Canadian Apartment Magazine * June 2019

Apartment CANADIAN

VOLUME 16 / NUMBER 2 / JUNE 2019

WHO'S WHO 2019 SPONSORED BY:

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Whiterose is an Industry Leader with a long list of condos in the downtown and surrounding areas Whiterose Janitorial Services Ltd. believes in servicing its customers with professionalism, communication and appreciation. The Key to our success is service, quality and value. We clean beyond the surface!

Quality management begins behind the scenes prior to commencing a job all employees are evaluated and or training to the whiterose standard given special attention to health and safety policies.

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EDITOR’S NOTE>>

Apartment CANADIAN

DRIVING THE INDUSTRY FORWARD

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Demand for rental continues to be the primary issue affecting the market as we head into the busy moving season. But despite current low vacancies in most Canadian cities, apartment owners and managers would be ill-advised to rest on their laurels given the competitive nature of this ever-evolving industry. Getting good tenants — and keeping them — is always the driving goal of rental housing providers, and increasingly it requires more than just a “passable” living space. Find out how innovation is influencing the way we catch and retain tenants in our cover story on page 24.

As always, this issue includes our annual “Who’s Who” ranking of the top industry players in Canada. Each year the list grows and shapeshifts according to the data we receive. To all those who submitted their information online, thank you for taking the time to keep our readers informed. This coveted resource wouldn’t be possible without your voluntary input.

Also, get caught up on some of the year’s top trending stories, including: Ontario’s new “More Homes, More Choice” housing plan; the impact of climate change and flooding on your insurance policy; coping with a fentanyl crisis; and market highlights from across Canada.

We hope you enjoy the issue. If you’d like to add your voice to the conversation, please visit our award-winning website at www. reminetwork.com to comment and stay apprised of the latest industry news.

Enjoy the summer!

rent trends

@CdnAptEditor

2. Vancouver, BC = $1507/month 3. Toronto, ON = $1360/month 4. Victoria, BC = $1264/month 5. Kingston, ON = $1238/month

Erin Ruddy

Senior Designer

Annette Carlucci

Production Manager

Rachel Selbie

Contributing Writers

Graeme Huycke Andy Schwartze Holly Welles Sarah Thompson Chris Seepe

National Sales

Kelly Nicholls Melissa Valentini

Digital Media Director Steven Chester Circulation

Anthony Campbell For sales information call (416) 512-8186

Canadian Apartment Magazine is published six times a year by:

5255 Yonge St., Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4 E-mail: info@mediaedge.ca

President Kevin Brown Group Publisher Sean Foley Copyright 2019 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40063056 ISSN 1712-140X Circulation 416-516-8186 ext. 234 circulation@mediaedge.ca

Authors: Canadian Apartment Magazine accepts unsolicited query letters and article suggestions.

Manufacturers: Those wishing to have their products reviewed should contact the publisher or send information to the attention of the editor.

TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES FOR RENTAL APARTMENTS IN CANADA: Source: rentseeker.ca 1. Yellowknife, NWT = $1581/month

Dan Christie

Editor

Subscription Rates: Canada: 1 year, $50*, 2 years, $90*, US $75 International $100, Single Copy Sales: Canada: $12* * Plus applicable taxes Requests for permission to reprint any portion of this magazine should be sent to Erin Ruddy.

Sincerely, Erin Ruddy

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The opinions expressed are those of the authors of articles and do not necessarily reflect the views of Canadian Apartment Magazine. This information is general and is not a substitute for legal advice.

Sworn Statement of Circulation: Available from the publisher upon written request. Although Canadian Apartment Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information published, we cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions, however caused. Printed in Canada.

6. Ottawa, ON = $1214/month 7. Barrie, ON = $1198/month 8. Oshawa, ON = $1153/month 9. Kelowna, BC = $1139/month 10. Edmonton, AB = $1125/month

Yes, we can!

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 effectively?” 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, finance 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 profitability 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 Office: 416.340.1600 x504 C. 647.887.5676 k.m.shahnewaz@metcap.com

www.metcap.com

Apartment CANADIAN

VOLUME 16 / NUMBER 2 / JUNE 2019

FEATURE 14 W HO’S WHO 2019 Our annual ranking of the year’s top industry players 30 IN DEEP WATER

How to keep rising insurance costs at bay

by Kelly Thompson COLUMNS 8 Transactions Rental Market Outlook 10 CMHC ”More Homes, More Choice”

by Graeme Huycke 34 Property Management When Fentanyl Hits Home

by Chris Seepe 38 Newsworthy Industry Hot Topics 42 Legislation Inclusionary Zoning Prompts Debate in T.O.

by Erin Ruddy 44 Insurance Contending with Mould

by Andy Schwartze

COVER STORY

DEPARTMENTS

24 Filling Units Faster Modern marketing technologies for competitive apartment listings

by Holly Welles

4

Apartment CANADIAN

1500 Robson St., Vancouver.

Image courtesy of GWL Realty Advisors

Editor’s Note

46 Smart Ideas

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Rental Market Outlook Demand continues to outpace supply in most Canadian cities As demand continues to outpace supply across much of the country, record-low vacancy levels in most metros have boosted new supply volumes, however much of the new units coming to market are being leased up shortly after completion. Even Alberta has seen a marked downdraft in vacancy from the 25-year high set in 2017/18.

“In most cities, condo rental market vacancy is also near record low,” notes Keith Reading, Director of Research at Morguard. “Supply will remain an ongoing issue for newly formed young households, the aging population, and migrants who have boosted rental demand in various metros.” According to Reading, rents are generally on the rise, but still cheap relative to purchasing cost in several markets. He also notes that Alberta rents have begun to stabilize after a prolonged slump. As for what to expect as the year unfolds, Reading anticipates more of the same: strong rental market fundamentals and brisk demand.

RECENT Transactions: Address

City

#of Units

Sale Price (Millions)

Sale Price/Unit

Purchaser

Lancaster Apartments

Ottawa

200

$30.2

$150,750

Marlin Spring Investments

4, 18, 22, 26 Tichester Road 1531, 1535, 1539 Bathurst

Toronto

224

$66.0

$294,464

Starlight

3.

41 Garfella Dr

Toronto

95

$21.8

$229,684

Siteline Group

4.

Sovina Habitations Portfolio

Montreal

261

$84.2

$322,605

Realstar Group

5.

Le Rockhill*

Montreal

1,004

$280.0

$278,884

Minto Apt., REIT

6.

1415 East Broadway

Vancouver

42

$14.2

$338,0095

Lotus Capital

1.

2.

8 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

TRANSACTIONS >>

More market facts & figures: • Sales of new condominium apartments totaled just over 48,500 units in 2018, down 21% from the almost 62,000 sales in 2017. The GTA accounted for almost half of sales in the markets covered. New condo apartment sales climbed for the third year in a row in Montreal, to the highest level yet recorded.

• 1 in 5 recent homebuyers were self-employed, with a higher proportion in the new home market.

• About 4% of Canadian homeowners aged 50 years or older indicated they were planning to buy a residential property in the next year. However, just 2% went on to do that.

• Detached homes accounted for about 7 in 10 freehold sales in Calgary, with front drive homes more prevalent than laned product.

• The total number of residential units in applications submitted last year was down slightly from 2017 for both Vancouver and Toronto, with Toronto following a much sharper drop in 2017.

• More than half of developer respondents in each major region cited project cost escalation as being among their biggest challenges, with trade and labour shortages also cited as a concern for many developers, particularly in Ontario and Quebec.

Source: Altus Group

Building Envelope Repairs

A

ccording to recent data from Altus Group, investor interest in rental properties remained high throughout 2018 and continues to excel in 2019, with some lagging reported in the Vancouver market for Q1.

Purpose-built rental properties emerged as a compelling investment sought for its steady returns. Almost 1,100 rental apartment buildings comprised of over 40,000 suites were sold in 2018 for a total purchase price of over $8.4 billion (27% higher than in 2017).

The average per suite price was $350,000 in Vancouver and $285,000 in the GTA. And while higher prevailing rent levels played a role in the higher unit prices in these markets, according to Altus, that is only part of the story – lower cap rates suggest buyers were willing to accept relatively lower initial income to acquire properties in these prime rental markets. Transaction cap rates were lower in most markets in 2018 compared to 2017, the exceptions being Calgary and the GTA. Prices per suite increased the most in Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal.

Balcony Modernization Parking Structure Rehabilitation

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| www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 9

CMHC REPORT >>

“More Homes, More Choice” Ontario’s new Housing Supply Action Plan

by Graeme Huycke

The government of Ontario’s recently approved “More Homes, More Choice” housing supply action plan aims to address the root problems that have stagnated development in Ontario for too long by removing barriers and unnecessary red tape.

“W

e’ve heard loud and clear from families across Ontario that finding housing that is affordable takes too long and costs too much,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “After years of neglect by the former government, there is now a housing crisis in Ontario and the dream of ownership is out of reach for too many. Our plan will make it easier to build the right type of homes in the right places, giving Ontarians and their families more flexibility when looking for a home they can afford.”

10 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan was developed after a lengthy public consultation period that included feedback from the rentalhousing industry, research and development sectors, municipalities, the agricultural and environmental sector, and regular citizens.

Facts and considerations that helped shape to the new plan: • Less than 7% of new housing built in the past 20 years was intended for rentals; • It currently takes 10 years to build apartments in the GTA;

• It takes 2+ years for site plan approvals for new buildings and major renovations.

To address these ongoing issues, the Ontario government is making amendments to the Planning Act that will…

• bring housing to market faster by speeding up local planning decisions and making the appeals process more efficient; • make it easier for homeowners to create residential units above garages, in basements and in laneways;

Empowered lenders make powerful borrowers It’s about getting to know you, your business and your goals so that our advice is grounded and specific.

It’s about freely sharing our predictive tools and market insights to add another dimension to your planning.

It’s about employing experienced experts who have the authority to innovate and act quickly.

It’s about developing financing strategies – conventional and insured – that give you the best ROI. It’s about actively lending with confidence in all market conditions and across a range of property assets.

Most important, it’s about empowering you with smart risk solutions so that your future is more lucrative than your past.

1.800.465.0039 | www.firstnational.ca Jeremy Wedgbury Senior Vice President, Commercial Mortgages Michael Williams Regional Vice President, Commercial Financing, Quebec Michael Yeung Regional Vice President, Commercial Financing, British Columbia

Ontario Mortgage Brokerage License No.10514

| www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 11

CMHC REPORT >>

• help build housing, including affordable housing, near transit; • help municipalities implement community planning permit systems (e.g. in major transit station areas and provincially significant employment zones), which will streamline planning approvals to 45 days; • simplify how funds are collected for community benefits such as parks and daycares • make upfront development costs easier to predict; • give communities and developers more certainty on what they can build, and where they can build it.

For all the details, visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/more-homes-more-choiceontarios-housing-supply-action-plan

ARE YOU CONTEMPLATING THE SALE OF YOUR APARTMENT PROPERTY? Consider the following: • Who will represent your best interest?

• Who will give your property maximum exposure?

• Who will deliver the highest value for your property?

With over 25 years of experience, tens of thousands of units sold, and hundreds of clients represented, we have consistently delivered superior results. Through our local and national coverage, we create maximum exposure, ensuring maximum value for your property.

33 & 77 Falby Court Ajax, ON 422 Suites - $274,882 Per Suite SOLD FOR $116,000,000*

25 Cougar Court Toronto, ON 236 Suites - $258,475 Per Suite SOLD FOR $61,000,000*

16 Towering Heights Boulevard St Catharines, ON 135 Suites - $222,589 Per Suite SOLD FOR $30,049,508*

55 Forty Second Street Etobicoke, ON 26 Suites - $282,692 Per Suite SOLD FOR $7,350,000 * ADJUSTED FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

CBRE Limited, Real Estate Brokerage National Apartment Group – Toronto DAVID MONTRESSOR** | Executive Vice President (416) 815-2332 | david.montressor@cbre.com ** SALES REPRESENTATIVE

12 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

Please visit our website: www.cbre.ca/nag-canada

HOUSING MARKET INSIGHT CMHC’s latest “Housing Market Insight” report was released in June, featuring highlights from the Homebuyers’ Motivations Survey conducted in Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal in the fall of 2018. The survey was developed as a complementary piece to traditional economic analysis with a focus to gain a better understanding of the factors influencing rapid price growth in some markets in Canada.

As Toronto and Vancouver face severe housing affordability issues, the report examines how subjective factors influence price growth rather than just demand-side variables, such as income, population and interest rates. Here are some of the report’s key findings: • According to survey respondents, a majority of homebuyers in 2018 indicated they were less willing to take financial risks (75%). This result was consistent across the three markets (77% in Montréal, 72% in Toronto and 76% in Vancouver); • In Montréal, the proportion of homebuyers who said they spent more than they budgeted increased from 24% in 2017 to 28% in 2018; • The proportion of homebuyers who experienced a bidding war in Toronto dropped by 10 percentage points between 2017 and 2018 (from 55% to 45%); • Fundamental drivers (interest rate changes, employment growth, population growth) are thought by homebuyers as having less impact on house prices than factors linked to speculation; • Price growth expectations in one year were quite similar to the actual price changes the year before, except in Montréal where price growth expectations in 2018 were lower than the actual changes in 2017.

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PRESENTED BY:

WHO’S WHO 2019 SPONSORED BY:

IN THE CANADIAN APARTMENT INDUSTRY MANAGE ONLY

CERTIFIED NUMBER OF RENTAL UNITS BUILDING

OWN ONLY

CERTIFIED NUMBER OF RENTAL UNITS BUILDING

MANAGE & OWN

CERTIFIED NUMBER OF RENTAL UNITS BUILDING

MetCap Living Management Inc.

22,850

Kelson Group

3,684

CAPREIT

44,177

The DMS Group

20,596

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Inc. (HOOPP)

3,228

Boardwalk Rental Communities

33,211

Société de Gestion Cogir

15,310

Oxford Properties Group

1,936

Realstar Management

26,830

12,400

Ivanhoe Cambridge

1,448

Northview Apartment REIT

26,702

9,131

Westcliff

1,350

26,593

8,609

Lanesborough Real Estate Investment Trust

Homestead Land Holdings Limited

1,272

Starlight Investments

24,000 20,224

Briarlane Rental Property Management Inc. Sterling Karamar Property Management GWL Realty Advisors Park Property Management Inc.

8,437

SABJOY INC

1,216

Timbercreek Asset Management

Devon Properties Ltd.

6,338

QuadReal

847

Skyline Apartment REIT

16,654

6,136

Fiera Properties

658

Killam Apartment REIT

14,759

5,000

I.G. Investment Management, Ltd.

605

Minto Properties Inc.

11,764

Shelter Canadian Properties Limited Royal Property Management

14 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

ASPHALT PAVING CONCRETE PAVING LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION BUILDING RESTORATION WINTER SNOW SERVICES INTERLOCKING STONE SITE SERVICING

diversified construction 24 hour emergency service 416.524.3000 Email: estimating@forestgroup.ca

forestgroup.ca

CANADIAN APARTMENT WHO’S WHO 2019

CERTIFIED RENTAL BUILDING

RANK

UNITS MANAGE

OWN

BUILDINGS BOTH

TOTAL

MANAGE

OWN

BOTH

TOTAL

1

CAPREIT

44,177

44,177

538

538

2

Boardwalk Rental Communities

33,211

33,211

230

230

3

Realstar Management

26,830 26,830

274

274

4

Homestead Land Holdings Limited

26,593 26,593

213

213

5

Starlight Investments

24,000 24,000

284

284

6

Northview Apartment REIT

26,702 26,702

-

7

MetCap Living Management Inc.

22,850

22,850

-

8

The DMS Group

20,596

20,596

9

Timbercreek Asset Management

10

Skyline Apartment REIT

11

Société de Gestion Cogir

12

Killam Apartment REIT

13

Minto Properties Inc.

14

Briarlane Rental Property Management Inc.

15

QuadReal

16 17

290

20,224 20,514

143

143

1

16,654 16,654 15,310

15,310

1,069

847

14,759

11,764

12,833

21

12,400

188

11,258

12,105

Mainstreet Equity Corp.

11,213

11,213

Medallion Corporation

10,291

10,291

303

282

282

72

14,759

12,400

302

72 189

189

299

320 188

5

43

48

272

272 -

OTTAWA TORONTO

AJAX

EDMONTON

16 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network | CPM_SolidGeneralAd_2018_final.indd 1 SolidGC_CPM-GTA_11-2017.rv.vr.indd 1

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Talk to your laundry service provider about Speed Queen Insights.

See what Speed Queen Insights can do for you and your residents at: SpeedQueenCommercial.com/EffortlessCAM

*Kari Lloyd, “Most Popular Apartment Amenities List,” Apartment Guide, November 14, 2017

CANADIAN APARTMENT WHO’S WHO 2019

CERTIFIED RENTAL BUILDING

RANK

UNITS MANAGE

OWN

BUILDINGS BOTH

TOTAL

MANAGE

OWN

BOTH

TOTAL

18

Vertica Resident Services

9,452

9,452

48

48

19

InterRent REIT

9,281

9,281

228

228

20

Morguard

841

7,910

8,751

3

21

Sterling Karamar Property Management

9,131

9,131

125

125

22

Park Property Management Inc.

8,437

8,437

74

74

23

Oxford Properties Group

24

GWL Realty Advisors

8,609

25

Shelter Canadian Properties Limited

6,136

26

Centurion Asset Management

27

1,936

6,403

8,339

23

6

26

13

19

8,609

54

222

6,358

49

5,751

6,329

Osgoode Properties

5,671

28

Berkley Property Management Inc.

650

29

Devon Properties Ltd.

6,338

6,338

131

131

30

Royal Property Management

5,000

5,000

10

10

31

M&R Holdings

32

Prospero International Realty Inc.

33

Kelson Group

34

Rancho Management Services

35

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Inc. (HOOPP)

36

Old Oak Properties Inc.

37

Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP

38

Concert Real Estate Corporation

167

4,088

4,255

2

21

23

39

O’Shanter Development Company Ltd.

450

1,800

2,250

5

18

23

40

Apollo Property Management Ltd.

41

Williams and McDaniel Property Management

42

Kings College Management Limited

2,100

43

Brown Group of Companies Inc., The

603

44

578

4,810 4,883

1

50

49

51

5,671

25

25

650

72

72

3,604

74 3,228

977

2

4,810 4,883

3,684

38 85

4,132

2,212

85 54

54

3,678

1

1

248

3,108

5

4,132

25

2,212 2,156

38

3,684

3,228 2,131

54

248 12

25

30

2,156

30 40

2,100

20

1,436

2,039

9

Greenrock Property Management Ltd.

2,000

45

WJ Properties

46

Colliers International

47

17

40 20

10

19

2,000

7

7

1,907

1,907

13

13

2,166

2,166

4,332

56

Westcorp Property Management

459

1,247

1,706

2

6

8

48

Lawrence Construction/Grant Management

859

805

1,664

9

16

25

49

ONNI Group

1,657

1,657

50

The Sorbara Group

1,625

1,625

51

Melchior Management

1,093

1,555

52

Steeves and Rozema

1,528

1,528

18 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

462

56

-

19

10

10

34

53

38

38

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CANADIAN APARTMENT WHO’S WHO 2019

CERTIFIED RENTAL BUILDING

RANK

UNITS MANAGE

OWN

BUILDINGS BOTH

TOTAL

1,500

1,500

MANAGE

OWN

BOTH

TOTAL

28

28

53

Southwest Properties Ltd.

54

Ivanhoe Cambridge

55

Lameer Management

56

Westcliff

1,350

1,350

4

4

57

Lanesborough Real Estate Investment Trust

1,272

1,272

16

16

58

SABJOY INC

1,216

1,216

1

15

16

59

Whitehill Residential

1,200

16

60

Preston Group

1,182

1,182

4

4

61

Davpart Inc.

1,180

1,180

14

14

62

State Building Group

1,111

1,111

15

15

63

Twin City Management Ltd.

1,016

1,016

47

47

64

Tandem Group

1,008

1,008

3

3

65

Niot Investments Holdings Ltd.

66

Summit Properties

67

Manulife Real Estate

68

Kroma Management Ltd.

913

913

15

15

69

Pacific Quorum Properties Inc.

697

697

15

15

70

Fiera Properties

71

Shindico Realty

72

I.G. Investment Management, Ltd.

73

Equitable Real Estate Investment Corporation Ltd.

74

Northland Properties Inc.

75

Vancor Group Inc.

120

76

Gulf Pacific Property Management Ltd.

443

77

Arnon Corp.

78

Martello Properties Services Inc.

79

Goodwood Property Investment Ltd.

80

Lionheart Property Management Inc.

374

374

329

329

81

Atlantis Realty Services, Inc.

639

639

9

9

82

Summa Property Management

311

311

3

3

83

SMAR Holdings Ltd.

84

Richmond Community Management Services Corp.

85

Canahahns Company Limited

86 87

1,448 1,001

1,448 442

1,200

159

41

52

16

19

19

977

977

5

5

778

937

1

3

2

658 519

613

12

605

589

589

378

498

16

443

5

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20 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

11

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| www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 23

COVER STORY >>

FILLING UNITS FASTER Modern marketing technologies for competitive listings

By Holly Welles

The rapid pace of innovation in the real estate industry has given rise to disruptive technologies. In recent years, the market has started to shift nearly every aspect of the rental process, from standard communications to leasing applications. The digital transformation has affected all stakeholders in real estate.

| www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 25

COVER STORY >>

With this immense transition, modern marketing methods have changed as well. Real estate investors and property managers now have access to novel tools that help them outpace the competition. Through the latest systems and software, they can attract attention to their rentals and increase occupancy rates.

Of course, this isn’t sudden, and early innovators like Zillow and Trulia have been providing real estate information online for some time. That said, newer innovators have taken a different approach, expanding on earlier efforts. They’ve harnessed data to enhance analytics while increasing efficiency for apartment seekers.

In 2019, marketing technologies have only continued to improve. Real estate professionals have a wide variety of advanced options to assist them in achieving their goals. This article seeks to explore and examine those options, assessing the value of the marketing solutions available today.

Mobile apps for listings More than 90 per cent of people searching for their next place to live look online first, and more than 60 per cent browse on mobile. This statistic speaks to the importance of digital literacy for investors and property managers, capitalizing on apps that have made the search process faster and easier.

Oliver is only one example of a real estate startup that has empowered tenants through technology. The group has launched a platform that seamlessly connects renters with apartments, simplifying the experience for everyone involved.

The way the app works is comparatively simple and straightforward.

By aggregating real-time rental inventory directly from landlords and property managers, the app enables renters to browse and filter listings, schedule showings and use a calendar feature. The removal of inefficiencies and third parties has created convenience for both real estate professionals and those they serve.

3D architectural renderings Virtual staging is a valuable asset that assists in the presentation of a property. When a potential tenant is browsing rentals online, a real estate professional can use the software to illustrate various aspects of a building and the surrounding area. Developments in 3D architectural rendering have refined this strategy.

With 3D architectural rendering, real estate professionals can now show how a property will appear after any necessary repair work wraps up. Clients can also see what the interior of a property will look like with rugs, furniture and wall hangings. It’s a technical advancement that allows apartment seekers to envision themselves within a space.

As an example, real estate professionals who are marketing units under construction or renovation can quickly illustrate proposed modifications to existing plans, showcasing listings before they’re available for in-person viewings. A few clicks of a mouse can create a 3D image, reducing the chance of human error as the project proceeds. No guesswork is necessary.

“With 3D architectural rendering, real estate professionals can now show how a property will appear after any necessary repair work wraps up.”

26 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

COVER STORY >>

Real estate chatbot platforms Chatbots serve as digital representatives who answer questions on behalf of landlords and property managers. When they’re not working — at 1 a.m., for example — a chatbot can take their place. Those who are too busy in their day-today lives can delegate some of their responsibilities to these bots.

With improvements in artificial intelligence, chatbots can now learn based on customer inquiries. They can synchronize with additional data, communicate more conversationally and respond to questions with greater precision. In today’s digital landscape, these bots have proven valuable.

As context, 51 per cent of people say they want companies to answer their questions and concerns 24 hours a day. Additionally, 49.4 per cent of people would prefer to contact a company through messages, rather than through a phone conversation. A chatbot covers both of these areas, acting as the perfect assistant.

Several chatbot platforms are presently on the market: 1. Structurely provides two platforms for real estate professionals, “HomeChat” and “Holmes” 2. X.AI can determine the best time and location for meetings, adding an invitation to the user’s calendar 3. Botsify integrates a chatbot in Facebook Messenger, which has more than 1.2 billion monthly active users No coding skills are necessary for the integration of a chatbot. Many of these platforms don’t require real estate professionals to have any knowledge of programming whatsoever. With this in mind, investors and property managers should consider the value of these systems for initial communication.

Drone photos and videos With the approval of drones for commercial use, they’ve seen adoption across a diverse range of industries. Real estate professionals have started to employ them for aerial photography and videos, an affordable way to better market their listings.

However, this type of aerial imagery wasn’t always as accessible.

Before drones, real estate professionals collected aerial photos via satellite imagery. They would also hire airplane and helicopter pilots for brief, expensive sessions. Now, companies provide drone photography and videos for far less money, making it easier for investors and managers to advertise their properties.

Consider some of the benefits of drones for marketing purposes: 1. Ideal for large properties that don’t photograph well from ground level 2. Captures a greater expanse of land and brings attention to surrounding features 3. Helps buyers get a stronger sense of what a property “feels” like Even with these advantages, drone technology has downsides.

Among these drawbacks, residents in neighbouring properties have raised the issue of privacy. Real estate professionals who choose to employ drones should speak with those involved and seek their approval before proceeding with photography.

| www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 27

The future of real estate marketing The rapid pace of innovation in real estate has given rise to disruptive technologies, and the four examples above are only a fraction of the larger picture. As real estate professionals move through 2019 into the next decade, they should evaluate the potential of these systems and programs for their rentals.

Whether they choose to integrate drone photography and videos, chatbots or 3D architectural rendering, it’s critical to keep current with the latest techniques and marketing methods. In doing so, they’ll remain relevant in an increasingly connected industry, evolving with each passing year.

Holly Welles is a freelance writer covering real estate trends for Rental Housing Journal, Apartment Guide and other web publications. More of her work can be found at www.therealestateupdate.com

A TOWER IN THE MAKING, 1500 Robson St., Vancouver Shown on page 24, GWL Realty Advisors’ latest purpose-built rental tower is still a little ways from lease-up, but given the critically low vacancy in the Lower Robson area, filling suites at the 128-unit building won’t be a problem.

“We are proud to be increasing the supply and diversity of rental housing in the west end of Vancouver,” said Ralf Dost, President, GWL Realty Advisors. “This new development will provide the neighbourhood with desperately needed rental units in a professionally managed building with great amenities. This

project represents the type of community building we want to undertake in the City of Vancouver and for our investment clients.”

In response to the shortage of familyoriented rental housing, a third of the building will be made up of two- and three-bedroom units suitable for families. The new building, scheduled for completion in early 2021, will appeal for its indoor and outdoor amenities that include a fitness centre, yoga room, several lounges and a rooftop patio featuring an outdoor fireplace and seating areas.

“Developments like this one are adding much-needed supply to the downtown rental market,” said Mayor Kennedy Stewart at the ground-breaking ceremony in February. “In order to alleviate the housing shortage in our city, we need more of all types of housing, and especially purpose-built rental. By incorporating larger units suitable for families into the design, this new tower at 1500 Robson will also help diversify the housing mix in the Lower Robson neighbourhood.”

A premier real estate services company in Canada DMS Property Management is one of Canada’s leading apartment managers with a portfolio of over 20,000 units

www.dmsproperty.com 28 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

416-736-2524

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NEVER LIVE WITH SOMETHING HAPPENING TO MY TENANTS. Ensuring my staff and I always hire Licensed Electrical Contractors for electrical work isn’t only good for business, it’s good for my peace of mind. Hiring a ‘guy’ may seem cheaper, but doing it legally saves my tenants downtime, and saves me from sleepless nights.”

-Mark Levinson Property Manager

Mark manages nine commercial properties and is considering using ESA’s time saving Continuous Safety Services. To learn more about your legal obligations and the benefits of CSS, visit esasafe.com/propertymanagers

FEATURE >>

In Deep Water How to keep rising insurance costs at bay

by Sarah Thompson Canadians today aren’t just worried about climate change – they’re experiencing its negative effects firsthand. After spring’s dramatic flooding in the east and wildfires in the west, an increase in catastrophic weather events has left everyone worried about the future.

P

rominent real estate analysts are promoting co-living as a potential next big thing in Canada’s evertightening rental housing market. CBRE identifies dormitory-style dwellings offering private bedrooms with shared kitchen and living space as an emerging trend in commercial real estate.

30 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

For property owners, these worries are carrying over into concerns about their insurance policies, given extreme weather events directly impact the price of coverage. Even in a relatively mild year—a year not involving fires like those at Fort McMurray in 2016 or floods like those in Toronto and Calgary

in 2013—the cost of recovering from a CAT event can be astronomical.

Throughout the remainder of 2019, building owners and operators can expect to see carriers looking for rate increases. In fact, loss affected properties and coastal properties could experience spikes of greater than 25 per cent. Making your

FEATURE >>

portfolio look good to underwriters is by far the best way to prevent a substantial rate increase.

Here’s how…

1. Focus on tighter risk management Properties that maintain or improve their standing will be best positioned to keep rising costs at bay. To achieve this, building owners and operators will have to focus on tighter risk management, including disaster preparedness ahead of the next CAT event and engaging brokers to do what they do best: negotiate on their client’s behalf behalf.

The largest property policy increases will be felt by residential real estate owners.

This increase will be driven largely by traditional property loss leaders, including fire and water damage and increased property valuations. In the first quarter of 2018 alone, building construction costs were up 1.8 per cent. Considering this rate of inflation, a property valued at $1M just a decade ago is very likely significantly underinsured today. To best position your residential real estate, direct significant attention toward preventative maintenance, risk management and emergency response – and have a water mitigation plan.

2. Be wary of water Water damage maintains its standing as a major loss leader. One of the largest drivers of commercial property losses, water damage claims will continue to wreak havoc across the country in 2019.

As a result of an aging infrastructure and defects in new construction, as well as warmer temperatures due to climate change, significant claims are occurring across commercial and residential highrises.

In fact, a University of Waterloo study reported that insurance claims from floods and other weather events have quadrupled over the last ten years. Typically, what begins as a small event in one space becomes a massive building-wide claim.

For example, a recent claim involving a residential high-rise condominium

occurred when a ½-inch water line broke in the penthouse unit and flowed water for 20 minutes. Due to the cascading effect, the result was a major six-figure claim, with months of headache for the affected condo owners. Underwriters are now taking note and will put additional deductibles on property policy renewals to protect themselves.

3. Be cautious when it comes to green installations Many property owners and operators are eager to embrace sustainability initiatives; that is, until they create additional risk. When this happens, property owners and operators will face limited insurance options. For example, photovoltaic (solar) panels on the roof introduce the chance for electric shock, meaning fire fighters won’t spray water on them to extinguish a building fire.

Renewables installed on rooftops in coastal areas could blow off in a storm, potentially causing significant damage to neighbouring structures. Similarly, wooden structures are generally more difficult to insure due to their increased risk of fire. Consider discussing renewable options with your broker/ carrier before installing these resources in the first place.

Looking ahead Last year was unusual for CAT events, with the spring beating out the summer for the most CAT events and Ontario topping Alberta for insured losses. As a whole, 2018 ended with 12 catastrophic events and carriers and insurers alike are breathing a sigh of relief. At this stage, portfolio managers should employ best practices to minimize common loss leaders – fire, water damage and more – that threaten to further increase property policies into 2019 and beyond.

THE COST OF DISASTER Every year, thousands of Canadians experience financial loss due to severe weather, and the frequency and intensity of extreme events are on the rise. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the damage covered by insurance from extreme weather in 2018 reached $2 billion, with flooding being responsible for the greatest amount of financial losses. Here, ranked according to estimated insured damages, are Canada’s costliest disasters in history: 1. Fort McMurray Wildfires, May 2016 – $3.58 billion.

2. Southern Alberta Floods, June 2013 – $1.7 billion.

3. Eastern Ice Storm, January 1998 – $1.49 billion.

4. Toronto Flood, July 2013 - $943 million.

5. Slave Lake Fire, May 2011 - $700 million.

6. Toronto Flood, August 2005 - $590 million.

7. Alberta Hailstorm, August 2014 - $537 million.

8. Calgary Storm, August 2012 - $530 million.

9. Calgary Storm, July 2010 - $500 million.

10. Calgary Hailstorm, September 1991 - $343 million.

Sarah Thompson is associate vice president for Hub International’s real estate practice in the Greater Vancouver region. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Insurance and Risk Management, and is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) and Canadian Risk Manager (CRM). | www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 31

SPONSORED CONTENT

SAFETY AT

ROMA BUILDING RESTORATION LTD. SHARES INSIGHTS FROM ITS COR CERTIFICATION JOURNEY

There is no higher priority than employee health and safety; and for many organizations, that focus can lead towards COR certification. Getting certified is a challenge, but it’s one that the team at Roma Building Restoration Ltd. were proud to take on. Here to share their experience and insights from their journey are Marcello Battisti, President; Ricardo de Leon, Principal; and Curtis Alcide, Safety Manager.

Why did you decide to become COR certified?

Marcello: From the start, my brother Joe Battisti, our vice president, and I have made it our job to make sure everyone who works for the company comes home safely at the end of the day. For us, the decision to call up the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA) and go after COR certification was more about taking what we were already doing to the next level.

Rick: It’s also what our clients were expecting. We had already proven ourselves successful in tackling a large

SPONSORED CONTENT

THE

patience. For example, we introduced a mobile app that helps us keep track of inspections, compliance, and safety procedures, but that means a bit more work from our people out in the field.

It also means holding them more accountability than before.

COR range of projects requiring a wide range of specialized skills, but more and more of our clients were looking for reassurances that they were working with partners who put the safety of their employees first. We were already doing that, but this was a way to show it.

After you decided to become COR certified, what next?

Curtis: The first step was to develop a health and safety program that was tailored specifically to our business, which is providing a broad range of building science, restoration, and renovation services. We already had a number of health and safety measures in place, but this was a more formalized process which required us to perform a gap analysis and align all our safety-related procedures, policies, assessments, and inspections to comply with the COR program.

Rick: It wasn’t just about writing everything down in a binder and shelving it away, either. It was about proving to the IHSA and ourselves that we had the resources in

place to execute and monitor our plan, and that we were actively making health and safety part of our workplace culture.

Curtis: That’s why we ran the program for a year to get everyone familiar with it. After that, we submitted our health and safety plan to the IHSA. They gave us a score, came back to perform an external audit, and later awarded us COR certification in December 2018.

How have you maintained that safety culture?

Marcello: It absolutely comes from the top and showing employees that this is something their company president, supervisors, and project managers believe in and practice themselves. It can’t be something you do just to get a piece of paper; it has to be something you believe in. When employees see that this is being done to benefit them, that’s when they’ll really buy in.

Curtis: And that is the message our employees hear from me, from Marcello, from Rick, and everyone. That message of working safely is

always part of our company meetings, social events, or even our barbecues.

Rick: That said, you do need to have the checks and balances in place to manage that culture.

You can’t just say, “Here are our procedures, now follow them.” You need to back that up with ongoing training, open feedback, and corrective actions so that all these things we’re talking about become a habit over time.

At the end of the day, that’s the goal: to keep communicating that message of health and safety, and to keep holding people accountable and teaching by example, so eventually it becomes second nature.

What challenges did you encounter when pursuing COR certification and strengthening that safety culture?

Curtis: Any organizational change is a challenge. We were asking our employees to do things that were a little more intensive and demanding than what they were used to, so it took

Rick: Having that app in place is great in terms of being able to record everything we do, analyze the numbers, see the trends, and be more accurate in our auditing. Again, though, making that mobile app part of the everyday job was something new for our team.

That’s why we took the time to do the training, answer questions, and keep an eye on things so we knew they were being used properly.

Curtis: Change is difficult, but that’s why you need to keep the communication going and, again, lead by example.

What are your next steps?

Marcello: COR requires you re-evaluate your plans every season, so we’re always looking at how we can better ourselves and our team and what new tools or procedures we can bring into the company to do that. Every year is a new challenge.

Curtis: We also want to continue being ambassadors for safety. When we work with other contractors, we want to try to pass some of those best practices along and share what we’re doing. That’s why we take any opportunity to go out to other companies, talk to them about safety and what we’re doing. This isn’t just about protecting our employees, it’s making sure everyone on the project makes it home safe.

Marcello Battisti, Ricardo de Leon, and Curtis Alcide are with Roma Building Restoration Ltd., serving clients in Canada since 1981. For more, visit Roma-Restoration.ca.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT >> E>>

When fentanyl hits home Action steps for landlords and frontline staff

by Chris Seepe

What do Murder 8, Apache, China Girl, China White, Friend, Dance Fever, Goodfella, Jackpot, TNT, and Tango and Cash all have in common? They’re all street names for fentanyl or fentanyl-laced heroin.

F

entanyl is an incredibly powerful synthetic opioid analgesic used as an anesthetic and for the treatment of chronic pain. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than morphine, 50 times more toxic than heroin, and 20 to 40

34 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

times more potent than heroin, all of which means the risk of an overdose is extremely high. The RCMP states that two milligrams of pure fentanyl—about the size of four grains of salt—can kill the average adult.

So why is fentanyl a topic of discussion in a rental apartment magazine? Because

given the prevalence of fentanyl in other street drugs today, the police and fire department aren’t always the first to arrive at the scene of an overdose.

Regardless of the neighbourhood, it can just as easily be landlords, property managers, realtors or janitors.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT >>

“If a landlord detects an illegal drug operation is underway on his or her property, immediate action is required.”

Death toll rising According to the Justice Institute of British Columbia, 62 per cent of the province’s known fatal drug overdoses in 2016 involved fentanyl compared to just four per cent in 2012. In March 2017, the province recorded 120 fatal overdoses all linked to fentanyl, which is about 3.9 deaths per day.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that of the 9,000plus deaths recorded throughout Canada between January 2016 and June 2018, 2,066 were opioid-related. 94 per cent were accidental and 72 per cent involved fentanyl or fentanyl analogues.

Labs and covert operations Because fentanyl is synthetic, it can be easily and inexpensively made in a lab, and labs can pop up just about anywhere—including rental apartments. Tasteless, odourless and difficult to detect, exposure can occur unintentionally simply by touch or inhalation.

If a landlord detects an illegal drug operation is underway on his or her property (tip-offs might include boarded windows, scales, chemicals, baggies and discarded pill casings) immediate action is required. Landlords are advised to evacuate the building at once and call in the authorities. Fentanyl poses a huge risk to anyone not wearing the right safety equipment, so it is imperative no one enters a contaminated unit or area unless authorized to do so.

In fact, Christian Cadieux, president of Toronto-based Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaners Inc., believes it is possible

that flies and other insects might carry fentanyl-laced bodily fluids from a newly discovered corpse to a first responder.

Several RCMP cases have involved officers entering vapour-filled vehicles or rooms, only to become gravely ill and in need of immediate medical attention after only a few minutes of exposure to the fentanyl-laced heroin.

In other words, there are no safe steps a landlord can take to verify a drug lab suspicion aside from alerting the police.

Overdose signs and symptoms Similar to morphine or heroin, fentanyl works to bind opioid receptors in the brain to quickly depress the central nervous system and respiratory function while boosting levels of the chemical dopamine, which controls the feelings of pleasure, euphoria, reward and relaxation.

Many overdoses and deaths have occurred because individuals weren’t even aware they were consuming fentanyl, which can be in the form of powder, liquid (injection), skin patch, or pill. As mentioned, fentanyl can be mixed with other drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and counterfeit pills made to look like legal prescription opioids.

If an individual has overdosed, signs will include: difficulty walking, talking, or staying awake. He or she may have blue lips or fingernails, unusually small ‘pinpoint’ pupils, clammy and cold

skin, dizziness and confusion, nausea, extreme drowsiness, gurgling, choking, or snoring sounds, slow, weak or no breathing and the inability to wake up, even when shouted at or shook.

Anyone exhibiting these symptoms should be encouraged to sit up, or if incapable, positioned sideways while 911 is called. According to www. fentanylsafety.com, a website for first responders developed by the Justice Institute of British Columbia, Naloxone is a temporary antidote for opioid overdoses that when properly administered in a timely fashion, can restore normal breathing and consciousness to individuals experiencing an overdose. A Naloxone kit is available free to qualified individuals such as landlords from most pharmacies today provided they have a valid Health Card.

Meanwhile, if it was necessary to make physical contact with the victim, www. drugabuse.com advises the handler to thoroughly clean skin with soap and water, but not to use a hand sanitizer or bleach, which contain alcohol and may increase the absorption of fentanyl.

Executing an emergency response involving fentanyl is not something most rental housing operators signed-on for, but like many of the hats we wear today, sadly it’s become part of the job. Being prepared in case it happens is the best way to prevent a tragedy.

Chris Seepe is a published writer and author, ‘landlording’ course instructor, president of the Landlords Association of Durham, and a commercial real estate broker of record at Aztech Realty in Toronto, specializing in income-generating and multi-residential investment properties. (416) 525-1558 Email cseepe@aztechrealty.com; website: www.drlandlord.ca | www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 35

SPONSORED CONTENT

Balcony repairs can raise anxieties for apartment tenants and owner alike.

Given the associated safety concerns, however, it is work that cannot be ignored. Here is where a strategic approach and the right partners can lead to sturdier outcomes.

SPONSORED CONTENT

“Balcony repairs aren’t anything you want to rush through or leave for later,” says Greg Devine, Manager, Business Development and Marketing, with McIntosh Perry. “The costs of leaving problems to get worse is one thing, but it’s more about protecting the safety of the people who are using it and the ones living below them.”

The most common causes of balcony issues are lack of regular maintenance and upkeep, which can pose significant safety risks both for people on or beneath the structure.

“Once the concrete starts to fall off, the steel starts to accept compression forces, which it isn’t very good at resisting,” explains Devine.

“When that happens, the people and property below are exposed to dangerous conditions.”

Keep your head up No doubt, it’s important to spot balcony damages in their early stages. They can arise as a result of exposure to the elements (e.g., rain, snow, heavy winds, etc.), tenant activities, or simple age.

Common issues include: •

•

•

•

Cracks, from drying, daily and seasonal changes in moisture and temperature, and people loads; carbonation, resulting from a chemical reaction with carbon dioxide that raises PH level in the concrete; rusting steel, due to rain seeping into the cracks or as a result of carbonation progressing to the steel; and spalling, which occurs when rust occupies more space than steel and causes the concrete to suffer tensile stresses, which it is not as good at resisting, causing it to pop off.

Taking action

Avoiding stress

Once balcony damage is spotted, it’s time to act.

The first step is to get an assessment from a qualified engineer/building science specialist who can determine the condition of the balcony and the extent of the issue.

The next is to work with that specialist to develop a schedule of repairs and then begin to tender the work to a trusted contractor.

Make no mistake: balcony repairs can be noisy.

Jackhammers are required to break damaged concrete, while grinders are needed to cut away damaged steel, motorized brushes are used to clean the remaining steel, and compressed air is applied to clear dust and debris.

“There’s a lot that goes into balcony work that apartment residents and their owners don’t necessarily see,” notes Devine. “After that first condition assessment, we’re also preparing the specifications, drawings, and tender documents; taking care of contract administrations; and managing the project. It’s a large process, which is why it’s beneficial to work with a firm like McIntosh Perry which knows what to expect and can see it all the way through.”

Similarly, such repairs can also disrupt building users.

People and vehicles are not allowed to venture below the work, and the unit’s tenant must make peace with workers coming and going from their balcony doors and windows unannounced.

In both cases, it’s essential to prepare impacted tenants well before the crews show up and work with your project partners to alleviate any resident or staff concerns. From there, says Devine, on-going communication and updates will go a long way towards

keeping work on target and expectations in check.

“Any kind of repair work on a building is disruptive, so communication between the property manager and the tenants is essential in keeping all parties in the loop and satisfied.”

As for building owners, he adds, the best way to mitigate the burden of balcony repairs is to identify them early and make remediation a priority: “You can save a lot of stress by saving early for balcony repairs and monitoring their condition regularly through in-house and periodic independent evaluations.

Then, when it does come time to get to work, it’ll be a smoother path to a successful project.”

Greg Devine is Manager of Business Development and Marketing with McIntosh Perry, a leading Canadian firm providing a full range of consulting engineering and technical solutions for every stage of a project.

Learn more at www.mcintoshperry.com.

NEWSWORTHY >>

Industry Hot Topics Q Management LP acquires 911-suite property in Oshawa

Q

Management LP announced it has acquired Rossland Park Residential Community in Oshawa, Ontario, from H. Kassinger Construction Limited for $220 million. The 911-suite property includes three high-rise buildings, two-low rise buildings and four townhouse complexes.

“This acquisition aligns with our strategy of assembling multifamily residential properties in large, growing Ontario urban centres,” said Dan Argiros, President and CEO of Q Management LP. “Oshawa has strong demand for residential rental homes. Combined with the five properties we already manage in Oshawa we now have approximately 1,400 units in the Oshawa market.”

The acquisition is the second for Q Residential Property Income Fund V (QRPIF V). QRPIF V is the fifth fund in the multifamily sector launched by Q Management LP. The Fund is open to Canadian and international investors.

“Rossland Park Residential Community is well operated, highly sought-after by tenants and is in a region where we have tremendous confidence,” said Argiros. “It is a great addition to our existing portfolio in Oshawa as we will be able to deliver valuable management efficiencies.”

All tolled, Q Management LP now owns and manages almost 11,000 suites located in cities across Ontario including the Greater Toronto Area, Oshawa, Ottawa, London, Hamilton and St. Catharines.

RioCan to acquire stake in Yonge Sheppard Centre

I

n June, RioCan announced it would be acquiring KingSett Capital’s 50 per cent stake in Yonge Sheppard Centre for an estimated $331 million.

The one million square-foot mixed-use 38 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

property consists of 299,000 square feet of retail, 401,000 square feet of office, and 257,000 square feet of residential rental space.

As part of the transaction, KingSett will take a material equity position in RioCan through

an investment of $100 million in RioCan units with a one-year lock-up agreement.

The residential rental component is a 361-unit, 36-storey tower known as Pivot, which is currently under construction, with substantial completion expected in July 2020.

A massive renovation of the Centre’s retail and office space is almost complete. The renovations include recladding the façade of both the office tower and shopping centre, as well as various interior improvements to modernize the overall look and feel of the property.

“The acquisition of the remaining 50 per cent interest in Yonge Sheppard Centre is an important step forward in our continuous transformation to a major market, mixed-use focused REIT,” said Edward Sonshine, chief executive officer of RioCan. “KingSett’s investment of $100 million in RioCan units positions them amongst RioCan’s larger institutional unitholders, and we are pleased with this demonstration of confidence in the long-term value of RioCan.” The transaction is expected to close by the end of August 2019.

NEWSWORTHY >>

New eviction fact sheet for Manitoba landlords

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he government of Manitoba is launching an eviction fact sheet for landlords to clarify the process for evicting tenants who are breaking the law and putting others at risk.

“We know that landlords have for too long struggled to gather and present the evidence they need to evict drug dealers and other criminal elements from their rental properties,” said Justice Minister Cliff Cullen.

“The Manitoba government is committed to making our communities safer, and this new resource gives landlords the clarity and guidance they need to navigate the system quickly so they can protect their property and the safety of other tenants.”

The minister said if a landlord wants to evict a tenant engaging in unlawful or unsafe activity, a hearing must be requested through

the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB). For these types of applications, the RTB will schedule hearings on short notice. The new landlord fact sheet clarifies the evidence that landlords may submit to support an order of possession application. This includes: • video, photographs or audio evidence of the incident(s) in question; • incident reports, warning letters or written confirmation from law enforcement agencies that unlawful activity is taking place in the rental unit (incident numbers are not sufficient); • any incident reports from security staff, property managers, maintenance, paramedics, fire department, health and bylaw inspectors, alarm companies or police that proves the behaviour may be escalating;

New rental development coming to Kingston

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ecure Capital Partners Inc. of Toronto, Blue Vista Capital Management of Chicago, and Podium Development Corp. of Toronto, announced that they have partnered with a major Ontario-based pension fund to build a new apartment development in Kingston, ON. The new development will include three multi-res buildings comprised of 788 units and over 600,000 square feet of total area, including 26,000 square feet of retail space.

According to David Ogden, a Managing Partner of Secure Capital: “This three phased build-to-core multifamily development is truly unique in the Canadian landscape. New core multifamily assets are in very short supply and are arguably the most sought after commercial real estate asset. We are a firm believer that developing to core in this market is a sound strategy that will create solid long-term returns. These modern assets

• verbal or written statements from anyone who has direct knowledge of the tenant’s conduct; and • financial statements or receipts for repairs.

To further assist landlords and tenants, Manitoba Justice’s Public Safety Investigation Unit (PSIU) provides dedicated support to all Manitobans who are concerned about illegal drugs and other dangerous activities occurring in their residential neighbourhoods.

The PSIU can help landlords gather the evidence necessary to secure an order of possession, the minister said.

The Residential Tenancies Branch will also continue its public education outreach programs in order to providing ongoing information on landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities.

will outperform older, existing buildings and achieve higher occupancies and rents.”

The first building, located at 333 University Ave., will be completed in May 2021 with the two subsequent buildings expected to be completed in the spring of 2022 and 2023, respectively. Located along Princess St. near University Ave., the buildings have immediate proximity to Queen’s University and Downtown Kingston.

“We’re delighted to have outstanding partners on this portfolio of luxury apartments that will fill the tremendous demand for rental accommodations in Kingston and to provide our investors with long-term, stable and recession-resistant income,” said Brent Chapman, a Managing Partner of Secure Capital.

“There is no better residential market than Kingston for our latest development because of its high barriers of entry and exceptional demand for quality apartments,” added Patrick Flaherty, Blue Vista Senior Vice President, Student Housing. “We are pleased to collaborate with experienced partners who understand the landscape and share our vision of innovation in this sector.” | www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 39

SPONSORED CONTENT

DAMAGE DOWN BELOW Early leak detection is the best way to prevent costly elevator repairs

Leaking water in elevator pits is a common problem in all buildings, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly—not when the smallest drip can develop into something serious. Hefty repair costs aside, removing an essential service like an elevator in a multi-residential building comes with its own set of unwanted challenges.

The best advice? Stop water leakage before it swells out of control. Here to provide all the answers is James Cooper, Associate with RJC Engineers.

HOW COMMON IS WATER LEAKAGE IN BUILDING ELEVATOR PITS? It’s very common. Elevator pits are notorious for leakage. Typically, leakage occurs in the

early spring when the snow begins to melt, and the building and surrounding area are subject to heavy rainfalls. It also happens in the fall when groundwater levels tend to rise. That said, leakage can happen at any time of the year. Groundwater or run-off will always find the lowest place in your building to rest, which is typically the elevator pit.

WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE CAN RESULT FROM WATER LEAKAGE? Once water gets into an elevator pit, it can begin to corrode a lot of sensitive equipment like tracks, weights, counterbalances, springs, and electrical components. If you have hydraulic elevators, water will also harm the pistons and contaminate the hydraulic fluids. All of that can be very expensive to deal with if left unchecked.

SPONSORED CONTENT ARE THERE SAFETY RISKS BUILDING OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF? Yes, there are safety issues at play if the elevator components are corroding. That’s w h y t h e Te c h n i c a l S t a n d a rd s S a fe t y Authority (TSSA) doesn’t like water in elevator pits, and why they’ll compel the property manager or owner to get someone in to fix it.

CAN THE BUILDING STAFF DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE A LEAKAGE ISSUE? Other than staying on top of it, there’s nothing a property manager or maintenance professional can do to address water once it’s in a pit because it involves very sensitive work in a restricted space. An elevator technician must be consulted to shut down the elevator and coordinate the investigation.

THEN WHAT HAPPENS? After the technician completes the investigation, a professional solution needs to be determined by an engineer. The best time for engineers to get in and do their inspection is when the elevator technician is already there on a scheduled visit—that way the client won’t get charged for an extra one.

Once in the pit, the engineer will do a thorough review to identify the problems and develop solutions that can then be designed and tendered to experienced contractors who will execute the work.

WHAT MIGHT A SOLUTION LOOK LIKE? Ty p i c a l l y, s o l u t i o n s i n vo l ve re m ov i n g components of the elevator system, like plates and protective covers, to reveal as much of the bare foundation wall as possible. Next comes what’s called crack injection with a polyurethane product to fill any cracks in the actual elevator foundation walls to stop the major paths of water from getting into the pit. From there, crews will

Water stains on the foundation wall are an indication that leakage has occurred and an inspection should be conducted to assess where it's coming from and how to prevent it. Any signs of water in an elevator pit have the potential for trouble.

come in with a crystalline waterproofing system and coat the entire interior surface of the elevator pit, including the floor slab, to prevent water from getting in.

Also, there are lots of bolt holes and a n c h o r s p o t s t h a t c a n’ t b e re m ov e d because doing so would mean removing the entire elevator. This requires working around those by using sealants or other urethane-compatible products to try to trap that water. Another approach is to drain the water out of the elevator pit by drilling holes into the wall and connecting those with piping directly to either an adjacent sump pit or a drain that might already be in the elevator pit.

ANY FINAL ADVICE? Essentially, it all comes down to being proactive versus reactive. If there’s any concern about elevator pit water leakage, get an engineer in to conduct a review, write a report, and provide recommendations right away. Waiting is never good. If there is evidence of water, it should be dealt with as quickly as possible before it gets worse. And left unchecked, it will get worse.

James Cooper, P.Eng, is an Associate with RJC Engineers. For more information, please visit www.rjc.ca or reach out to James directly at www.rjc.ca/about/ourpeople

“Once water gets into an elevator pit, it can begin to corrode a lot of sensitive equipment like tracks, weights, counterbalances, springs, and electrical components.”

– James Cooper, P.Eng, with RJC Engineers

rjc.ca

LEGISLATION >>

Inclusionary Zoning Prompts Debate in T.O. Critics and advocates weigh in on divisive housing policy

by Erin Ruddy

I

nclusionary zoning has become a heated subject once again in the wake of the Ford Government’s “More Homes, More Choice” action plan, otherwise known as Bill 108. Designed to reduce red tape and eliminate many of the barriers waylaying new construction, Ford’s plan has been largely embraced by housing developers, while other groups are calling it a detriment to the city’s future. And if there’s one policy sure to ignite controversy among the forces at work in the housing sphere, it’s inclusionary zoning.

Introduced by the previous Liberal government in April, 2018, Ontario’s inclusionary zoning bylaw mandated that all new residential buildings include an affordable housing component tailored to meet the needs of each jurisdiction. But with Bill 108 receiving Royal Assent on June 6th, inclusionary zoning will no longer apply to all multi-residential buildings in the downtown

42 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

core; rather just those close to major transit hubs.

At a recent Land & Development Conference in Toronto, Paul Morassutti, CBRE Canada Vice Chairman, spoke about the impacts of the divisive policy and primarily its effects on land value.

“I’m a supporter of inclusionary zoning, and I think we need more of it. But supply is not the root cause and inclusionary zoning is not a complete solution,” he said. “The disparity between those who can afford to buy or rent in Toronto and those who can’t is going to keep growing as we shift to a knowledgebased, tech-driven economy.”

As affordability worsens, Morassutti stressed his opinion that policy-makers need to consider the impact regulations like inclusionary zoning will have on development pro-formas and land values — pointing out that, “Amid ever-increasing construction

costs and development charges, inclusionary zoning could make affordable housing even less attainable.”

To demonstrate the impact of inclusionary zoning on land values and overall development viability, Morassutti referenced the recent sale of a government-owned site at 26 Grenville St. and 27 Grosvenor St., acquired

by Choice Properties REIT and Greenwin Inc. The property was sold with the condition that it be redeveloped for rental housing and include more than 200 affordable units, or 30 per cent of the total units, at 80 per cent of CMHC average market rents. The site ended up selling for $53 per square feet buildable. Had it sold unencumbered, with no affordable housing requirement, Morassutti estimated the property could have achieved closer to $250 per square foot buildable.

This drop in value is the result of land values being extremely sensitive to changes in the

LEGISLATION >>

pricing of the residential units, and adding an affordable component has a dramatic effect. “Incentives will be required to make the development of affordable housing in Toronto viable,” he said. “Otherwise, the risk is that you dissuade development rather than incentivizing it. This will only intensify the affordability problem, and then we risk becoming Manhattan, where cops, firefighters, nurses, teachers, can’t afford to live in the city. I don’t think any of us want that.”

In support of inclusionary zoning Meanwhile, advocates of inclusionary zoning are of the mind that mandating an affordable housing component supports the creation of integrated, mixed-use communities wherever market housing is built, giving everyone a better opportunity to find housing in proximity to where they work.

Calling it “an important tool in the toolbox to help build affordable housing” the Cooperative Housing Federation (CHF) sees it as a solution to Toronto’s multifaceted housing challenge and points to the numerous communities in the U.S. and the U.K. that have successfully built thousands of units of new affordable housing as a result of implementing the policy.

Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao, who’s been vocal about the City’s intent to move forward with its inclusionary zoning efforts despite Ford’s incoming Bill 108, told the Toronto Star that the change could “set the zoning process

back another two years and comes at a time when no affordable unit can be spared.”

Since last April, the municipal government has been studying affordable housing policies worldwide in an effort to build a framework for the city’s new mandatory requirements.

According to Toronto’s Planning and Housing Committee, “Issues of housing affordability have grown exponentially in recent years, impacting not only the city’s most vulnerable residents, but increasingly low and moderate income households. The city’s renters, particularly households looking for housing in today’s market, have been most impacted by increasing housing affordability issues and are more and more often left with little choice but to pay more than 50 per cent of their income on rent in order to live within access to transit, jobs and services.”

As such, the City says it aims to develop a program that would satisfy the social component without deterring new development. Recommendations outlined in the Proposed Official Plan include making inclusionary zoning mandatory in sites with 100-plus units or an equivalent amount of gross floor area in the city’s strong downtown markets. Outside those neighbourhoods, the same requirements would apply to buildings with 140-plus units.

But with the recent passing of Bill 108, the number of buildings impacted will likely be greatly reduced.

Behind the divisive policy Inclusionary zoning—also known as inclusionary housing—is an American term which refers to municipal and county planning ordinances that require a given share of new construction to be affordable for those with low to moderate incomes. Generally, housing is considered “affordable” when households do not pay more than 30 per cent of gross income on annual accommodation costs, or when the rent is at or below the average market rent.

According to www.inclusionaryzoning.ca the concept was first introduced during the early 1970s and is now used in approximately 400 communities in a dozen-plus states, as well as in several jurisdictions in Australia and the U.K. Manitoba, British Columbia and Quebec all have their own versions of “inclusionary programs” to support the development of mixed-income communities, however these are largely voluntary or incentivized versus mandated by the government.

Learn more at: https://www.toronto.ca/citygovernment/planning-development.

Calgary adopts new land sale policy to spur affordable housing development Calgary City Council announced it has adopted a new land sale policy allowing for the sale of up to 10 parcels of City land to non-profit affordable housing developers every two years beginning in 2019.

The new policy is designed to help develop capacity among non-profit housing providers to invest in building more non-market housing in Calgary. By partnering with the non-profit housing sector, the City hopes to close the gap of 15,000 affordable housing units needed to meet the national average of non-market housing in urban centres.

The plan was tested through a pilot program involving six sites between 2017 and 2018.

With all six development projects successfully underway, 160 new affordable units will soon be coming to market—80 of which will target Calgary’s most vulnerable populations.

“This is a historic milestone. We’re proud of our success in engaging the non-profit sector to increase production of new housing in Calgary,” said Sarah Woodgate, Director of Calgary Housing and President of Calgary Housing Company. “We have a real need for more affordable housing in this city, and we have organizations with development pipelines ready to partner with us to help fill that need. We’re very excited to make more of these developments a reality, we’re thrilled to have found a cost-effective way to do it.”

| www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 43

INSURANCE >>

Contending with Mould The growing menace of water-driven insurance claims

by Andy Schwartze

In the fall of 2018, the voice of Canada’s property/casualty insurance industry reported that property claims in the third quarter had risen by 22 per cent over the same period in 2017. Given the industry is strictly regulated with the Federal Office of the Superintendent of Insurance issuing fines to those companies that falsify or inflate their loss information for no reason, one must assume there is something to this. As indicated along with the statistic, “water” has become the new “fire” in that a combination of weather and aging infrastructure are resulting in more water claims than in past decades.

A

t a Servicemaster seminar a couple of years ago, attendees were given some interesting input on water and mould. One memorable fact issued was that: when the humidity in an unventilated space climbs above 60 per cent, mould spores begin to form after about four hours. Given that such high humidity is not uncommon in the summer, how does the world of insurance and risk management treat mould?

44 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

If we go back in history, even a few decades, we will find that some claims developments took the entire insurance industry by surprise. There was a time when North American auto manufacturers could actually buy product liability insurance.

Cars were not that reliable back then, and in the 1960s, court attitudes in the U.S. swung sharply against the manufacturers.

Some will recall the disasters attached to the Chevrolet Corvair (a valued collector

car today). Today, the insurance industry maintains a respectful distance between itself and the car makers.

Another area that caught insurers off guard was asbestos. As health related issues began to surface, the court system instituted something called “stacking of limits” thereby bringing in to play insurance contracts that had long expired.

The court search for deep pockets decimated many insurer balance sheets as

INSURANCE >>

the victims of this dangerous product just had to be compensated. Even today, there are still law firms who specialize in asbestos cases, something that will not go away until an entire generation has passed on. The cost of remediation has been enormous.

Mould also easily falls into this category of claims that the industry wants nothing to do with. It develops over a long period of time, has known health effects, and just like asbestos, if left undisturbed it is relatively harmless. But once touched it becomes a health hazard. Infrastructure collects humidity in many areas, especially where there is limited air circulation. Broadly worded mould exclusions are found in every property and liability policy, right on the same page as we find exclusions relating to asbestos, war, nuclear catastrophe and pollution. But there are times when mould remediation is actually insured.

When a loss occurs, and it is one that is covered by the insurance, there is a legal principle called “proximate cause” that applies to the insured’s right to indemnity.

Everything that has been caused by the

insured loss becomes part of it. A simple example would be an insured fire results in water damage (from the fire department) which then causes mould to start forming.

The downstream effects of an insured loss become part of it. However, where mould has been forming for years there is little hope of coverage from a very reluctant insurance industry.

This unavailability of insurance protection creates a significant exposure to building owners and their managers (whose liability insurance contracts will also exclude this). In particular, we need to focus on older properties and also on those that were built as low cost starter homes. Over the years we have seen quite a few low end housing developments become costly renovation nightmares, as their “best before” dates have long passed.

In many cases the attic and below grade

ventilation are the culprits and a failure to regularly inspect have given mould plenty of time to thrive. Toss in an ever antagonistic tenant attitude and the situation can get a bit “hot”.

It is very important for building owners to add a mould inspection and control component to their oversight procedures. Property managers should insist on it and the management agreement should clearly state that the owner is responsible for all aspects, and exposures, that the manager might be subjected to. In the event that a mould complaint surfaces, the manager, whose remuneration is minimal, should be completely protected by the owner who, in recognition of the uninsured exposure, should make certain that there are regular tests done to avoid potential trouble.

Andy Schwartze, BSc., MBA, CIP, is an insurance broker specializing in property management and real estate. He can be reached at andy@takecover.ca.

MOBILE FRIENDLY

VISIT US AT

CONTACT Michael Gnat Phone: 416-635-4835 Email: mgnat@midnorthern.com | www.REMInetwork.com | June 2019 | 45

Smart Ideas

AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTS & SERVICES New tools for better management

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FAA’s Rental Housing Awards Program recently honoured some of Canada’s best and brightest employees and companies serving the rental housing industry. It also recognized a few of the most innovative products and services that have helped propel the industry forward. Among the year’s winners are:

SUITESPOT, BY SUITESPOT TECHNOLOGY SuiteSpot is a software platform for operations and maintenance management, allowing users access to all vital data via easy-to-use dashboards and robust reporting capabilities. In addition to the mobile app, SuiteSpot was designed to be accessible on any web browser, helping rental providers automate and optimize their operations in areas such as inspections and maintenance.

RENTAL INSPECTION SERVICE, BY CANADIAN TENANT INSPECTION SERVICES LTD. Rental Inspection Service ensures that a property owner’s investment is protected by alerting them to potential risks and deficiencies, while deterring criminal activity. The service also helps rental providers complete their “due diligence requirement” needed for most insurance policies by ensuring properties are not used for anything other than their intended purpose (such as AirBnB rentals, criminal activity or grow-ops).

MY PORTAL, BY PAYQUAD SOLUTIONS My Portal is a resident-facing tenant portal which gives tenants access to many property services at their fingertips, while at the same time, allowing management to control every aspect from their own manager portal. The portal works on any device with internet access. It also helps with various operational tasks such as payments, maintenance requests, building messaging, insurance, booking and automated applications. The portal will help rental housing providers move from a paper-based system into the digital world.

The complete list can be found at: cfaa-fcapi.org 46 | Canadian Apartment | Part of the REMI Network |

Comfy living for tenants.

Comfy energy bills for you.

We’ll cover up to 50% of the cost when you upgrade to high-efficiency equipment The Affordable Housing Conservation Program provides financial incentives for high-efficiency space and water heating equipment, heat recovery, building automation systems and more.

Visit uniongas.com/affordablehousing to learn more.