With an investment in two established players in the residential property management business, Canderel launches a new national service line.

Canderel is thrilled to announce an investment in Wilkar Property Management and TSE Management Services Inc., positioning the company as a key player in the Canadian residential property management business. The transaction enables Canderel to expand its real estate services to a broader client base while continuing to service and support Wilkar’s and TSE’s clients.

Canderel already has a strong presence in the commercial property management industry with over 24M sf of managed space across the country. Now, the company is combining its expertise in the property management and residential development business with the capability to manage residential properties over the long term. The portfolio managed by the partnership already execeeds 17 000 units across Ontario and Quebec and is expected to grow in scale and geographic scope. Wilkar and TSE provide management services to both condominium associations and apartment building owners while also providing a variety of occupant offerings.

“This is a much anticipated expansion for our business.” said Brett Miller, Canderel CEO  “By welcoming Wilkar and TSE to the Canderel family, we further enhance our capabilities as a service provider to third-party capital and owners of properties to help manage, invest in and develop their properties.”

With the partnership in place, Michael Wilk, Malcolm Marcus and Martin Janks will bring years of experience and leadership to Canderel’s national residential property management service line. The company is set to onboard 79 employees effective immediately.

Cominar board unanimously recommends approval of sale to Québec-led consortium

Canderel Real Estate Property Inc. (“Canderel“), a privately held, Québec–based owner, manager and developer of real estate, announced that Iris Acquisition II LP (the “Purchaser“), a Québec-headquartered entity created by a Canderel-led consortium (the “Canderel Consortium“), has entered into an arrangement agreement (the “Arrangement Agreement“) with Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust (“Cominar“), pursuant to which the Purchaser will acquire Cominar, with unitholders (other than members of the consortium) receiving a consideration (the “Consideration“) of $11.75 in cash per unit (the “Transaction“). The Transaction is subject to receipt of Cominar unitholder and court approvals, required regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.

The Purchaser has entered into agreements to sell Cominar’s industrial portfolio to Blackstone and a portfolio comprised of certain of Cominar’s retail and office assets to Groupe Mach. The remaining assets that the Canderel Consortium will retain include retail and office properties, and development opportunities in Montreal, Ottawa and Québec City.

“This transaction will provide significant benefits to key stakeholders, including tenants of Cominar, by leveraging the resources of the Canderel platform and a Québec-led group of investors with a long-term perspective to unlock opportunities for growth and development in the communities where Cominar operates,” said Brett Miller, CEO of Canderel.

The Canderel Consortium also includes FrontFour Capital Group LLC (“FrontFour“), Artis Real Estate Investment Trust (“Artis“) and partnerships managed by the Sandpiper Group (“Sandpiper“). In addition, Koch Real Estate Investments, LLC (“KREI“), Artis and Sandpiper are providing preferred equity for the Transaction.

Cominar’s portfolio consists of 310 high-quality office, retail and industrial properties, totalling 35.7 million square feet, located in the Montreal, Québec City and Ottawa areas.

The aggregate Consideration to be paid implies an equity value and enterprise value for Cominar of approximately $2.2 billion and $5.7 billion, respectively, and represents a 16.3% premium to the 20-day volume-weighted average price per unit on the Toronto Stock Exchange for the period ending on October 22, 2021, and a 63.2% premium to the $7.20 closing unit price on September 15, 2020, the last trading day prior to the announcement of Cominar’s strategic review process.

An independently led formal strategic review process at Cominar

Following an extensive formal strategic review process overseen by a special committee of its independent trustees with the input of financial and legal advisors, the Cominar Board of Trustees (with certain Trustees recusing themselves due to a conflict and potential conflict) unanimously determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Cominar and has recommended that the Arrangement Agreement be approved by unitholders of Cominar at a special meeting to be called for such purpose and expected to be held on or about December 21, 2021.

This recommendation is based upon several factors, including two independent fairness opinions stating that the Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to unitholders, as well as a formal valuation from an independent financial advisor.

“Following the extensive Strategic Review Process and based on the recommendation of the independent Trustees of the Board, we are pleased to have reached an outcome that provides immediate value to our unitholders,” said Sylvain Cossette, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cominar. “Through this rigorous review process, we are confident that Canderel and their partners are well positioned to continue investing in key assets over the long-term, while also serving our valued tenants and communities.”

A long-term investment perspective

“Other than certain non-strategic assets that may be sold, our investor consortium is taking a long-term view in acquiring the Cominar portfolio and expects to leverage the complementary development, operating and asset management expertise of our respective organizations to enhance the value of, and re-develop, these high-quality holdings, as we deploy additional capital into the Montreal, Québec City and Ottawa markets, where Cominar’s portfolio properties are located,” stated Mr. Miller.

The Canderel Consortium expects the Transaction to have a minimal impact on jobs, with the majority of Cominar employees continuing in the same functions and managing the same properties. Over time, the Canderel Consortium anticipates the creation of additional employment opportunities.

ABOUT CANDEREL

Canderel is one of Canada’s largest privately held real estate companies. It was founded over 46 years ago by Jonathan Wener and has since grown from its base in Montreal to seven offices across Canada. Canderel owns and manages a real estate portfolio of more than 27 million square feet in Canada’s seven major markets – Québec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Its 650 real estate professionals have executed more than $15 billion in acquisitions, developments and management projects.

For more information about Canderel, please visit www.canderel.com.

ABOUT FRONTFOUR

FrontFour is a multi-strategy investment company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. FrontFour has a focus on value-oriented investments across both public and private markets with significant experience within the broader real estate sectors, including an accomplished track record in the Canadian market.

ABOUT ARTIS 

Artis is a diversified Canadian real estate investment trust with a portfolio of industrial, office and retail properties in Canada and the United States. Artis’ vision is to build a best-in-class asset management and investment platform focused on growing net asset value per unit and distributions for investors through value investing in real estate.

For more information about Artis, please visit www.artisreit.com.

ABOUT SANDPIPER

Sandpiper is a Vancouver-based private equity firm focused on investing in real estate through direct property investments and securities. For more information about Sandpiper, visit www.sandpipergroup.ca.

ABOUT KREI

KREI is part of Koch Industries, one of the largest privately held businesses in the United States. KREI focuses its efforts on attractive risk-adjusted capital deployment into real estate assets and operating companies. KREI has an acute focus on best-in-class management teams and flexible capital solutions which align interests to drive mutual benefit with its partners. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested nearly US$133 billion in growth and improvements. With a presence in more than 70 countries, Koch companies employ 122,000 people worldwide. From January 2009 to present, Koch companies have earned more than 1,300 awards for safety, environmental excellence, community stewardship, innovation, and customer service.

ABOUT COMINAR

Cominar is one of the largest diversified real estate investment trusts in Canada and is the largest commercial property owner in the Province of Québec. Cominar’s portfolio consists of 310 high-quality office, retail and industrial properties, totalling 35.7 million square feet located in the Montreal, Québec City and Ottawa areas. Cominar’s primary objective is to maximize total return to unitholders by way of tax-efficient distributions and maximizing the unit value through the proactive management of its portfolio.  For additional information about Cominar, please visit www.cominar.com.

iA Financial Group (iA) and Canderel announce today the signing of an agreement in the real estate investment sector

The agreement confirms that Canderel has been selected as iA Financial Group’s strategic partner and as such will be responsible for the operational management (operations and leasing) and maintenance of iA’s real estate assets in Québec. The agreement covers the operations of 16 properties– five in Montréal and 11 in Québec City, and will take effect January 1, 2022.

“This partnership aligns with our strategic plan to focus our real estate business on active management of our investments and value creation,” said Alain Bergeron, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, iA Financial Group. “We chose Canderel because we share the same vision for real estate asset performance and we both value the importance of our employees, their expertise and their career development opportunities.”

“We are delighted to welcome the talented real estate team from iA Financial Group to the Canderel family,” said Brett Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Canderel. “With the support of these dedicated and experienced employees working out of offices in Québec City and Montréal, we will be able to continue to provide a high level of service to our tenants and partners, while sustaining iA Financial Group’s long-term investment strategy.” He continued: “This property management alliance will enable our partner to confidently focus on its investment activities, knowing that its property assets will be managed with care.”

Founded in Montréal more than 45 years ago, Canderel is one of the country’s leading real estate companies. The firm, which will soon have close to 700 employees from coast to coast, has developed a comprehensive expertise and unique positioning in value creation, performance optimization and improving return on investment.

The agreement between iA Financial Group and Canderel includes a transition period during which approximately 90 employees who manage real estate assets will remain with iA Financial Group and transfer to their new employer on January 1, 2022. These employees will then work out of Canderel’s new Québec City office and existing Montréal office. During and after this transition, iA Financial Group will maintain the same high level of service to its partners and tenants.

Appointment of Claude Sirois

iA Financial Group also announces the appointment of Claude Sirois as Senior Vice-President, Real Estate Investments and Commercial Mortgages. Reporting to Alain Bergeron, iA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Mr. Sirois will assume responsibility for IA’s real estate holdings, which will now include investments and asset management as well as the commercial mortgages group. He will play a key role in the transition and in the management of the new business relationship with Canderel.

“I am delighted that Claude has agreed to join our team. His extensive track record and in-depth knowledge of the market, combined with his exceptional leadership skills, make him an unbeatable choice,” Mr. Bergeron noted. “Together, we will be able to enhance the performance of our real estate assets and accelerate the pace of our strategic growth in the sector.”

iA Financial Group Real Estate portfolio in Quebec

In the News

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Master-planned block to include new public park and daycare

Building off the momentum of Canderel’s St.Clair Village, currently under construction at 900 St. Clair West, Canderel is pleased to announce the purchase of 490 St. Clair Avenue West, a 1.91 acre site located at the northeast intersection of St. Clair Avenue West and Bathurst Street in mid-town Toronto. Development plans include three residential towers, retail at-grade, a new public park and a daycare.

490 St. Clair West is a transit-oriented location adjacent to a major Loblaw’s supermarket and St. Clair West Subway, connecting commuters to the Financial District in less than 12 minutes. With an east-west dedicated streetcar route right outside its door, it is also a gateway intersection to many of Toronto’s most coveted ravine trails and neighbourhoods, such as Forest Hill, Cedarvale, and Wychwood. Locally run businesses on St. Clair West, including retail, restaurants and cafés, are also within walking distance.

“The acquisition of 490 St. Clair West is a fantastic opportunity to revitalize a prominent corner that has been vacant for many years,” says Ben Rogowski, COO, Canderel. “We are excited about the potential of this site because we will be able to build a complete community in a part of the city we are already working in and know quite well. With increasing demand for public outdoor spaces and childcare, we look forward to working with the city and agency partners to create amenities that support the evolving needs of this neighbourhood.”

In addition to Canderel’s hyperlocal awareness of community needs, they bring proven expertise with multi-phased mixed-use projects in tight urban pockets. This includes DNA on King West, award-winning Residences of College Park at Bay and College, which includes a 1.9-acre park, and the master planned Tour des Canadiens in downtown Montreal.

“The look and feel of the retail and public spaces, and how they are integrated into the urban fabric is going to be a very exciting improvement to this vital intersection. Our vision for this site is that it becomes a new community hub, serving the needs of the communities that live in and around St. Clair West,” says Rogowski.

With the site already zoned, Canderel will be working on updated designs for the residential buildings and retail in the coming months. KingSett Canadian Real Estate Income Fund LP will be contributing a portion of the debt financing to the project continuing its long standing relationship with Canderel, bringing some of Toronto’s most exciting projects to life.

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