Commercial Real Estate
Insights
Who's Buying Atlantic Canadian Assets?
By
Sebastien Duval
Atlantic Canada’s commercial real estate market is seeing a shift in who’s driving investment. Private capital and regional groups are taking the lead as institutional players take a step back. This short read explores who’s buying, what they’re targeting, and how this evolution is shaping opportunities across the region.
Over the past 24 months, Atlantic Canada’s commercial investment landscape has quietly shifted — and it’s no longer dominated by institutions or REITs. Instead, private investors, regional funds, and high-net-worth groups are leading the charge, drawn by stable returns, strong fundamentals, and a level of market transparency once found only in larger urban centers.
While national transaction volumes dipped through 2023, Atlantic deal flow rebounded roughly 15% year-over-year through mid-2025. The reason is simple: investors are rediscovering the East Coast as a hedge against volatility in overheated core markets like Toronto and Vancouver - even Montreal.
Cap rates remain relatively attractive — industrial assets in Moncton and Halifax trade in the 6.25–6.75% range, multi-unit residential sits around 5–5.5%, and grocery-anchored retail continues to command premium pricing due to long-term covenants and consistent consumer traffic.
Local private capital, often family offices or small investment groups, are focusing on scale and stability over speculation. Many are assembling portfolios of smaller properties (sub-$10M range) where they can achieve better yield and maintain control. Others are partnering with regional developers to fund build-to-lease industrial or multifamily projects, taking advantage of population growth and limited new supply.
Institutional players haven’t disappeared — they’re simply more selective, targeting assets with strong ESG narratives or multi-phase potential. But the story of 2025 is about smart, patient, regional capital playing the long game.
For sellers, that means the buyer profile has changed: it’s not just about price, but how well the asset aligns with local investor strategies. For buyers, it’s a moment of opportunity — the ability to lock in quality product before the next compression cycle hits as rates begin to normalize.
At ONE. Commercial, we’ve seen this trend firsthand — from private investors acquiring stabilized retail portfolios to regional investors repositioning mixed-use / retail downtown assets. The takeaway? Atlantic Canada’s capital markets are maturing — quietly, confidently, and with purpose.