Canada's resilient economy has made the country a preferred destination for investors seeking long-term returns. In the commercial property sector, Blackwood Partners guides local and international investors to make the right choice. As an asset management and transaction management specialist, Blackwood Partners responds to the growing demand for real estate intelligence. Founded in 2000 by John Hayes and Michael Cairns, Blackwood Partners specialises in acquiring, managing and leasing office, retail and industrial properties. International investors benefit from the company's hands-on approach and local expertise in the Canadian commercial property market. "If you're investing in Canada, you need somebody to guide you about taxes, legalities and other local issues in addition to property underwriting. With 25 years of experience in the industry, we know the commercial property market and have relationships with local brokers and vendors as well as legal and tax specialists," says managing partner Hayes. Blackwood Partners manages about HK$11.67 billion or more than 920,000 square metres worth of assets. With more than 65 employees and four offices across Canada, the company's clients include pension funds, private investors and public and private corporations throughout North America and Europe. Representing the interests of both tenants and landlords, Blackwood Partners is well positioned to make an impartial assessment of a property. "We have a dual perspective of the real estate market - having extensive experience in acting for both asset owners and users. This is very useful in delivering intelligence to our clients," Hayes says. In managing functional industrial products, Blackwood Partners focuses on profitable properties in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver - the country's main logistics zones. In the retail sector, it focuses on properties with stable anchor tenants such as large retail chains and supermarkets to assure investment returns. Blackwood Partners guides foreign investors in establishing a portfolio strategy and helps them select the right team to deal with Canadian laws, tax structure and other issues. With Blackwood Partners as an adviser, investors gain credibility in their bids and show their commitment to vendors when closing a deal. This is an important message to communicate in this competitive market. With the influx of property investors from Asia, Blackwood Partners seeks to develop relationships with Asian funds and private investors to help them diversify their commercial portfolio investments. Blackwood Partners forecasts that the mainland will be instrumental in driving multibillion-dollar investments into Canada in the next three to five years. "We have the capacity to assist new players coming into Canada who want a non-conflicted adviser to help them. Investors appreciate the personal attention we provide," Hayes says.
