Recorded at the Real Estate Forum, our guest today is Toni Rossi. She is the President of Real Estate at Infrastructure Ontario. With an educational background in science, her summer gig as a brokerage firm receptionist in between semesters turned into a long, successful career in real estate.

Toni is the first guest on the show with a government perspective, so she provides unique insight on public real estate. She analyzes the biggest challenges going on in Ontario right now and talks about how public and private companies can work together to build a better province.

Topics covered include:

• Establishing exactly how much real estate is in Ontario.
• Learning from a recession early on in Toni’s career.
• The 2011 merging of Ontario Realty Corporation and Infrastructure Ontario.
• A revolutionary aspect of Infrastructure Ontario’s portfolio.
• Finding ways to align and deploy projects that the government needs.
• Three things that Infrastructure Ontario does really well.
• Examples of what Infrastructure Ontario has done in Toronto by being proactive.
• Integrating different transit operators in the Greater Toronto Area.
• The high “political will” required from all levels of government.
• IO’s role to ensure that time doesn’t run out on projects.
• Asset classes that Infrastructure Ontario is considering.
• Different ways that Toni looks at affordable housing.
• The biggest struggle that Infrastructure Ontario is faced with.
• Need for public infrastructure and training up workers.
  

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

More about our guest:

Toni Rossi leads the management of one of the largest and most diverse realty portfolios in Canada. Toni recently served as IO’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, was President of IO’s Lending Division and a key member of the Executive Team merging the Ontario Realty Corp and IO. Prior to IO, Toni was with Oxford Properties and Cadillac Fairview in various roles. She is a Director for Habitat for Humanity Canada, served as Board Chair for Habitat Toronto and was the inaugural Board Chair for a Canadian Olympic Athlete’s Fund. Toni was the First Chair of the largest Canadian Habitat Women Build, was a Board Director for Toronto CREW, co-chaired ULI’s Women’s Leadership Initiative and was a member of Toronto’s CivicAction and Legacy Committees. Toni Co-Chaired the 2017 Toronto Real Estate Forum, serves on Ryerson’s Realty Advisory Board, ULI’s Advisory Board, co-chairs the Federal/ Provincial/ Territorial Real Property Committee and is Vice-Chair for REALPAC’s Board of Directors.