In May 2017, City Council approved a new city-wide real estate service delivery model that will centralize real estate and facilities management activities across the City. The model will take a “whole of government” approach and apply a city-wide lens to ensure the effective use of real estate assets. The new model include:
- The Real Estate Services and Facilities Management divisions under the Deputy City Manager, Internal Corporate Services, with an expanded city-wide scope and mandate, including the execution and coordination of day-to-day real estate transactions and facilities management; and
- A new agency to manage the City’s real estate portfolio, develop City buildings and lands for municipal purposes and deliver client-focused real estate solutions to City divisions, agencies and corporations.
The new agency will be led by a nine-member board of directors, comprised of two Councillors, the Mayor or designate appointed by the Mayor, and six public members, one of whom chairs the Board. The real estate delivery model will be coordinated and aligned through key governance mechanisms.
The key benefits of the city-wide model include:
- Coordinated stewardship of the City’s real estate assets, and the ability to execute a mandate focused on supporting programs and enabling city-building;
- A strong accountability and governance structure with the necessary Council oversight, and built in flexibility to operate in the changing marketplace;
- Real estate expertise to modernize and harmonize operations, and to drive service delivery to programs and local communities across the City
- Opportunities to maximize real estate value in pursuit of social, economic, environmental, and program benefits, while achieving value for the City; and
- The ability to evolve over time and adjust as required to meet the City’s changing and complex needs.
The new City-wide real estate service delivery model will be incubated for three years (2018-2020) and evaluated to ensure it is working effectively. Once fully implemented, the model will produce efficiencies and opportunities for the City through operating and capital cost savings and new revenues, which can be further invested into other City priorities. A City-wide real estate strategy will be develop by the City-wide real estate model partners and presented for City Council approval in Q1 2019.
