We would love to invite you to our annual Distressed Real Estate Conference being held in Toronto on Wednesday June 18, 2025. The event will be an exclusive morning for real estate and restructuring professionals to come together and discuss the current real estate landscape.

Date and Time

Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 8:15 am to 12:30 pm.

Location

OBA Conference Centre
20 Toronto Street
Toronto, ON M5C 2B8

Who Should Attend

If your work is connected to commercial real estate, real estate development, construction or real estate lending you will not want to miss this morning!

Insolvency professionals should also plan to attend to meet those in the industry and hear firsthand about the issues and dynamics at play in the market.

Spots are limited and will be taken quickly, so please register today to reserve your seat!

Agenda

8:15 to 9:00 - Registration & Networking Breakfast

9:00 to 9:30 - Panel 1: Distress in Real Estate – The Big Picture for 2025

The real estate landscape is under pressure—but how deep is the distress, and how are market players responding? This panel features on-the-ground perspectives from a lender, a developer, and a broker, each grappling with the effects of high interest rates, constrained financing, and falling demand across asset classes. The conversation will explore how current conditions compare to past downturns, what sectors are most vulnerable, and how strategies are shifting in response. Panelists will also share their outlook for the next 12–18 months—when things might stabilize, and what conditions will be needed for recovery to begin.

Panelists:

• Jared Menkes, Executive Vice-President, High-Rise Residential, Menkes Developments

• Robert Goodall, President and CEO, Canadian Mortgage Capital Corporation

• Casey Gallagher, Vice Chairman, National Investment Team, CBRE Capital Markets

9:30 to 10:00 - Panel 2: Builders in Trouble – Workouts, Surety Claims, and Insolvencies in Construction

What happens when a builder goes under mid-project? This panel unpacks the mechanics of construction-related distress. Panelists will explore the common triggers behind builder failures, the early warning signs that stakeholders should watch for, and the critical roles sureties and consumer protection agencies play when projects stall. Drawing on recent collapses and restructuring efforts, the discussion will highlight legal, regulatory, and practical strategies for stabilizing troubled developments—and ensuring continuity where possible.

Panelists:

• Howard Friedman, Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer, Residential Surety, Travelers Canada

• Kevin Brodie, Vice President Operations, Tarion Warranty Corporation

• Bryan Gelman, President, Albert Gelman Inc.

• Jeffrey Larry, Partner, Paliare Roland LLP

10:00 to 10:30 - Coffee and Networking Break 1 - Sponsored by Richmond Advisory Services

10:30 to 11:00 - Panel 3: Inside the Workout – Financial, Legal, and Operational Battles in Real Estate Restructurings

Behind every distressed real estate project is a battle to rescue value — and it takes financial, legal, and operational firepower to win. This panel dives into real-world restructurings, exposing the strategies, setbacks, and solutions that separate successful workouts from costly failures.

Panelists:

• Noah Goldstein, Managing Director, KSV Advisory

• Elliot Steiner, CEO, ELM Developments

• Brendan O'Neill, Partner, Goodmans LLP

11:00 to 11:30 - Coffee and Networking Break 2 - Sponsored by Richmond Advisory Services

11:30 to 12:00 - Panel 4: Chasing the Deal – Landmines and Opportunities in Distressed Real Estate Sales

As distressed real estate continues to come to market, buyers, brokers, and insolvency professionals face an increasingly complex transaction environment. This panel offers a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of executing distressed real estate deals—from stalking horse bids and debtor redemptions to last-minute offers and failed closings. Panelists will explore how to structure distressed sales, manage execution risk, and navigate hidden liabilities. The discussion will also examine who is stepping up to buy these assets today—including institutional investors, family offices, and well-capitalized developers—and what they’re looking for in distressed opportunities. Learn how to capture opportunity while avoiding the pitfalls that can derail a deal.

Panelists:

• Jeff Berger, Managing Director, TDB Advisory

• Mike Czestochowski, Vice Chairman, Land Services Group, CBRE Canada

• Maya Poliak, Partner, Chaitons LLP

12:00 to 12:30 - Closing Remarks and Final Networking

CPD

The learning portions of the event will be eligible for CPD credit for both lawyers and accountants.

Pricing

$249 + HST and EventBrite fee.

We very much hope that you can join us for this morning. And please do pass along the invitation to your colleagues. We'd love for them to join as well!

Just make sure to register right away as the spots will be taken quickly. Registration can be done in under a minute.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Dina Kovacevic
Editor-in-Chief
Insolvency Insider

Sponsors

Thanks to our generous sponsors for making this conference possible: