7:30 AM

REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

8:15 AM

OPENING REMARKS: PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Introduction of Conference Chairman:
Angela Wilhelm, Treasurer of CREW Calgary

Conference Chairman:
Robert MacDougall, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

8:20 AM

THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR GROWTH IN THE CALGARY MARKET

The opening presentation will examine the performance and outlook for 2013 for the Alberta economy, and the key emerging trends in the Calgary region. What are major drivers affecting job creation in this market? What is the outlook for employment, population and economic growth for the Calgary area and for Alberta in general and what is required in this region to maintain the competitive position? How do the prospects for Calgary compare with the outlook for other major Canadian cities? This session will feature two leading opinions on the growth and activity for Calgary and Alberta going forward.

Speakers:
Ben Brunnen, Director of Policy and Government Affairs & Chief Economist, Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Todd Hirsch, Senior Economist, ATB Financial

9:15 AM

A SNAPSHOT: HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY AND DEAL FLOW IS ANTICIPATED IN CALGARY OVER THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS

How much transaction activity has there been in the Calgary office, retail and industrial leasing market over the past twelve months? How does the panel describe the deal flow and velocity in today’s market? What are the current occupancy rates, rental rates, etc. and where are they heading? What are the anticipated absorption rates for 2013? What are the profiles of the tenants that are looking for space? The panel will offer inside details on the latest developments coming on stream and discuss the implications the new projects have on the marketplace and the impact on leasing activity.

Moderator:
Sandy McNair, President, Altus InSite

Panel:
Rick Artus, Director, Office Leasing, Oxford Properties Group Inc.
Bill Bird, Senior Vice President, Industrial, WAM Development Group
Randy Fennessey, President, CMN Calgary Inc.

Please contact Sandy McNair at [email protected] for a copy of the presentation.

10:15 AM

MORNING REFRESHMENTS

10:40 AM

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Select A1, A2 or A3)

Session A1:
WHERE ARE THE DOWNTOWN AND SUBURBAN OFFICE MARKETS HEADING IN THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS?

How has the office market performed in downtown Calgary versus the outlying areas? How much unoccupied space is currently on the market? Is there much subleasing activity? Where are net effective rates heading at this time? What are projected long-term rent trends? What will stimulate greater leasing activity? What is drawing tenants to leave the downtown core? What is likely to take place leading into 2013? How successful have rebranding or repositioning attempts been on B and C class versus newer A class space? How do landlords address the challenge of dealing with a tenant who is only in the market once every five or ten years? To what extent are any tenants pushing the demand for greener building environments? Is LEED certification a significant factor among tenants? What are the views of landlords in Calgary about greening their existing assets?

Moderator:
Sean McCullough, Vice President, Leasing, Strategic Group

Panel:
Irene Au, Vice President, Leasing, Western Region, Dundee Realty Management Corporation 
Dwight Jack, Vice President, Office Leasing, Brookfield Properties
Chris Marlyn, Senior Vice President, Valuation & Advisory Services, Canada, Colliers International
Glenn Simpson, Principal, Avison Young (Canada) Inc.

Session A2:
DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL PROCESS TODAY — WHAT MAJOR DIFFERENCES CAN AFFECT COMMERCIAL LEASES?

Hear a panel of experts discuss (or debate) the current approval process and the impacts this process has on leasing activity in Calgary. Hear some of the challenges that developers encounter and what changes have been made to improve the process. The panel will also discuss the 2007 by-law changes and the impact on leasing activity. The speed at which the city has grown over the last 5-10 years is impressive but what, if any, steps are being taken to try streamline growth? What role has the city played through this process?

Moderator:
Jon Mook, Senior Vice President, Colliers International

Panel:
Rick Charlton, Senior Vice President, Asset Management, WAM Development Group
Stephen Mahler, Partner, Gibbs Gage Architects
Stan Schwartzenberger, Director, Development & Building Approvals, City of Calgary

Session A3:
UNDERSTANDING LANDLORD AND TENANT RIGHTS IN TODAY’S MARKET: IS CALGARY ANY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CANADIAN CITIES?

This panel will discuss and offer an explanation of the latest practices, and key differences in rights of expansion, rights of contraction, early termination, rights of first refusal, rights of first offer and other real estate leasing tools in today’s market conditions. What do tenants want and why? How are landlords responding to special rights involving downsizing of premises? Learn how these points should be addressed from the perspective of a landlord, a tenant, and a litigator resulting in a more ideal lease. 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? What are the issues to consider during the drafting process? Both landlords and tenants are trying to build flexibility, and control into their leasing arrangements. How can competing interests co-exist? What management tools are available to help landlords keep track, and how effective are they? When should landlords use these tools , and when should they refuse?

Panel:
Barrie Pomerance, Partner, Miller Thomson
Loy Sullivan, Director, Office Leasing, 20 Vic Management Inc.
Todd Throndson, Managing Director, Avison Young Canada

11:50 AM

LUNCHEON

1:10 PM

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Select B1, B2 or B3)

Session B1:
THE ABC’S: EVERYONE WANTS AN “A” CLASS BUILDING BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE B’S AND C’S?

Everyone wants A class industrial product and as the market continues to grow in Calgary the availability of these units is scarce. But what’s wrong with the B and C class products? A large portion of the industrial market holds this class of product, most of which were built in the late 1970’s. What’s happening to these units? What are the challenges with this class of product? Have rates on A class versus the rest completely de-coupled? Join this panel of industrial real estate experts as they discuss how the ABC game has affected the industrial leasing activity in Calgary.

Moderator:
Iain Ferguson, Senior Vice President, CBRE Limited

Panel:
Kent Bacon, Vice President, Industrial Sales & Leasing, Avison Young
Sean Day, Director, Industrial Leasing, Oxford Properties Group
Chris Saunders, Senior Vice President & Industrial Practice Leader – Calgary, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

Session B2:
SETTING YOUR BUILDING APART: THE VALUE OF GREEN IN THE CALGARY MARKET

In Calgary’s ever growing commercial real estate market, the ability to attract tenants and set a new building apart from the rest is paramount. Across Canada, many owners and developers are using the momentum of the green building industry to do just that, increasing the importance of sustainability initiatives and green building certification such as LEED. Is green building certification becoming a necessary feature to be viewed as a best-in-class building? With many new developments pursuing LEED Gold certification, some believe that LEED platinum is the next step. What is a greater priority for tenants, green building certification or the quality of the work environment? What are the real benefits seen from owning or working in a green building? This session will examine the importance of green building features in new buildings from a tenant, owner, developer and leasing perspective.

Moderator:
William Partridge, President & CSO, BOMA Calgary

Panel:
Doug Johannson, Vice President, Avison Young
Guy Priddle, General Manager, Calgary Properties, Cadillac Fairview
Loy Sullivan, Director, Office Leasing, 20 Vic Management Inc.
Doug Webber, Principal, Green Planning & Design, Halsall Associates Limited

Session B3:
HEAD LEASE VS. SUBLEASES: A CASE STUDY

Subleasing is increasing significantly and it is important for both tenants and landlords to understand the key issues and differences associated with these types of tenancies. What is a sublease? What are the major differences between a head lease versus a sublease, e.g. in assignment; tenants’ rights? As a tenant, how do you work with landlords in order to get consent? How are lease takeovers being structured? What is the tenant’s perspective on subleases? The landlord’s perspective? What is the difference between lease and sublease enforcement? How do you actually terminate the lease? How can lease provisions manage sublease activity without unduly penalizing the tenant? When can the landlord’s consent be reasonably withheld? Does the landlord need a third party agreement?

Moderator:
Ian MacRae, Partner, Norton Rose Canada

Panel:
John Cross, Partner, Miller Thomson LLP
Gregory A. Liakopoulos, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Mark St. Pierre, Vice President, Avison Young Canada

2:15 PM

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Select C1, C2 or C3) 

Session C1:
THE CHALLENGES IN TODAY’S RETAIL LEASING MARKET: HOW HAVE BIG BOX RETAILERS CHANGED THE MARKET?

This session will focus on some of the major trends and issues in the current retail real estate leasing from both the landlords’ and the tenants’ perspectives. What impact is consolidation in both the landlord and tenant sector having on retail leasing? How many U.S. tenants are moving into the Canadian market? What impact has Target had on the retail scene in Calgary? The panel will examine the implications of some of the latest trends in retail real estate on leases and the impact of more U.S. retailers coming into the Calgary market.

Moderator:
Bernie Bayer, President, Taurus Property Group

Panel:
Randy Ferguson, Vice President, 20 Vic Management Inc. 
Ralph Huizinga, VP of Acquisitions & Development, Western Canada, First Capital Realty Inc.
Jeff Robson, Vice President, Associate Broker, Barclay Street Real Estate Ltd. 
Jason Schouten, Vice President, Northwest Atlantic Canada Inc. Broker

Session C2:
HOW DOES CALGARY DIFFER: A TENANT’S PERSPECTIVE

Calgary is a dynamic and entrepreneurial city that has seen considerable growth over the last 10 years. Hear a panel of Calgary leaders discuss their perspectives on the pros and cons of growth in the region and how they have developed industry leading companies. Calgary is not institutional or government driven but driven by the energy sector, logistics and transportation among other industries that have paved the way to success. How will the boom-bust, risk-reward system work for companies in this new era of cautious growth?

Moderator:
Larry Kwinter, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Panel:
Rob Blackwell, Vice President, Leasing, Aspen Property Management Ltd. 
Robert MacDougall, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.
Herb Reynolds, Leasing Manager, Worley Parsons
Susan Thompson, Business Development Manager, Real Estate, Calgary Economic Development

Session C3:
NEGOTIATING IN TODAY’S MARKET: HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE DEAL, RESOLVE KEY ISSUES AND CLOSE THE TRANSACTION? HOW ARE ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AFFECTING LEASING STRATEGIES?

This session will examine some strategies and techniques that landlords, tenants, lawyers and brokers should consider using in negotiating a lease in the Calgary market. More than ever, tenants continue to be extremely cost conscious and focused on lease flexibility., while landlords still seek to maximize rents and occupancy. But must one be traded off against the other? Will we see a trading up of tenants into space they are not naturally suited for over the longer term? What sections of the lease are open for more intense negotiation? How should step-downs be managed? Will owners behave differently when building vacancies are rising? What is the ideal timing for renewing leases in the current market? What are the typical discussion points that will be difficult, and what are the issues that should be easily resolvable. In today’s lease negotiations, what are the arguments used to reach the middle ground?

Moderator:
Mark Kolke, President, MaxComm Realty Services

Panel:
Cameron Black, Vice President, Legal, Brookfield Properties Corporation
Peter Collins, Partner, Field Law
Kevin Keyes, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Trevor Sawatzky, Senior Asset Manager, GWL Realty Advisors Inc.

3:15 PM

CLOSING SESSION — LEASING REAL ESTATE IN CALGARY TODAY: WHAT DOES THE CRYSTAL BALL INDICATE FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?

As vacancy rates in office, industrial and retail markets decrease, what leasing strategies are being used today based on current and improving market conditions? Has Calgary now become a “landlord’s market”? How would you describe deal flow and velocity in today’s market? What are the current occupancy rates, rental rates, etc. and where are they heading? What are the anticipated absorption rates for 2012 and beyond? What are the profiles of the tenants that are looking for space? How much of an emphasis is there on greener and more environmentally enhanced buildings in these market conditions?

Moderator:
Robert MacDougall, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

Panel:
Randy Cameron, Senior Vice President, Dundee REIT
Cody Clayton, President, Remington Development Corporation
Greg Guatto, President & COO, Aspen Properties Ltd.
Blair Sinclair, Senior Vice President, Leasing & Development, Tonko Realty Advisors Ltd.

4:10 PM

CLOSING COMMENTS

4:15 PM

CHAIRMAN’S RECEPTION