The Changing Landscape of Construction & Design: Key Trends Driving the Industry

Strategic Building: Innovation, Resilience & Community-Centric Design in Today’s Market

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  Aaron Knight

  SVP Development

  QuadReal

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  Merrill Fung

  VP, Architecture & Design

  Cadillac Fairview

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  Ryan Ng

  Partner

  Hazelview Investments

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  Jeff Wilkinson

  President

  CB Wilkinson

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  Chris Atkins

  Senior Director, Development

  First Capital REIT

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  Steve Orchard

  Steve has 22 years of mechanical engineering consulting experience and an in-depth perspective on the buildings industry. He has worked on a broad range of projects including commercial office buildings, datacentres, athletic venues, retail developments, and food service establishments. As Partner-in-Charge on many large development projects, he provides design solutions that align with the project’s vision and goals to optimize the successful completion of the project. Steve is a licensed engineer with the Professional Engineers of Ontario in 2011, which validates that he has the necessary knowledge and practical skills in this field. He is LEED accredited which demonstrates his practical knowledge focused on sustainability and how to lead a building design to achieve LEED certification. Steve provides holistic sustainable strategies for reducing energy and carbon with the building’s mechanical design. He also has experience with zero carbon and net-zero building design, and WELL standards and certification. Steve leads the development of our firm’s BIM standards that optimize space usage and assist all disciplines in coordinating their services for the building design. He has a solid track record for keeping a project on schedule and on budget. He has a strong technical background and offers innovative and practical solutions to design challenges, including the original development of central heat pump chillers, hot and cold thermal storage, compartmentalized VAV air conditioning systems, and office underfloor air distribution.

  BPA

  VP

  Moderator

  Steve Orchard

  VP

  BPA

Toronto's Evolving Development Scene: Deal Opportunities, Distress, Costs and Approvals

Navigating High Fees, Deal Flow & Approval Challenges in Toronto

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  Allison Gilks

  Allison joined Slate in 2022. She is involved in all aspects of Slate’s development projects, including acquisitions, project management, construction, and close out. Prior to Slate, Allison formed part of the Toronto North capital markets team at CBRE Limited. She worked through industrial sales and leasing strategies, investment sales, and development site transactions. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Guelph with a major in Real Estate and Housing.

  Slate Asset Management

  VP, Development

  Allison Gilks

  VP, Development

  Slate Asset Management

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  Meghan Wong

  VP Development

  Spanier Group

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  Vincci Wilson

  Vincci Wilson is a seasoned real estate development professional who has led the delivery of over 3.7 million square feet of commercial, residential, mixed-use, healthcare, and transit-oriented projects across Canada. Her portfolio spans master-planned communities, municipal infrastructure projects, and complex, multi-stakeholder developments. As Vice President of Development at Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT, Vincci is responsible for leading the development and construction of healthcare infrastructure across Canada – these include medical outpatient buildings, ambulatory surgical facilities, and associated research and life science facilities. Vincci earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Ted Rogers School of Management at TMU, specializing in Retail and Commercial Development. During her MBA, Vincci was selected to receive the Forward 50 Leadership Award and was an Ambassador for the Women of Distinction in her program. Vincci was also a recipient of the Toronto Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW) Scholarship and Mentorship in 2011, being recognized by the industry as a young leader early in her career. Vincci is currently a member of the Board for Toronto Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW) and was recently recognized by Urban Land Institute (ULI) as a WLI Champion for 2025.

  Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT

  VP Development

  Vincci Wilson

  VP Development

  Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT

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  Bryan Gelman

  Co-founder & President

  Albert Gelman

• Moderator

  Adam Slavens

  Partner

  Torys LLP

Opening Remarks

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  Ian Hunt

  SVP

  CBRE