Chair's Reception - October 15 - Remai Modern Museum, Riverview Room
2025 Agenda
Brad Zurevinski, President & CEO, USask Properties Investment
The Canadian economy is inarguably struggling, and it’s spread like a wildfire to all provinces. Despite slow growth and delayed projects, Saskatchewan remains resilient. This session will dive into the key economic indicators that we should be paying attention to for Canada and Saskatchewan including tariffs, employment levels, productivity, immigration, and affordability. What is the estimated impact and where are we headed over the next 12-18 months?
Saskatchewan is not only home to many agribusinesses and oil but is also sitting comfortably at one of the top global rankings in potash and uranium mining. The province's recorded the second highest GDP in Canada, at 3.4%. In this session, our panel of experts will share their market insights and lessons for potential contributors watching from the sidelines.
The session will deliberate on current and future trends for the office sector. Ever since the pandemic, employers have been reassessing their space needs. With hybrid work and in some cases, companies going fully remote, the vacancy rates are sitting above average. What is the projected timeline for this impact? Is repurposing office buildings on the radar for asset managers? Unlike in the past, is amenitization reduced to a mere buzzword and not a potential income generator? What is happening to the older B and C class buildings and their recovery timeline?
Overall, the Saskatchewan industrial market has continued to stay positive and strong. Will this trend continue for a long time? What are the vacancies and net asking rates hinting at? Which asset types are attributing to the highest demand? How does the land availability look like for new infrastructure? How is the new industrial space altering design and overall requirements?
The participants will share their perspective on the implications of social issues for new real estate projects in Saskatchewan. How can developments and redevelopments contribute to social reconciliation and prosperity? Indigenous involvement is changing the landscape, how are projects moving forward? Learn how Indigenous and other communities are collaborating with key industry players to create a better living. What is being built to mitigate or manage those issues? What are the new and emerging trends in Indigenous residential and commercial arenas?
The multi-residential sector is resilient despite the current economic conditions and increased tariff ordeal. Given the upsurge in construction costs, what are market dynamics indicating? How are the activities in the Saskatoon and Regina regions? New immigration policies have caused an incoming population to almost a standstill; the ongoing demand-supply imbalance has widened. How to efficiently manage the gap? What major regulatory challenges are developers facing, and how to overcome them? How successful is modular construction? How are amenities evolving in new rentals?
Through this discussion, the audience will understand the intricacies of terms, types, ratios and rates available for financing Saskatchewan commercial real estate. How are the current interest rates impacting real estate financing? What risks are borrowers encountering, and what is the appetite for these risks among lenders? What options are available for commercial and residential developments, and are certain asset types more impacted than others? What is the debt and financing outlook for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026?
The retail class is seeing big movements on the grocery side, where are things headed in the next 12-18 months? What to make of the vacancy rates? Which are high-traffic retail corridors and neighbourhoods; downtown vs other areas? How do Saskatoon and Regina markets compare? What needs to change for local markets to reach their ultimate potential?
As traditional real estate sectors confront new challenges, alternative asset classes have expanded and gained momentum. Alternative asset class is not just confined to student and senior housing but encompasses more establishments. With demographic changes, which asset class is most promising? How are these alternatives expected to grow and evolve, and what operational similarities and differences set them apart? Join us for a deep dive into the future of alternative real estate investments.
An insightful discussion with a cross-section of senior executives responsible for investment 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:
What are the prime opportunities and obstacles in Saskatchewan?
How to mitigate risks and leverage strengths?
What does growth in the region look like for 2026? Will growth remain strong moving forward?
How investment ready are Saskatchewan cities 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?