Welcome to the CRE podcast, 100% Canadian, 100% commercial real estate. Canada’s commercial real estate market is navigating a period of uncertainty shaped by political shifts, evolving office leasing trends, AI adoption, and higher borrowing costs. But where are the opportunities emerging, and what should investors watch next?
In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Podcast, powered by First National, hosts Aaron Cameron and Adam Powadiuk sit down with returning guest Adam Jacobs, Head of National Research at Colliers, to examine the forces reshaping Canadian commercial real estate. They explore election results and infrastructure spending, the growing challenges facing data center development, and the real impact of AI on employment and office demand.
The conversation also examines Toronto office leasing trends, the flight to quality in AAA buildings, return-to-office policies, and the implications of higher-for-longer interest rates for financing and development.
What You Will Learn:
- Why housing affordability has slipped from top-tier election issue to a secondary concern
- How the federal government’s reversal on major infrastructure projects could reshape real estate demand
- Why data centers are facing growing municipal pushback
- The real data behind AI’s impact on office-using jobs, and why mass layoffs in law, finance, and tech haven’t materialized
- Why office leasing has decoupled from traditional labor market signals
- How to think about the “flight to quality” in office space
- Why higher-for-longer interest rates may be the new reality
Adam Jacobs is the Head of National Research at Colliers and a national commentator on the economy, real estate market, and hot topics like return to office and investment trends. He has been regularly interviewed and featured on BNN Bloomberg, the Globe and Mail, Financial Post, Toronto Star, and various industry publications. His publications at Canada’s largest brokerage cover topics including institutional investors, office leasing, life sciences, and retail trends. Adam is a regular presenter at national conferences for groups ranging from student housing developers to credit unions to property managers.
Episode Reference:
- Adam Jacobs on LinkedIn
- Adam Jacobs at Colliers
- Colliers Canada Website
- Adam Powadiuk on LinkedIn
- Aaron Cameron on LinkedIn
- Commercial Real Estate Podcast on Apple Podcasts
- Commercial Real Estate Podcast on Spotify
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