North Shore Outlook – Onni accuses councillor of conflict over Lonsdale development vote.

A North Vancouver city councillor, whose accusations of ‘bullying’ against real estate developer Onni resulted in the company’s withdrawal from a controversial Central Lonsdale development this week, actually works for an Onni subcontractor on a similar development, The Outlook has learned.

Coun. Rod Clark has been working for a concrete contractor on an Onni site since May, building a three-tower mixed-use development strikingly similar to the one Onni recently failed to gain the favour of some North Van city councillors — including Clark — to build.

Read more: http://www.northshoreoutlook.com/news/182460722.html

From the Globe and Mail:

Loblaw Cos. Ltd. is preparing to create what it says will be one of Canada’s largest real estate investment trusts.

The Toronto-based grocery giant says it wants to unlock value for shareholders and maximize the value of its real estate portfolio by establishing a REIT that will go public by the middle of 2013.

Loblaw estimates that it will initially contribute real estate with a current market value exceeding $7-billion to the REIT and wants to keep a significant majority interest in the REIT.

“The creation of the REIT is expected to build long-term value both for Loblaw and the REIT,” Loblaw chairman Galen Weston said in a news release Thursday.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/loblaw-set-to-create-one-of-canadas-largest-reits/article6017572/

At a Glance: Loblaw in B.C.

• Over 50 properties in B.C. with an assessed value of $870 Million
• 24 properties in Metro Vancouver
• Superstore on Marine Drive assessed value of $83 Million

With hotel plan gone, Onni favours offices.

At first it was going to be a hotel, then the plan was to build an office tower.

Now Port Moody residents will get their say on a major development slated for the Suter Brook site at an upcoming public hearing.

The Onni Development Corp. has applied for a land-use contract amendment that would allow the company to build a nine-storey office tower at 220 Brew St., on the south side of Suter Brook Way where it meets Ioco Road.