Photos from the event:
2023 Real Property National Workshop (RPNW)
From October 25-26, the 2023 RPNW "Ready to Influence" took place hosting over 900 attendees in person at the Shaw Centre and another 300 virtually. The event was a great success surpassing expectations and attendance in previous years. Thank you to all who participated!
Download Program (PDF)Day 1
Speakers
Lexxi Clement
Defence Account Manager, Esri Canada
Mathieu Primeau
Snr Cust Success Mgr – FedGov, Esri Canada
Rob Santos
Director, Public Works, Esri Canada
Session Description
The Geographic Approach to Business Intelligence in Real Property ManagementJoin Mathieu, Lexxi and Rob from Esri Canada in an exploration of the critical role of spatial data in providing business intelligence in federal real property domains. The presentation will focus on the critical importance of digital twins as geographic system of records for driving business engagements and insights related to asset management. Not only do our communities need to know what assets they have, where they are, and their condition, but they also need to be able to seamlessly connect this data to their other systems of work, AND start …
Speakers
Martin Mihowich
Senior Director, Laboratories Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Session Description
Laboratories Canada is developing a portfolio strategy for federal Science and Technology (S&T) assets, built upon on a systematic and holistic process for whole portfolio analysis. By collecting and evaluating key performance indicators developed specifically for science spaces across all assets in a portfolio, this approach enables evidence based decision-making, increasing transparency and opportunities for collaboration through comprehensive investment planning. Based on collected portfolio data, multiple programs of work will also be presented for use by the federal Science community. Maximizing value and minimizing waste across assets promotes a leaner, more efficient portfolio that will enable footprint and carbon reductions not …
Speakers
Martin Mihowich
Senior Director, Laboratories Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Session Description
Federal programs cannot exist without real property infrastructure to support them. As such, Canada’s climate goals have placed new and urgent demands on departments and agencies across the nation. How can these groups address the age, health, carbon, and energy goals set before them? What are the components of a get-started plan? The last decade has seen much time and effort dedicated to audits and Carbon Roadmaps for real estate portfolios. These plans generally assess current energy use and frame a loose design plan to address key concerns for resiliency, interior health, energy efficiency, and carbon production. With 2030 and …
Speakers
Ana Stuermer
Chief Urban Planner, DRPPP/PP
Irv Marucelj
Senior Urban Planner, Department of National Defence
Stephanie Morris
Project Manager, DND – Meaford PMO
Session Description
While resorting to major capital construction is often a default reaction, there are other real property solutions that also address larger portfolio needs. This presentation will provide an overview of approaches to meet major capital needs without resorting to the major capital programme. Amongst other real property options, we will discuss: 1. Leasing. The long term Real Property analysis that informed and, at times, contradicted the operational preference and how such conflicts can to be resolved. 2. Scoping. The approach taken by department RP professionals to de- or re-scope projects in order to fit within minor capital programmes. 3. New …
Speakers
Scott Ship
Senior Advisor Real Property Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, National Defence
Session Description
How we present information matters. Well constructed reports help us quickly understand complex issues. Poorly organized reports can lead to misleading inferences and misunderstanding. Do your dashboards have a clear message that helps decision makers make decisions? This presentation demonstrates how you can use data visualization techniques to support real property decision making.
Speakers
Bala Gnanam
VP – Sustainability, Advocacy & Stakeholder Relations, Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA Canada)
Session Description
Public policies play a pivotal role in shaping a country’s economic and social landscape. However, effective policy implementation often requires collaboration with the private sector, as it possesses the resources, expertise, and operational capabilities necessary to translate policies into tangible outcomes. This presentation aims to provide government policy makers with a comprehensive understanding of the critical role of Commercial Real Estate (CRE) industry in successful policy implementation. The presentation will begin by highlighting the increasing interdependence between the public and private sectors and how this relationship can be leveraged to maximize policy impact. It will emphasize the importance of recognizing …
Speakers
Bill Varvaris
Director General, Real Property and Environmental Management, Government of Canada
Christian Jalbert
Senior RP Business & Information Management Analyst, DFO
Ellory Bruce
Real Property Analyst, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
Session Description
The Real Property & Environmental Management (RPEM) directorate at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) made improvement of its real property data a priority several years ago. The organization created a Real Property Information Management System Centre of Expertise in its national office and added a Real Property Information Management System Coordinator in each of its six regions. It began in earnest to validate, update and bolster the data for its 1,400 sites. At the same time, it began to critically analyze the data so that it could be used to support planning, reporting, and decision-making. The data clean up and …
Speakers
Jenna Wood
Managing Principal, Colliers Project Leaders
Olga Andrushchenko
Principal, Colliers Project Leaders
Session Description
Every capital project has its challenges and risks. This is especially true for complex, multi-year, $100M+ real property and infrastructure developments. These projects have multiple stakeholders, higher risks and are exposed to public scrutiny. Additionally, these projects are closely interconnected with larger portfolio management mandates. Large projects require additional adherence to the latest treasury board policies and directives, which outline that risk management should, “achieve a balance between the level of risk responses and established controls and support for flexibility and innovation to improve performance and outcomes.”Join this workshop to explore how project controls processes and methods – such as …
Speakers
Frederic Genest
Research Engineer, Natural Resources Canada, CanmetENERGY
Nicholas Ebbs
Senior Sustainability Consultant, Stantec
Philippe Simard
Research Engineer, Natural Resources Canada, CanmetENERGY
Session Description
Heat pumps are identified as a major technology for decarbonizing of space heating within the federal portfolio and abroad. However, the limited supply temperature of traditional heat pumps mean that buildings must generally undergo a major retrofit of their heating systems to maximize the benefits of the technology or, in many cases, to even be able to use it. Such retrofits are typically faced with significant constraints slowing down or preventing projects execution: limited budgets for sizeable retrofit works, overbooked design and construction services, length of retrofit works and operational disruptions in occupied buildings. High-temperature heat pumps (HTHP) can provide …
Speakers
John Hannaford
Roch Huppé
Session Description
Recognizing and celebrating excellence in the Real Property community, this luncheon event is not one to miss. Led by RPIC President Jean-Francois Robert, MC Rob Chambers, and Elizabeth Tough 1st Vice-President, the ceremony will also feature remarks from the newly appointed Clerk of the Privy Council, John F.G. Hannaford, and Roch Huppé the Comptroller General of Canada.
Speakers
Benoît Frenette
a/Director, Strategic Portfolio Planning, Library and Archives Canada
Katharine Cornfield
President, Change Group Ltd.
Scott Hamilton
Director General (retired), Real Property at Library and Archives Canada, Library and Archives Canada
Session Description
In 2016, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) underwent a metamorphosis as it transitioned from a tenant organization to a federal custodian of real property. In assuming custodian responsibilities for a portfolio of six special purpose facilities, LAC needed to identify and address several critical competency and capacity gaps and develop a more strategic, portfolio-oriented view of real property management. During its first seven years as a custodian LAC has undertaken two of the largest public sector capital construction projects in Canada. These include the new Preservation Storage Facility, the first net-zero carbon building designed to meet Canada’s Greening Government Strategy …
Speakers
David Wood
Director Portfolio Planning, NRCan
Nerys Parry
Practice Lead, Business and Portfolio Strategy, Tiree
Trisha Rosenbaum
National Strategic Planning Manager, Portfolio Planning, Real Property Division, NRCan
Session Description
Natural Resources Canada is the 3rd largest federal Science and Technology custodian in terms of floor area (m2). The department manages a diverse portfolio that includes remote field stations, advanced laboratory complexes, forestry centres and experimental mining centres, along with seismic and geomagnetic stations and observatories, satellite stations and more. Like many federal custodians, NRCan’s existing asset base is rapidly deteriorating and becoming unaffordable.With NRCan’s role in supporting Canada’s transition to a sustainable natural resource economy growing, the department was facing the significant challenge of responding to the TBS Fixed Asset Review (FAR) recommendations to manage its ageing real property …
Speakers
Helen Harvey
Associate Director, Sustainability Net Zero Canada, Turner & Townsend
Session Description
Canada’s ‘Greening Government Strategy’ lays out the objectives the federal government must achieve to have a NetZero and climate-resilient real property portfolio by 2050. Supporting these targets is a new standard on embodied carbon in construction, which already applies to projects larger than $10m, and, by 31 December 2024, to all projects greater than $5m. These standards require departments to select project options which will both have lowest overall cost and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Departments will need to translate these policy and strategy documents across their portfolio and projects at pace if they are to meet these objectives. …
Speakers
Aaron Hicken
Controls Solution Specialist, Black & McDonald Limited
Kelly Christensen
Manager, Strategy & Pursuits, Black & McDonald Limited
Session Description
This presentation will discuss the project design, implementation and outcomes of a pilot real-time energy and emissions monitoring system installed at a base within the DND portfolio. The scope of this project was to be aligned with the Greening Government Strategy and DND’s Energy and Environment strategy. In early 2023, B&M was contracted to implement remote data acquisition of approximately 25 facilities on base at one of the Canadian Forces Bases as a pilot solution. The project involved installation of secure cellular router networks to permit one-way data uploads of existing energy meters (electrical & natural gas) for analyzing via …
Speakers
Jensen Metchie
Principal, Colliers Project Leaders
Peter Crain
Principal, Colliers Project Leaders
Session Description
When discussions around Indigenous reconciliation began in 1998, the idea of including socio-economic benefits for Indigenous groups into capital project outcomes was dismissed by many as “all too difficult.” In retrospect, it’s clear that assessment was premature.Canada has seen tremendous growth in this domain. Federal departments have moved beyond the conventional approach of implementing “set asides” and toward the idea of an Indigenous Procurement Plan with targets for regular and routine investments integrated into project planning considerations.Today, project teams are tasked with meeting a 5% target for Indigenous investment, of which many departments are exceeding on a regular basis. That’s …
Speakers
Ken Marlow
Trent-Severn Waterway Asset Manager, Parks Canada
Ryan Woodhouse
Team Lead – Strategic Advisory, Associated Engineering
Travis Wert
Alberta Region Real Property Management Advisor, Parks Canada Agency
Session Description
Parks Canada Agency (PCA) has a portfolio of approximately 18,000 assets from coast to coast to coast. Located in some of the most remote regions of the country to some of the most popular, PCA faces a wide variety of unique challenges to the provision of service and asset maintenance. Working with Associated Engineering, PCA developed a Service Delivery Framework which describes strategies and opportunities for providing a service in this challenging context and is scalable with government priorities and the economic environment. The Service Delivery Framework focuses on five example field units. The challenges and opportunities experienced by these …
Speakers
Jonathan Bordage
National Real Property Manager, Natural Resources Canada
Paula Urra
Director, RNCAN
Session Description
Description to come.
Speakers
Len Vaisanen
Director of Operational Support, Public Services and Procurement Canada – SPIB
Matthew Anderson
GIS Technician, Public Services and Procurement Canada – SPIB
Session Description
Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure Branch (SPIB) of Public Services and Procurement Canada are owner operators of some of Canada’s most historic buildings including Parliament Hill. Over the past year SPIB has launched a modernization of its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program. This included moving to more robust platforms for development, exploring new ways in visualising data (from simple 2D maps to 3D), transferring existing products to more dynamic models, and development of a new GIS Hub Application. During this workshop we will discuss our two year journey including some early lessons learned, such as the importance of proper data management. …
Speakers
Natalie Avoledo
Manager – NEMO, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Paul Knowlton
Sr Vice President, Real Property Advisory Services, Tiree Facility Solutions Inc (Tiree)
Session Description
Federal custodial departments are at the forefront of a transformative period, driven by the recommendations from the Horizontal Fixed Asset Review. But what makes for a successful portfolio strategy? And how can we adapt and integrate best practices to address the unique challenges of creating federal portfolio strategies?To address these crucial inquiries, Paul Knowlton of Tiree and Natalie Avoledo of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will discuss approaches employed in crafting portfolio strategies, touching upon the essential components that underscore a comprehensive portfolio strategy and emphasizing the distinctive considerations and challenges federal custodial departments face as well as lessons learned …
Speakers
Irv Marucelj
Senior Urban Planner, Department of National Defence
Session Description
In June 2022, the Minister of National Defence announced a set of initiatives as part of NORAD and Continental Defence Modernization demanding a significant degree of land and facility development at key Northern sites. The Department of National Defence (DND) has launched parallel site planning efforts for these sites, noting not only DND requirements but also Government of Canada (GoC) policies supporting the multi-use of facilities by local partners and rightsholders. The very real vulnerabilities of remote northern communities and evolving climate and ground conditions pose challenges that need to be accounted for upfront in site planning. As a result, …
Speakers
Dominic Turgeon
Senior Engineer – Ingénieur principal, Natural Resources Canada – Ressources naturelles Canada
Session Description
The presentation will focus on explaining Natural Resources Canada’s program development as it relates to existing building commissioning (EBCx). It will demonstrate the widespread market interest in commissioning for its various benefits, whether it is reducing GHG emissions and utility costs, improving indoor air quality, adapting facility operations to the particularities of a hybrid workplace or to sustain the benefits from previously implemented energy/GHG reduction projects. Through an overview of the EBCx Framework, the opportunities and barriers to increasing the number of EBCx projects within the buildings sector, along with an update on several key actions currently underway, will be …
Day 2
Speakers
David Millar
Executive Director, Atlantic, Parks Canada
Linda Drainville
Rob Chambers
Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment), Department of National Defence
Session Description
How can real property practitioners balance the challenge of known unknowns as they are expected to yield certainty and support the principle of evidence based decision making? A key aspect of horizontal engagement is ensuring that finance and real property data shows the connections of real property investments with mandate outcomes. The panel will explore these challenges and the importance of using best available data and information to knowingly tell a story of necessary real property investments that successfully informs decisions.
Speakers
Marianne Mainville
Gestionnaire cotravail GC, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Serge Legault
Manager, GCcoworking NCoE, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Session Description
Imagine if you could work for the Government of Canada from anywhere across this great country of ours. What if we had a OneGC approach to space and you could access GoC spaces, no matter where you live or which Department or Agency you work for? You could do your work in a secured environment that offers all the tools you need to do your job, and have opportunities to connect with GoC employees living the same experience as you!
Speakers
Christophe Rivet
Principal, Director of Strategies, EVOQ Strategies
Daniel Doran
Directeur, solutions secteur public – Director, Public Sector Solutions, Advisory, KPMG LLP / KPMG s.r.l.
Session Description
Armouries play a pivotal role in the maintenance and preservation of Militia organizational culture, which, in turn, contribute to both recruiting and retention within these units. These two objectives are directly connected to the overall health of the unit and its ultimate level of operational effectiveness, if it is called upon to do so for any reason. Unlike in the Regular Force, it is not operational need that drives infrastructure planning, but organizational culture – because reservists join and remain in the Militia for fundamentally different reasons than their Regular Force colleagues. Militia armouries are not simply a backdrop to …
Speakers
Ryan Hendricks
Associate Director, Turner & Townsend
Session Description
A joint industry/public service discussion of what were common features of best-in-class submissions involving leaders from PSPC, the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, and industry. This discussion will highlight which elements increase Treasury Board confidence in project submissions, discuss how to put those measures into practice, and how to employ those measures throughout the project life to maintain that confidence and support. This discussion will draw upon panelists’ decades of experience in the public service, and the Canadian construction industry to provide real examples of meaningful performance change on large, complex, and important projects. Projects face increasing difficulty to gain …
Speakers
Dr. Erik Poirier
Digital Transformation Advisor, ETS/ BuildingSmart/ Public Services and Procurement Canada, Government of Canada
Sonia Zouari
Manager, SPAC/PSPC
Session Description
PSPC BIM enabled real property digital transformation strategy; exemplifies the 2023-2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service as it relates to Real Property. It aligns with global trends and adopts world’s leading information standards towards integrated lifecycle information management of built assets. Delegates will familiarize themselves with: F0 A7 PSPC BIM Adoption strategy including vison, multi-year roadmap and implementation plan and how it responds to the sense of urgency to place “data and systems improvement at the forefront, […] and making business intelligence and data analytics the backbone of Real Property management.” F0 A7 The value proposition of aligning with the …
Speakers
Mark Gasparotto
Session Description
To lead others effectively starts with leading yourself — that means knowing yourself, which takes hard work. The best leaders put in the reps to deliberately gain that self-awareness. As life-long learners, these highly successful people also develop other Inner Game competencies such as emotional intelligence, accountability, and resilience so they can lead through the complexity and chaos of the modern world. In the summer of 2006, the Taliban insurgency was becoming increasingly active and violent as they attempted to re-capture Kandahar City. These events led to Operation Medusa, Canada’s largest combat operation since the Korean War and, at the …
Speakers
Christophe Jenkins
Sustainability project manager, CIMA+
Vanessa Chau
Senior Director, CIMA+
Session Description
Setting up a Corporate Asset Management Network is an extremely useful tool for the Asset Manager. It can be, however, a daunting task, involving definition of core objectives of the program, leverage of partnerships, and establishment of a framework and management plan. It also requires buy-in from the decision-makers such as elected officials (council) appointed officials (City Manager or CAO) and from various departments (e.g., finance and Public Works). Asset management should very much be viewed as an enterprise-wide (corporate) service. Typically, in case of larger organizations such as city of Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton, this is certainly a huge …
Speakers
Christian Giansante
Cultural Heritage Specialist, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Josiah Fogarty
Structural Engineer, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Meaghan Rivard
Senior Cultural Heritage Specialist, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Session Description
The federal real property portfolio contains upwards of 1,500 assets identified as having heritage value or significance. These assets vary in size and type and include historic buildings, large industrial sites and commercial office assets. Each custodial department is responsible for the stewardship of heritage assets according to the Treasury Board Policy on the Management of Real Property, however many departments do not have in-house heritage specialists that can assist with long-term portfolio planning, including asset management, renewal, and disposal. Stantec has been involved with numerous clients at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels to assist in the planning processes …
Speakers
Brandon Morris
Principal, Practice Leader – Buildings, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Ryan Maher
National Manager, Real Property Development, Defence Construction Canada
Session Description
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction in Canada has become increasingly complex and costly. Disruptions to global material supply chains, and labour shortages has led to higher cost and schedule risk for contractors. In the North, this is compounded by limited competition, rarity of local skilled labour, and challenging logistics. The result is dramatically increased construction bid prices, schedule delays, and cost overruns on all projects. Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a construction delivery model that provide reduced schedule risk, improved price certainty, and collaborative decision making. This model seek to engage the Design and Construction teams much …
Speakers
Nicholas Ebbs
Senior Sustainability Consultant, Stantec
Peter Howe
Session Description
In support of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada’s exploration of renewable energy initiatives, Stantec undertook a study to identify operational energy, cost, and GHG emissions reduction opportunities to reduce the amount of purchased grid electricity at three of its harbour authority (HA) locations throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The three sites identified by DFO for further study are considered representative of low, medium, and highpower usage harbours. Both energy conservation measures (ECMs) and renewable generation opportunities were investigated. Proposed energy conservation measures include lighting upgrades, space heating controls, and plug load reduction strategies. Proposed renewable generation opportunities included …
Speakers
Carol-Ann Olney
Senior Advisor, Colliers Project Leaders
Chris Knowlton
COS DGPR, National Defence
John Dyer
Manager Portfolio Analysis, DRPPP/PA
Session Description
Real property is at the heart of all DND activities. As a key enabler to military operations, the Defence Real Property portfolio is the land and infrastructure where the military trains, prepares for and conducts operations; provides safe and secure workplaces for personnel; creates the vast network of workshops and warehouses that maintains, readies, and stores our equipment; and houses military personnel and their families. To fulfill the constantly evolving operational requirements of Defence and broader Government of Canada objectives, the real property portfolio must also constantly transform. Much of the existing real property assets in DND’s portfolio were not …
Speakers
Ana Stuermer
Chief Urban Planner, DRPPP/PP
GUILLAUME NOISEUX-LAUZÉ
Engineering Officer, DND
Session Description
Master Real Property Development Plans (MRPDPs) are dynamic and comprehensive planning documents that hold the key to transform the future of National Defence sites. With a focus on translating vision into tangible results, these plans play a critical role in ensuring the long-term success and effectiveness of our bases.This session aims to shed light on the transformative power of masterplans in shaping the infrastructure landscape of National Defence. We will explore the scope, process, and crucial considerations involved in developing and implementing these plans, highlighting their direct impact on the success and operational efficiency of our bases. By examining a …
Speakers
Derek Boroczki
Associate, Mechanical Engineer, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Jeff Schroeder
Senior Principal Practice Lead, Stantec Consulting
Jule Benedict
A/Asset Manager, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Safaa Alzubaidi
Senior Project Manager, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Session Description
Come join the discussion panel where three unique projects (totaling over 2.5 million sq ft) will be studied on a variety of topics including, project goals, measures to achieving sustainability targets, tenant coordination, and implementation planning. Overcoming unique challenges will be discussed as a way of sharing valuable lessons learned to pass along to the audience members. A question period will follow the panel review.The three projects to be discussed include:25 St Clair Avenue – a rehabilitation project consolidating two 1950’s buildings in Toronto where construction was completed in 2023.Place du Portage III – a renewal of the 1973-78 building …
Speakers
Melissa Daly-Buajitti
Client Solutions Manager, CBRE Limited
Session Description
Organizations around the world are growing increasingly focused on the role their real estate portfolios can play in enabling core business priorities – especially when it comes to delivering on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments.In the case of entities that serve as the custodians of publicly-owned assets, these priorities extend beyond business and are intertwined with government-level policy directives. A common challenge in this space is moving from high-level strategy into the transformation of day-to-day business. In the face of ambitious greening mandates, how do we operationalize sustainability?Sustainability practices in the real property sector have historically centred on energy …
Speakers
Jack Armstrong
Award-Winning Broadcaster | Toronto Raptors Game Analyst | TSN’s Basketball Insider
Session Description
Join us in welcoming Jack Armstrong, an award-winning broadcaster, Toronto Raptors Game Analyst, and TSN’s Basketball Insider, to our event as a keynote speaker. With a career spanning over two decades in the basketball world, Jack Armstrong is a true legend in the field.Why should you attend this session? Because Jack Armstrong’s insights into influence extend far beyond the basketball court. His experiences as a coach, broadcaster, and personality who has helped a nation fall in love with basketball have given him a unique perspective on how to harness the power of influence.In this session, Armstrong will share the secrets …
