Agenda

12:05pm - 12:30pm

In a fireside chat Ted Tsiakopoulos will share actionable insights on how some notable disruptions, cited in a best selling book he co-authored, he will share the macro economic and real estate outlook. He will also highlight the opportunities and challenges in the short and longer term for the real estate industry.

NOTE: remarks will be off the record and the opinions expressed are my own and based on insights from a best selling book (“Property Trendsetters”, 2020).

12:30pm - 1:00pm

Housing affordability and supply have become defining challenges for Canadians—and the political consequences are growing. Join Dan Mader, one of Canada’s most respected voices on political affairs, as he delivers a timely and thought-provoking overview of how Canadians are responding to the housing crisis.

This session will explore the deep economic and political implications of the current housing landscape and what it means for policymakers, industry leaders, and communities across the country.

1:00pm - 1:30pm

Carl Haas will delve into the roadmap The National Research Council (NRC) developed through extensive consultation and research from 2024 – 2025. This presentation outlines the key elements: the construction productivity challenge, benefits of automation and robotics, past successes and failures, opportunities, differences between construction and manufacturing, a solutions pipeline, R&D program to support solutions pipeline and potential partnerships in and beyond Canada.

1:30pm - 2:00pm

Marlon Bray will dive into the false narratives driving housing policy at all three levels of government. He’ll unpack how political distraction and public disillusionment have allowed ineffective, even delusional, housing solutions to take hold—while affordability slips further out of reach.

With sharp insight and real-world data, Bray will explore where Ontario stands, how bad things could get, and why meaningful change means facing economic realities head-on. It's time to stop playing along and start building a housing system that actually works.

2:00pm - 2:30pm

The province of Alberta is continually identified as a leader in addressing the housing challenges facing them. Through embracing modernization and more responsive planning approvals processes, Alberta has stood out as a province that expediting new home construction, simplifying processes and generally working to make housing more affordable for purchasers while responding to the pressures of getting more homes built, more quickly. Minister Dan Williams will provide insight and commentary on how Alberta continues to lead the way in addressing its housing challenges. 

2:30pm - 3:00pm

In a fireside chat Ian Lee tackles one of the biggest obstacles to solving Canada’s housing crisis: the restrictive policies and misconceptions held by city councils and housing departments in our largest cities. He’ll challenge the narrative that suburban growth is merely “urban sprawl,” arguing instead that it’s a necessary response to population pressures.

Drawing comparisons with similarly sized U.S. cities, Lee will show how faster approvals and smarter planning can lead to more affordable homes. He’ll also outline practical solutions—starting with building on the more affordable outskirts of major cities—to get Canada building again..

3:00pm - 3:30pm

The rental housing sector is a critical component to any successful plan to address the challenges facing many people who are looking for an affordable place to call home. Tony Irwin, Corey Pacht and Tobias Oriwol are leaders in the rental housing sector and they will provide an update on the current situation within this area along with insight on what is required to support the construction of more units to help bring solutions to the housing crisis.

3:30pm - 4:00pm

Jason Mercer and the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board occupy a critical role in the housing market. Jason’s insights and statistical analysis are always awaited with anticipation as they inform and enlighten all stakeholders within the housing sector. Jason will provide comment and background on the current state of the housing market as it sits at an inflection point.