Watch : Real Estate Forums

Launching a REIT with Jaime McKenna of Minto Apartment REIT

Jaime McKenna, Chief Investment Officer of the new Minto Apartment REIT, joins Aaron and Adam in this episode recorded at the Edmonton Real Estate Forum. Jaime McKenna brings over 15 years of financial and investment experience to her role as Chief Investment Officer. Jaime oversees all acquisitions, dispositions, capital management for Minto’s $3B multi-residential and commercial real estate portfolio. She is a key member of the executive management team leading the division’s growth strategy. As well, she sits on many Minto Capital investment and advisory committees that oversee $1B in investor equity. She provides her institutional clients with oversight that is defined by the strictest compliance, discipline and governance. She has led transactions over $100M, with a multitude of equity and debt structures: acquisition, disposition and capital management, purpose-built rental market and equity and debt Structures. Previously, Jaime was Director of Finance for Bell Canada’s Professional Services Division servicing Bell’s Top 300 corporate clients, where she directed financial policy and budgeting processes.

Jaime discusses in-depth the REIT, including how it was formed, recent deals that have happened within it, and what Jamie and her team consider when adding to the portfolio. We also learn about Jaime’s thoughts on investing in several Canadian cities. Topics covered include:

A history of Minto and its family ties.
What happened leading up to Minto’s IPO.
The most common question that Jaime has received about the REIT in meetings.
Minto’s unit growth since Jaime has joined the company.
The current size of the REIT and what makes it unique.
The Rockhill property that Minto acquired in Montreal.
Two deals that Minto recently closed in Calgary.
The major changes that have happened in Edmonton over the past ten years.
Where Jaime thinks the best investment opportunities are.
The leadership of Minto and Jaime’s respect for Roger Greenberg.
Communal living and how Minto is approaching this trend.
An affordable housing project that Minto undertook.
The timeline that Minto considers when acquiring assets.

This episode of Commercial Real Estate Podcast powered by First National was recorded live at the Edmonton Real Estate Forum in Edmonton as part of our Forum Series.

Recorded at: Edmonton Real Estate Forum 2019

Real Estate Forums have teamed up with Adam Powadiuk and Aaron Cameron of First National Financial to produce live podcasts at conferences and forums around the country. Each episode features guests that include industry titans, innovators and game changers. Listen to podcasts recorded live at the Real Estate Forums and Conferences from our website and look out for them at events throughout the year!