Ingress and Egress
Explore ingress and egress in Canadian real estate — why legal access matters for commercial use, safety, and site design.
June 09, 2025
What is Ingress and Egress?
Ingress and egress refer to the legal rights of access into (ingress) and out of (egress) a property, particularly important in commercial real estate and site planning.
Why Ingress and Egress Matter in Real Estate
In Canadian real estate, clear ingress and egress are essential for safety, usability, and legal compliance—especially for retail, office, or industrial properties.
Considerations include:
- Driveway and road access
- Emergency exits
- Shared access rights (e.g., easements)
- Parking lot design and flow
Restrictions or unclear access can reduce a property’s value, complicate development, or lead to legal disputes.
Understanding ingress and egress is vital for buyers, tenants, developers, and municipalities ensuring accessible and compliant site layouts.
Example of Ingress and Egress in Action
Before signing the lease, the tenant confirms that the storefront has direct egress to the rear alley for deliveries and fire compliance.
Key Takeaways
- Defines legal property access
- Essential for safety and operations
- Affects value and compliance
- Includes pedestrian and vehicle flow
- Must be verified in commercial deals
Related Terms
- Easement
- Commercial Property
- Site Plan
- Building Code
- Accessibility Standards
Canadian respondents were more likely to expect an undersupply of development/redevelopment equity capital (63%) than debt capital (46%) in 2027. These are survey expectations, not measured financing volumes. Source: PwC and ULI, Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2027, pp. 136–137. Original chart.
Toronto census metropolitan area housing starts fell from 37,718 units in 2024 to 26,087 in 2025, a 30.8% decline (rounded to 31%). Starts measure construction begun, not completed homes. Source: CMHC, as cited in PwC and ULI, Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2027, p. 145. Original chart.
Illustrative calculation: a $4.5-million value ceiling versus income-based capacity of about $4.25 million at 4%, $3.62 million at 5% and $3.13 million at 6%. Assumes 50-year amortization and 1.15 debt coverage.
Source: Department of Finance missing-middle backgrounder and Budget 2026 Chapter 3, November 5, 2026. Fiscal-year funding starts are not home-completion dates.
