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In an environment where many developers are hitting pause, Hazelview Investments is moving forward, with purpose.
The Canadian housing market is at an inflection point. After years of record population growth, chronic underbuilding, and a surge in activity during the early pandemic recovery, a period of recalibration is now underway. Higher interest rates, slower approvals, and evolving policy environments have added friction to an already complex system. But beneath the headlines, the reality remains: Canada still needs housing and needs it urgently.
While others wait for stability, Hazelview is focused on the future. With over 25 years of experience across real estate cycles, the firm is doubling down on what it knows works: long-term planning, disciplined execution, and a strategically integrated platform built to deliver for its investors.
Hazelview’s development work includes both directly led projects and those where it acts as a trusted development manager, partnering with investors looking to gain exposure to resilient, purpose-built rental housing. With in-house capabilities spanning development and property management, the firm offers the expertise, transparency, and scale to move complex projects forward, on behalf of its partners and alongside them.
That approach is now featured in Point of View, Hazelview’s new insight series highlighting how the team is navigating market dynamics, and why development remains one of its highest conviction strategies.
Why Now Is the Time to Build
“Volatility often masks opportunity,” says Mike Tsourounis, Hazelview’s Chief Investment Officer for Private Real Estate, in a recent Point of View episode. “We’re seeing a moment where development costs are normalizing, labour markets are stabilizing, and long-term demand remains strong. That creates a window to build for what’s ahead.”
The housing shortage in Canada is well documented. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has projected the country will need 3.5 million additional homes by 2030 to restore affordability. Yet new housing starts are declining, and many projects have been cancelled due to rising costs or uncertain market absorption.
Hazelview sees this moment differently.
“We’re not building for this year, we’re building for five years from now,” says Tsourounis. “And if you believe that supply will remain constrained and demand will rebound, that’s a powerful setup for long-term value.”
A Platform Built for Delivery
What sets Hazelview apart is how it builds. As a strategically integrated real estate investment platform, the company brings investment management, development management, and property management together under one roof.
“Our development team doesn’t work in isolation,” explains Michael Williams, Head of Development at Hazelview. “From day one, they’re aligned with our operations team, which manages approximately 20,000 units across Canada. That means we’re designing for what residents want and what buildings need to perform over the long term.”
Hazelview’s development platform spans the entire lifecycle, led by a single, integrated team. This includes:
- Acquisition of high-potential, transit-connected, and mixed-use sites
- Entitlement and planning that incorporates municipal priorities, community feedback, and public benefit
- Design development focused on livability, sustainability, and future flexibility
- Capital strategy and financing execution tailored to investor return objectives and market conditions
- Construction oversight that ensures quality, delivery certainty, and cost discipline
- Marketing and leasing strategies informed by real-time renter insight and local demand
- Seamless transition into long-term operations through Hazelview’s national property management team
This integrated structure gives Hazelview a clear execution advantage, allowing the team to move with speed, discipline, and accountability. It also provides the transparency and alignment that institutional partners expect, whether Hazelview is leading a project or managing it on behalf of an investor.
From Sites to Stories
Hazelview’s recent development projects reflect its ability to combine impact with execution. Story of Midtown Toronto® is a 500+ unit purpose-built rental community in the heart of Yonge and Eglinton and the first Rainbow Registered residential building in Canada. The project incorporates inclusive design, wellness-forward amenities, and green building systems, showing how development can support diversity, belonging, and resident experience.
At Bloor & Dufferin, Hazelview is transforming a key Toronto intersection into a vibrant mixed-use community with over 1,000 new rental homes. Delivered in phases and supported by CMHC financing, the project will include affordable housing, a new public park, on-site childcare, and community spaces shaped by local input.
“Projects like these are why we stay active,” says Williams. “They show what’s possible when you combine deep local execution with a long-term investor lens.”
Development as a Long-Term Strategy
At a time when many are pulling back, Hazelview is leaning in. With a $12.5 billion development pipeline, a robust land bank, and a national footprint, the firm is ready to build at scale, when it matters most.
“Development is one of the best ways to create long-term value in real estate,” says Tsourounis. “But it takes conviction, structure, and a platform that can manage complexity. That’s what we’ve built at Hazelview.”
The latest Point of View episodes are available now, including Hazelview’s perspective on why it’s time to build, how integration drives performance, and what long-term conviction looks like in practice.
Watch the full series at Point of View
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