Craig Hippern: Adapting to tariffs and transforming real estate with AI

At Land & Development 2025 we spoke to Craig Hipper, President and CFO, Mantella Corporation for an insightful discussion on how US tariff policies are reshaping material costs and global development, with a special focus on the Canadian market.

Here are some of his key takeaways:

• Tariff impact is balanced: While US tariffs have increased material costs by 2-5%, this has been offset by decreasing labour costs, resulting in minimal net change across asset classes. Companies are adapting through contingency budgets, material substitutions, and stockpiling.

• Industry slowdown response: Developers are countering the market slowdown with creative revenue incentives, innovative equipment procurement approaches, and more flexible financing options from banks and private equity lenders.

• Labour market concerns: The current slowdown is masking a potential skilled labour shortage as baby boomers retire. The industry is focusing on education programs and immigration policy adjustments to ensure adequate skilled labour availability when the market recovers.

Watch the full interview to gain all of Craig's insights into navigating tariffs in the real estate industry.