of which there could be an undersupply vs. older vintage properties with marginal uses. There is a lack of demand for most of the older stock (which is over 50% of the total market) and not suited for current user needs. One reason is that demand is coming for distribution oriented facilities for example and not from somewhat weak manufacturing sector. This session will examine the supply chain/logistics sector and its growing needs, the impact of U.S. retail expansions and the implications of e-commerce on industrial space, and the extent to which Toronto is perceived as a “no growth” major industrial market. From a leasing perspective, what are the natural step downs in an industrial lease negotiation at this time? What can be compromised? What are some of the significant differences in transactions and negotiating styles involving U.S. vs. Canadian tenants or landlords? What will result in rental rates increases? What impact if any is the value of the Canadian dollar having on this market?

Werner Dietl

Rob Lauer

Alistair Pickering

Nick Stryland

Max Vo

Moderator:
Werner Dietl, 
Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Toronto West Office, CBRE Limited

Panel:
Rob Lauer,
 Vice President, Leasing, Real Estate Services, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP
Alistair Pickering, Director, National Industrial, Oxford Properties Group
Nick Stryland, Vice President, Leasing, Central and Eastern Canada, Dream Industrial REIT
Max Vo, Director, Acquisitions & Asset Management, Crestpoint Real Estate Investment Ltd.


SESSION B4:
RECENT CASE LAW: IMPLICATIONS FOR LEASING AND OTHER REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES
A fast paced analysis and discussion of significant legal cases and judgments that developers, landlords, tenants, brokers, lenders, and lawyers practicing in the real estate field need to be aware of and understand. The focus will be on practical information pertaining to important precedents that can have an impact on all parties involved in commercial real estate transactions and activity.

Joseph Grignano

Bram Costin

Celia Hitch

Laurie Sanderson

Moderator:
Joseph Grignano, 
Partner, Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP

Panel:
Bram Costin,
 Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Celia Hitch, Director, Retail Legal Services, Oxford Properties Group
Laurie Sanderson, Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP


SESSION C4:
NEGOTIATING IN TODAY’S MARKET: HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE DEAL, RESOLVE KEY ISSUES AND CLOSE THE TRANSACTION?
What are the issues and sticking points when negotiating in today’s market conditions and what are the arguments used to reach the middle ground? How do you determine NERs in this leasing environment? What are some of the major issues that being raised in negotiations today? What can be done to resolve these differences? Are there any particular creative ways to complete a successful transaction? What are the various styles of negotiations? What is the importance of determining desired outcomes before negotiations begin? How long should it take to finalize a deal? Under what circumstances would an owner offer an inducement or allowance in this market? How is risk being managed by the landlords and the tenants within the leasing process, e.g. tenant worthiness, covenants, security, landlord worthiness? How can leasing transactions and activities be influenced by, and differ among, various types of asset managers?

Steven Messinger

Robert Armstrong

Sheldon Disenhouse

Dean Newman

Scott Watson

Moderator:
Steve Messinger, 
Senior Partner, Minden Gross LLP

Panel:
Robert Armstrong,
 Managing Director, Avison Young Commercial Real Estate
Sheldon Disenhouse, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP
Dean Newman, Principal, Cresa Toronto Inc.
Scott Watson, Partner, Leasing & Marketing, Crown Realty Partners


SESSION D4:
CORPORATE REAL ESTATE STRATEGIES: UNDERSTANDING TENANT PRIORITIES IN TODAY’S MARKET

This session will examine a wide range of corporate real estate issues from the tenant’s and occupant’s point of view. One of the principal themes of this discussion will be to explore the growing alignment between overall corporate strategies and the organization’s real estate. The following are some of the questions that the panel will address:

  • What does a strategic approach to corporate real estate really mean? What do landlords, brokers and lawyers need to understand?
  • To what extent is the traditional workplace environment undergoing a transition? What are some examples of a rethinking of office space and how it is used? How much of a factor are consolidation, collaboration, efficiency, flexibility and cost effectiveness driving leasing decision-making respectively? Or are corporate sustainability policies playing a major role in influencing decision-making on real estate and workplace environments?
  • What do you need to understand about changing demographics, technology and their impact on new modes of work?
  • How important is tenant retention to building owners and managers? If so, then what practices should they be following in dealing with tenants during the life of a lease?
  • How do CRE professionals leverage service providers (brokers, lawyers, etc.) to meet organizational goals?
  • What key benchmarks and metrics are being used by corporate users to evaluate their real estate portfolio performance? Are they effective in providing a quantifiable analysis?

Nancy Cohen

Caroline Hughes

Doug Jeoffroy

Robert Struthers

Steven Zaraska

Moderator:
Nancy Cohen,
 Managing Director, Strategic Occupancy Planning, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

Panel:
Caroline Hughes,
 Strategic Principal, Figure 3
Doug Jeoffroy, Vice President, Corporate Real Estate, Rogers Communications
Robert Struthers, Vice President, Real Estate, Bell Canada
Steven Zaraska, Director, Domestic and International Leasing, Scotiabank


3:50 PM
ADJOURNMENT