Canadian real estate investment set to climb

Canada's commercial real estate investment market is expected to pick up in 2010.
Avison Young's 2010 Forecast says investment transaction volume dropped 55% to $5.4 billion in the first nine months of last year. Simply put, owners were reluctant to sell their assets at de-valued rates, so they held on to them instead.
Although 2010 is not expected to set any investment records, investors may face more pressure to make moves this year as the economy improves and REITs re-enter the market. Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal are among the cities expected to experience increases.
But Toronto will be a notable exception. Brokers there believe that rents still have to complete an adjustment, and in some cases decline further.
Still, at least two REITS, ARTIS out of Winnipeg and Toronto-based Dundee, have been extremely active in late 2009 and early 2010.