FE Online Magazine - Winter 2022

2022 MAC AWARDS FINALISTS & WINNERS

NEW HOUSING CONSTRUCTION TRENDS IN CANADA'S LARGEST CITIES

GET WINTER-READY & KEEP YOUR RESIDENTS SAFE

THE VOICE OF THE FEDERATION OF RENTAL-HOUSING PROVIDERS OF ONTARIO

Presidents Message

FRPO is closing the year off strong with a clear focus on our members and looking ahead to 2023. It’s hard to believe this is our winter edition of FE, marking the last issue of 2022. It’s been a remarkable year for the FRPO team, we have accomplished a lot, and will continue to execute on our strategic priorities.

We are thrilled to be hosting our gala in-person this year and can’t wait to celebrate our industry’s accomplishments and shine a spotlight on this year’s award recipients. This event brings together our entire membership and it’s because of your determination, hard work, and commitment to our industry that we continue to persevere. Thank you to everyone who submitted award applications and good luck to the nominees and congratulations to the winners!

Our ‘Let’s Build Ontario’ campaign continues to see great success. This initiative is constantly evolving as we strive to provide a strong foundation for our industry and the work our members are doing to ensure we can continue to build and supply safe, secure, and affordable housing for all. We look forward to embracing opportunities in which we can work together to strength our community.

TONY IRWIN President & CEO FRPO

We appreciate the trust you have put in us this year and the collaborative relationship we have with our members. The FRPO team is committed to providing our membership with exceptional service and look forward to moving ahead together.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!

Trusted Advisors

Philip Sarvinis | Bill Gladu | Jeremy Horst | Michael Pond | Duncan Rowe Jack Albert | Beau Gaudreau | James Cooper | Tim Van Zwol | Michael Park

CMHC RENTAL MARKET SURVEY BREAKFAST

Date and Time: February 22, 2022

10:00 am - 10:30 pm

Join us on February 22 as CMHC shares their key findings from its October 2022 Rental Market Survey for the Greater Toronto Area. Trends in other major Ontario centres will also be discussed. The presentation will conclude with an outlook of where rental markets are headed in 2023 and beyond. This event will take place in-person at Parkview Manor and is open to FRPO and GTAA members.

Registration includes full breakfast.

Location: Parkview Manor, 55 Barber Greene Road, North York

Cost: $80 per person plus HST

PM SPRINGFEST

Date and Time: April 20, 2023

9:00 am - 2:30 pm

EXCLUSIVELY FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Equip yourself with new information and technologies to better position and optimize your buildings as well as expand your professional network. PM Springfest brings together property management professionals to connect with leading suppliers, explore new innovations and learn from industry experts about the latest regulatory, health, and life safety changes; efficient energy management strategies; retrofitting aging buildings; essential capital planning details; and much more.

CFAA-RHC 2023

Date and Time: June 14-16,2023

8:00 am - 4:00 pm

EXCLUSIVELY FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Registration is now open for CFAA-RHC 2023 in Halifax, June 14 to 16 at The Westin Nova Scotian. Our best ever early bird rate is available until February 28. Don't miss out! Find out more details here.

Please check www.frpo.org regularly for newly added events.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATE

By Tony Irwin, President & CEO, Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario

On October 25, Housing Minister Steve Clark introduced Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act. This is the next step in the government’s plan to execute on its election promise to build 1.5 million new homes over the next 10 years. The bill is broken down into five themes: building new homes, reducing costs, fees, and taxes, streamlining development approvals, helping homebuyers and renters, and better planning. With 50 initiatives, there’s a lot to unpack, but some things we are most excited about are: as of right zoning to meet planned minimum density targets near major transit stations; DC discounts for rental: 15% for one bedroom, 20% for two bedrooms, and 25% for three bedrooms; removing the ability to regulate architectural details and aesthetic aspects of landscape design; limiting conservation authorities to commenting bodies only; and Ontario Land Tribunal changes that would establish service standards, prioritize cases that would create the most housing, and limit third party appeals.

The More Homes Built Faster Act recognizes the important role of purpose-built rental housing in filling our housing supply gap. FRPO’s Rental Housing Strategy identified red tape, the lengthy approval process, and fees and charges as significant barriers to getting shovels in the ground. FRPO has long advocated for many of the changes proposed in Bill 23, and we are very pleased the Ford government has demonstrated strong leadership with this bold legislation.

Prior to the recently concluded municipal elections, FRPO sent a survey to municipal election candidates, most of whom indicated support for more housing including rental housing. We are well aware of the NIMBY movement or the new term BANANA: build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone. Given the massive amount of housing we need both now and for future generations, we can no longer let those views paralyze us and how we think about housing. This is about removing duplication, creating efficiencies, and improving affordability.

While this is positive for building more supply, I hear from rental housing providers almost daily about unacceptable delays at the LTB and the devastating emotional, psychological, and financial impacts these delays cause, not to mention stress. FRPO continues to advocate for additional resources and process changes to clear backlogs and provide timely access to justice at the LTB. I remain optimistic FRPO will make meaningful progress in this area.

M U L T I - R E S I D E N T I A L C o n t r a c t i n g

C O M M O N - A R E A S

A M E N I T Y S P A C E S

s u i t e r e n o v a t i o n s

C O V I D - 1 9 S A F E T Y A W A R E N E S S

W e f o l l o w s t r i c t s a f e t y

p r e c a u t i o n s w i t h a f o c u s

o n s a n i t i z a t i o n , p e r s o n a l

p r o t e c t i v e e q u i p m e n t a n d p h y s i c a l d i s t a n c i n g .

b u i l d i n g e n v e l o p e

P A C B u i l d i n g G r o u p i s a f u l l - s e r v i c e G e n e r a l C o n t r a c t i n g f i r m s e r v i c i n g S o u t h e r n O n t a r i o , M o n t r e a l a n d O t t a w a r e g i o n s . W e d e l i v e r c o m p r e h e n s i v e b u i l d i n g s o l u t i o n s f o r a l l p r o j e c t t y p e s . W e p a r t n e r w i t h o u r c l i e n t s t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e i r g o a l s a n d i n t e r p r e t t h e i r v i s i o n , b u i l d i n g s p a c e s t h a t a r e d i s t i n c t l y s u i t e d f o r e a c h e n v i r o n m e n t . W i t h a n i n t e g r a t e d a p p r o a c h a n d s e a m l e s s p r o c e s s , w e o u t p a c e t r a d i t i o n a l e x p e c t a t i o n s .

BETTER TOGETHER 2022 WOMEN IN RENTAL HOUSING LUNCHEON

By Lynzi Michal, Director of Membership and Marketing, Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario

After an extended break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FRPO’s Women in Rental Housing Luncheon returned to the Old Mill Inn this past August. This event was kindly sponsored by Wyse Meter Solutions and sold out several times with almost 250 women in attendance. It was an energizing afternoon reconnecting with peers and colleagues. This popular luncheon brings together women in the industry to network, learn, and share their experiences. Our topic was especially relevant as we focused on emerging from the pandemic as an opportunity to recreate ourselves by making empowered choices. Jermaine Stennett, Head of Mindful Leadership at CAPREIT, led our attendees through an inspiring session, “The Great Re-creation: 10 Powerful Choices for a Life of Less Stress and More Joy.”

Session takeways:

1. Stop taking things personally

2. Stop believing all your thoughts

3. Stop letting fear drive you

4. Stop living out your story

5. Stop judging

6. Have more compassion

7. Make more time for your passions + purpose

8. Smile more, including for no reason

9. Sit quietly for 5 minutes a day

10. Become your own best friend

As CAPREIT’s Head of Mindful Leadership, Jermaine teaches and seeks to embed mindfulness and compassion practices into the culture of the organization. She operates across all departmental and geographical areas to benefit and support the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of employees and residents, as well as the achievement of the organization’s strategic goals around ESG and being a best employer.

Also a certified coach, Jermaine works with internal clients to create greater success and fulfillment in their life and work. With her expertise in mindfulness, Jermaine’s coaching approach is firmly grounded in the power of presence and intentionality, self-awareness and self-acceptance, and alignment with one’s purpose and values. She has a BA in communication and certifications in coaching, energy work, mindfulness meditation, and yoga.

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS

Primary Sponsor:

Lunch Sponsors:

Photography Sponsor: Chocolate Sponsor:

NEW HOUSING CONSTRUCTION TRENDS

By Angelina Ritacco, Briefings Sector Operations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

After a boom recorded in 2021, housing starts in the country’s six largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs) fell 5% in the first half of 2022. The decrease in apartment construction (-9%) is the main cause of this drop. This is according to the latest edition of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Housing Supply Report, which examines new housing construction trends in Canada’s six largest CMAs of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal.

Gains in new housing construction in Toronto, Calgary, and Edmonton were offset by declines in Vancouver, Montreal, and Ottawa. “In the first half of 2022, housing starts were mixed across Canada’s largest urban centres. Rental construction was generally resilient, due to strong demand for this type of housing, while developers took a more cautious approach to starting new condominium apartment projects, due to the higher interest-rate environment,” said Francis Cortellino and Eric Bond, Senior Specialists for housing market analysis for CMHC. “Increases in construction costs and materials shortages were also felt across markets, impacting construction times and the affordability of the housing delivered.”

Along with reporting on the latest trends in new home construction, this edition of the Housing Supply Report also examines the evolution of construction costs and construction time for different dwelling types in Canada’s six largest urban centres. You can download and read the entire Housing Supply Report on the CMHC website

IN CANADA’S LARGEST CITIES

On an annualized basis, however, housing starts in the first half of 2022 remained high compared to the level of construction over the past five years.

Housing starts - seasonaly adjusted at annual rates*, selected CMAs

The effects of rising interest rates and construction costs could have an even greater impact on housing starts in the coming months. In the first half of 2022, housing starts were mixed across Canada’s largest urban centres. Rental construction was generally resilient, due to strong demand for this type of housing.

In the second quarter of 2022, depending on the CMA, the cost of constructing a residential building had increased anywhere from 15% to 25% over the same quarter in the previous year. Some centres experienced successive increases of around 30% in previous quarters (see the above figure).

New data on physical construction time for housing reveals important differences across centres and dwelling types, which has an impact on the affordability of the end product. Cities that build a lot of large, tall apartment structures will risk having housing construction sectors that are less responsive to a rapid need for new housing units. This is consistent with what is observed in Vancouver and Toronto. Low-rise apartment structures, such as those built in abundance in Montréal, take much less time to build than taller apartment structures with a similar number of units.

Report highlights:

• In the Vancouver CMA, housing starts declined by about 25% in the first half of 2022. This slowdown was mainly due to a decrease in the number of condominium apartments started, owing to the greater number of rental apartments started. Vancouver’s low vacancy rate, in a more uncertain economic environment for buyers, led residential property developers to turn to the rental segment.

• Housing starts for all dwelling types were down in the Montréal area. After a temporary rebound in activity at the beginning of the pandemic, driven by a change in preferences, the construction of houses declined sharply. After hitting historic levels last year, apartment starts also declined.

• Toronto had the largest number of housing starts in the first half of 2022 (19,520, up 7%). While the construction of apartments and row houses increased in Toronto, the construction of generally less affordable housing types (single-detached and semi-detached houses) decreased.

• In Ottawa, housing starts declined for almost all dwelling types. The decrease was particularly significant in the single-detached and condominium apartment segments, where the level of construction was very high between January and June 2021. Rental apartments, however, recorded an increase, with low vacancy rates stimulating construction.

• Both Calgary and Edmonton CMAs have seen housing starts increase by about 20% since the beginning of the year. In Calgary, construction increased for all types of housing. Low stock and strong demand played a role in this expansion.

We strongly believe that better, more informed housing decisions are made with the availability of quality housing market data and insights. The Housing Supply Report aims to increase understanding of the state of housing supply before providing insights on the gaps and opportunities. We’ll continue to share new data, indicators, and insights exploring different aspects of housing supply in Canada.

Since MetCap Living established itself as a leader in property management, we have routinely been asked one, simple question; “Can you help us run our property more e ectively?” And, for well over thirty years, the answer has remained — Yes, we can! Our managers are seasoned professionals, experienced in every detail of the day to day operations and maintenance of multi-unit rental properties. From marketing, leasing, nance and accounting, to actual physical, on-site management, we oversee everything.

We concentrate on revenue growth, controlling expenses, and strategic capital investment in your property to maximize your pro tability over the long term — when you’re ready to discuss a better option; we’ll be there. You can count on it.

Kazi Shahnewaz Director, Business Development

O ce: 416.340.1600 x504

C. 647.887.5676

k.m.shahnewaz@metcap.com

www.metcap.com

INTRODUCING THE 2022 MAC AWARDS

We are thrilled to announce this year's MAC Awards finalists. Each year our members bring new projects and ideas to life while providing best-in-class rental accommodations to communities across Ontario. This year, we received a record number of submissions across 20 categories. Congratulations to each and every organization that put forth nominations. We were excited to announce this year’s winners on December 1. For more information, please visit www.frpomacawards.com and look out for the special MAC Awards edition of FE Online Magazine in February 2023.

Best Property Management Website

• Rhapsody Property Management Services and Riocan Living: livingatrhythm.com

• Ferguslea Properties: accoravillage.com

• Fitzrovia: theparkerlife.ca - WINNER

o Website Developer: Rentsync

Best Advertising Campaign

• Skyline Living

o Home is where…

• Ferguslea Properties (Accora Village) - WINNER

o Steps Away. Literally

• Rhapsody Property Management Services

o Liberty House Pre-Lease Campaign –Experience Something Different

Social Media Award of Excellence

• Greenwin Corp.

• Canadian Apartment Properties REIT

• Fitzrovia – The Parker - WINNER

Best Curb Appeal

• Morguard – Fifty on the Park

o 50 Portland Street, Toronto

• Hazelview Properties – West Lodge - WINNER

o 103 & 105 West Lodge Avenue, Toronto

• Fitzrovia – The Waverley

o 484 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

Best Lobby Renovation of the Year

• Shiplake Properties – The Torontonian - WINNER

o 45 Dunfield Avenue, Toronto

• Boardwalk REIT – Landmark Towers

o 106 & 112 Baseline Road West, London

• Hazelview Properties – West Lodge

o 103 & 105 West Lodge Avenue, Toronto

AWARDS FINALISTS AND WINNERS

Best Amenities – Renovated

• Boardwalk REIT – King’s Tower

o 812 King Street West, Kitchener

• Morguard – Fifty on the Park

o 50 Portland Street, Toronto

• Canadian Apartment Properties REIT –Knightsbridge Kings Cross Apartments - WINNER

o 3 Knightsbridge Road, Brampton

Best Suite Renovation of the Year under $25,000

• Oxford Properties Group – Forest Lane

o 300 Antibes Drive, Toronto

• Canadian Apartment Properties REIT – Wellesley Apartments

o 100 Wellesley Street, Toronto

o Contractor: MultiTech Contracting 2000 Inc.

• Dream - WINNER

o 262 Jarvis Street, Toronto

o Contractor: ModernPro Contracting

Best Suite Renovation of the Year over $25,000

• Canadian Apartment Properties REIT – Tower Hill East - WINNER

o 330 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

o Contractor: MultiTech Contracting 2000

• Minto Apartments – the ROE

o 150 Roehampton Avenue, Toronto

• Preston Living

o 2 Secord Avenue, Toronto

o Contractor: The Byng Group

Best Rental Development of the Year, 200 Units or Less

• Starlight Investments – The Huron - WINNER

o 2475 Hurontario Street, Mississauga

• Killam Apartment REIT – The Kay

o 3610 Dixie Road, Mississauga

• Rhapsody Property Management Services, RioCan

Living and Allied – Strada

o 555 College Street, Toronto

Best Rental Development of the Year, Over 200 Units

• BentallGreenOak – Novus

o 11 and 25 Ordnance Street

• Hazelview Properties – Story of Brampton Central™

- WINNER

o 205 Queen St. East, Brampton

• Fitzrovia – The Parker

o 200 Redpath Avenue, Toronto

Best Amenities in a New Development

• Killam Apartment REIT and RioCan Living –Latitude

o 200 Frontier Private Path, Gloucester

• BentallGreenOak – Novus - WINNER

o 11 and 25 Ordnance Street, Toronto

• Rhapsody Property Management Services –Liberty House

o 15 Solidarity Way, Toronto

Environmental Excellence

• Starlight Investments - WINNER

• Minto Apartments

• Skyline Group of Companies

Outstanding Community Service for Rental Housing Providers

• Skyline Group of Companies

• Hazelview Properties

• Greenwin Corp. - WINNER

Outstanding Community Service for Supplier Members

• Rogers Communications

• Wyse Meter Solutions - WINNER

• Yardi Canada Ltd.

The Customer Service Award of Excellence

• Fitzrovia - WINNER

• Tricon Residential

• Skyline Living

Outstanding Company Culture

• BlueStone Properties Inc.

• Skyline Group of Companies

• Oxford Properties Group - WINNER

Leasing Professional of the Year

• Brendan Gonty – Tricon Residential

• Daniel Smith – Hazelview Properties

• Scott McCabe – Greenwin Corp. - WINNER

Property Manager of the Year

• Michelle Twiss – Skyline Living - WINNER

• Malu Velasco – Oxford Properties Group

• Margaret Stasiak – MetCap Living

Resident Manager of the Year

• Nickesha Williams – MetCap Living

• Carver Sullivan – Sifton Properties

• Andrew Scheib – BlueStone Properties - WINNER

The Impact Award

• Medallion Corporation

o Making St. James Town Better For All

• Greenwin Corp. - WINNER

o Laptops for Learning

• BentallGreenOak

o Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative

National Apartment Group - Ontario

Ontario’s multi-residential sector remains one of the most resilient segments of commercial real estate capital markets. Notwithstanding broader market volatility, investor sentiment for multifamily assets remains positive. Through Q4 2022, values have weathered the impact of higher borrowing costs and are well-positioned to counteract rising inflation and interest rates through stable and continued cashflow growth. Please see below for a summary of recent deals as of Q4 2022. For additional info on cap rates, current valuations, and market trends in a changing investment landscape, please reach out to a member of our team.

Ontario Apartment Portfolio

15 Buidlings | 1,178 Units | $196,944 Per Suite

Closed September 2022 | Ottawa, Kingston, London & Welland

SOLD FOR $232,000,000

190

41 Units | $320,122 Per Suite

Closed October 2022

SOLD FOR $13,125,000

For more information, please contact:

David Montressor * Vice Chairman

(416) 815-2332

david.montressor@cbre.com

* Sales Representative

61 Townhome Units | $459,016 Per Suite

Closed September 2022

SOLD FOR $28,000,000

Tom Schuster * Associate Director

(416) 847-3257

tom.schuster@cbre.com

276 Units | $750,000 Per Suite

Closed October 2022

SOLD FOR $207,000,000

Scan to receive Apartment Listings and Market Research

Queen St South, Mississauga

3061 Sir John Homestead, Mississauga

1425 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa

SMART LOCKERS: BEST FRIEND

Patrick Armstrong, CEO, Snaile - Canada’s Parcel Locker Company

Online deliveries have been occurring for some time now, but lately, the number of people receiving packages around the clock has skyrocketed – a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. This is becoming a problem for property managers in buildings with multi-family homes, as it can be a struggle to find space to store everything. This results in missed deliveries, packages laying around inviting potential theft, and can even be considered a fire hazard. What’s smart lockers for apartments and condos.

More and more property managers are discovering how smart lockers can solve their parcel woes. The less time spent sorting through packages, the more time there is to dedicate to other tasks, saving both time and money in the

FRIEND OF A PROPERTY MANAGER

How smart parcel lockers are helping property managers

Smart parcel lockers are contactless, easy-to-use, and reliable self-serve machines that automate the process of depositing and collecting parcels. They eliminate the need for building personnel to sort packages, allowing the courier to simply drop off the package in a compartment until picked up. When the package is delivered, the resident receives a text or email notifying them that their package is ready.

The best part for the user? No anxiety regarding a missed delivery or possible package theft. Only the resident can access their package thanks to a special code that is scanned or entered at the locker’s ATM-style terminal. This solution offers major benefits for both building personnel and residents alike – making life easier for everyone.

Are smart lockers really easy and secure?

A touchless outdoor parcel locker includes a master unit that houses the locker’s hard drive, barcode scanner, and touchscreen terminal. It can then be customized to include additional modules with numerous compartment configurations, types, and sizes. The lockers are also equipped with security cameras that monitor activity, as well as software that resides both in the cloud and locally. This drives the locker’s smart technology and provides system administrators with information about its activity and usage.

Smart lockers are an incredibly secure solution for package delivery and everything has been thought of to ensure peace of mind. Additionally, the lockers are sturdy while remaining aesthetically pleasing. You can select

from a variety of colours that can be customized to suit any space.

They are also easy to set up via the user-friendly cloudbased software. And because they are entirely modular and customizable, expandability is always on the table, provided you have the space.

As for acquiring them, they can either be purchased or leased and come with all of the software and services necessary to operate the system. They are also great for the property manager’s office building. Contactless smart lockers are just as useful for residents as they are for business settings.

Addressing the need for apartment parcel lockers

Smart locker solutions for condos and apartment buildings are quickly becoming commonplace. However, parcel lockers can represent a big investment for property owners. To ensure the right decision is made when shopping around, asking vendors these essential questions is critical before selecting apartment parcel lockers.

1) What are the best parcel locker solutions for my needs? For a vendor to properly answer that, the property manager will need to know an approximate number of packages the residential community typically receives each day, how many individuals the apartment package lockers will be servicing, what space is available for an installation, and what budget there is to purchase.

A property manager can then ask the vendor questions to determine whether there are accessibility features for residents who may have special needs, whether they’re self-serve or require oversight from building personnel, and what number of compartments might be required to properly address the needs of the respective buildings.

How do your smart locker solutions address safety and security concerns? You will need clear answers from the vendor on whether the lockers have cameras, whether they use security codes, how data is protected, are they weather-proof, are they refrigerated, are they compatible with all delivery carriers, and, most of all, do they provide enough protection against theft. Residents will need to know how to retrieve their packages and what system will be used to inform them that packages have arrived.

This is a critical line of questioning to pose to all vendors you might be considering. You should also investigate their knowledge about, and compliance with, privacy and security regulations specific to your region. By selecting a Canadian company such as Snaile, you can rest assured that your residents’ privacy and security is of paramount importance and that your vendor is well-versed in regional legislation and entirely PIPEDA compliant

Can the technology and design provide long-term ROI? For a property manager or owner to invest in upgrades that serve residents, they have to be receiving long-term value. There’s no point installing apartment package lockers if they’re going to be obsolete in a year or two. It’s important to ask all vendors if the lockers are scalable, will they be expensive to service, and what kind of customer satisfaction residents can expect through their use.

Conclusion

As a property manager or rental apartment complex owner, there are times you will need to upgrade your building’s amenities and services to fully address occupants’ needs.

With the increase in online shopping driven by prolific e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, and the necessity of shopping from home during the pandemic, more residents are receiving home delivery of packages than ever before. To properly provide tenants with the security they need to facilitate such purchases, property managers may need to consider investing in smart parcel lockers for apartments and condos.

CANADIAN CERTIFIED RENTAL BUILDING

By Ted Whitehead, Director of Certification, Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario

A look at the ESG opportunity before us

For many F.E. readers, this may be your first exposure to learning about the Canadian Certified Rental Building™️ program. It is North America’s first “quality-assurance” program that specifically promotes and acknowledges rental quality and service for rental housing consumers. For Canadian apartment shoppers, they enjoy enhanced peace of mind, knowing that their CCRBP apartment community meets defined standards for quality and service – simply they can Rent With Confidence!

Launched in 2008 in Toronto, the program expanded to British Columbia in 2015 with the capable assistance of LandlordBC and a few key members. In January 2022, the two programs were merged into the Canadian Certified Rental Building™️ program (CCRBP).

BUILDING PROGRAM

CCRBP members benefits

First and foremost, CCRBP membership demotes “professionalism” in the multi-family industry. CRB-approved properties must demonstrate compliance with the program’s six Standards of Practice disciplines, 55 established standards, and 300+ requirements. Regular building/property audits are undertaken by outside third-party auditors to ensure ongoing compliance.

Members enjoy a wide range of benefits including sales/marketing, benchmarking operations, ESG/GRESB accreditation, improved asset management control, enhanced employee education/learning, improved support for the industry’s government advocacy efforts, etc. For the purposes of this article, I am going to focus on the opportunity to capitalize on the growing involvement of the industry in Sustainability/ESG actions.

The opportunity: Sustainability, ESG & CCRBP

Coming out of the pandemic years, it is easy to overlook the major transformational change to sustainability taking place across the real estate industry. With the global investment community driving this transformation, the rapid adoption of an ESG discipline by many of the industry’s REITs, institutional, and investor-driven members is leading this change across the multi-res sector.

Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) criteria are a set of standards for a company’s operations that “socially conscious” investors and the investment community can use to screen potential investments. Environmental (E) criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of the environment. Social (S) criteria examine how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates. Governance (G) criteria deal with a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal risk controls, and shareholder rights. For those industry members formally engaged in the ESG discipline, many also participate in GRESB, a global ESG performance rating agency.

At this point, I would like to state that CCRBP is a GRESB-accredited Green Building Environmental Certification program. It is being used by a growing number of private and listed real estate organizations to enhance and strengthen their GRESB submission and potential benchmarking score. CCRBP focuses on multi-res real estate assets and actively supports all three all three factors: the “E”, the “S”, and the “G”.

The multi-res industry provides apartment homes to one in three Canadians, or approximately 4.4 million people. When coupled with the fact that Canadian governments, at all levels, have demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship (climate change, de-carbonization, etc.) and mending the social issues of the day (diversity, equality, housing shortages, income disparities, etc.), there is little doubt there will be increased pressure on the multi-res industry to demonstrate what it is proactively doing to address these challenges. The multi-res ESG movement provides an enormous opportunity for the industry to demonstrate its alignment with these issues.

For a moment, think of the positive impact that would be made if we were able to produce an ON Multi-res “E” report on climate change, specifically what has been done in the area of carbon reduction to date, and what we are doing to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint going forward, or in a similar vein, the measures the ON Multi-Res Social report are taking to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the communities we serve. Certainly, it is a more proactive public reputational approach than constantly having to respond to “renoviction” articles.

The CCRBP program can be an important catalyst in spearheading the ESG opportunity across the multi-res industry and across Canada. It provides a common base of ESG attuned standard requirements along with independent third-party auditing/reporting. CCRBP is openly committed to working with its members, and each of the provincial industry associations, to commence the process of establishing an ESG data collection template and the development of an ESG data-collection process. The good news is that most of the heavy lifting has already taken place as the GRESB reporting process lays out many of the foundation elements that will be required.

CCRBP is a member-driven program and together with your support it can be an important tool for provincial industry associations to demonstrate the passion and commitment our industry has toward ESG and the many challenges it presents. For more information about the CCRBP, please contact twhitehead@frpo.org

Master the of marketing art & science

SMALL LANDLORD, BIG PROBLEMS

By Laura M Gurr & Afolabi Lucas, Cohen Highley LLP Lawyers

Three residential units “as of right” in Ontario?

More housing. Faster. That is what the Ford government is hoping to achieve with the More Homes Built Faster Act. Not just more housing, but affordable housing and “attainable” housing.

Many in the housing industry have been applauding the Ontario government’s proposed legislation that, if passed, would support Ontario’s newest Housing Supply Action Plan. This plan is part of a long-term strategy to increase housing supply and provide attainable housing options for hardworking Ontarians and their families. If passed, this legislation will change the landscape for land development. While some changes will be welcomed by the multi-res industry, other changes may pose complications.

Three residential units will be allowed “as of right” in single-family homes if the changes to the Planning Act are passed. These changes would allow residential property owners to create up to three residential units “as of right” on most land zoned for one home in residential areas. These three units could all be within the existing residential structure or could take the form of a residence with an in-law or basement suite and a laneway or garden home. These new units would also be exempt from development charges and parkland dedication fees.

Ideally, this will create many additional units in a short period of time, increasing the supply of housing in existing low density residential areas. It is not clear how many single-family homeowners will look to add additional units. As we do not know how many homeowners will exercise these new rights, there is the potential that a significant unplanned increase in units in a small geographic area could put pressure on already strained public utilities like water and sewer systems, and without regard to whether there is school allocation, sufficient policing, and adequate medical provisions. The result of all of this unplanned development, which would be permitted without zoning approval and

municipal planning, could create complications for larger projects that are looking to come online.

The legislation is proposing to plug the housing deficit, thereby solving one problem, but could also create a new one, which is urban density explosion. Proper municipal planning is required to alleviate such problems. The More Homes Built Faster Act, though conceived with good intentions, might end up creating some sort of anarchy.

We would suggest a phased implementation of the act in some regions, as a sort of test run. Maybe there will be lessons learnt from such an exercise that can then be implemented for the entire province.

Individual homeowners may be looking at this as an opportunity to turn their home into an income property and become first-time landlords. This could be a lifeline to single-family homeowners who over-extended themselves during the housing bubble and who are now, with rising interest rates and inflation, feeling the pressure to continue living in their homes. While becoming a small landlord can unlock a lot of value for a homeowner, as we know, there are many risks and costs associated with renting housing. Many new and inexperienced landlords may be unprepared for the regulation, risks, and costs that come with being a landlord.

One would hope the Ontario government would also provide resources for these individuals who have been encouraged by these changes to become landlords. In addition to resources, the Ontario government will need to deal with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). The highly publicized issues and delays with the LTB are a significant deterrent to individuals wanting to become landlords. Before a homeowner makes the decision to

create one or two new units in their single-family home (or in their driveway or garden), they will want to know that, if something goes wrong, there will be a way to resolve that dispute in a timely manner. The reality is that delays at the LTB are, and should be, a significant deterrent to new landlords.

Ultimately, legislative and regulatory change is needed to get more housing built in Ontario. The changes proposed in the More Homes Built Faster Act are a start, but these are not the only barriers. Inadequate infrastructure (including water and wastewater), risk and liabilities associated with operation of rental housing, and a dysfunctional and delayed LTB are all significant barriers for landlords and those who are considering becoming landlords.

We need more housing. We need the process to develop housing to be faster. We will be keeping watch to see

GET WINTER-READY & KEEP YOUR RESIDENTS SAFE

By Daniela Francia, Director of Commercial Development, FirstOnSite Restoration

Preparing multi-residential buildings for Canada's toughest season

Canadian winters can be harsh on apartment buildings. Severe storms, heavy snow, and excess ice or water damage risks are only some of the cold-weather hazards that can impact building envelopes, roofs, and critical equipment.

The good news is property stakeholders are far from defenseless. By identifying and addressing potential winter risks, property managers and owners can take preventive measures to protect their assets and keep tenants safe and comfortable.

Assess your vulnerabilities: Knowing where your building is most vulnerable to winter damage is the first step in cold-weather preparedness. Walk the property with your facilities teams and size up potential structural issues and maintenance needs that should be addressed before the snow, sleet, and cold air set in.

Conduct routine inspections: Keep track of your apartment building’s condition throughout the winter months, particularly after a storm or extreme temperature dips when even the slightest crack, hole, or pipe leak damage can snowball into a costly and/or dangerous issue.

Winterize your roof: Fall debris can clog a roof’s gutters, drains, and downspouts. Clear all drainage systems to prevent snow and ice from building up, melting, and creating excess water damage risks.

Remove snow loads: Prevent snow from piling up on roofs and entrances, as heavy snow loads can lead to structural damage or outright collapse. Also, ensure all points of entry and exit are kept clear of snow so they can be used safely in the case of an emergency.

Prevent ice build-up: Like snow, excessive ice buildup on roofs can jeopardize the integrity of the building and pose safety risks for residents (e.g., falling icicles, slipping). Similarly, take measures to keep ice from forming on building’s parking lots, sidewalks, and other surfaces to prevent slipping and parking lot accidents.

Mitigate flooding and water damage: Water from melting ice or snow can get inside the building and do lasting damage. Ensure that your inspection accounts for this (e.g., overflowing gutters, envelope cracks), that snow piles close to the property’s foundation are removed, and that the building has adequate insulation to control heat loss and keep ice dams from forming.

Seal the deal: Use caulking and insulation to seal cracks, tears, or holes in a building envelope that may allow cold air into the building where it can wreak havoc on pipes, affect HVAC systems, and lead to energy loss. As well, add weather-stripping around doors and windows to control air leaks.

Have an emergency plan: Even the most prepared multiresidential buildings may experience an emergency. Create an emergency preparedness plan that includes evacuation plans, instructions for staff (e.g., water and electricity shut-off procedures), emergency contacts (fire, ambulance, and police), and follow-up contacts, such as your insurance partner and trusted property restoration partner.

Protect your pipes: Wrap pipes to keep them insulated and block them from drafty areas where pipes may be exposed to freezing temperatures, as this will prevent cracks and bursts from occurring due to cold weather. Also remember to turn off the water to your apartment building’s hose bibs, remove the hoses, and drain the pipes. Lastly, make sure your building teams know the location of all pipe shut-off valves so they can be turned off immediately in the event of a burst.

“It is becoming standard practice for property management companies to incorporate a mitigation/ restoration component into their overall Emergency Response Management Plan,” says Daniela Francia from FIRST ONSITE. “Emergency mitigation saves time and money and it helps keep everyone safe.”

Daniela Francia is Director of Commercial Business Development with FIRST ONSITE and can be contacted at daniela.francia@firstonsite.ca. FIRST ONSITE is a leader in emergency response planning, disaster remediation, property restoration, and reconstruction services, helping clients restore, rebuild, and rise after catastrophic events of every kind. Learn more at www.firstonsite.ca.

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DATA IN MULTIFAMILY REAL ESTATE WEBINAR

By Bita Momeni, Metergy Solutions Inc

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, FRPO and Metergy partnered once again to present their annual webinar. This year’s session highlighted how real estate owners are using data to drive efficiency and ESG outcomes within their multifamily portfolios. With today’s open communication protocols, real estate owners and property managers are looking for a platform that provides them with insights into their day-to-day operations to help improve their building’s performance.

The panelists shared lessons learned about using data within their multifamily portfolios. Aislinn explained that “more data equals more insights, which ultimately leads to more savings.” Adam added that “new construction historically hasn’t put data front and centre but now we’re seeing greater pressure to decarbonize in the new construction space, and we realize we must address this. This includes embedding data into our decision making and moving beyond model data to create a seamless interface between real world performance and new construction underwriting.” Ryan added that “the key is to get started in the early stages of development. An example of this is installing meters, and other data measuring devices, early on so you have the data when you need it.”

Craig asked the panelists whether there is a natural limit to “more data equals more insights.” The consensus was quality over quantity or, as Aislinn puts it, “avoid being data rich, but information poor.” Having the right tools, benchmarking year-over-year, and comparing performance across similar buildings will ensure that you get actionable insights. Adam added that “in new construction, your dataset and infrastructure should be set up in a manner that allows meaningful comparisons across projects. Creating a standard approach and putting the right tools in place from day one ensures that you’ll get meaningful data out of your systems on a go-forward basis.”

The panel of experts included Aislinn McCarry, Vice President, Energy & ESG at Brightly, Adam Molson, Vice President, Rental Communities and Sustainability at The Daniels Corporation, and Ryan Cohen, Analyst, Energy & Sustainability at QuadReal Property Group. The webinar was moderated by Craig Thornton, Chief Revenue Officer at Metergy Solutions.

"Having the right tools, benchmarking year-over-year, and comparing performance across similar buildings will ensure that you get actionable insights."

Adam also provided some interesting insights into his company’s data journey so far. He said “as a new construction developer, it’s natural to take a project level view; however, we soon realized that we had to shift our approach to tackle these issues on a portfolio level. To that end, we engaged Metergy to help us establish portfolio-wide standards and create a playbook.” Adam’s advice to other developers is to “take a long view and set yourself up for success by establishing the right partnerships on the metering side as these will translate down the full value chain in terms of how you deliver a project.”

The panelists shared how they’ve been using data to drive ESG outcomes within their portfolios. We learned that having access to real-time data on a granular level is critical and having the right hardware to measure usage is equally as important. Craig added that Metergy has seen on average a 40 per cent reduction in resident electricity usage in buildings where meters are installed. The “user-pay” system is proven to drive down energy consumption by motivating simple behaviour changes, such as turning off lights when leaving a room.

Looking to the future, the panelists shared their insights into what could be expected in 2030 regarding ESG and data. Aislinn highlighted that more availability of real-time carbon data would provide tenants with insights into their carbon footprint, all in real-time. Ryan mentioned data will play a huge role in decarbonization. “Understanding which parts of your building are consuming energy, and at what times of the day, is critical.”

In summary, we learned that having timely and accurate data allows us to drive meaningful comparisons across projects and actionable insights. The importance of embedding data into our decision-making and looking at things from a portfolio lens versus a project lens is critical. Finally, we learned that the right tools and partnerships will set you up for success and help you achieve your ESG and net zero targets.

A huge thank you to our panelists and all who attended the session. For those who missed out, please visit this link here to watch the webinar. We look forward to partnering with FRPO to host more webinars in the near future!

QUINTE LANDLORDS SEEK TO REDUCE EVICTIONS

By Robert Gentile, President, Quinte Region Landlords Association

Local association hopes to help with the housing and homelessness crisis

Belleville, Ontario. October 31, 2022. Some Quinte Region landlords are trying to do their part to help with the area’s homelessness problem. A recent seminar showed local landlords how to reduce homelessness through eviction alternatives. The event was held by the Quinte Region Landlords Association (QRLA) in partnership with Hastings County. The Quinte Region covers a large area between Brighton, Tweed, Prince Edward County, and Napanee.

In recent years, the QRLA has been reaching out to local social service organizations to learn about the many resources available to at-risk tenants. QRLA President Robert Gentile says the association has brought in various organizations to educate members on how to help tenants in need. The list includes Hastings County, Ontario Works, ODSP, Hastings Housing Resource Centre, and the Community Advocacy and Legal Centre.

“If we can help tenants get through a temporary crisis, we may be able to save the tenancies. Once they’re out, they may have a tough time finding another place with our current housing crisis.” Gentile points out that most tenants and landlords are not aware of the full breadth of support services available, including special emergency funds to help pay rent. Eviction is often the only tool landlords are aware of.

Gentile says landlords are often misperceived. “Most landlords are ordinary working people with a rental property or two on the side. They cannot afford to lose rent – they have bills to pay and rely on the rents.” He points out that the regulatory framework is so unforgiving to landlords, it virtually forces them to evict problematic tenants as quickly as possible to minimize delays and losses.

Tenants who deliberately defraud landlords or cause damage leave landlords with little choice but to evict. “Our members learn how to deal with fraudsters. Eviction, then collections, reporting to credit agencies, and when an official eviction order is issued and is public information, hundreds of landlords in the region are warned about the fraudsters.”

But Gentile emphasizes that most tenants are great, and most landlords have good hearts and look after their tenants to the extent they can. “Many of our members go the extra mile for their tenants. My father, Ralph Gentile, is a prime example of this.”

Gentile explains that since he was a teenager, he has seen his father help many tenants who have been dealt some rough hands including disabilities, illnesses, low incomes, job losses, and various crises. “He’s very good at working with them, making accommodations, and helping them stay housed. He brings them gifts every Christmas. He is an inspiration to me and a great example for other landlords to follow on what a difference we can make in the lives of tenants.”

Gentile said this kind of compassion from landlords is more common than people think. “We don’t hear about it because it goes on behind the scenes as part of everyday life. Hopefully we can empower more landlords to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their tenants.”

The eviction alternatives event had speakers from Hastings County community services, and the Community Advocacy and Legal Clinic. More information about the QRLA is available at www.qrla.ca

Media contact:

Robert Gentile President

Quinte Landlord’s Association

613-707-3879

quintelandlords@gmail.com

eviction process.

Quinte Region Landlords Association President Robert Gentile holds up an N4 eviction notice as he speaks about Ontario’s

"If we can help tenants get through a temporary crisis, we may be able to save the tenancies. Once they’re out, they may have a tough time finding another place with our current housing crisis."

ONTARIO RENT INCREASES – THE

By John Dickie, President, Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations

Over the last few months, there have been numerous reports about higher rents in the media, based on reports from software companies that list units for rent. Those reports are alarmist. However, they reflect a very limited sample of asking rents in some specific secondary rental markets. The listing services almost certainly do not know the agreed rents. Despite the media hype around them, those reports do not reflect the reality of rents in the purpose-built rental sectors of most Ontario cities.

Unfortunately, CMHC does not issue regular rental data apart from its survey of rents in October each year, which is published in December or January.

However, the rental housing sector now has data available much more quickly and more often, which covers a very large sample within the purpose-built rental sector. Yardi Canada is producing quarterly reports for many Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), based on the agreed rents among Yardi’s many clients. Nationwide, Yardi is reporting on agreed rents for more than 300,000 rental units in the purpose-built rental sector.

THE REAL STORY FOR Q3 2022

In its “Canada National Multifamily Report,” Yardi provides insights on the economy and then reports on what it calls “in-place rents” for all of its clients (other than a limited number of clients in specific areas where they could be identified if data for their locations were reported). In-place rents are the average rent of all rented units, regardless of whether the tenancies are renewals or new leases, and regardless of unit size. (At any time in Ontario, well over 90 per cent of tenancies have been in place for many months or years. We can also reasonably assume that the unit size mix of Yardi’s clients in each CMA will change very little from quarter to quarter, or year to year.)

In reviewing the reported increases for average in-place rents, one should also consider the overall rate of inflation experienced in Ontario from September 2021 to September 2022. That was 6.7 per cent, down from the increase between June 2021 and June 2022 of 7.9 per cent. In addition, for many rental providers, costs increased more than the overall rate of inflation. Think of natural gas and insurance as examples.

See Table 1 for the average rent increases in Ontario’s major CMAs. Toronto experienced an average rent increase of 3.6 per cent for the 12 months to Q2 2022 (April to June), and an average increase of 4.3 per cent for the 12 months to Q3 2022 (July to September). Both of those average increases were significantly less than the rate of inflation.

In fact, across Ontario cities, nearly all average rent increases were less than the rate of inflation, and dramatically less than has been reported by some listing services for some limited samples of asking rents in secondary markets.

Table 1: In-place rents for Q2 and Q3, 2022

CFAA welcomes the Yardi National Multifamily Report as a much-needed source of accurate data on rents and rent increases in the purpose-built rental sector.

FRPO is a founding member of the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations, which represents Canada’s rental housing industry at the federal level with the support of 14 member associations and many direct members.

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