Regulations
Ontario awaits patchy debut of discount power
Most condominium corporations and rental housing landlords will need to make capital investments in energy storage to realize the benefits of Ontario's ultra-low overnight electricity rate.
Cooling deemed key amenity for Ontario renters
Conceptually, the proposed rules establish air conditioning as a protected option that tenants cannot be prevented from obtaining rather than an essential that landlords would be compelled to supply.
REITs unexpectedly tapped for new tax measure
Advocates for the Canadian commercial real estate industry are asking the federal finance department to clarify why real estate investment trusts have been included in a pending new tax measure.
Inadvertent blocks on commercial deals lifted
Regulatory amendments to Canada’s Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act address inadvertent impacts on commercial transactions and property development.
CRE awaits spinoffs of new provincial spending
Quebec and Ontario have announced investment incentives that could have implications for land deals and/or technologies and products that commercial real estate uses.
Canadian buildings scrutinized in OECD review
As part of a biennial review and benchmarking of Canada’s economic performance, a new OECD report looks at progress toward the interim 2030 target and 2050 goal for net-zero carbon emissions.
Dim future for fluorescents and metal halides
Fluorescents and metal halides will be further marginalized in the lighting market with pending amendments to Canada’s regulations governing products containing mercury.
Accessible public bathrooms show bad form
Low-cost investments and practical adjustments to the configuration of fixtures could improve safety, convenience and assurance for people with disabilities.
New oversight regime set for Ontario elevators
A new oversight regime for Ontario’s elevators and escalators will come into force on March 1, bringing shorter timelines for rectifying an extensive list of designated high-risk deficiencies.
CDM program hiccups logged in Ontario review
The COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions are frequently cited, but not the only reasons for uneven uptake of Ontario’s energy retrofit and performance incentives over the past two years.
B.C. ponders commercial space for cannabis use
Newly released findings from British Columbia’s public consultation on cannabis lounges unsurprisingly confirm that recreational cannabis users are most likely to find the concept appealing.
Ottawa commercial landlords bid welcome
Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, confirms that public service employees will be expected to spend 40 to 60 per cent of their working hours in a formal office setting.
Market transformation beckons greenwashing
Greenwashing is tapping into a demonstrated consumer preference for products and services with low-carbon credentials and growing interest in ESG accountability.
CRE strategizes to meet 2030 commitments
Among its many challenges, the race to meet 2030 commitments for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction could have some public relations complications.
Infrastructure investment a go-to in downturn
For public partners, P3s are a means to transfer risk. For the private sector, infrastructure’s recession-proof profile dovetails with expectations for a prolonged building spree.
Ontario boosts energy efficiency spending
The Ontario government has pledged $342 million in additional energy efficiency spending to be rolled out between the spring of 2023 and the end of 2024.
Fossil-fuel-fired power plants placed on notice
Utilities and other entities selling power into public transmission and distribution networks have about 12 years to cut the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their production processes down to near-zero levels.