Amortization refers to the process of gradually repaying a mortgage through regular payments over a fixed period of time.
Why Amortization Matters in Real Estate
In Canadian real estate, the amortization period determines the length of time it will take to fully pay off a mortgage. It impacts the size of monthly payments and total interest paid over the life of the loan.
Typical amortization periods:
25 years for insured mortgages
Up to 30 years for uninsured mortgages
Amortization is distinct from the mortgage term, which defines the current contract period. The mortgage is typically renewed multiple times within the amortization schedule.
Net operating income (NOI) is the total income generated by a property after operating expenses are deducted but before taxes and financing costs.. more
Clockwise from top centre: Donny van Dyk, OpenForm Properties, Laura Ferguson, Michael Brimer, Paris Lavan, Beedie
Despite troubled times in the market, the real estate industry and adjacent sectors continued to tough it out and many companies — big and small — continued to hire or promote from within.
The most notable of them all, perhaps, was the City of Vancouver hiring Donny van Dyk as its new City Manager, less than two weeks after parting ways with Paul Mochrie. (The short timeline is now under investigation.) Meanwhile, companies like Conwest Developments, Prologis, Townline, OpenForm Properties, and Beedie all filled some important leadership positions.
Here are all the people who changed jobs or received promotions last month.
Development and Construction:
Erin Elliott has joined Conwest Developments as Chief Financial Officer.
Matthew Brock has joined Prologis as VP, Investment Officer, Vancouver, after over eight years at Bosa Properties.
Michael Brimer has joined Townline as VP of Construction.
Ryan Williams has joined Anthem Properties as Director of Construction.
Asli Yilmaz Yetkin has been promoted to Director of Development at OpenForm Properties.
Paris Lavan has joined Beedie as Director of Leasing, after over 11 years at JLL.
Julien Kuehnhold has been promoted to Senior Development Manager at Anthem Properties.
Brendan Djambazov has been promoted to Manager of Acquisitions and Financial Analyst at OpenForm Properties.
Mitchell Walter has joined Chard as Senior Investment Analyst, Asset Management, after over a year at Wesgroup.
Sam Zheng has joined QuadReal as Analyst, Global Portfolio Management.
Jesse McCallum has been promoted to Property Manager at Morguard.
Tolga Tosun has joined Beedie as a Senior Property Accountant.
Dazle Gumaboa has joined Marcon as a Development Coordinator.
Kole Macmillan has joined WCPG Construction as Development Coordinator.
Dante Roman Caballero has been promoted to Construction Project Coordinator at Northland Properties.
Chelsea Nicholson has been promoted to Building Energy Manager at the BC Non-Profit Housing Association.
Saleh Lavaee has joined Creative Energy as Manager of Regulatory Affairs.
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Clockwise from top left: David Cogliano, Chadwick Westlake, Bryce M. Lee, Kiran Penumala, Heather Grey-Wolf, and Doug Rollins
Like our ever-changing cities and towns, Ontario's real estate and development landscape (and the people who make it run) are also ever-changing. From new hires and retirements to promotions and partnerships, here are all the notable moves you should know about from June.
Notable moves from last month include Heather Grey-Wolf being named Chief Investment Officer at Infrastructure Ontario, Doug Rollins being announced as Executive Director of the City of Toronto’s Housing Secretariat, and David Cogliano being promoted to Partner and Executive Vice President of Tercot Communities.
Development:
David Cogliano has been promoted to Partner and EVP of Tercot Communities.
Jeffrey Lum has joined Peakhill Capital as Managing Director of Corporate Development.
Miguel Santos has been promoted to Director of Construction Operations at Fitzrovia.
Archie Mahalingam has been promoted to Director of Digital Buildings & Systems at QuadReal Property Group.
Liam Rodrigues has been promoted to Senior Associate, Private Equity at Fengate Asset Management.
Brokerages:
Royal LePage has announced that Carolyn Cheng has retired as Chief Operating Officer, while Kelly McCain has been promoted to VP of Services Delivery and Development, David Piaia has been promoted to VP of Brokerage Technology & AI Enablement, Anne-Elise Cugliari Allegritti has been promoted to VP of Research and Communications, and Stefani Penner has returned as VP of Agent Growth, Development & Success.
Ama Joppa has started as an Associate VP at Colliers, and Dan Berdusco has been promoted to Associate Director.
Heather Grey-Wolf has been named Chief Investment Officer at Infrastructure Ontario.
Kiran Penumala has joined the Building Ontario Fund as Managing Director of Investments.
Doug Rollins has been announced as Executive Director of the City of Toronto’s Housing Secretariat on a permanent basis.
Investment:
Bryce M. Lee has joined Oakbank Capital as Director.
Richard Marques has started as Portfolio Manager and Senior Wealth Advisor at Harbourfront Wealth Management, and Paul Polyviou has started as Associate Portfolio Manager and Senior Wealth Advisor.
William Xu has joined IMCO as a Real Estate Analyst.
Other:
Matt Livingstone has been promoted to VP of Business Development at RentSync.
Heigh O’Reilly has joined LandLogic as Chair of the Board of Directors.
Sign up for our newsletters for weekly updates on hirings, promotions, and job vacancies. To spotlight a new hire or an open position that needs to be filled, email: advertising@storeys.com.
This article was written and submitted by Shadi Adab, an urban designer and planner with nearly 20 years of experience working on projects across Ontario.
Urban planning and urban design are often treated as separate disciplines, with one viewed as strategic and regulatory, and the other as aesthetic and subjective. But this idea of these professions operating independently of each other is doing real damage to how we shape our communities. In Ontario, the state of this divide has been highlighted by recent legislation, most notably Bill 17: Protecting Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025.
The title sounds reassuring. Who wouldn’t want to build faster and smarter? However, in practice, Bill 17 continues a trend of stripping away critical layers of oversight, with the most recent being the design review, all in the name of expediency. While it aims to streamline approvals and facilitate housing delivery, it fails to safeguard the long-term quality, livability, and resilience of what gets built, and the value that those considerations bring to buildings and places.
Urban planning sets the policy direction, land-use frameworks, and infrastructure strategies that guide development. But these frameworks do not build communities on their own. It is urban design that gives these plans their human shape, translating density into livable forms, growth into walkable neighbourhoods, and housing targets into real homes with streets, parks, and public life.
You can plan for complete communities on paper. But if you fail to integrate urban design, what gets built may be technically compliant, but spatially and socially dysfunctional. Poor transitions, inactive frontages, lifeless public spaces, and disconnected blocks are not minor issues; they are design failures that affect residents’ daily experience, mental health, mobility, and sense of belonging for generations to come.
And here is the critical distinction: bad design can rarely be easily fixed. A flawed site plan, an inaccessible layout, or a sterile streetscape can persist for 50 or 60 years, long after the legislation has been superseded by the next government. Unlike policies that can be revised or repealed, poorly designed development is permanent. And when it’s done on a large scale, it sets back entire generations.
This is why Bill 17 is so alarming. The tools that Bill 17 is eliminating at an early stage of development are not bureaucratic delays; they are there to ensure that greenfield development and intensification result in livable, coherent places. Weakening them in the name of speed is not just short-sighted; it denies local government the ability to fulfil its responsibility of upholding matters of Provincial Interest under Section 2 of the Planning Act, particularly Sections 2(q) and (r), which speak directly to design.
In my nearly 20 years as an urban designer, trained in both architecture and urban planning, I’ve seen how powerful it is when design and planning work hand in hand. I’ve also seen what happens when they don’t. No matter how visionary a plan may be, if it doesn’t include design from the start, it risks becoming a series of disconnected buildings rather than a functioning community.
Design is not a luxury or an aesthetic flourish. It is the interface between policy and people. It is how a plan becomes a place. It is how public investment translates into social and economic value. And it is essential, especially now, as we embark on one of the most rapid and ambitious phases of growth in Ontario’s history.
Bill 17 reflects a political appetite for speed. But if we are serious about building communities that are inclusive, sustainable, and enduring, we need more than speed; we need design leadership. Urban planning provides the strategy. Urban design ensures we don’t regret how we delivered it.
Let’s stop treating urban design as optional. If we want to build smarter, we must also make better decisions, and that means putting design back where it belongs: at the very heart of planning and decision-making.
On a quiet lot in Toronto’s Oakwood Village, a modest mid-century bungalow is getting a second life.
The old roof has been torn off. Two new storeys are going up. Out back, what used to be a detached garage will soon be something else entirely: a compact, self-contained home. When all is said and done, that single-family house will have become five: four generously sized three-bedroom rental suites, plus one garden suite tucked neatly at the rear of the property. It’s not just a renovation — it’s a rethink.
As housing demand soars and affordability dwindles, Toronto’s “missing middle” has gone from planning lingo to urgent priority. It’s a term used to describe the low-rise, multi-unit housing that sits between single-family homes and condo towers; think duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes. The kind of housing that doesn’t overwhelm a streetscape, but still creates room for young professionals and starter families to live in the city. For years, zoning laws made building them almost impossible. But today, that’s changing. And Plexcon is leading the way in building the next generation of homes.
The Oakwood Village project is a sharp example of what the future could look like. The original structure was a typical one-storey bungalow with a basement suite — certainly livable, but also certainly under-utilized. Plexcon helped the homeowner transform it into a four-unit main building, each with its own entrance, and each spanning some 1,000 sq. ft. Two of those units are stacked townhome-style layouts, with bedrooms upstairs and living spaces down — ideal for renters who want the feel of a ground-level home without the cost. This spaciousness is intentional, and it’s also of-the-moment: with Toronto’s small-studio saturation, the multiplex approach is shifting towards larger units for young families, providing a cost-effective solution to the need for increased square footage.
Finally, behind the main house, the former garage is being converted into a 400 sq. ft garden suite, adding a fifth rental without pushing the limits on zoning or triggering costly variances.
plexcon.ca
This kind of density might have been unheard of even a few years ago, but recent citywide policy changes now allow up to four units on a residential lot, plus a fifth via a laneway or garden suite. The goal is to quietly and efficiently scale up the city’s housing supply in already livable neighbourhoods. For investors and homeowners alike, it’s a rare overlap of public interest and private opportunity.
Plexcon, though, has long been ahead of the curve.
The company started as a custom home builder, but has spent the last several years leaning heavily into multiplex conversions. This focus has included top-ups, interior reconfigurations, rear extensions, and backyard suites. And the company isn't just tackling construction — they handle design, permitting, and energy compliance too. That means working within zoning boundaries to avoid delays, coordinating phased permits to reduce development charges, and aligning with CMHC’s MLI Select energy-efficiency standards to help projects qualify for favourable financing.
Importantly, Plexcon builds with budget top of mind. While the concept of a custom home (or custom anything) may feel luxurious, bringing this type of vision to life doesn’t have to break the bank. Plexcon’s approach aims to generate max asset equity and cash flow without a heavy sunk cost.
The Oakwood build, for example, includes upgraded electrical service, individual heat pumps for each unit, above-code insulation, and high-performance windows. The construction has been designed to yield long-term value through cash flow, energy savings, and asset appreciation. In short, it's a win-win-win.
As multiplex conversions gain traction across Toronto, Plexcon’s early focus in this space has positioned the company as a go-to for real estate investors looking to scale their portfolios — and for homeowners ready to tap into the full potential of their lots.
More than 145 residential rental suites have already been completed under Plexcon's guidance.
As the city continues to shift its stance on what housing should look like, companies like Plexcon aren’t just following the trend — they’re laying its foundation.
To learn more and get a free quote, visit plexcon.ca.
351-377 Marlee, 2-6 Romar, and 265-269 Viewmount/Graziani + Corazza Architects
A development application recently filed with the City of Toronto is seeking to transform a two-storey commercial and retail strip plaza into a 39- and 36-storey mixed-use project that would deliver over 900 residential units to the Yorkdale-Glen Park neighbourhood. The plans were filed in late July on behalf of Tonlu Properties in favour of an Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application.
If approved, the development would require the demolition of the existing strip plaza, which is currently occupied by several at-grade businesses with six residential rental units above, which are proposed to be replaced. Once complete, the project would contain 899 condo units, with the remainder being rental replacement units, alongside 8,105 sq. ft of retail space at grade.
The 1.36-acre site is located at 351-377 Marlee Avenue, 2-6 Romar Crescent and 265-269 Viewmount Avenue, just west of William R. Allen Road. As the site is within walking distance of TTC Line 1's Glencairn Station and serviced by several bus routes on the TTC’s “10-Minute Network," it sits within an area designated to become a Protected Major Transit Station Area.
Tonlu's application joins a growing number of proposals for intensified development in the area, as planning policies have increasingly encouraged growth around transit stations like Glencairn Station. Notable projects include DiamondCorp's proposed 38- and 40-storey complex one block south at 15-19 Romar Crescent and Osmington Gerofsky Development Corp's proposed 40-storey tower at 250 Viewmount Avenue.
Designs for the proposed development come from Graziani + Corazza Architects and depict a dynamic, largely glass exterior with jutting balconies that create a crosshatch pattern. The six-storey podium would be clad in a brown brick veneer.
351-377 Marlee, 2-6 Romar, and 265-269 Viewmount/Graziani + Corazza Architects
The site is shown organized with the podium forming an east-facing 'C' shape, with 39-storey Tower A in the north and 36-storey Building B in the south. In the middle, a 11,291-sq.-ft outdoor amenity courtyard is proposed with a mix of plantings and hardscaping, and that would connect to a 4,348-sq.-ft indoor amenity space.
Inside, the ground floor would feature three retail units fronting onto Marlee Avenue, while the residential lobby would be accessed from Viewmount Avenue. Additional amenity space would be found in a floor-spanning, contiguous indoor/outdoor space on level six, resulting in a total of 19,816 sq. ft of indoor amenity space and 23,336 sq. ft of outdoor amenity space for the building.
A total of 905 residential units would be divided into 83 studio units, 505 one-bedroom units, 200 two-bedroom units, and 117 three-bedroom units, and residents would have access to 222 vehicle parking spaces and 1,007 bicycle parking spaces accessible across two levels of underground parking.
Once completed, the proposed development would deliver much-needed new housing within walking distance of a higher-order transit station, while providing retail at grade and replacing rental housing.
Tucked away in the heart of King Township’s horse country, Kincora Farm is more than a property — it’s a self-contained retreat where design, craftsmanship, and landscape come together in beautiful harmony.
Spread across five acres of rolling land, 13825 8th Concession unfolds as both a functional equestrian facility and a polished country residence.
At its centre is a beautifully renovated bungalow that seems to invite the outdoors in, thanks to oversized windows that frame lush gardens, paddocks, and long views across the property.
Inside, the home balances comfort and sophistication. The main living and dining area is anchored by a dramatic floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace, a nod to timeless rural design, while an English-inspired study with built-in bookshelves offers a refined retreat. At the heart of the home, the chef’s kitchen combines natural stone counters, top-tier appliances, and a bright solarium addition — a space where morning light floods in, setting the stage for both quiet breakfasts and lively entertaining.
The primary suite serves as a sanctuary, complete with vaulted ceilings, dual walk-in closets, and a spa-like ensuite. The soaker tub overlooks the property’s greenhouse, underscoring the home’s seamless dialogue between indoors and out. Additional living areas, including a guest suite with a Murphy bed and a cozy family room, add flexibility for visiting family and friends.
Of course, what sets Kincora Farm apart is its wealth of amenities beyond the main home. The grounds are meticulously landscaped, with mature perennial gardens and a naturalized pool area that radiates charm and leisure. A one-bedroom guest cottage, nestled between the pool and barn, adds to the effortlessness of entertaining.
Equestrian enthusiasts will find the property’s facilities provide everything needed for their equine companions. A five-stall barn, large paddocks, and a 60ft x 140ft indoor arena (with its own gated drive and 4 extra stalls) allow for serious riding or boarding opportunities — though the arena can also double as secure car storage or various sports facilities, extending the estate’s versatility. Completing the picture is a greenhouse with brick herringbone floors, adding a touch of old-world elegance.
The property’s equestrian facilities elevate Kincora Farm into a class of its own. The five-stall barn and professional indoor arena give the estate real-world functionality, while the option to adapt the space for alternative uses — from car storage to private events — makes it feel as versatile as it is beautiful.
Located less than an hour from Toronto, and just minutes from some of the region’s most respected schools, this property serves the rare chance to embrace a lifestyle that blends rural escape with elegance and ease.
Nothing dampens a Labour Day Monday like missing a train to your holiday activity only to find out that activity is closed on holidays. Oh, and you forgot to go to the LCBO before is closed as well. To avoid this situation, make sure you read up on what's open and closed this Labour Day, and remember, this is your last chance to wear white for a while, so get out those linen pants.
The statutory holiday, which falls on Monday, September 1 this year, will mean the closure of many government and public services for the day. Nonetheless, there will be plenty to see and do around the city, though some stores, services, and attractions will observe modified hours.
In short, be sure to plan ahead to ensure you make the most of the day.
What’s Closed In Toronto On Labour Day:
Government offices, including Service Canada and Service Ontario
Select drugstores (opening hours for Shoppers Drug Mart locations can be found here; opening hours for Rexall locations can be found here)
Grocery
Select Beer Stores (opening hours for individual locations can be found here)
Select Wine Rack stores (opening hours for individual locations can be found here)
Loblaws (60 Carlton Street) - 7 am to 10 pm
Whole Foods (87 Avenue Road) - 8 am to 6 pm
Metro (444 Yonge Street) - 7 am to 10 pm
Food Depot 155 Dupont Street - open 24 hours
Rabba Fine Foods (various locations) - open 24 hours
Farm Boy 777 Bay Street - 9 am to 7 pm; 207 Queens Quay West - 8 am to 10 pm; 100 Queens Quay East - 8 am to 10 pm; 81 St. Clair Avenue East - 9 am to 8 pm
The Kitchen Table - 10 Queens Quay West - 6 am to midnight; 389 Spadina Road - 7 am to 11 pm; 155 Dupont Street - 7am to 11pm; 705 King Street West - 7 am to midnight.
Pusateri’s - 1539 Avenue Road - 7 am to 6 pm
Attractions
CNE - 10 am to 9pm (gates close at 5 pm)
CN Tower - 9:30 am to 9:30 pm
Hockey Hall of Fame - 10 am to 6 pm
Art Gallery of Ontario - 10:30 am - 4 pm
Ripley’s Aquarium - 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
Royal Ontario Museum - 10 am to 5:30 pm
Casa Loma - 9:30 am to 5 pm
Toronto Zoo - 9:30 am to 7 pm
Aga Khan Museum - 10 am to 5:30 pm
Toronto Islands
Riverdale Farm - 9 am to 5 pm
Select movie theatres
Public pools (information on locations can be found here)
An eye-catching new condo tower has been proposed for a North York site that has a development history going back to the late 1990s, but has long sat vacant. The latest plans filed on behalf of a numbered company — 1000967286 Ontario Ltd. — call for the land to be intensified with a 35-storey building.
The site was first eyed for development over 25 years ago, when the formerly larger parcel containing a 17-storey apartment was split in two, making the vacant lands to the east their own separate lot with the goal of developing an 11-storey residential building on the new site. Between then and 2007, subsequent applications brought the height up to 16 storeys with 150 units, which was then approved by City Council that year. Now, the new owner is seeking a Zoning Bylaw Amendment to more than double the previously approved height, resulting in a total of 331 condo units and 244,491 sq. ft of gross floor area.
Located at 500 Sheppard Avenue West, the two-acre site fronts onto Sheppard and is bounded by the existing apartment building in the west and Earl Bales Park ravine in the east. Stepping back, it's located within the Bathurst Manor neighbourhood of Toronto, home to mid- and low-rise residential buildings and solid transit infrastructure in the form of east-west and north-south bus routes providing access to the Sheppard Yonge and Sheppard West stations on TTC's Line 1.
At 35-storeys, the proposed development would be one of the tallest in the surrounding area and is currently the tallest project proposed for some distance. Renderings from Graziani + Corazza Architects show the building with its five-storey podium and unique exterior design defined by contrasting vertical and horizontal elements that create a checkerboard effect.
Inside, architectural drawings show a 1,819-sq.-ft amenity space accompanying the residential lobby at grade, with a 5,468-sq.-ft outdoor amenity space continuing from the indoor area. An additional 3,067-sq.-ft indoor amenity space would be found on fifth floor, and an indoor/outdoor amenity space on level six would span 4,606 sq. ft.
Condo units would be divided into 196 one-bedroom units, 102 two-bedroom units, and 33 three-bedroom units and residents would have access to 79 vehicle parking spaces and 248 bicycle parking spaces across two levels of underground parking.
As a large portion on the eastern end of the site is located within the regulated area of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and part of the City of Toronto Natural Heritage System (NHS), plans include a Ravine Stewardship Plan which lays out steps to "protect and enhance the ecological quality of the ravine environment." This includes disposing of garbage that has collected in the ravine, restricting public access to the area, and improving the ecology of the ravine area though things like soil remediation, invasive species removal, and native tree plantings.