FACILITYCalgary

news, commentary & perspective - financings, deals - commercial real estate, infrastructure, oil & gas

FACILITYCalgary May 6/25

ARCHIVED ISSUES

CONVERSATIONS

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SHAKERS AND MOVERS 
appointments and disappointments 

+ Alain Bergeron to Exec. VP & CIO @ iA Financial Group

+ Darren Zeidel to General Counsel @ AON PLC

+ Dave Rodgers to Investment Advisors @ Aligned Capital Partners Inc.

+ George Lidgett to Exec. VP & General Mgr. Utilities @ Canadian Utilities Limited

+ Keith Podmoroff to Dir. Human Resources @ Viking Air Limited

+ Mitchell Davidson to Lead, Public Policy and Economy @ StrategyCorp.

+ Olivier Le Peuch to CEO @ Schlumberger NV

+ Peter Bagwell to Regional Gen. Mgr. – Alberta @ AVI-SPL

+ Siegfried Kiefer to Pres. & CEO @ Canadian Utilities Limited

+ Wayne Stensby to Exec. VP, Corporate Dev. @ Canadian Utilities Limited

~

 [send us your appointment notices  kolke@facilitycalgary.com ]




 MEMORIAM  

+ Brenda Nault, well known and regarded residential realtor and former MaxWell colleague; 58

+ Mike Tarp, philanthropist, renowned car dealer; 76




 HUMAN RESOURCES + WORKPLACE TRENDS 

+ best ways to stay awake in meetings – or, just attend exciting meetings!

+ employers should get ready for new regulations in 2020

+ most engaged workplaces promoting people-first culture




 TECH Corner ...  

+ Microsoft Inc. invested US$1.0 billion in an ‘exclusive computing partnership’ with OpenAI to develop ‘friendlier’ direction for artificial intelligence




 QUOTES 

+ Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one would believe it. – unknown

+ There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. – John Holmes




  GLOSSARY + ABBREVIATIONS + ACRONYMS 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL GLOSSARY  




 SAVE THE DATE / upcoming events

+  July 23; Policy & A Pint, U of C School of Public Policy, Junction YYC, Calgary; info/tickets

+ Sept. 2-4; World Heavy Oil Congress & Exhibition, Oman Convention Centre, Muscat, Oman; info/register

+ Sept. 4; Canadian Apartment Investment Conference, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto; info/register

+ Sept. 9-11; BOMEX 2019, St. John’s, Nfld.; info/sponsor/register

+ Sept. 14; Cerebral Palsy Association, Life Without Limits Challenge, Rotary Challenger Park, Calgary; info/register

+ Sept. 17-19; Gastech Exhibition & Conference, Houston, Texas; info/registration

+ Sept. 17-19; Canadian Association of Professional Landmen (CAPL), 2019 Conference, Calgary; info/register

+ Sept. 19; Uncorking Potential fundraiser (formerly known as the Peter Gzowski Invitational) for canLEARN Society, Fort Calgary, Calgary; info/tickets

+ Oct. 1; Workforce Choice Awards, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary; info/tickets

+ Nov. 6; Calgary Real Estate Forum, TELUS Convention Centre; info/register

+ Nov. 11; ADIPEC – Abu Dhabi International Exhibition and Conference; info/book space in Canada pavilion

+ Nov. 20-24; 2019 Grey Cup Festival; tickets/information


[send your event notices to:  kolke@facilitycalgary.com ]



 SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS

+ July 23; WestJet Airlines Ltd., Special Meeting of Shareholders, Calgary

+ Aug. 6; Echelon Financial Holdings Inc., Annual General Meeting, Toronto

+ Aug 6; GMP Capital Inc., Meeting of Common Shareholders, Toronto

+ Aug. 16; Street Capital Group Inc., Special Meeting of Shareholders, Toronto

+ Aug. 21; NASCA (Northern Alberta Shopping Centre Assoc.) Charity Tournament in support of KidSport Edmonton, Belvedere Golf and Country Club, Sherwood Park; info/register

+  Aug. 23; theScore Inc., Shareholder Meeting, Toronto

~

[ please send your event notices and AGM notices to:  kolke@facilitycalgary.com ]




 SAVE THE DATE - CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENTS 

+ Aug. 1; SAIT Centennial Golf Classic, Priddis Greens, Priddis; info/details

+ Aug 12; Shrine Golf Tournament, Pinebrook Golf and Country Club, Calgary; details/sponsor/register

+ Aug. 13-15; Priddis Greens Charity Classic, Priddis Greens G& CC, Priddis; info/details

+ Aug. 15; CHAS (Children;s Hospital Aid Society) 37th Golf Classic, Silver Springs Golf Club, Calgary; info/registration

+ Aug. 22; BILD Calgary 2019 Industry Charity Tournament, Priddis Greens, Priddis; info/register

+ Aug. 29; Urban Measure Invitational for Cystic Fibrosis, Inglewood Golf & Curling Club, Calgary; info/register

+ Sept. 4; Little Warriors 4th Annual Golf Tournament, The Quarry, Edmonton; info/register

+ Sept. 5; 2019 Enmax BOMA Golf Tournament, Kananaskis Country GC, Kananaskis; info/register

+ Sept. 19; Basecamp Resorts/Murrieta’s 1st Annual Charity Golf Tournament, Stewart Creek, Canmore; info/register

~

[please send your charity golf event notices to:  kolke@facilitycalgary.com ]




 INTERESTING REAL ESTATE NEWS FROM OTHER PLACES 


+ Crown Realty Partners and Plaza Partners partnered (50/50 JV) to acquire 30 Eglinton Ave. in Mississauga, ON; substantial redevelopment potential on the 113,435 sq. ft. office building on 6.4 acres; terms not disclosed

+ in San Francisco, Google formed a US$15.0 billion partnership with Australia’s LendLease to develop a broad range of real estate (office, hotel, retail, residential) projects in the Bay Area

+ Prologis Inc. agreed to acquire Black Creek Group’s Industrial Property Trust Inc. portfolio (37.5 million sq. ft.) for US$4.0 billion




 CLIMATE CHANGE + LEED + RENEWABLE ENERGY 

+ Trudeau government dropped $22.0 million on Calgary to set up an urban climate centre (Alberta Ecotrust Foundation will operate); Edmonton got one too – there will be seven across the country




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 weekly newsletter

Est. July, 1999




 TODAY'S HEADLINES


HEADLINES: AltaGas asset sale | Blackstone selling LNG interest | City of Calgary / Flames agree on new arena | Connacher restructuring approved | Plains Midstream ‘route to the Gulf’ for Alberta crude| SNC-Lavalin $1.9 billion write down/restructuring + Denise Baril interview  + deals + rig counts + upcoming events, appointments, Golf Tournaments + REIT NEWS + financings


current week data

this  site is refreshed with a new issue every Tuesday


updated July 23, 2019


Editor/Publisher: Mark Kolke



CONVERSATIONS

FACILITYCalgary Publisher Mark Kolke interviews interesting people. He seeks a glimpse of what drives them, how they see the world and what they see in Calgary's future:

This week's conversation with Denise Baril, Founder/Pres. @ Workplace Speaker Network

A recent conversation with Neil Camarta, Pres. & CEO @ Field Upgrading and former Sr. VP Oilsands @ Suncor and Royal Dutch Shell

Click here to access the archive: archived conversations with fascinating Calgarians ...



 sponsors of this week's issue:

click to contact: Trevor Winkler, Regional Managing Partner, Calgary
 
ACCCOUNTING, CONSULTING, TAX



e-mail Lance Laliberte - Sales at PREMIERE OFFICE FURNITURE
 
NEW AND USED OFFICE FURNITURE



Partner with us for your CSR or employee giving program, and join us in the global fight against avoidable blindness - e-mail Lynne Nieman, Partnerships Officer
 
SUPPORTING VISION PROJECTS WORLDWIDE



RETAINED EXECUTIVE SEARCH - For more information, click here.



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COMPANY HERE
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BRAND HERE



e-mail Peter Gatzsch
 
COMMERCIAL INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION



 
DATA CENTRE

e-mail: Carol.Keen@DataHive.ca



e-mail Lance Laliberte - Sales at PREMIERE OFFICE MOVERS
 
OFFICE MOVERS



e-mail Grant Robinson, Managing Director, Calgary
 
RISK & INSURANCE SOLUTIONS



CONTACT US
SALES COACHING



CONTACT MARK KOLKE 
OFFICE AND INDUSTRIAL LEASING



CLICK HERE TO GET MARK'S HOME SEARCH APP FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE - search any MLS listing you see, get information and/or book a showing without making a call - check it out! It's new and aVERY cool tool.

CONTACT MARK KOLKE 
RESIDENTIAL SALES



PUT YOUR 
COMPANY HERE
 Advertising/sponsorship queries:  kolke@facilitycalgary.com 
SEE YOUR 
BRAND HERE



 this week in REITS 


+ Granite REIT acquired three (Ohio, Mississippi, Netherlands) properties (1.3 million sq. ft.) for US$120.0 million

+ Granite REIT spent US$33.9 million to acquire development land in Houston; it will develop in a JV with North Point Development – plans for 2.5 million sq. ft. business park

+ NexPoint Hospitality Trust and Condor Hospitality Trust Inc. agreed to merger; US$318.0 million transaction will have NexPoint acquire all of Condor

+ Pure Multi-Family REIT agreed to be acquired by Cortland Partners LLC who will take the business private for US$1.2 billion; transaction contains a 25-day ‘go shop’ period … tic toc




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NEWS SUMMARY 
 July 16 ~ 23 


+ Alberta judge blocked B.C.’s efforts to block Alberta’s ‘turn off the taps’ legislation; referred the matter to Federal Court of Canada if BC wants to proceed … tic toc

+ AltaGas Ltd. agreed to sell a portfolio subsidiary and JV U.S. solar and fuel cell power generation assets for US$720.0 million

+ Blackstone Group Inc. is on the market to sell its US$1.5 billion stake in Cheniere Energy Inc.’s LNG limited partnership

+ City of Calgary and Calgary Flames reached agreement on a new $550.0 million 19,000 seat arena to replace the Saddledome and other facilities; 50/50 split on capital costs

+ Connacher Oil and Gas Limited got creditor and court approval of its restructuring plan; CCAA protection stayed

+ current energy prices; live link to current Bloomberg energy prices / OilPrice.com; crude markets steady but jittery over Strait of Hormuz conflicts and annual Mexican government hedging trades; natural gas prices rise on higher cooling heatwave/demand in U.S.

+ EY Entrepreneur Of The Year – 2019 Prairie finalists

+ Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and Canada Life Assurance Company got board approval for their amalgamation; will operated as The Canada Life Assurance Company

+ FACILITYCalgary at 20 … many thanks to readers and sponsors for your support!

+ Kinder Morgan got U.S. regulatory approval for its Mississippi Gulf LNG export facility; capacity will be to explored 10.85 million tonnes/year

+ NEB resumed regulatory permitting process for TransMountain expansion project, restored orders and decisions made prior to the court ruling that put the project on hold …

+ Plains Midstream Canada creating an interesting pipeline solution; three components: reversal of existing Rangeland pipeline to take crude to Montana from Alberta, JV with P66 to build a new pipeline from Alberta border to Cushing, and a JV with P66 to build a new pipeline from Cushing to the Gulf of Mexico

+ rig activity in Canada

+ rig counts – U.S.: down 4 to 954 this week; Canada: up 1 to 118 this week; full breakdown

+ SNC-Lavalin announced a corporate restructuring and $1.9 billion write-down; they are exiting the lump-sum turnkey contracting business – restructuring/change of corporate direction will result in substantial costs to be announced soon; company is committed to completing work in progress and sale of its interest in 407ETR Inc.. Stock at its lowest level since 2005 and Canadian criminal charges involving overseas projects still pending. Meanwhile Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec’s CEO lashed out at them, demanding change – though analysts now speculate the stock is undervalued … tic toc

+ UK politics; Boris Johnson elected leader of the Conservative Party, will succeed Teresa May as Prime Minister. Johnson has been pro-Brexit so conflict with EU on terms and markets volatility is likely … tic toc




THIS WEEK IN FINANCINGS 
- proposed & closed

+ Bank of Nova Scotia closed US$500.0 million green bond debt financing

+ CI Financial Corp. closed $350.0 million debt financing

+ Firm Capital American Realty Partners Corp. is on the market to raise $20.0 million in convertible debt

+ First Capital Realty Inc. closed $200.0 million sr. unsecured debt financing

+ Garda World Security Corporation secured US$194.5 million credit facility

+ Royal Bank of Canada is on the market to raise $1.5 billion in sub. debt

+ Vendasta Technologies Inc. closed $40.0 million in equity

~

*editor’s note: names companies involved in debt financing transactions we report in this section are ALWAYS the borrower; we report ‘fresh raises’ and do not report secondary offerings …




 INFRASTRUCTURE / P3  


+ Calgary Flames and Calgary City Council negotiations regarding a deal/funding structure for a new arena to replace the Saddledome; estimated to be $550-600.0 million in capital cost; ratification of the deal is expected at July 29th council meeting … tic toc

+ high speed rail from Portland to Vancouver? … report released by Washington State Transportation Dept.; 400 page business case for the transportation link supported by BC, Oregon and Washington governments and Microsoft … don’t hold your breath; capital costs of US$42.0 billion in 2017 …

+ our ‘solution’ for flooding – news the Springbank flood prevention dam project hit another delay; Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency request for ‘more information’ beyond the 8,000 page submission seems, to this cynic, connected to the Tsuu T’ina Nation objections … it’s election season and we should be suspicious of project delays like this ... tic toc




 CONSTRUCTION NEWS + INNOVATION 

+ Cesar Pelli, architect of World Financial Center, Petronas Towers – died at 93; interview/photos

+ SNC-Lavalin announced a corporate restructuring and $1.9 billion write-down; they are exiting the lump-sum turnkey contracting business – restructuring/change of corporate direction will result in substantial costs to be announced soon; company is committed to completing work in progress and its sale of its interest in 407ETR Inc.. Stock in at its lowest level since 2005 and Canadian criminal charges involving overseas projects still pending. Meanwhile Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec’s CEO lashed out at them, demanding change – though analysts now speculate the stock is undervalued … tic toc




 INTERESTING TRENDS IN RETAIL 


+ L.L. Bean, the Maine catalogue retailer will open its first physical store in Canada, in Oakville, Aug. 23rd; venture is a JV with Jaytex Group

+ Onex Cor. sold its Jack’s Family Restaurants unit for a big gain to an undisclosed buyer; acquired for US$234.0 million in 2015, sold for US$835.0 million




 INTERESTING TRENDS IN INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE 


+ Compass Datacenters is investing US$3.0 billion in new datacenters in multi-state U.S. expansion (first two in Arizona and Virginia); deals will be financed in JV structures with RedBird Capital, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Azrieli Group




 INTERESTING TRENDS IN OFFICE REAL ESTATE 


+ this is a ‘give your head a shake’ issue; everyone’s been awed by the rapid growth and success of WeWork – both the hype and reality of their growth. This week, in advance of its upcoming IPO, the co-founder and CEO Adam Neumann pulled out US$700.0 million …  yeah, seems like ‘payday’ before the payoff. I wonder how investors will see this – sleight-of-hand, ego running wild, or reasonable compensation for the CEO? In the grand scheme, co-working and WeWork are in their infancy. Too soon to say, but this looks like shooting yourself in the foot before you walk or run … tic toc


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this site last updated May 6, 2025