AGP Executive Report

Community Solar in Nova Scotia: PowerBank signed the interconnection and operating agreement for its 3.15 MW Petpeswick ground-mounted community solar project in Halifax, clearing the way for environmental permitting and targeting ground prep in fall 2026. Housing Policy Update: Huntsville, Ont. approved changes to height and density rules, allowing up to five storeys in suitable areas while protecting 23 key views. B.C. Tunnel Procurement: The province cancelled its George Massey Tunnel replacement contract with the Cross Fraser Partnership and plans to re-tender in smaller packages, aiming to keep the 2030 opening target. Market Pulse (CREA): May home sales fell 5.1% year over year, but CREA says there’s “meaningful positive momentum” versus April and prices are stabilizing. Student Housing Workaround: Georgian College partnered with Sparrow to make off-campus homeshare easier for Barrie students ahead of fall 2026. Industrial Real Estate: Oxford Properties leased out all 1.55 million sq. ft. at James Snow Business Park in Milton, including a record 1.09 million sq. ft. deal with ID Logistics Canada. Ontario Insurance Costs: Rates.ca reports Ontario home insurance premiums rose 6.2% year over year, driven by system backup and wind/hail.

Major Infrastructure Procurement: B.C. is terminating its design-build deal for the George Massey Tunnel replacement and will retender the remaining work, citing an inability to agree on commercial terms; the province says the $4.15B project is still on track and plans to split the job into packages to boost competition and more local contracting. Housing & Community Builds: Ontario is funding a new $34.3M French-Catholic K-12 school in Winchester, Ont., to expand access to French-language education. Transit & Water Systems: Calgary says the Bearspaw South Feeder Main replacement is on schedule, with the $439M project fast-tracked after major breaks and staged construction underway. Rent Pressure Watch: CMHC data shows Halifax remains tough for renters, with low vacancy (2.7%) and faster rent growth, especially for two-bed units. Data Centres & Urban Impact: Vancouver-area reporting highlights ongoing debate around incoming large data centres, including environmental and noise concerns. Affordable Housing for Safety: Winnipeg’s transitional housing for women fleeing violence is at capacity, with a second facility expected to open soon.

Montreal Airport Expansion: The new MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport terminal in Saint-Hubert officially opened for commercial flights, adding capacity for the Greater Montreal area. Housing & Policy: ACORN says “secret” National Housing Strategy consultations exclude renters, pushing for tenant input as Ottawa moves on modern treaty implementation legislation. Construction & Labour: CMHC reported May housing starts were nearly flat (+0.5% to 258,010), while B.C. backed a $2M-plus training push tied to highway twinning jobs. Energy & Power Supply: B.C. is weighing whether natural gas peaker plants should stay online as LNG developments affect fuel supply. Legal Fight Over Pre-Sales: A B.C. Supreme Court hearing will test whether insolvent condo pre-sale contracts can be enforced, setting up a major consumer-versus-creditor showdown. Commercial Real Estate Finance: RBC secured a net-zero-by-2040 lease commitment for Royal Bank Plaza, while CT REIT and Allied Properties REIT declared monthly distributions. Infrastructure Contracts: B.C. awarded a $74.2M rail overpass replacement near Langley as part of Highway 1 corridor upgrades. Data Centres Pressure: Saskatoon is weighing AI data-centre demand, with critics warning about power and water strain.

Major Rental Launch (Kamloops): Cedar Coast’s Amadeus, a 98-unit six-storey rental at 156 Tranquille Rd, has completed construction and is expected to start occupancy within two months, with rents reported from $1,275 to $2,750 and a mix of studios, one- and two-bedrooms. Federal Infrastructure Push: Ottawa is earmarking $1 billion for community infrastructure through a new Local Impact Stream under the Build Communities Strong Fund, with regional agencies administering projects like recreation, cultural spaces, and climate-adaptation upgrades. Planning & Housing Pipeline (Orillia): Orillia council will receive a second draft Official Plan (2026–2051) and align it with transportation, climate, and affordable housing strategies ahead of a fall adoption vote. Rural PR Demand (B.C. focus): The Rural Community Immigration Pilot is seeing far more applications than available spots, with one B.C. region reporting 90 PR approvals out of 340 recommendations last year and targeting trades and health roles. Data Centre Power Reality (U.S.-Ohio, Canada-relevant): A report says OpenAI is in advanced talks to lease a massive 10-gigawatt data centre campus on federal land in Ohio, underscoring the growing power and infrastructure strain tied to AI builds. Labour & Services (Metro Vancouver): A strike involving 700+ Metro Vancouver workers has moved to picket lines, raising near-term questions for water, wastewater, and related regional services.

Rural Immigration for Housing Supply: Canada’s Rural Community Immigration Pilot is drawing huge interest, with 800 people getting permanent residency in the first two months of 2026 and “hundreds” more applications pouring in, but limited spots are forcing communities like North Okanagan Shuswap to be selective about priority trades and professions—an angle that matters for labour shortages that can slow homebuilding. Skilled Trades Pipeline: In Sault Ste. Marie, teachers at White Pines Collegiate are pushing students toward trades and tech, citing retirements and near-100% job placement pathways for welding and related programs—supporting the workforce behind construction and renovations. Rent Cooling Watch: Rentals.ca reports national asking rents down 4.7% year over year, with record supply and weaker demand as population growth slows—potentially easing pressure in some markets even as conditions vary by region. Community Infrastructure & Growth: Niagara College is expanding its Applied Health Institute in Welland to train more health-care workers, while Saskatchewan opened a new $3.1M Moosomin truck rest area—both signals of ongoing investment in services and regional capacity. Data Centre Debate (Olds): A letter to council argues a proposed large data centre near Olds could bring noise, emissions concerns, construction disruption, and possible property-value impacts, reflecting how major infrastructure projects are colliding with local real estate interests. Housing Costs Pressure (Nova Scotia): An Ontario family says moving to Nova Scotia didn’t deliver cheaper living, with rent more than doubling and household debt rising—another reminder that affordability stress is still hitting renters and buyers.

Data Centres & AI Infrastructure: Canada’s data-centre boom keeps getting louder, with a report claiming OpenAI is in advanced talks to lease a massive 10-gigawatt campus on U.S. federal land—highlighting how power, water, and grid upgrades are becoming the real bottlenecks. Market & Investment Angle: On the TSX, investors are weighing plays tied to the buildout, with coverage pointing to TELUS and Granite REIT as two very different ways to ride the trend. Housing Pressure in Practice: In Victoria, B.C. Supreme Court upheld the city’s authority to restrict overnight camping in parks—another reminder that homelessness policy is often fought at the municipal level. Affordability & Support Gaps: In Collingwood, residents facing eviction and “falling through the cracks” are spotlighting how quickly housing stress can turn into homelessness. Metro Vancouver Water Rules: Metro Vancouver says residents hit water-use targets under current restrictions, but officials are urging extra outdoor conservation as heat rises. Forced Labour Imports: Canada introduced legislation (Bill C-35) to strengthen the ban on goods made with forced labour, adding supply-chain tracing and tougher enforcement.

Housing & affordability: Canada’s new $3.2B food security strategy aims to cut grocery costs by expanding food terminals and hubs, boosting domestic processing, and funding Competition Bureau enforcement against anticompetitive grocery behaviour. Cost pressure: A United Way Centraide Canada poll finds financial anxiety is worsening fast—60% of Canadians are anxious about personal finances, with many struggling to cover basic expenses without debt. Supportive housing: Waterloo region is adding 10 supportive units for older adults facing housing insecurity, highlighting how seniors’ costs and health needs are colliding. Urban planning & land use: Winnipeg is being urged to protect community gardens and urban farms longer via longer leases, a “no-loss” replacement approach, and temporary mobile garden options. Construction & infrastructure: Halifax marked the keel-laying for the first River-class destroyer, a major step in the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Real estate-adjacent policy: Vancouver residents say the World Cup has brought a supercharged policing push, while local businesses and neighbourhoods brace for disruptions.

Housing & Wealth: StatsCan says Canadian household net worth rose 1.3% in Q1 2026 to $18.6T, with residential real estate values helping lift non-financial assets—though mortgage and non-mortgage debt also edged up. Construction & Infrastructure Skills: Ontario’s Kenora to Manitoba Highway 17 twinning project is getting nearly $2M to train 100 Indigenous participants for construction and trades tied to the highway work. Metro Vancouver Water Services: Unionized outside workers at the GVRD begin full-scale strike action Monday, affecting drinking water, wastewater, air quality and parks across 20+ municipalities. Transit Costs: Saskatoon reports fare evasion is climbing, costing about $394,596 in 2025 alone, as safety limits enforcement by drivers. Pipeline Watch: Trans Mountain hit full capacity (890,000 bpd) sooner than expected, renewing debate over whether more pipeline capacity is needed for growing overseas demand. Local Development Pipeline: Vancouver’s Broadway plan shows 166 active projects, with most focused on rental housing and thousands of below-market units in the works.

Cross-Border Infrastructure: The Gordie Howe International Bridge opening has been delayed again as Canada and the U.S. agree to pause for “outstanding issues,” keeping Windsor-Essex businesses in limbo. Office Market Watch: Google’s Toronto HQ at 65 King St. E. has been listed for sale, with the 18-storey building fully leased to the tech giant since 2021. Project Pipeline & Financing: A Land & Development conference heard that projects move when developers can “de-risk” opportunities, while banks still prefer lending to proven players and established teams. Household Wealth & Housing: Statistics Canada says Canadian household net worth rose 1.3% in Q1 2026, with residential real estate helping drive the gain. Legal & Privacy: A constitutional challenge has been filed over mandatory disclosure questions in the 2026 census, arguing some items go beyond what’s needed and may breach privacy rights. Local Governance: Cornwall has shuffled senior management, with three managers leaving and two general managers placed on leave as it restructures to improve service capacity. Community Funding: Southern Ontario’s Build Communities Strong Fund is now open for applications for local infrastructure projects, including housing-adjacent community needs.

Cross-Border Infrastructure: The Gordie Howe International Bridge opening between Windsor and Detroit has been delayed again as Canada and the U.S. say they need time to resolve “outstanding issues,” with no details on what’s holding things up. Resort Development in Alberta: Alberta has approved Fortress Mountain Resort’s master plan in Kananaskis, but only after more work on water supply, wildlife impacts, emergency response, and Indigenous consultation. Ontario Place Contract: Ontario awarded a $198M deal to Pomerleau to design and build a 3,500-spot parking garage at Ontario Place, with costs and scope still under public scrutiny. B.C. Housing Market: B.C. home sales in May were sluggish—down about 2% year over year—with rising mortgage rates and a weaker labour market blamed for the slowdown. Food Costs Policy: Prime Minister Mark Carney launched Canada’s first National Food Security Strategy, backed by $3B+ over 10 years, aiming to boost grocery competition and build new food infrastructure. Local Business Pressure (Edmonton): Edmonton businesses say construction and traffic losses are hurting day-to-day operations, pushing calls for a more business-friendly economic plan. Construction Delays (Spruce Grove): The long-delayed Energy City Metro Ballpark still isn’t ready, with residents frustrated after years of setbacks. Tech + Real Estate Angle: Canada’s new “AI for All” strategy is drawing backlash online, as it targets faster AI adoption and major job growth—raising questions about how it will affect local economies and development.

Cross-Border Infrastructure: The Gordie Howe International Bridge opening between Windsor and Detroit has been delayed again, with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority saying Canada and the U.S. agreed to pause to resolve “outstanding issues,” pushing back a planned ribbon-cutting and adding uncertainty for a major trade corridor. Housing & Cost Pressures: Mark Carney’s government is set to release a new food security strategy as grocery rebates offer short-term relief but don’t fix affordability pressures tied to competition and food-price drivers. Ontario Politics: Angus Reid polling shows Doug Ford’s approval hit its lowest since taking office, with backlash over the government jet purchase cited as a key factor. Real Estate Finance: BTB Real Estate Investment Trust announced its June 2026 monthly distribution of $0.025 per unit (paid July 15). Business & Development: Abitibi Metals moves to 100% ownership of Quebec’s B26 polymetallic deposit, a step that could support future development in the Selbaie mining camp.

Housing & legal risk: Milton homebuyers are being urged to slow down and tighten contract checks as the market cools, with homes taking roughly 27–39 days to sell and prices hovering around $900K–$1M. Municipal finance: Ottawa city council approved a long-range financial plan to plug a multi-million-dollar infrastructure funding gap. Transit & urban buildout: Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas floated pausing the downtown Green Line push to extend further south first, while Edmonton moved Valley Line LRT operations to ETS ahead of schedule. Construction timelines: B.C. issued a $74.2M contract to replace a Highway 1 rail overpass in Langley, with work starting this summer. Rent trends: StatCan data shows average asking rents falling in many major cities, but Greater Sudbury bucked the trend. Cross-border infrastructure: Prime Minister Mark Carney said the Gordie Howe Bridge opening could slip, but “no big drama,” as officials line up customs readiness. Environmental monitoring gap: A B.C. study found millions of amphibians and reptiles are relocated for development, yet survival tracking is not required. Policy cost pressure: B.C.’s PST expansion to professional services is set to raise costs for new homes and infrastructure starting Oct. 1.

Housing affordability & rents: StatCan’s latest Quarterly Rent Statistics show asking rents easing in many Canadian metros, with the biggest two-bedroom drop in Kingston, Ont. (down 5.9% to $1,920), plus declines in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Ottawa–Gatineau. Municipal housing finance: Simcoe County is considering cutting residential development charges by up to 50% to qualify for a federal-provincial infrastructure grant, but warns funding isn’t guaranteed and the municipality must cover revenue losses. Short-term rentals: Banff is weighing higher business licence fees for B&B operators, aiming to better separate homes used for visitors from resident-only properties. Homelessness tracking: Hastings County reports total homelessness fell 2.25% while chronic homelessness rose 6.18%, with 33 people moving into housing and 28 newly losing touch. Major infrastructure: Prime Minister Mark Carney says the Gordie Howe International Bridge will open “by the end of the week” despite Trump-era objections. Bank of Canada: BoC held the overnight rate at 2.25%, stressing it won’t let higher energy prices become persistent inflation.

Transit & Planning: Calgary councillors are weighing alternate alignment options for the Green Line LRT downtown as a committee endorsed a new look at routing through the core, with stakeholder concerns to be addressed by September. Public Transit Ops: Edmonton is shifting Valley Line LRT operations from TransEd to the Edmonton Transit Service, cutting the private contract short by more than two decades and aiming for lower costs. Luxury Housing & Demand: Edmonton’s “The Clifton” condo project is moving ahead with 12 floors and 18 high-end units priced from about $2.7M to $9.5M, pitching river-valley views and a walkable location. Heritage Restoration: Prince Albert’s Killarney Kastle (585 19th St E) has been sold after a 2023 electrical fire, and new owners plan major restoration work. Infrastructure & Risk Reduction: B.C. is backing flood-protection projects in Vernon, Lumby and Penticton, including creek works and setback dikes. Homelessness & Housing Pressure: World Cup host cities in Canada and the U.S. are using tournament attention to push housing-first approaches for homelessness, though coverage suggests many still rely on existing programs. Finance Stress: A GTA survey finds 44% of residents say financial stress disrupts sleep, with 42% reporting food insecurity. Cross-Border Infrastructure: Prime Minister Mark Carney says the Gordie Howe Bridge is expected to open by the end of the week despite U.S. Trump-era threats. Local Construction Contracting: Weyburn, Sask., awarded a $4.78M landfill expansion contract amid uncertainty over federal-provincial funding.

Rental Market Watch: CMHC says rents are easing in major Canadian cities as new completions rise and population growth slows, but the relief is uneven—vacancies are concentrated in newer, higher-priced units while lower-rent segments stay tight. Housing Politics: Ontario housing advocate Eric Lombardi has entered the Liberal leadership race, pitching economic growth to fund education and health care. Infrastructure & Cross-Border Trade: Prime Minister Mark Carney says the Gordie Howe International Bridge will open “at the end of the week,” despite earlier U.S. threats—framed as a boost for commerce and Canada-U.S. ties. Local Development: A veterans’ commemorative crosswalk is proposed near Simcoe’s Carillon Tower, with an estimated $10,000 cost and county staff support sought. Tech for Real Estate Data: TRREB welcomed Canada’s new “AI for All” strategy, stressing the need for trusted, secure real estate data as AI tools spread. Climate & Municipal Action: Edmonton-area mayors and councillors met to push Prime Minister Mark Carney toward “nation building, not nation-burning” climate projects.

Rent Watch (BC): Rentals.ca says B.C. average asking rents fell 5.7% year over year, with Vancouver down for 30 straight months and roughly 20% below its Sept. 2023 peak—an affordability streak that’s outpacing the national decline. Housing Policy (Ontario): Cambridge is reviewing Ontario’s Development Charge Reduction Program after materials suggested development charges can add over $90,000 to home prices in some projects, as the province pushes municipalities to cut charges to lower build costs. Infrastructure & Growth (Ontario): North Dundas opened Wellfield #8, adding 20 litres per second of water capacity with $3.5M in Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program funding—aimed at future commercial and residential development. AI Data Centres (Alberta): A proposed Wonder Valley AI data centre near Grande Prairie is drawing heat concerns, with a commissioned physicist warning it could become a massive heat source and questioning how it’s being assessed. Planning & Development (Hamilton): A Hamilton AI data centre proposal is said to be unaffected by a recent planning tribunal decision, with DRAC outlining plans for a national AI compute facility on industrial land. Cross-Border Build (Ontario/US): The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to open to traffic June 15, with a ribbon-cutting planned Friday and testing of customs and systems nearing completion.