Top RE funds in Canada?

Can anyone shed some light on the top RE funds in Canada? What experience do you typically need to land junior positions there? How does comp look like for junior to mid levels?

Thanks

47 Comments
 

Brookfield is probably the biggest shop followed by Kingsett, Slate, and a few others. Pensions are good spots too. Fyi Canadian comp is generally shit conpared to the US.

 
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See below across different org types. Giving more detail on REPE as that's what most people here are focused on, the others I'll just list a few major players.

REPE (note a bunch of these are also vertically integrated OpCos and have other business lines like REITs and public equities):

- KingSett

- Slate

- Brookfield (note that they don't have much of an REPE team here, mostly just their traditional PE "Investments" team, but their Brookfield Properties AM/development branch is pretty active)

- Crestpoint

- Fiera

- Greybrook

- Starlight Investments

- Dream

- A bunch of smaller/less recognizable names as well as US-based shops with Canadian offices (Harbour Equity, Forgestone, Montez, Woodbourne, LaSalle, etc.)

REIT:

- RioCan

- Allied

- First Capital

- Choice

- SmartCentres

- CAPREIT

Developers:

- Tricon Residential

- Great Gulf/First Gulf

- Concord

- Minto

- Daniels

- Mattamy Homes

- Tridel

Pension Funds:

- CPPIB

- Oxford

- Cadillac Fairview

- Ivanhoe Cambridge

- PSP

- HOOPP

 

That’s a good list. I would also note that BX entered Toronto this year, focused on just RE at the moment.

 

BGO would technically fall under REPE, although I'd argue that their Canadian office is mostly focused on Core and Core+ and operate more as a conservative institutional investor, as it's really just the former Sunlife and Bentall guys. Their opportunistic stuff is mostly done out of the US offices.

Dream is a bit of everything - they have a couple of REITs, do a lot of development, and some direct/fund investing. You could really put them under any of the sections above.

 

Generally speaking, some RE funds in Canada hire summers, and extend full-time return offers. They do hire out of school. However, I've also seen individuals work in IB / Brokerage / Advisory before going into RE PE.

From what I've seen, comp is a wide range. Base-wise, I would say $60-$95K (1st year), bonuses tend to be 10%-20% (maybe much higher at a handful of shops).

Happy to chat more if you want. DM me.

EDIT: I realized that the $95K was a special case with a buddy of mine. I agree, probably $60-$80K first year base.

 

I don't claim to be extremely savvy on the details of everyone in the industry's compensation, but I've never heard of a firm that pays first years $95k. $80-85k is the higher end of what I've seen. Unless you're referring to shops that are hiring experienced analysts from IB/brokerage or out of MBA programs?

Right now I'm seeing Associate roles in the $90-$120k range with 10-30% bonus, occasionally with either co-invest (typically just at project level), carry, or direct equity contributed by the firm. Some shops have higher base/bonus (typically sweatier places) but this is the average range right now.

 

Went through the analyst recruiting process last year - this seems spot on for junior comp.  Have a friend who was making $85k all-in as an analyst at Quadreal.  Outside of her, I didn't know anyone making near that nor was I quoted that in any of the places I interviewed at.  I think somewhere between $60-70k is a reasonable expectation.

 

I would argue that "top" is harder to judge in Canada vs USA, particularly in real estate. Most of the Canadian economy is run in oligopoly-like conditions, primarily via families. This is very prevalent in real estate (someone like the Broccolini family from Montreal). Top cities being Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. 

Its also why there are barely any REITs in the country. Most stuff is held in private hands (families) or public funds (pensions)

 

Honestly, a lot of people sleep on Montreal firms. PSP, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Fiera (unsure if RE office is there too), and so many more. MTL is an amazing city to work at and a big financial hub in Canada. And other than Ivanhoe, you don't need to know French at a lot of firms (unless they do Quebec investments only I guess).

 

What is comp like for those firms in Montreal? Heard they're at a discount compared to Toronto

 

This might have changed but I interviewed with Ivanhoe a year or so ago and they lowballed me with $70K base as an analyst despite me having over 1 YOE. Very old fashioned and competitive with Montreal shops since French speakers tend to stay in Quebec.

 

Ivanhoe is the exception along with their parent CDPQ. You need to speak French with them. PSP pays well from my understanding.

 

Would like to resurrect this conversation around the Montreal REPE topic specifically. Studying for my GMAT now with the anticipation of applying to a MTL MBA program. I am currently in CRE as a street side broker. We also act as a principal, sometimes. Comp for post MBA w/ 3 YOE in CRE would be great to know. This is a great thread I've stumbled upon here. Fiera seems like a good shop from what I have seen online. 

 

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