A detailed examination and insights on some of the notable leasing and investment deals in the apartment, industrial, office, retail and land markets in the Ottawa region during the past twelve months.

Moderator:
Sandy McNair, Data Curator, Altus Data Solutions

Panel:
Aik Aliferis, CEO & Founding Partner, Primecorp Group of Companies
Nathan Smith, Senior Vice President, Capital Markets Group, Cushman & Wakefield Ottawa
Nico Zentil, Vice President, CBRE Limited

Panel:
Ryan Goldberg, Director, Investments & Leasing, The Regional Group
Brian Murray, Director of Leasing and Business Development at Sakto Corp and Waterford Property Group
Marc Shank, Vice President, Leasing – Ontario & Ottawa/Gatineau Portfolio, Cominar REIT
Martin Vandewouw, President, KRP Properties

As Ottawa continues to evolve into a metropolitan area with a population of over one million, the City recently completed a comprehensive Employment Land Review that addresses key issues facing the municipality in its planning for economic and employment growth. The study is integral to the final adoption of the City’s stalled comprehensive Official Plan review (OPA 150) and how it deals with its designated Employment Land. This session examines what it means for the City’s future economic and employment goals, reveals how much Employment Land is needed to meet future growth, and identifies the policy and land use changes recommended to meet future employment goals. The discussion will be important to understand one of the key factors that will impact how development activity will likely be able to proceed in this market.

Moderator & Speaker:
Ted Fobert, Founding Partner, FOTENN Consultants Inc.

Panel:
Cal Kirkpatrick, Director, Colonnade BridgePort
Russell Mathew, Partner, Hemson Consulting Ltd.

John Smit, Manager, Policy Development & Urban Design, City of Ottawa

No other real estate property class attracts as much attention as retail. In recent years, international retailers like Nordstrom, Saks, and others have been circling Canada and opening stores. Online shopping is having implications for traditional retail formats. There are also concerns about tapped out consumers and the closure of national chains like Target, Future Shop, and Blacks. Closer to home, three of four regional centres in Ottawa have been expanded and renewed including the $360M revitalization of the CF Rideau Centre. Add to this is the transformation of Lansdowne Park, the new Tanger discount outlet centre and other developments across the inner city. In total, over 1.5M sq.ft. of retail space has been added to the inventory over the past two years. What is driving all of this activity? How are landlords and retailers responding to the transformational trends in the market? How do you meet the needs of understored areas of the City and outlying communities like Barrhaven? How is the transition working from pure retail to mixed-use and multi-residential? What impact will the LRT have on future retail growth along with other inner city sites?

Moderator:
Richard Getz, Vice President, Retail, Colonnade Bridgeport Realty Inc., Brokerage.

Panel:
Brad Caco, Senior Vice President, Development & Design, Trinity Development Group Inc.
Stuart Craig, Vice President, Planning & Development, RioCan Management Inc.

Cindy VanBuskirk, General Manager, CF Rideau Centre

This session will examine the current state of the downtown Ottawa office market and what some of the future prospects are for this property class. To what extent is the public sector demand being reduced by office relocations (e.g. DND to the Carling Campus) and the impact of Workplace 2.0 and potentially 3.0? Is co-working in the private sector having an impact on space usage as well? The downtown market also includes a large inventory of properties constructed in the 1960s and 1970s. What are the options for these older buildings with respect to improving their operational efficiencies and ensuring that their space remains competitive in the market? Can anything be done to stimulate greater private sector demand and growth of high technology firms? Will the LRT, Zibi and LeBreton help stimulate the market? What other initiatives could help drive demand?

Moderator:
Shawn Hamilton, Vice President, Managing Director, CBRE Limited

Panel:
Bernie Myers, Vice President, Eastern Canada, Office/Industrial, Morguard
David Pridham, Director, Leasing, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP
Michael Stones, Vice President, Real Estate Management, Oxford Properties Group Inc.
Michael Zanon, Director, National Capital Region, GWL Realty Advisors Inc.

This session will open with an overview of housing demand in Ottawa both from an ownership and a rental perspective. The discussion will then focus on the major trends in the Ottawa apartment market, and the condominium and single family housing markets. Among the questions that will be examined: what is the short and medium term outlook for the performance of the multi-unit residential sector; where are rental demand and  vacancy rates heading over the next twelve months; how much slack is there in the condominium market; is this softness also in the overall Ottawa housing market; how many condo sites have been converted to apartment developments; how cost effective is new rental development at this time; and is student housing still a major new niche sub-market attracting strong interest. Two hotels and one office building in downtown Ottawa were also converted to rentals in 2013-2015, and another one is going in the direction. The session will end by examining the amount of investment quality apartments available for sale. What can break the logjam between strong investor  interest and lack of sufficient product? Where are cap rates heading at this time and where are they expected to be in 2017?

Moderator:
Sam Firestone, Chief Operating Officer, Founding Partner & Broker of Record, Primecorp Group of Companies

Panel:
Ugo Bizzarri, Managing Director, Portfolio Management & Investments, Timbercreek Asset Management

Alf Hendry, Chief Executive Officer, Homestead Land Holdings Ltd.
Mike McGahan, Chief Executive Officer, InterRent REIT
Martin Tovey, Vice President, Minto Properties Inc.

The number of development applications is lower than in previous years, primarily as a result of a slow-down in the Ottawa condominium market. Infill applications in inner-city neighbourhoods are also subject to increasing regulation and scrutiny. Retail centres are subject to anchor tenant movement and changing market expectations. Despite all these factors, Ottawa is experiencing a significant number of “community-building projects” – large-scale redevelopment of strategic properties that has the effect and opportunity of transforming existing neighbourhoods. City staffs are encouraging the redevelopment of large parcels, resulting mainly in mixed-use centres and in proximity to existing transit and future LRT stations. Lansdowne Park, Greystone Village off of Main Street, CLC’s Rockcliffe Airbase, the redevelopment of the Tunney’s Pasture Federal lands, LeBreton Flats and Windmill’s Zibi development all signal an important period of city building in Ottawa and its’ progression as a National Capital City. This session will examine a number of these projects and similar opportunities that exist in this market.

Moderator:
Miguel Tremblay, Director, Planning + Development, FOTENN Consultants Inc.

Panel:
Pamela Bianconi, Director, Account Management, Colonnade BridgePort
Josh Kardish, Manager, Land Development, The Regional Group
Roderick Lahey, President, RLA Architect
John Moser, Acting General Manager, Planning, Infrastructure & Economic Development Department, City of Ottawa

A discussion with senior real estate executives as they provide their perspective on real estate market fundamentals for 2017 and beyond for the Ottawa market and Canada as a whole.  They will offer their insights on what they see occurring over the next twelve months, and their strategic thinking going forward.  The session will open with a brief examination of some of the benchmark investment transactions in Ottawa over the past twelve months. Among the other questions to be examined:

• What are the most significant challenge and opportunities for investors and owners in the Ottawa market?
• What does it take to complete an investment deal in this market?
• What are you buying or selling, where are you buying or selling, and why are you buying or selling?
• What will be your strategy for 2017 and beyond in this market?
• Where are we in the cycle in the Ottawa market? Where are cap rates heading?
• How do you achieve growth in rental rates in this market?
• What property classes will likely offer the best possible returns in 2017?
• What needs to change in order for Ottawa to reach its ultimate potential?

Moderator:
Anthony Broccolini, Chief Operating Officer, Broccolini Construction

Panel:
Peter Cuthbert, Partner, Chief Operating Officer & Fund Manager, Fiera Properties Ltd.
Hugh Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, Colonnade BridgePort
Mark Kenney, Chief Operating Officer, CAPREIT
Jaime McKenna, Senior Vice President, Finance & Investments, Minto Properties Inc.
Scott Watson, Partner, Crown Realty Partners

Correction:

The image on the Ottawa Real Estate Forum brochure front cover does not represent Ottawa. The right to use the image was purchased by us in good faith as an image of Ottawa and we have since advised the vendor of their error. The image will be replaced in all future communications.

We thank those who took the time to bring this to our attention.