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In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Podcast, hosts Aaron Cameron and Adam Powadiuk welcome Wendy Waters, VP of Research Services and Strategy at GWL Realty Advisors, for a deep dive into Canadian real estate strategy during economic uncertainty. Recorded at the Western Canada Apartment Investment Conference, the discussion covers resilient asset classes like grocery-anchored retail and purpose-built rentals, the effects of geopolitical tensions, and how demographic trends shape housing demand. Listeners gain actionable insights on navigating today’s evolving CRE landscape.
What you will learn:
- How GWL Realty Advisors manages an $18B portfolio across multiple assets
- Why grocery-anchored retail remains resilient despite market uncertainty
- The impact of geopolitical tensions and tariffs on development costs
- How demographic shifts will shape future housing demand
- Why purpose-built rental shows more stability than condo rentals
- The relationship between housing supply increases and market affordability
- How regional economic strengths influence real estate investment opportunities
- Why development decisions are increasingly location-specific
- The emerging importance of flight-to-quality in all asset classes
- How infrastructure costs and development charges affect housing affordability
Wendy Waters is Vice President of Research Services and Strategy at GWL Realty Advisors, where she leads a team delivering proprietary analysis to support real estate investments across office, multi-residential, industrial, and retail sectors. Passionate about urban issues like housing attainability, climate resilience, and livability, she serves on leadership committees for ULI BC, RealPac, and the Urban Development Institute of BC. Wendy is a sought-after speaker and thought leader with a Ph.D. in History and a unique career spanning academia, startups, and commercial real estate.
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