GTA Winter 2024 by MediaEdge

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COVER STORY IN THIS ISSUE

04 CLINICALLY FIT SPACE

Ontario prepares to license new surgical and diagnostic centres

PRESSURED PROVIDERS

Community service agencies face rising accommodations costs

20 YEARNING FOR YOUTH

Construction workforce needs replenishment

BREACHING AGE BARRIERS

Senior condo residents increasingly join demographic with disabilities

OPTIMIZING RETAIL APPEAL

Design features and visual cues attract and guide customers

“THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR INNOVATIVE PRACTITIONERS TO SUPPORT THE CANADIAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, AND SOME BUILDINGS ARE MORE SUITABLE THAN OTHERS TO ACCOMMODATE IT.”

–

SCOTT RASMUSSEN, VICE PRESIDENT, COLLIERS CANADA

CLINICALLY FIT SPACE

Ontario prepares to license new surgical and diagnostic centres

BY BARBARA CARSS

Asmall but noteworthy cohort of tenants will be leasing specialized space as the Ontario government moves toward granting licences for a raft of new independently operated surgical and diagnostic clinics. Two calls for applications from prospective service providers have been conducted since the summer with the third slated for this fall.

Under the rules set out in the provincial Integrated Community Health Services Centres Act (ICHSC), these will be out-of-hospital facilities where patients can obtain publicly funded orthopedic surgeries, gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures or MRI and CT scans. Chosen candidates will first be provisionally approved through the application process and then have a prescribed period to fulfill all licensing conditions. That includes a prelicensing facility inspection to confirm it complies with required standards.

“The proactive groups that are applying for these licences and have the belief that they are going to be successful, they’re out looking for space today so they can be prepared to sign a lease quickly and get up and running,” reports Scott Rasmussen, a vice president and sales representative with Colliers Canada’s life sciences and medical tech advisory team. “This is a unique opportunity for innovative practitioners to support the Canadian health care system, and some buildings are more suitable than others to accommodate it.”

It’s foreseen that significant capital upgrades would be needed to offer health care in conventional office buildings, while some would be outright disqualified for some services. Heavy and/or delicately calibrated diagnostic equipment may require floor loads and vibration safeguards beyond the structural capacity of existing stock. Other buildings would not have spacious enough corridors and elevators to handle stretcher gurneys if immobile surgical patients had to be moved in an emergency evacuation.

There would also generally be heightened requirements for ventilation, backup power, infection control and waste handling. Thus, it’s not a straightforward formula to compare facilities costs in hospitals and commercial real estate. Gordon Burrill, President of Teegor Consulting, a firm providing facilities management and construction services to the health care sector, cautions against simple assumptions based on current hospital construction costs and seemingly cheaper space elsewhere.

“There’s a reason why hospitals are more expensive and office space is less expensive. It’s about the infrastructure within those two building types,” Burrill says. “You might be

DATA CENTRE ACCELERATION POSES RISKS OF OBSOLESCENCE

Data centres are emerging as favoured investment assets as the Internet of things, 5G and data hives and burgeoning technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the smart electricity grid and autonomous vehicles accelerate need for connectivity.

“There’s so much happening in the data centre space right now and for years to come, given the demand,” Brenda Lum, managing director of North American corporate real estate ratings with Morningstar DBRS, reported during a recent webinar focusing on commercial real estate from a credit risk perspective.

The agency rated seven data centre transactions (six in the United States and one in the United Kingdom) in roughly the first three quarters of 2024, which were collectively worth about USD $4.1 billion (CAD $5.5 billion). That compares with USD $5.8 billion (CAD $7.9 billion) in total data centre transactions over the previous three years.

Michael Vidmar, vice president, North American real estate adjacent ratings, at Morningstar DBRS, sketched out supporting evidence. The past year has seen an influx of new supply, bringing a 20% expansion in capacity in the six leading North American markets, and data centre developers have told the credit analysts that about 80% of the space now under construction is pre-leased.

That climbs to nearly 100% of in-progress hyperscale developments, which will accommodate thousands of servers, representing upwards of 100 megawatts of power demand. Average asking rents have jumped by 13 to 37% in larger U.S. markets with a concentration of hyperscale facilities, while the vacancy rate had fallen to a record low 3% across the total market as of the second quarter closed out this year.

“Despite historical levels of development in this space, demand continues to exceed supply,” Vidmar said.

Nor is the incoming supply a straightforward gain. Rapidly evolving technology and customer needs are pushing some smaller facilities with lower power capacity into obsolescence. Land availability, tax competitiveness, power prices and power availability are all seen as instrumental to luring new development, while power, cooling and space design are key to ongoing viability.

That increasingly means higher-density power racks coupled with cooling systems to adequately support and safeguard that heightened draw on electricity. Notably, cooling loads typically equating to about 40% of the total energy expenditure have a large impact on operational costs.

“We’re closely monitoring whether these new inventories are replacing existing data centres or supplementing them,” Vidman affirmed. “We’re seeing potentially older vintage, lower-powered co-location centres that are unable to scale up power or implement more efficient cooling systems as a higher credit risk in the near term.”

“Data centres require highly specialized operational knowledge and significant amounts of capital investment, both upfront and ongoing,” he added. “Going forward, we’ll continue to monitor such critical infrastructure investment and the ability of data centres to address these three things: power, cooling and design demands over the long term and beyond.”

looking at office space that is x number of dollars per square foot, but then there are all these upgrades that will have to go along with it. ”

RELIEF VALVE

The pending new Ontario clinics are intended to be a relief valve, not an competitive alternative to existing health care delivery. Licences will be tied to regions where there is high and backlogged demand for the designated services.

– REMI Network

“It’s a licence to support the need. Just because there are entrepreneurs who believe they can deliver the services, doesn’t mean that licences will be granted,” Rasmussen reiterates.

Both he and his colleague, Matthew Johnson, a senior vice president with Colliers, anticipate that densely populated urban areas will fall within that high-needs category. However, there is little expectation for the multi-tenant buildings solely geared to private medical

STAGGERING STUDENT HOUSING SHORTFALL

High-calibre common space offsets smaller room sizes in a new purpose-built student housing project now under construction in Toronto’s Cabbagetown community. Forum Asset Management has launched the new development into a severely under-supplied market, with ambitions to serve up a replicable model.

“ALMA @ Cabbagetown aims to meet student needs by providing functional, fully furnished, and efficiently sized housing,” says Aly Damji, managing partner, real estate, at Forum. “Canada is experiencing an unprecedented shortfall in student housing that is affecting rental markets nationwide. We have demonstrated success in the development of high-quality purpose-built student accommodations and we are committed to delivering housing solutions that address the shortage.”

The 192-room, 236-bed project will include a library, fitness studio, co-working spaces and a variety of outdoor terraces. In

clinics seen in the United States. Ontario’s new clinics are more likely to be scattered in a patchwork of suitable commercial buildings and life sciences facilities that predominantly house research activities.

Existing health care and life science research clusters are identified as a logical source of qualified clinic operators, particularly given the professional fluidity that commonly sees medical clinicians and researchers serving on

tandem with that goes the smallest unit sizes of any such project yet launched in Toronto.

Canada-wide, approximately 16,700 units of purpose-built student housing are now in development — an infusion that is expected to address about 4% of the current accommodations shortfall once completed. Canada’s 20 largest universities boast collective enrollment of more than 1.5 million students and collectively provide about 170,000 beds of on-campus housing.

Meanwhile, the Ontario government is addressing one potential tax barrier for new development. A proposed amendment to the provincial Assessment Act will clarify that university-operated student housing is exempt from property tax even when located on land separate from the institution’s main campus.

university faculties and sometimes becoming med-tech entrepreneurs.

“Some of the great life sciences and medtech IP discoveries are generated by the people who are doing that medicine day-to-day and are trying to find a way to improve it. So you can have the chief executive officer of an early-stage life science company running the company in the morning then going to the university to teach a class or to the hospital to scrub in for a surgery in

the afternoon,” Rasmussen observes. “Proximity provides the ability to get back and forth to these different parts of their lives, or the different hats they wear, on a convenient basis.”

“There would be logical reasons why a clinic would go into a life science building to be in a cluster of other like organizations to create this community of ebbing and flowing,” Johnson concurs. “This is an area that could be a tremendous focus for future development in the life science development space.”

He hypothesizes that savvy investors and developers will need to understand the complexity of their medical tenants’ needs and the capital required to meet them, and also grasp the more intangible factors for patients. Some traditional tenets of real estate may not apply.

“I have never met anybody who would say: My number one priority for my knee replacement is convenient location,” Johnson quips. “It’s tough to quantify, but, if the facility doesn’t feel right, people utilizing that facility may question the quality of the service being given to them.”

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

The ICHSC Act assigns Accreditation Canada the responsibility for overseeing compliance with facilities and medical practice standards in both new and existing independently operated surgical and diagnostic centres. (The latter encompasses roughly 900 Ontario clinics licensed to provide a range of publicly insured health services including eye and plastic surgeries, abortions, dialysis and sleep studies.)

As it pertains to facilities management, a statement from the not-for-profit inspection body says it will use “expert and trained peer assessors” in the “assessment of the physical environment and its proper maintenance, as well

– REMI Network

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as maintenance of the equipment used in the provision of services offered”. In practice, this means that clinics will be held to the same body of standards as every other health care facility.

“If the service is being funded by the provincial government through the Health Ministry, it’s a health service,” Burrill confirms. “It doesn’t matter what kind of a building it’s in, it has to meet all the appropriate health care standards.”

Yet, there should be some simpler requirements — for example, related to contingency power — because of the scoped service offerings compared to large health care centres.

“If it’s a surgical clinic, you don’t need three days of backup power for a space like that; you just need enough time to be able to finish a surgery safely. The standards do accommodate for that to a certain degree and do provide for more economical space [than in hospitals] in some conditions,” Burrill advises.

On the flipside, moving to an out-of-hospital location means losing in-house facilities managers. Third-party service providers and maintenance contracts are likely to have an expanded role.

“Maintenance of health care facility equipment is more rigorous than maintenance of commercial

equipment,” Burrill says. “MRIs only function within very tight temperature ranges so there are significant operating restrictions on it. Or, if it’s any kind of sophisticated equipment with microscopes, any hospital facility manager will tell you that’s an area of the hospital where you have to be very, very careful about vibrations.”

U.S. ALTERNATIVE

The pending licences in Ontario — and similar growth of health service options through privately operated clinics in Alberta and British Columbia — represent a negligible niche of the market compared to the United States, where purposebuilt, multi-tenanted buildings for medical services are an established alternative asset class for commercial real estate investors and owners/ operators. Players in that market, such as Al Rabil, co-founder and chief executive officer, real estate, with the investment platform, Kayne Anderson, have enjoyed a national average occupancy rate of 93% over the past 20 years.

“It’s an incredibly safe asset class that continues to be under-supplied as well as under-invested,” Rabil told an online audience during a recent webinar sponsored by IPE (Investment & Pensions Europe) Real Assets. “Fifteen years ago, 99% of medical office in the U.S. was owned by health care hospital systems. It’s about 65% today and I would dare to say that will probably drop down closer to 20 or 30% in another 10 years because hospital systems own real estate by default, not by desire.”

His company boasts one of the largest medical office portfolios in the U.S., with 768 buildings across 43 states, encompassing approximately 32 million square of space and affiliated with more than 170 health care entities. That’s geared to tenants Rabil defines as “higher margin businesses” providing services such as orthopedics, oncology, cardiology, neurology and diagnostics, and resulting in what he terms “an operationally intensive asset class”.

“These are purpose-built buildings that house practitioners and bear no resemblance whatsoever to traditional office. Traditional office can’t generally be converted into medical office,” he stressed. “This a specialty area that requires specialist knowledge.”

While Canada continues to have a very different health care philosophy, requirements for facilities management expertise are similar on both sides of the border. So, too, are patient demographics.

“There are demand drivers for the next 25+ years in terms of an aging population,” Rabil submitted. “Just one quick statistic: the 65-andolder population requires approximately three times the number of doctor visits that the under-65 population requires.”

PRESSURED PROVIDERS

Community service agencies face rising accommodations costs

Community service agencies that lease commercial space in Toronto saw occupancy costs for their venues jump by an average of 57% in the years between 2011 and 2021. A newly released study examines the real estate footprint of organizations serving vulnerable populations in Toronto and neighbouring Peel and York Regions, and heralds the launch of United Way Greater Toronto’s $100-million fundraising initiative to help accommodate the sector.

“United Way Greater Toronto’s goal is to create, facilitate and support community real estate infrastructure that sustains and empowers neighbourhoods across the region for the long term,” says Ruth Crammond, a vice president with the organization. “We are leveraging the power of philanthropy, partnerships and people to ensure equitable community development and secure essential services.”

Funds raised through the planned 10year campaign — dubbed the Community Real Estate Initiative — will go toward the development of up to 10 new community hubs that provide operational space for community agencies and house other health care, recreational or government services in

the same facility. United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) will also explore the feasibility of a new loan fund to help agencies acquire or renovate space, and will collaborate with the University of Toronto’s Infrastructure Institute to develop guidance on real estate development and facilities management for the community service sector.

Researchers at the Infrastructure Institute undertook the study, entitled Essential Spaces, Real (Estate) Solutions for Community Needs, to gauge how community service agencies are acquiring, operating and retaining suitable space to interact with their clients. Findings reveal that service providers are now often simultaneously grappling with a growing client load and an accommodations squeeze.

“With significant anticipated population growth and densification affecting neighbourhood change and impacting an increasingly volatile commercial real estate market, agencies are going beyond their capacities to meet growing community needs in spaces that are often unsuitable and unaffordable,” the report’s executive summary states. “Strengthening the sector requires supporting sector capacity to pursue community-owned real estate (CORE)

while increasing the stability of community-leased real estate (CLRE) spaces through creative nonmarket leasing and ownership models, especially to address neighbourhoods with service gaps and intensifying neighbourhoods likely to undergo change.”

SERVICE FOOTPRINT

The study looks at registered charities within Toronto, Peel and York Region that deliver:

• career development;

• community health services;

• educational supports;

• provision of free meals/food;

• free distribution of goods;

• housing supports;

• professional services for structurally disadvantaged groups;

• settlement services; or

• other community services.

The locales of each service centre were plotted geospatially to identify the population density and average income of nearby populations, as well as their proximity to major intersections and existing and future transit stations. Service spaces were categorized by tenure type —

MAKESHIFT EVENT SPACES ALARM MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

Public gatherings in informal, unlicensed venues are creating risk management headaches for local officials in large and small Ontario communities. A recent submission from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) tallies health, safety and bylaw enforcement concerns, and urges the provincial government to address the resulting administrative and financial burdens.

“Municipalities recognize the importance of providing Ontarians with safe and affordable public spaces, and supporting the entertainment industry for local economic development and community well-being,” it states. “At the same time, Ontario’s municipalities are concerned about the potential negative repercussions associated with unlicensed event venues.”

Makeshift event spaces in barns, vacant commercial and industrial properties or residential dwellings inherently come with hazards arising from facilities that may not meet appropriate standards for fire alarms, exits and containment, load bearing, food handling, waste disposal and/or adequate bathrooms. Municipal emergency services responders and public health officials are first in line to deal with the fallout of the negative consequences from any of those failings.

Local officials also find themselves juggling complaints about excessive noise and disruptive behaviour emanating from unlicensed venues, and from operators of licensed facilities who have lost business to rogue event spaces. Municipalities likewise lose out financially since licensing is one of the few revenue generators they’re afforded in Canada’s breakdown of jurisdictional powers. Meanwhile, both large and small municipalities argue that limited resources inhibit their ability to respond.

“With municipal finances being under considerable strain, municipalities are challenged in hiring more staff to enforce bylaws at these events. Similarly, there is a challenge and impracticality of municipalities investigating those unlicensed events which are ‘pop-up’, temporary and unpredictable,” the AMO submission states.

AMO is now beseeching the Ontario government not to erode municipalities’ control over zoning bylaws so that they can “remain equipped to determine the regulations and actions that make sense to their local contexts”. The submission additionally recommends that the provincial government lower the threshold for imposing fines, making it easier for municipalities to enforce penalties against hosts of unlicensed events.

It suggests tax incentives could be used to lure currently unlicensed operators into the legitimate business stream, which would necessarily require health and safety and bylaw compliance. Short-term rental operators like Airbnb are also seen to have a role to play in imposing stricter consequences for sites on their platforms found to be hosting public events.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s policy statements can be found at www.amo.on.ca/policy

owned, private market rental or leased from public or non-profit entities — and occupancy costs were assessed as a percentage of the organization’s total revenue and for year-overyear changes over a 10-year period.

A large majority of the organizations (70%) are renters. Two-thirds provide services in a single location, but 20% have upwards of four venues. Typically, they operate in more densely populated areas with at least 1,000 residents per square kilometre and are more numerous within Census tract areas identified as higher-need populations. About 30% of service centres in the study were deemed to be within a walkable distance from an existing transit system.

Organizations that own their facilities generally pay a larger percentage of their total revenue on occupancy costs, including mortgage, maintenance and utilities. (Registered charities are exempt from property tax.)

However, on average, occupancy costs have been decreasing as a percentage of revenue costs over the past 10 years in Toronto, Peel and York. This could be attributable to rising revenues, declining occupancy costs with the paydown of mortgages or a combination of the two factors.

The dollar amount spent on occupancy costs has increased for both owners and renters in the sector, with renters typically subject to a steeper upward spike. Across the study area, ownership occupancy costs rose by an average of 16% over the 10 years between 2011 and 2021.

Meanwhile, a 26% average increase in rental occupancy costs hides a dramatic differential among the three municipals. More muted average increases of 13% in York and 9% in Peel balance out Toronto’s 57% jump.

Even so, average rental occupancy costs are now largely comparable in York and Toronto, hovering in the range of $160,000 annually in 2021. The average in Peel was relatively more modest at around $110,000.

FUTURE FEARS

“Toronto is the only region where occupancy costs for rented spaces continue to grow in relation to overall revenues, indicating an expensive real estate market where growing costs for CLRE can be expected,” the report states.

The researchers also flag a couple worrisome trends. One quarter of rented agency space is located within a walkable

distance of future transit stations, suggesting the sites will face rent escalation pressures once new transit lines are open and real estate development pressures pick up. As well, there is evidence that community service agencies face discrimination in the rental marketplace.

“Case study interviewees spoke of difficulties leasing from private property owners due to stigma associated with their services and service users. Property owners routinely reject lease applications from agencies for being an ‘incompatible use’ of the space. NIMBYism is another often cited challenge,” the report recounts.

Those case studies offer six examples of facilities management experiences, looking at three Toronto-based agencies, two in York Region (in Newmarket and Richmond Hill) and one in Peel Region (in Brampton). The report also makes recommendations about preferred operational models and required supports. ■

THE COMPLETE TEXT OF ESSENTIAL SPACES, REAL (ESTATE) SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY NEEDS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.UNITEDWAYGT. ORG/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2024/10/ ESSENTIAL-SPACES-FULL-REPORTCOMPRESSED.PDF.

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Insight into Roof Design, Energy Performance, Longevity and Environmental Impact

A roofing system’s primary function is to protect the building from water infiltration and weather damage and to do this effectively for as long as possible. Increasing environmental challenges posed by climate change require roofs to be more efficiently designed, maintained and inspected.

Whether retroﬁtting an existing roof or designing new, various factors need to be considered such as the building’s use and anticipated lifespan, the roof’s function, local weather conditions and the client’s budget.

Roof system designs can provide optimized performance, but only if installed according to the speciﬁcations and manufacturers’ requirements.

As a roof system design philosophy, it is beneficial to install components that can remain in place for the majority of the building’s lifespan, says Jean-Guy Levaque (RRC, RRO), lead for Pretium Engineering’s Roof Consulting Team. “If you design to have proper components in place and your waterproofing membrane is replaced and recycled over the years—you can replace the waterproofing membrane above all other roof system components,” Levaque explains.

ROOF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

The longevity of roof systems is directly impacted by the efforts in preventive maintenance. Repairing a roof on an “as-it-happens” basis is an ongoing approach by many buildings, but it’s not the most effective. By the time a leak is noticed, you’ve no choice but to react with emergency measures. When water seeps into the rooﬁng materials, it can lead to rapid deterioration of the roof assembly or direct leaks into the building.

Different types of roofs have their own vulnerabilities and understanding them is crucial for effective maintenance. Adopting a proactive approach to roof maintenance is far more effective than reacting to issues as they arise. Investing in preventative maintenance not only saves money in the long run but also helps to extend the lifespan of the roof and maintain its integrity. Proactive maintenance prevents small problems from turning into major issues.

ROOF ENERGY PERFORMANCE

The thermal performance of a building is inﬂuenced by various factors including its design, size, and the materials used— particularly in the roof structure. In buildings with larger roof areas, the roof is possibly its most expensive component. Heat loss is a costly waste of valuable resources. It’s estimated that

thermal bridging—weak points and gaps between layers of insulation—can reduce assembly performance by up to 30%. In a climate demanding robust thermal performance, paying attention to a building’s thermal properties is paramount.

If insulation is not tight in the roof assembly, there will be gaps in the insulation. Areas of heat loss are visible by using thermographic scanning tools. By modeling and analyzing thermal bridging of roof system components such as insulation fasteners, the thermal loss impact of gaps in the insulation can be realized and reacted to.

The type of materials and components installed can preserve not just the lifespan of the roof itself, but the lifespan of the building. As we see energy efficiency playing an expanding role in our yearly budgets, thermal performance levels of Canadian properties increasingly come under scrutiny. According to Canada’s Green Building Strategy, in the years counting down to 2050, the energy efficiencies (and deficiencies) will be public data, with the potential to greatly influence our real estate market.

If roof scans conﬁrm that roof system components below the membrane are still performing, some salvaging strategies can be considered.

“For roofs installed 25 years ago, thermal performance standards and requirements for insulation are now outdated,” says Levaque. “But you may be able to remove the waterproof membrane, salvage

the existing insulation, and add more insulation. As a result, you have less waste and environmental impact.” This insight underscores the importance of updating older roofs to meet modern thermal performance standards while minimizing waste and environmental impact.

ROOF RETROFIT OPTIONS

Adopting a proactive approach to long term performance of roofs starts with preventive maintenance and repairs. Addressing roof retroﬁts on a timely basis can help salvage roof system components. Updating older roofs with improved insulation while salvaging existing materials offers numerous beneﬁts, including enhanced thermal performance, environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and increased building value. This approach represents a win-win solution for building owners, occupants, and the environment alike.

Roof retroﬁts can potentially save between 5% and 15%+ of total energy consumption. Pretium listens to their clients’ needs to provide both short- and long-term solutions and assess rooﬁng replacement strategies. Pretium can help your properties discover innovative and strategic solutions, create up to an 80% reduction in embodied carbon emissions, and achieve great savings.

Understanding the building materials used in your roof’s construction empowers you to make informed decisions about its maintenance and longevity. Pretium Engineering specializes in providing this

understanding, enabling clients to take control of their rooﬁng projects.

Pretium Engineering’s Roof Consulting Team, led by Jean-Guy Levaque (RRC, RRO), plays a vital role in optimizing the performance and longevity of rooﬁng systems while minimizing risks and expenses for building owners and managers.

Whether it’s identifying opportunities for repair, retroﬁt, or replacement, Pretium Engineering’s expertise ensures that clients receive solutions tailored to their needs and budget constraints.

With expertise in various types of rooﬁng systems, both steep and low slope, Pretium’s Rooﬁng Technical Leadership Team is a highly skilled and experienced group. Being members of the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) further emphasizes their commitment to excellence and industry best practices.

When it comes time to review your roof, consulting with Pretium Engineering can offer invaluable insights and recommendations tailored to your speciﬁc needs and circumstances. Whether you’re considering repairs, replacements, or proactive maintenance strategies, Pretium’s team can help you make informed decisions that protect your investment and maximize the value of your building assets.

BREACHING AGE BARRIERS

Senior condo residents increasingly join demographic with disabilities

BY REBECCA MELNYK

Multi-residential buildings often present an awkward fit for people with disabilities. It’s a design dilemma and a management concern that looks destined to intensify as the population ages and more seniors downsize from single-family homes to condominium or rental apartment living.

“You’re only temporarily able-bodied,” asserts Brad McCannell, vice president of access and inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation, who has been a wheelchair user for more than 40 years. “Everyone will join our community sooner or later, so how do we accommodate that as condo boards and owners?”

Property managers like Kirsten Dale, with MCRS Property Management, are typically familiar with the barriers in older condo buildings, but she maintains that residents can comfortably age-in-place in such surroundings with some knowledgeable, focused support. She recommends disability awareness training for condo boards and staff.

“Borrow a walker or wheelchair and try to navigate the common areas of your community

or put on a blindfold and try to find your way down to the refuse chute room from your unit entrance.” Dale suggests. “The ways you could help those with accessibility challenges will become clear very quickly.”

Accessibility should be an element of capital planning exercises and regular reviews of common elements. That will give boards and management staff a clear grasp of what needs to be done to improve accessibility, and it will also position them to act quickly if or when government funding becomes available for upgrade initiatives.

Approaches to support aging-in-place will differ depending on building features and tenants’ specific needs. However, there are generally two types of accessibility upgrades: those that can be easily achieved at relatively low cost; and those that will require more preplanning.

Capital planners and project proponents should consider that residents may experience physical, cognitive, auditory or visual impairments or some combination of two or

more of these disabilities. Opportunities to remove barriers or improve accessibility can be woven into many other maintenance or upgrade projects — for example, adding braille or alternative languages when signage is updated or incorporating strobes and additional sensors while undertaking work on fire and emergency alarm systems.

“The important thing is to get ahead of the needs of the community and understand there’s no one-size-fits-all solution,” McCannell submits. “If you are reactive to aging-in-place solutions, you’ll always be behind.”

RESIDENT NEEDS

Replacing conventional door closers with delayed-action, low-resistance closers that hold doors open for up to 30 seconds could mitigate a common mobility hazard.

“All those doors become much simpler to operate and move through and, in many cases, safer,” McCannell says. “We’ve had lots of reports of people being knocked-

off their canes or crutches by these doors and it’s completely unnecessary.”

As well, residents often lose depth perception, altering how they judge the distance between two objects, as they age. Painting hallway baseboards a different colour than the walls and carpets can help to moderate that effect.

Look for solutions to ameliorate sharp corners and overhanging countertops, which can be a bruising hazard. During renovations, ensure that new and/or replacement features are placed at accessible heights — including intercoms, mailboxes, switches and controls. Where possible, replace push-buttons with easier methods of activation.

Some sensitive management decisions may be required — for example, to adjust for the fact that various operational noises will be amplified and distressing for residents who wear hearing aides or to tweak pet ownership rules where necessary.

“Everyone says you should pick up after your dog, but what if you can’t bend over? Do you have to get rid of it?” McCannell muses. Nevertheless, there are situations that managers and boards should not attempt to accommodate when residents demonstrate that they can no longer safely live independ-

ently. Condo lawyer Sonja Hodis, of Hodis Law, stresses that condo corporations should not act as caregivers or fill the breach of absent and/or neglectful family members. Rather, they need to have up-to-date emergency contact information, including for assigned powers of attorney and estate trustees.

“A lot of condos don’t know who to contact if something happened to a resident or if there are issues with the unit and the resident is incapable of dealing with them,” she notes. “Condos have to be careful that they don’t overstep that boundary and take on responsibilities and liabilities that they shouldn’t.”

NEW CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

Looking to new construction, McCannell is disdainful of the accessibility requirements in the building code of his home province, British Columbia, while Vanessa Tanolo, an interior designer and principal at Tanolo Tech Integration, voices similar sentiment about the Ontario Building Code (OBC).

“Developers have an opportunity to go beyond [code requirements] but most unfortunately don’t, either due to cost or lack of understanding of how to do so,” she says.

Changes to the OBC taking effect in January 2025 will require a power door operator with

every door that has a self-closer and some new measures to ensure barrier-free access at the entrance level to buildings, but Tanolo recommends more progressive guidance documents. Those include Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s universal design guidelines, the Accessibility Designed Program from The Daniels Corporation or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) model code standards for accessibility, specifically for dwellings and common areas, including reception and amenity spaces.

McCannell, who is also a member of the Accessibility Standards Canada Board, laments that contemplated accessibility updates for the B.C. building code have now been delayed until 2027. That will ultimately necessitate costly investments when condo corporations start tackling accessibility upgrades in the future.

“On new construction the cost is about 4% [of construction costs]. As a retrofit, it’s around 40%,” he warns. “What we really want is the infrastructure of the home to anticipate the user.”

For example, as people age, they require more power outlets in their bedrooms for CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines, electric hospital-style beds or to charge electric mobility scooters. McCannell estimates an

extra electrical circuit will cost the builder about $30 at the time of construction compared to thousands after the fact.

“Right now, my mom has a power bar in the bedroom with eight extension cords,” he recounts. “Not only is that a fire hazard, but a tripping hazard.”

During construction, it’s also simple to place controls, such as light switches and security panels, six inches lower than the conventional height, or to raise outlets up to a location where users won’t have to kneel down or bend over to reach them. At the same time, walls and ceiling can be prepared for future grab bars and lifts.

“Right now, you can go to the store and buy a grab bar but you have to bolt it in where the studs are,” McCannell says. “We’re getting all kinds of reports about people falling because they’re reaching for the grab bar and it’s not in the right place.”

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

In the future, smart home proponents envision rapid technological advancements will play a greater role in the evolution of aging in place. Andy Rittenhouse, specifications manager with Somfy Systems, a smart home solutions company, has witnessed a growing demand

for technology that enhances the comfort and well-being of aging residents in condos. There’s a strong focus on increasing accessibility but also promoting health, safety and autonomy.

“We’re seeing increased interest in a range of smart technologies: voice-activated systems, automated lighting that adjusts to individual needs, and temperature control systems designed for both ease of use and energy efficiency,” Rittenhouse says.

Other key innovations for the future of aging in place include automated shade systems that help maintain a consistent circadian rhythm. Left unbalanced, it can exacerbate conditions such as dementia.

Rittenhouse also envisions window systems that automatically adjust based on light levels, temperature, and even the time of day. These systems, integrated with voice-activated controls or smart home assistants, would make it easier for seniors to manage their environment without physical effort. Common areas could see innovations like personalized lighting systems that adjust intensity and colour temperature to suit residents’ needs, creating more inviting and healthfocused communal spaces.

While building features play a role in future adaptability, so does the surrounding neighbourhood. This includes built-in retail services and locational attributes like connectivity to everyday needs and transit systems.

“Aging in place also means remaining close to your community and family,” acknowledges Quinn Samardzic, director of sales and marketing for Mattamy Homes’ GTA Urban Division.

Condo developments can help to recreate that sense of familiarity with amenities that downsizers once enjoyed during their singlefamily home years, such as community gardens, workshop space and large dining rooms for hosting big holiday celebrations. Meanwhile, McCannell cautions against unhelpful labels.

“Older adults hate being labeled disabled,” he says. “Don’t stick a little sign on the lower mailbox saying this is only for older adults or people with disabilities. People can have multiple disabilities and be in complete denial about them. You want to make it accessible, but people will figure it out on their own.” ■

REBECCA MELNYK IS THE EDITOR OF CONDOBUSINESS.

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Construction workforce needs replenishment YEARNING FOR YOUTH

BY CHERYL MAH

Demand for skilled labour continues to be a pressing issue for a construction sector that is grappling with an aging workforce, a negative image, lack of diversity and immigration hurdles. Industry insiders accepted some of the responsibility for the skilled labour deficit during a recent online discussion, conceding that they need to do more to promote the potential for rewarding careers.

“There’s an onus on us to sell the business. Somewhere along the way, the industry forgot to sell this as a viable career path to people in primary and secondary schools,” said Myke Badry, a vice president at PCL Construction. “There is a general lack of awareness of what is a construction career.”

Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) president Jeannine Martin suggested the industry needs a rebrand.

“We need to bring sexy back to construction,” she asserted. “We need to bring attention back on the industry as a viable career. There are so many different paths — from the office to the field.”

SCHOOLS AND IMMIGRATION MUST FEED RECRUITMENT

Increasing education and funding programs in schools to raise awareness and expose young people to construction is key, according to Bill

RAISING THE BAR FOR JOB SITE BASICS

Ferreira, executive director of Buildforce Canada, a national organization that provides human resources information and training tools to the construction industry.

“Most young people have no idea how to join this industry,” he observed. “We need to do better about educating them about the pathway.”

Currently, new entrants tend to take up construction jobs because they have a personal connection to someone who is already working in the trades. Panellists called for the industry and all levels of government to collaborate on more holistic recruitment strategies.

“If we’re all doing our own things, we’re not going to win. We’re not going to get where we need to be,” maintained Barry Murphy, director of business development at EllisDon. “We have to recognize the demographic we’re targeting is very different from the demographic when I entered in the ‘90s. We can’t approach with old methods.”

With an estimated 350,000 workers needed over the next 10 years in Canada, recruiting domestically can only do so much to fill that demand. Panellists also called for changes to Canada’s immigration system to speed up the intake process and to target particular required skills.

As of October 1, 2024, flush toilets are mandatory on British Columbia construction sites with more than 25 workers. Employers must also provide handwashing facilities and ensure washrooms are well-maintained, clean, ventilated and provide privacy.

The recently enacted changes to B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation call for toilets that can be connected to a sewer system or holding tank, and use a flow of clean water or a mixture of clean water and chemicals to flush the bowl. Handwashing facilities are to provide soap and water or other methods of hand cleaning.

“We all know how unpleasant porta-potties can be, but this is actually a health and safety issue for construction workers,” said B.C.’s Labour Minister, Harry Bains, when the regulation was enacted earlier this year. “We have heard clearly from the building sector that it is an important issue for workers, and it contributes to the sector’s ability to attract and retain workers, including women.”

“This regulation addresses one of the most egregious and long-standing indignities that construction workers have had to face in their daily lives,” concurred Brynn Bourke, executive director of the B.C. Building Trades. – REMI Network

ONTARIO EMPLOYERS TO MAKE CLEAN DISCLOSURES

Employers and landlords with tenants whose workplaces are regulated under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act will soon be required to publicly report the cleaning schedule for the washrooms those workers use. The new rule is enabled through the Working For Workers Five Act — a package of amendments to provincial labour and employment laws that was adopted in late October — but the details are still to be spelled out in a regulation.

The Ontario government conducted a public consultation earlier this fall to seek comments on the scope of information to be revealed, and the potential costs and implications for washroom providers. Employers in designated sectors — including construction projects, industrial establishments, mines, health care, educational and recreational facilities and hospitality venues — will have to report how frequently staff washrooms are cleaned.

A consultation paper posted on Ontario’s regulatory registry proposed that this information could either be posted in a conspicuous place within or near the washroom facilities or in an easily accessible electronic format. Posted information would have to cite the day and time of the two most recent cleaning sessions so that washroom patrons can gauge how regularly cleaning occurs.

“The employer or constructor may need to collaborate with other parties (such as owners, landlords or building management) to ensure that records of washroom cleaning are posted,” the consultation paper acknowledged. The regulation would not apply to employers whose staff use public washrooms primarily intended for public patrons, such as hospitality employees who work in food courts, retail stores or kiosks located in shopping malls.

Respondents to the consultation were invited to estimate the potential financial impact and administrative hours needed to comply with this requirement.

The legislation makes designated employers responsible for ensuring staff washrooms are “maintained in a clean and sanitary condition” but does not impose a standard for the frequency of cleaning. However, the consultation paper solicited opinions on whether such a standard is necessary and what the appropriate frequency should be.

– REMI Network

“We’re not moving fast enough. We’re not cutting the red tape fast enough,” Martin asserted.

Current labour market information also does not take into account the additional workforce needed to deliver on key public policy priorities such as building new home construction, infrastructure and the move towards electrification. Since the early 2000s, the construction sector has experienced a significant decline in admissions of individuals with the necessary trade skills experience.

“We need to see the workforce increase dramatically,” said Ferreira. “Construction needs to get its share of landed immigrants.”

WELCOMING WORK SITES IMPERATIVE

Improving strides towards achieving diversity, equity, and inclusivity is another way to shrink the skilled labour gap. While larger companies have the ability to invest in diversity efforts, it is a challenge for smaller companies that make up the major share of the industry. Not all companies have the education, resources or funding to invest in it.

Women make up about 50% of the total available workforce, but filled just 5% of on-site construction jobs in 2023.

“As far as we’ve come, it’s not far enough,” said Martin. “Job sites are not welcoming for these groups. Behaviours have not changed enough to create a draw to make [women] want to stay in the industry. When we condone those behaviours, they continue. You have to take action when things are inconsistent with company values.”

Ferreria agreed that working conditions are less than favourable for inclusive and diverse environments in construction.

“We’re still fighting about whether we should have separate washrooms for women or not on work sites. Women are still not being provided with proper PPE (personal protective equipment). We focus on recruitment, but retention is just as critical. There is still a lot of improvement that needs to happen,” he said.

Canada also risks losing economic competitiveness and investments without an adequate workforce to deliver key projects,.

“We’re going to start losing investment to other countries. If we want to continue to remain at the forefront of investment, we need to be able to build faster,” Ferreira warned. “The industry is doing its best to implement new technologies to try to accelerate construction to overcome some of the skill labour challenge, but there’s only so much we can do.”

Badry called for stakeholder collaboration, more government action and a stronger education push to inspire the next generation. “If not, we will be living in a country in 10 years where the infrastructure won’t be keeping up with population growth,” he said. ■

MAH IS THE EDITOR OF CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.

CHERYL

Design features and visual cues attract and guide customers OPTIMIZING RETAIL APPEAL

BY ANI NERSESSIAN

The design and functionality of retail spaces must keep pace with customers’ rising expectations for more than just shopping venues. These environments now have to be brand hubs, experience centres and social spaces.

For owners, managers and store teams, the challenge lies in ensuring that these spaces maximize their commercial value while meeting the demands of modern consumers. Visual merchandising focuses on zone planning and fixture layouts to create space that is functional, navigable and visually appealing.

Zone planning refers to the thoughtful arrangement of product categories. Each zone should be intentional, ensuring a logical flow that inspires customers to explore while being easy to shop. Proper adjacencies between product categories drive engagement and enhance the shopping experience.

Fixture layout complements the zone plan to encourage natural customer flow, creating a comfortable atmosphere that invites shoppers to browse and buy. Yet, visual merchandising must also fit within existing space parameters and constraints, which influence decisions about key design elements.

The shape and dimensions of a retail space directly affect how aisles and walkways are laid out, influencing the positioning of key feature sections. Sightlines and walkways should be planned to lead customers seamlessly through the store.

Irregularly shaped spaces present both challenges and opportunities. For example, unusual offset areas can be transformed into exclusive hubs, offering privacy or a sense of novelty. However, additional visual cues are often needed — such as lighting or open sightlines — to make these spaces inviting and draw in customers.

Architectural features like alcoves, textured walls or unique finishes naturally create focal points. Visual merchandising strategies should capitalize on these features by assigning specific uses or product categories to these areas.

For example, an accent wall could become a showcase for highmargin products, turning an architectural element into a merchandising asset. Any shifts in layout, finish or linear space visually creates the start and end to a section.

Every retail space requires a balance of flexibility and structure. Launch zones or feature zones — typically located at the store’s front — highlight seasonal or promotional products. In narrow or irregular spaces, however, traffic flow and customer behaviour might dictate alternative placement. The goal is to create a natural flow that feels intentional.

Feature areas, such as windows and high-traffic zones, may need to be refreshed monthly or bi-monthly, depending on traffic and business needs. A strategic refresh helps maintain a cohesive look throughout the store.

It’s essential that staff understand each zone’s purpose and theme. Arbitrary placement of new stock arrivals can disrupt the consumer journey and lead to a disorganized shopping experience. Some other common mistakes include:

Disregarding architectural constraints

Introducing fixtures that don't align with the architecture can clutter the space and disrupt the integrity of the space, making it less appealing. Effective visual merchandising uses the architecture itself to define zones and create a flow, reducing the need for excessive signage.

Inadequate Space Allocation

Giving adequate space to stockrooms and service areas is essential. Compromising the functional needs of the store for more display space can lead to operational inefficiencies and a cluttered showroom, negatively affecting both brand image and customer experience on the retail shopping side.

Poor Lighting

Lighting is often overlooked but plays a critical role in visual merchandising. It's not just about the colour temperature but also the positioning of lights to highlight focal points. After every reset, lighting should be re-positioned, if possible, or re-evaluated to ensure that key areas are properly illuminated.

Strategic visual merchandising should begin with an understanding of the space’s structure so that architectural features, layout constraints and visual opportunities can be better leveraged to create an engaging environment. This both serves a commercial purpose and enhances shoppers’ experience. ■ ANI NERSESSIAN IS THE FOUNDER OF VM ID, A DESIGN FIRM SPECIALIZING IN VISUAL MERCHANDISING. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE WEBSITE AT WWW.VM-ID.COM.

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