February 2026

Why Industrial Real Estate Dominates Toronto in 2026: Warehouses, Logistics, and E-Commerce Growth Something remarkable has happened in Toronto’s industrial real estate market over the past few years. While office properties struggled through pandemic uncertainty and retail spaces faced existential questions about their future, warehouses and logistics facilities became the most sought after commercial assets in the entire Greater Toronto Area. This is not a temporary blip or speculative frenzy. Industrial real estate dominance reflects fundamental changes in how goods move through the economy, and these changes show no signs of reversing. Contact Now Industrial Real Estate — GTA Market Insight Why Industrial Properties Became the Star Performers The transformation of industrial real estate from overlooked necessity to premium investment started with shifts most people experienced personally during the pandemic. Online shopping exploded as stores closed and consumers discovered the convenience of doorstep delivery — a behavioral change that permanently reshaped the demand for warehouse and logistics space across North America. ~50% Of Canada’s population lives within a single day’s drive of the GTA #1 Canada’s primary distribution and logistics hub — irreplaceable by geography Multi Demand driven from e-commerce, reshoring, and supply chain repositioning simultaneously The Origin Story How E-Commerce Sparked an Industrial Revolution The behavioral shift toward online shopping created massive demand for warehouse space to store inventory closer to end customers, and logistics facilities to process the constant flow of packages moving through the delivery network. Toronto’s industrial market benefited enormously because the GTA serves as Canada’s primary distribution hub — a geographic advantage that cannot be manufactured elsewhere in the country. Companies serving Canadian customers need warehouse space in or near Toronto, and that reality creates sustained demand regardless of economic cycles or market fluctuations. 📦 E-Commerce Fulfillment Online retail requires three times more warehouse space than traditional retail for the same volume of sales. Last-mile delivery networks need strategically located facilities across the GTA to meet consumer expectations for fast delivery. 🔄 Supply Chain Resilience Supply chain disruptions taught businesses hard lessons about inventory vulnerability. Companies previously relying on just-in-time delivery from distant warehouses now want inventory positioned closer to customers — driving sustained demand for regional distribution facilities. 🏭 Reshoring & Manufacturing Manufacturers bringing production back to North America need facilities to support reshored operations. This structural shift creates demand from an entirely different direction — adding manufacturing and light industrial users to a market already pressured by logistics demand. Geographic Advantage Why the GTA Cannot Be Replaced as Canada’s Logistics Core Major highways converge in the GTA creating natural logistics advantages that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the country. Nearly half of Canada’s population lives within a day’s drive, making Toronto-area distribution centers more efficient than any alternative location for companies serving the Canadian market. This structural advantage creates a demand floor that persists through any economic cycle. 🛣️ Highway 400 / 401 / 427 Convergence ✈️ Proximity to Pearson International 🚂 CN & CP Rail Access 🏙️ 50% of Canada Within Day’s Drive 🚢 Port of Hamilton Connections 📈 Investors Taking Notice Investors who never previously considered warehouse assets are now actively seeking them. The entire sector has shifted from secondary consideration to primary focus for serious real estate investors across Canada and internationally. 🏢 Owner-Operators Buying Business owners are purchasing industrial buildings for their own operations rather than leasing — recognizing the long-term value of ownership in a market where industrial land supply is finite and demand continues growing. “The combination of e-commerce growth, supply chain repositioning, and reshoring creates demand from multiple directions simultaneously — making GTA industrial real estate one of the most fundamentally sound investment categories in Canada’s commercial property market.” Seven Appraisal Inc. — Our Perspective At Seven Appraisal Inc., we see this demand reflected in appraisal assignments for industrial properties across the GTA. Investors who never previously considered warehouse assets are now actively seeking them. Business owners are purchasing buildings for their own operations rather than leasing because they recognize the long-term value. Our appraisers track industrial market dynamics, rental rates, and land values across every GTA submarket — giving clients the precise, current intelligence that major financial decisions require. Industrial Appraisal 🏭 Industrial Property Appraisal Toronto Accurate, lender-ready valuations for warehouse, logistics, and light industrial properties across the GTA — backed by deep local market expertise. Get an Industrial Appraisal Quote → Commercial Appraisal 🏢 Commercial Property Appraisal Toronto Comprehensive commercial valuations covering office, retail, and mixed-use properties — the trusted analysis Toronto investors and lenders rely on. Explore Commercial Appraisal Services → GTA Industrial Market — Vacancy Analysis The Vacancy Rate That Tells the Whole Story Toronto’s industrial vacancy rate varies depending on which submarkets you examine. To understand why this number matters, consider that a balanced industrial market typically shows a higher vacancy rate. The GTA’s current figure represents a severely constrained market where tenant demand far exceeds available space — placing it among the tightest industrial markets anywhere in North America. Market Tightness Spectrum ← Extremely Tight Balanced Oversupplied → GTA Now Severely constrained — landlords hold all the leverage Landlord’s Market Balanced Healthy equilibrium between supply and tenant demand Neutral Market 10%+ Oversupplied — tenants negotiate from positions of strength Tenant’s Market Geographic Reality Why New Supply Cannot Keep Up With GTA Demand The GTA experiences particularly acute shortages because geographic constraints limit where new industrial development can occur. You cannot build large warehouse facilities in downtown Toronto, and the surrounding municipalities have limited remaining industrial land near major highway interchanges. These physical limits create a structural ceiling on new supply that demand continues pushing against. 🚫 No Downtown Industrial Land 📍 Limited Brampton/Vaughan Sites Remaining 🛣️ Highway Interchange Proximity Required 📦 Last-Mile Locations Fully Absorbed 📈 Rent Increases Accepted Tenants competing for limited space accept rent increases they would have firmly resisted in a balanced market — simply because they have no alternative options. 📝 Longer Terms Demanded Lease negotiations favor landlords who demand longer terms, fewer tenant improvement

Toronto Retail Real Estate Shift 2026: From Shopping Malls to Experience-Based and Mixed-Use Developments Toronto retail real estate is undergoing a transformation unlike anything the industry has witnessed in decades. The traditional shopping mall model that defined suburban development for fifty years is fading, replaced by something fundamentally different. Walk through Yorkdale on a Saturday afternoon and you will still see crowds, but look closer and you will notice people are not just shopping. They are dining at upscale restaurants, working out at premium fitness clubs, catching movies, and gathering for social experiences that happen to include retail rather than focusing on it exclusively. This shift is not about retail dying. It is about retail evolving into something more complex and valuable when done correctly, while properties clinging to outdated models face existential challenges. For investors, developers, and commercial landlords across the Greater Toronto Area, understanding this transition means the difference between holding assets that appreciate steadily and owning properties that lose relevance and value with each passing year. Contact Now Retail Market Insights — Toronto 2026 Experience-Based Retail Dominates Tenant Demand The concept of experience-based retail sounds like marketing language until you examine actual leasing activity in Toronto’s strongest retail properties. Landlords are actively replacing traditional apparel stores and general merchandise tenants with restaurants, fitness concepts, entertainment venues, and service providers that give people reasons to visit repeatedly — not just when they need to purchase something specific. Real-World Example — Etobicoke From Clothing Boutiques to a Community Destination A retail plaza that once housed clothing boutiques and electronics stores was repositioned around an experience-first tenant mix — with remarkable results. 🧗 Climbing Gym 🍺 Craft Brewery & Tasting Room 👨‍🍳 Evening Cooking School 🛒 Specialty Grocery & Café 📈 Foot traffic increased substantially after the tenant mix shift — visitors now come multiple times weekly for activities and experiences, not just occasional shopping trips. Developers planning new retail projects in Toronto design around this experience-driven model from the start. Floor plans accommodate larger restaurant spaces with outdoor patios. Parking calculations include evening and weekend activity rather than just daytime shopping patterns. Common areas become destinations themselves with seating, Wi-Fi, and programming that encourages people to linger rather than simply passing through. 💰 Premium Rents Experiential tenants pay top dollar because their models depend on location and atmosphere — not e-commerce. 🔄 Repeat Visits Fitness, dining, and entertainment drive multi-weekly foot traffic that traditional retail cannot replicate. 🌐 E-Commerce Proof A restaurant or climbing gym cannot move online. Physical presence is the product — creating durable demand. Seven Appraisal Inc. — Valuation Perspective At Seven Appraisal Inc., we analyze tenant mix carefully when valuing retail properties because the specific businesses occupying space dramatically affect both current income and future value potential. A shopping center filled with experiential tenants on long-term leases commands higher valuations than a property with traditional retail tenants facing constant e-commerce pressure — even if both generate similar current income. Investment Strategy Why Necessity-Based Retail Remains the Safest Investment While experience-based retail generates excitement and drives new development concepts, necessity-based retail provides the stable, recession-resistant income that conservative investors seek. Grocery-anchored strip malls, properties with pharmacy tenants, and centers serving essential daily needs maintain consistent performance regardless of economic conditions or consumer trend shifts. “During the pandemic when many retail categories struggled dramatically, grocery-anchored properties maintained occupancy and collected rents with minimal disruption — a resilience that continues attracting conservative institutional capital in 2026.” Rental rates for anchor tenants like grocery chains typically run lower per square foot than what premium restaurants or fitness concepts pay, but the tradeoff comes through lease length and tenant creditworthiness. A grocery chain signing a 15-year lease with renewal options provides income certainty that few other tenant categories can match — certainty that translates directly into property value through lower capitalization rates. ✨ Experience-Based Retail Premium rents per square foot High foot traffic frequency E-commerce resistant model Drives vibrant property atmosphere Strong growth and value upside 🛡 Necessity-Based Retail Recession-resistant income Long-term leases (10–15+ years) Credit-grade anchor tenants Consistent baseline foot traffic Lower cap rates — reduced risk The Strongest Retail Properties The Best Portfolios Combine Both Strategies A center anchored by a quality grocery store that also includes popular restaurants, a fitness studio, and essential services offers both stability and growth. The grocery tenant ensures consistent baseline traffic while experiential tenants drive premium rents and create the vibrant atmosphere that benefits the entire property — making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Urban Redevelopment Trends — Toronto 2026 The Mall Redevelopment Wave Reshaping Toronto Drive through Toronto’s inner suburbs and you will notice something striking. Shopping malls that stood for decades are disappearing, replaced by dense mixed-use developments combining residential towers, ground floor retail, office space, and public amenities. Scarborough Town Centre, Yorkdale, and Sherway Gardens continue thriving as regional destinations — but dozens of smaller malls have been or are being redeveloped into something completely different. This transformation reflects cold economic reality. A single-story shopping mall sitting on valuable land near transit no longer represents the highest and best use of that site. Converting the property into a mixed-use development with hundreds of residential units, modern retail space, and perhaps office or hotel components creates far more value than the aging mall could ever generate through retail rents alone. Then 🏬 Single-Story Mall Apparel Stores Electronics Surface Parking Declining Retail ▼ Now 🏙️ Mixed-Use Community Residential Towers Ground Floor Retail Office Space Public Amenities Case Study — Vaughan Metropolitan Centre A Blueprint for Transit-Oriented Transformation What was once low-rise retail and industrial land has transformed into a fully integrated transit-oriented community — condominium towers, office buildings, curated retail, and public spaces all built around a subway station. The retail component serves the residents and workers in the immediate area rather than trying to attract regional traffic like traditional malls. 🚇 Subway-Anchored 🏢 Condo Towers 🏛️ Office Buildings 🛍️ Curated Retail 🌳 Public Spaces ✦

Toronto Office Market Recovery 2026: The Rise of Flight-to-Quality and Trophy Buildings Toronto’s office market is experiencing something real estate professionals have not seen in years: genuine recovery driven by fundamental shifts in how companies think about workspace. After three years of uncertainty, empty floors, and widespread remote work experiments, businesses are making decisive choices about where they want their teams to work. The result is a market splitting into clear winners and losers, with premium buildings gaining momentum while older properties struggle to find their footing. Contact Now Market Insights — 2026 Return-to-Office Mandates Are Changing the Game Walk through the Financial District on a Tuesday morning in early 2026 and the change is obvious. Streetcar platforms are busier, coffee shops have lineups again, and lobbies in major office towers show steady streams of employees badging in. Large corporations across Toronto have moved beyond flexible work policies into structured return-to-office requirements that are reshaping demand patterns. Major banks, insurance companies, and professional service firms that once tolerated widespread remote work are now requiring employees in the office three, four, or even five days per week. Amazon’s well-publicized mandate requiring full-time office attendance sent ripples through corporate Canada, with other companies following similar paths. While not every business is eliminating remote work entirely, the pendulum has clearly swung back toward in-person collaboration. “Companies that downsized their footprints in 2021 and 2022 are quietly looking for additional space again — not necessarily returning to pre-pandemic levels, but adding back square footage as headcount grows and hybrid policies settle into consistent patterns.” Leasing activity in Toronto’s downtown core has stabilized and begun trending upward after three years of declining absorption. The recovery is real, but it comes with a significant caveat. Companies are not simply taking whatever space becomes available at good prices. They are being extraordinarily selective about where they locate, and that selectivity is creating dramatic differences in how various building types are performing. 4–5 Days/week mandated by major banks & insurers ↑ 3yr First upward leasing trend since the pandemic Class A Trophy buildings seeing lowest vacancy rates What Flight-to-Quality Actually Means The phrase “flight-to-quality” has become standard language among Toronto commercial brokers and investors, but the concept deserves clear explanation. Businesses emerging from pandemic disruptions are rethinking what office space should accomplish. Simply providing desks and meeting rooms no longer suffices — companies want spaces that attract talent, facilitate collaboration, and reflect positively on their brand. This thinking drives tenants toward Class A and Trophy buildings that offer amenities and environments most older properties cannot match. A Trophy building in Toronto’s core typically features: Floor-to-Ceiling Windows Fitness Centres & Showers High-End Lobby Experience Collaborative Work Lounges Outdoor Terraces Direct PATH / Subway Access Professional Coffee Service Natural Light & City Views These features matter because companies are competing for talent in a tight labor market. Employees who resisted returning to the office become more willing when the workplace offers genuine advantages over working from home. Buildings where running into colleagues from other companies creates networking opportunities all contribute to a workplace culture that justifies the commute. The buildings benefiting most from this trend are concentrated in specific Toronto locations. Bay Street towers with recent renovations, newer developments in the South Core near Union Station, and select properties in North York with strong transit access are seeing vacancy rates drop and rental rates stabilize or increase. These buildings offer what corporate tenants want, and landlords can negotiate from positions of strength. Older Class B and C properties built in the 1970s and 1980s without significant recent investment are watching tenants leave at lease expiration — not because companies are reducing space, but because they are simply moving to better buildings, often paying higher rents willingly for the competitive advantage. Toronto Office Market — 2026 The Vacancy Rate Story Behind the Headlines Toronto’s overall downtown office vacancy rate sits around 17.3 percent as of early 2026, a number that sounds alarming compared to the historical average closer to 5 or 6 percent. This figure dominates news coverage and creates impressions that the office market remains in crisis. The reality is far more nuanced and requires looking beneath the aggregate statistics. 17.3% Downtown Toronto’s overall vacancy rate — but the headline number masks a deeply polarized market. Trophy and newer Class A buildings are sitting well below this average, while aging secondary properties skew the figures dramatically upward. Trophy & Class A Buildings 8–11% Prime towers are approaching pre-pandemic occupancy. Premium floor plates have waiting lists and landlords are achieving rent increases on new leases. Older Class B & C Buildings 30–40% 1970s–80s towers with low ceilings, dated systems, and poor transit access are dragging the city-wide average up as tenants depart at lease expiration. The high overall vacancy rate reflects concentration in older buildings that no longer meet current tenant expectations. These properties drag down the average and create the impression that the entire market struggles, when in fact the market is simply becoming more polarized. Polarization Creates Risk — and Opportunity This polarization creates both risk and opportunity for investors and business owners. Understanding the difference between the two is essential for anyone making decisions in the current environment. ⚠ The Risk Assuming all office properties will recover equally as return-to-office trends continue. Buildings that fail to offer what modern tenants demand will likely face sustained high vacancy and declining rents — making them poor investments regardless of attractive current pricing. ✦ The Opportunity Sophisticated investors who identify buildings with repositioning potential. A well-located property with good bones but outdated systems may justify significant capital investment — and the market is actively rewarding owners who execute these value-add strategies successfully. What Investors Should Expect in 2026 Commercial real estate investment activity in Canada is forecast to reach approximately $56 billion in 2026 according to CBRE analysis, representing a meaningful recovery from the depressed transaction volumes of 2023 and 2024. Within that total, office properties are attracting renewed interest

How Your HVAC System Affects Home Value in Toronto When you’re preparing to sell your home or refinance your mortgage, the appraisal process can feel like a mystery. An appraiser walks through your property, takes notes, snaps photos, and assigns a dollar value that directly impacts your financial outcome. Most homeowners focus on curb appeal, fresh paint, and updated fixtures. But there’s one critical factor that significantly influences appraisal values that often gets overlooked: your HVAC system. The condition, age, and efficiency of your heating and cooling system play a substantial role in how appraisers evaluate your property. Understanding this connection can mean the difference between a strong appraisal that supports your asking price and a disappointing valuation that derails your plans. Let me walk you through exactly how HVAC systems impact home appraisals and what you can do to ensure your system supports rather than undermines your property value. Contact Now Why Appraisers Care About HVAC Systems Home appraisers don’t just evaluate aesthetics. They assess the functional systems that make a property livable and determine its long-term value. HVAC systems rank among the most important considerations because they represent significant replacement costs and directly affect buyer appeal. Major Capital Expense Considerations HVAC system replacement represents one of the largest single expenses homeowners face, typically ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 or more depending on system size and efficiency. Appraisers understand this financial reality and factor it into their valuations. A home with a well-maintained, modern HVAC system requires no immediate capital investment from the buyer. That’s attractive and supports higher valuations. Conversely, a property with an aging or failing system represents an imminent expense that buyers will either negotiate into the purchase price or walk away from entirely. Appraisers note HVAC system age and condition because these details directly inform whether the property represents a good value at the proposed sale price. A 20-year-old furnace and air conditioner operating on borrowed time create legitimate concerns about near-term replacement costs. Functional Utility and Livability Appraisers assess whether a property’s systems provide adequate functional utility. An HVAC system that struggles to maintain comfortable temperatures, creates uneven heating or cooling, or breaks down frequently diminishes a home’s livability. Properties must meet basic habitability standards to qualify for most mortgage financing. While definitions vary, functional heating and cooling systems generally fall under these requirements. A completely non-functional HVAC system can prevent a property from appraising at all until repairs are made. Even systems that technically work but perform poorly affect valuations. Appraisers compare properties to similar homes in the area. If comparable sales featured newer, more efficient systems, your outdated equipment becomes a negative differentiator that justifies lower valuation. Energy Efficiency and Operating Costs Modern home valuation increasingly considers energy efficiency as buyers become more cost-conscious and environmentally aware. HVAC systems represent the largest energy consumers in most homes, accounting for roughly 50% of total energy usage according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Appraisers recognize that high-efficiency HVAC systems reduce ongoing operating costs for homeowners. This economic advantage translates into higher property values, particularly in markets where energy costs are significant. Older systems with low SEER ratings consume considerably more electricity than modern high-efficiency units. This efficiency gap represents hundreds of dollars annually in additional operating costs that savvy buyers factor into their purchase decisions and that appraisers consider when determining value. Specific HVAC Factors That Impact Appraisal Values Not all HVAC considerations carry equal weight in appraisals. Understanding which factors matter most helps homeowners prioritize improvements that genuinely affect valuations. 1 System Age and Remaining Useful Life HVAC system age stands as the primary factor appraisers consider. Air conditioning units typically last 12 to 15 years. Furnaces generally run 15 to 20 years. Heat pumps fall somewhere in between at 12 to 15 years. An HVAC system within the first third of its expected lifespan is viewed positively. Systems in the final third of expected life raise concerns about imminent replacement needs. Systems operating beyond typical lifespan create significant valuation challenges regardless of current functionality. Appraisers don’t just guess at system age. They check manufacturer labels, review maintenance records when available, and note visual indicators of aging equipment. Attempting to hide an old system’s age rarely succeeds and damages credibility when discovered. Homes with brand new HVAC systems installed within the past few years receive positive adjustments in appraisal reports. This recent capital investment protects buyers from near-term replacement expenses and demonstrates the seller’s commitment to property maintenance. 2 Equipment Type and Efficiency Ratings The specific type of HVAC equipment installed affects property valuations. Central air conditioning systems with modern efficiency ratings appraise higher than outdated units or properties relying on window air conditioners. SEER ratings for air conditioners and AFUE ratings for furnaces provide objective measures of efficiency that appraisers can evaluate. Current minimum standards require 14 SEER for air conditioners in most regions, but high-efficiency systems reach 18 SEER or higher. Properties with Energy Star certified HVAC equipment earn favorable notes in appraisal reports. These certifications indicate systems that exceed minimum efficiency standards and reduce operating costs compared to baseline models. Dual-fuel systems, zoned HVAC configurations, and smart thermostat integration represent premium features that distinguish properties from standard comparable sales. Appraisers account for these upgrades when they provide genuine functional advantages or align with buyer expectations in the market segment. 3 Visible Condition and Maintenance History The physical appearance of HVAC equipment matters to appraisers. Well-maintained systems with clean exterior units, intact housing, and professional installations suggest responsible ownership and proper care. Rust, corrosion, improper installations, jury-rigged repairs, and general neglect signal potential problems even if systems currently function. Appraisers photograph HVAC equipment and note concerning conditions in their reports. Documentation of regular HVAC maintenance significantly strengthens appraisal outcomes. Service records demonstrating annual tune-ups, filter changes, and professional inspections indicate systems have received proper care that extends lifespan and maintains efficiency. Properties with maintenance agreements or transferable warranties provide additional value that appraisers recognize. These programs ensure ongoing professional