2025 AgendaTuesday, 27 May 2025 - MST/MDT (Mountain Daylight, GMT-6)

Sponsor: Equitable Bank

What are the economic and demographic factors influencing the real estate market? With the upcoming national elections, how is the economy expected to perform for the remainder of the year and thereon? What is the anticipated level of turbulence? This session will dive into the key economic indicators that we should be paying attention to, including inflation, employment levels, productivity, immigration trends, and affordability. Furthermore, it is imperative to talk about monetary policies and their effect on interest rates to better predict where the markets are leading. What can be defined as the key economic stabilizers? What is the expected direction for cap rates in the next twelve months?

Edmonton is experiencing renewed growth; how do Edmonton and Alberta stand compared to high-cost markets and what are the key drivers to the region's success? How are the strategic hubs in logistics, oil and gas doing? With political administration changes on both sides of the border, what trade and real estate redesigns are forecasted? In addition to oil and gas, this panel will also explore the variety of facets that are also playing an increasingly more important role in the success from AI and technology, food and agriculture, global logistics, life sciences and post-secondary institutions.

Sponsor: Pinchin Ltd.

In this session, key industry experts will share who has been buying and selling this season and present a recap of the transactional activities in 2024. A thorough analysis of the market climate in the Greater Edmonton region; what is the impact of 70 cent dollar? How will it impact the future investment activities in the area? What do the recent developments hint at?

Expanding population and surging demand have fueled a boom in the multi-residential sector in Edmonton. Multi-residential is a big-ticket item for the government, discover how much groundwork is being done to streamline it? How is the multi-family and purpose-built sector performing in Edmonton? Where are the rental rates heading? What strategies are being employed for new developments and investments? What are the key amenitization trends and buyer preferences? How will the CMHC financing updates impact the multi-residential investment, lending and development activities?

2024 ended with a positive momentum for the Edmonton industrial real estate space. Data centres and warehouse are leading the sector and cold storages saw an upward trend. Get valuable insights from our panel of speakers who will deliberate on whether we have the powerful infrastructure that is required for industrial occupiers. How are submarkets like Acheson and Nisku performing amid current absorption and rental rates? Is there specific property type that is more desirable compared to the others?

Sponsor: City of St. Albert

As one of Canada’s key provincial capitals, Edmonton has been experiencing significant transformations. The discussion will focus on development and redevelopment activities in the Greater Edmonton area, rising construction costs, sustainability and affiliated trends seen in the initial months of the year. What relief measures are developers hoping for? Get insights on the activity incline and prominent case studies that narrate a success story.

This session will explore the plans for the growth and development of downtown Edmonton, with a special focus on the transformative ICE District. Join us for an insightful discussion about the future of the area, addressing key concerns like safety and security for downtown businesses. What are the driving forces behind this transformation? We'll dive into the city's vision for creating a more accessible and secure downtown for residents, businesses, and consumers alike. Additionally, we'll discuss how initiatives like parking crackdowns could contribute to enhancing the overall downtown experience.

Following the national pursuit, higher vacancies and low investment cycles have forced building owners and managers to experiment and implement different resorts for their underperforming assets. A current report states better quality assets are performing fairly while vacancy remains stable for such building class. How is the current performance indicative of the future? Are class A buildings leading? Do older B and C class buildings need more time to recover? What is viable in Edmonton, and what other uses could the buildings be repurposed to?

This discussion will examine what is available for Edmonton markets vis-à-vis private and public debt and equity. Get insights from prime lenders on the emerging trends, challenges and opportunities currently. What changes have lenders experienced over the past two quarters in response to the Bank of Canada’s evolving interest rate policies? What assets are on the top of their considerations? What to make of the CMHC funding update? What financing options are available for projects focused on ESG?

Sponsor: Laurentian Bank

The retail sector has bounced back; after months of slow transaction cycles, the retail sector looks promising again. Ever since the pandemic, retail industry was trailing, however, 2024 saw a crucial turning point resulting in decreasing vacancies and augmenting activities. The session will focus on key areas such as high-traffic retail corridors and emerging neighborhoods. Additionally, the panel will delve into the future of retail real estate in Edmonton, highlighting how retail properties are evolving to meet the changing demands of both businesses and shoppers.

An educational discussion with a cross-section of senior executives responsible for decision making. The participants will share their vision for the future of the region and the strategies to attain the goals in the next 12-18 months:

Questions will focus on the following points:

• What are the key opportunities and obstacles in the Alberta and Edmonton markets?

• What does growth in the region look like for 2025? Are we going to maintain a strong upward trajectory, or will the pace be more moderate moving forward?

• How investment ready is Edmonton and what is required to keep up with the influx of people moving to the region?

• What are the top investment opportunities, and what does the future hold for the market?

• What is the role of ESG efforts in emerging markets, and how effective is the ESG approach for businesses?

• How do the economic fundamentals of the region position Edmonton relative to other key markets within Canada and globally?

Sponsor: CMLS