Toronto Under Construction

Hosted by Toronto Under Construction

Business InvestingInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

100

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Welcome to Toronto Under Construction, a residential real estate podcast hosted by Bullpen Consulting’s Ben Myers. This monthly podcast will dive into the nitty-gritty of Toronto Real Estate, with a specific focus on housing policy and economics. @BenMyers29

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 12, 2026Episode 1071 hr 21 min

Episode 106 - Toronto Under Construction with Kiel O'Sullivan of Previon Capital, Duncan Smith of Oben Group and Anthony Staffieri of Fengate Communities

In Episode 106 of Toronto Under Construction, Ben Myers sits down with Kiel O'Sullivan of Previon Capital, Duncan Smith of Oben Group and Anthony Staffieri of Fengate for a discussion on where capital is flowing as the housing industry adapts to a changing market. The conversation explores everything from construction costs, purpose-built rental economics and institutional investment to vertical integration, development incentives and the evolving relationship between housing policy and private capital. From Toronto to the United States, the guests share their perspectives on how developers, investors and operators are adjusting their strategies, rethinking traditional business models and positioning themselves for the next phase of growth in residential real estate. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

May 21, 2026Episode 1061 hr 37 min

Episode 105 - Toronto Under Construction with Jim Ritchie of Tridel and Hunter Milborne of Milborne Group

In Episode 105, Ben sits down with Jim Ritchie of Tridel and Hunter Milborne of Milborne Group for a wide-ranging discussion that blends market history with today’s realities. Drawing on research about the early 1990s real estate crisis, the post-recession recovery of the late 1990s, the Global Financial Crisis, and more recent commentary on demand and product mix, the conversation explores how lending practices, leverage, buyer psychology and product strategy have shaped Toronto’s housing cycles. From Olympia & York to stacked townhouses, from luxury conversions to micro-suites, the episode examines what actually changes in downturns, what repeats, and what lessons still apply as the market recalibrates once again. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

May 4, 2026Episode 1051 hr 27 min

Episode 104 - Toronto Under Construction with Ian Pinchin of Crestpoint, Kalliopi Karkas of RioCan, and Lee Piccoli of Fusion Homes

In Episode 104 of Toronto Under Construction, Ben Myers sits down with Ian Pinchin of Crestpoint, Kalliopi Karkas of RioCan, and Lee Piccoli of Fusion Homes for a wide-ranging discussion on the intersection of policy, capital and development strategy across Ontario’s housing market. The conversation moves from the province’s temporary HST elimination on new homes to bulk condo-to-rental conversion funds, large-scale mixed-use redevelopment, institutional capital markets constraints and the long-term evolution of ownership in Canada. Spanning high-rise urban intensification, income-producing retail repositioning, master-planned communities and private equity discipline, the episode captures a market navigating uncertainty while still making long-term bets on growth. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

April 22, 2026Episode 1041 hr 26 min

Episode 103 - Toronto Under Construction with Cara Hirsch of Hirsch + Associates, Elliott Taube of Pivot Real Estate Group, and Sean Zahedi of SCOP Inc.

In Episode 103, Ben sits down with Cara Hirsch of Hirsch + Associates, Elliott Taube of Pivot Real Estate Group, and Sean Zahedi of SCOP Inc. for a roundtable discussion on the state of the new housing market from the people actively selling it. The conversation spans the immediate reaction to the proposed HST changes, the disconnect between condo pricing and fundamentals during the pandemic run-up, investor retrenchment, closing risk heading into 2026, and the growing shift from condo to rental as a default development model. From low-rise pricing resets to high-rise inventory pressure, the discussion reflects a market recalibrating around value, absorption and execution rather than momentum. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

March 31, 2026Episode 1031 hr 35 min

Episode 102 - Toronto Under Construction with Mike Czestochowski of CBRE, Josh Lerner of Harbour Equity, and Sharon Florian of Florian Group

In Episode 102, Ben sits down with Mike Czestochowski of CBRE, Josh Lerner of Harbour Equity, and Sharon Florian of Florian Group for a direct conversation about where the market actually stands. From lender behaviour and condo land receiverships to high-density resets, rental underwriting and product strategy, the discussion moves through the structural pressures shaping development decisions across the GTA. The tone throughout is pragmatic. Capital is cautious. Execution matters. And timing remains the central variable. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

March 13, 2026Episode 1021 hr 27 min

Episode 101 - Toronto Under Construction with Matt from Toronto Standard, Eric Lombardi, Liberal Party candidate, and Zoe Coombes of the Neptis Foundation

In Episode 101, Ben uses a series of provocative tweets as the jumping off point for a wide ranging conversation on immigration, millennials leaving the GTA, the growing divide between an owner class and a tenant class, declining fertility and what it will take for Canada to stay competitive. With Matt Spoke from Toronto Standard, Eric Lombardi, Liberal Party candidate, and Zoë Coombes of the Neptis Foundation, the discussion moves from immigration whiplash and Greenbelt trade offs to milestone recession, family formation and whether building more desirable housing near jobs matters more than corporate subsidies. It is a candid, policy heavy episode about growth, opportunity and the long term direction of housing and the Canadian economy. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

February 23, 2026Episode 1011 hr 22 min

Episode 100 - Toronto Under Construction with Gus Stavropoulos of Tribute Communities, Stuart Wilson of Alterra and Amanda Ireland of Osmington Gerofsky Development Corp

In Episode 100 of Toronto Under Construction, Ben is joined by Gus Stavropoulos of Tribute Communities, Stuart Wilson of Alterra and Amanda Ireland of Osmington Gerofsky Development Corp for a developer focused check-in on where the market actually sits in early 2026. The group digs into construction costs and financing, the rental pivot and what this slowdown means for land, staffing and the next wave of supply. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

February 2, 2026Episode 1001 hr 13 min

Episode 99 - Toronto Under Construction with Daniel Fama from GWL Realty Advisors, Adam Molson from The Daniels Corporation and Jason Shedletsky from Graywood Developments

In episode 99 of Toronto Under Construction, Ben is joined by Daniel Fama from GWL Realty Advisors, Adam Molson from The Daniels Corporation and Jason Shedletsky from Graywood Developments to unpack how purpose-built rental is reshaping the market. From condo sites pivoting to rental, to complex capital stacks, service-focused operations, family-sized units and succession at major development firms, the group looks at how strategy is shifting in a market that is still finding its footing. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

January 13, 2026Episode 9936 min

Episode 98 - Toronto Under Construction with Ben Myers from Bullpen Consulting

In Episode 98 of Toronto Under Construction, Ben goes solo with an unfiltered look at the state of the housing market. From shrinking unit sizes to investor pullback, shifting developer strategies, and the media’s misrepresentation of the industry, Ben calls out the narratives that need correcting, and urges industry leaders to step up and take control of the conversation. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*

December 22, 2025Episode 981 hr 41 min

Episode 97 - Toronto Under Construction with Sarah Segal from Simplydbs, Jasmine Young from Zonda Urban, and Jane Renwick from RenwickCorp

In this episode of Toronto Under Construction, Ben welcomes the first-ever all-female panel to the podcast: Sarah Segal (Simplydbs), Jasmine Young (Zonda Urban), and Jane Renwick (RenwickCorp). From shifting consumer expectations to urban planning bottlenecks, generational change, and leadership at the executive level, this conversation unpacks where the real estate industry is headed—and the women shaping its future. *Sponsored by: BCGi Baron Consulting Group Executive Search*