Burger Drops is one of Toronto’s premier smash burger restaurants that has become a destination spot for the Liberty Village community, their GTA neighbours, and beyond. Owned and created by former Aloette Sous Chef, Greg Bourolias, Burger Drops has modernized the classic smash burger, and the proof is in the patty. Using nothing but the best ingredients; quality, detail, and precision is the Burger Drops way. What started from a friend’s backyard birthday party and sold-out weekend pop-ups, has grown to a fully realized brick and mortar store in the heart of Toronto’s Liberty Village.

In our latest Tenant Spotlight, we take you through the Burger Drops story and how Greg Bourolias and his team built their burger empire from the ground up. It is success stories like these that shape our neighbourhoods and urban communities by helping them thrive, grow, and become gathering places.

As long as he can remember, Greg has always had a passion for food. Growing up in a big Greek family, some of his fondest memories come from his family’s Sunday dinners. His father owned a successful restaurant and Greg’s passion for cooking grew by watching him in the kitchen and seeing the joy food brought to their customers, friends, and family.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Greg became a professional chef and worked in some of Toronto’s most beloved restaurants. His expertise, skill, and natural talent that he garnered from his childhood really paid off.

Back in 2018, Greg was working as a Sous Chef at popular Toronto restaurant, Aloette. Although he enjoyed his role, he always dreamt of opening his own restaurant one day. Cheeseburgers were one of his favourite comfort foods and who doesn’t love a classic burger? From there, he started experimenting and asking himself, “what does my ideal burger taste like?” and eventually came across the smash burger concept.

Burgers are a universal love language
– Greg Bourolias, Burger Drops’ Chef & Owner

When he’s passionate about something, Greg is someone who dives 100% all in and his smash burger concept is no exception. He began testing out different ingredients and flavour profiles, sharing his creations with friends and family. Everything was perfected – from the fat to meat ratio, caliber of bun, temperature and minutes on the grill, balance of toppings, complexity of condiments, to the harmony of spices and seasoning. This kind of love and attention to detail is still incorporated in everything they do to this day.

During the process of perfecting his product, the small, but mighty Burger Drops community continuously shared their burgers on social media and Toronto foodies were taking notes. That summer, friends of Greg asked him to cater their birthday party, so he and his girlfriend Kat walked in with their portable Blackstone barbeque and made some smash burgers. Not only were the burgers a hit among the guests, but the couple had shared them on social media which caused even more buzz and excitement. People wanted to know where they could get their hands on these mouth-watering marvels!

From their growing social media presence and ongoing requests from followers, he decided to hold a pop-up event. Without any experience, Greg rented a unit at College and Bathurst on Canada Day and the overflow of guests endlessly lined the streets of Toronto. From there, Burger Drops really took off and they held 5 more pop-ups which hosted hundreds of guests – many of which had seconds!

Fast forward to the beginning of March 2020 – Greg had a whole summer’s worth of pop-ups booked. He knew his business was rapidly growing and was confident he could take it far and wide. At this point, Greg was working six days a week at Aloette and using his one day off at the pop-ups. Greg decided to take the entrepreneurial leap and pursue his Burger Drops dream full-time.

Not even two weeks later, the unexpected happened. The pandemic forced Greg to cancel all their spring and summer pop-ups to avoid any in-person events. He had to figure out a way to get his burgers to people as the demand kept growing. Pivoting in the face of adversity, Greg came up with the idea to do pre-orders and curb-side pick ups. Luckily, the apps and technology needed to support this was growing for the survival of the food service industry. The wait was finally over; upon introducing this new feature to guests via social media, their pre-orders were fully sold out daily – a significant milestone for Greg, his team, and growing business.

By the time the leaves started to change, business was booming for Burger Drops. Their pre-orders had been selling out all summer, they engaged in several successful partnerships with other local restaurants, their social media had thousands of followers, and guests from all over the GTA and beyond were flocking to the city to try their iconic smash burgers.

Though their COVID-safe pre-orders and curb-side pick ups were wildly successful, Greg knew this would not be sustainable for guests having to wait outside in the cold winter months. As fun as the pop-ups were, they weren’t a long-term option. The business was steadily growing, their menu was expanding, and more and more people wanted their food.

This inevitably triggered the idea of opening their first permanent, brick and mortar store. Greg wanted something that could sustain more guests, support their growth, the convenience of a stationary fully functioning kitchen, a gathering spot for their guests, and most importantly a place to call home. A fully realized retail store also meant they could finally build a lasting relationship with neighbourhood members.

Coincidentally, First Capital’s very own Toronto foodie, Susanna Cheng, was a loyal customer of Burger Drops from the start. She had attended almost all of their sold-out pops and pre-orders and continuously suggested they open a store with us. When Greg was ready to make the retail plunge and take Burger Drops to the next level, he knew just who to call.

Fostering the relationship between Greg and our super leasing team, we were able to find a space that fit his every need right here in the heart of Liberty Village. Previously a Poutinerie, this two-level 1900+ sf space provided the perfect layout including a fully built-out kitchen, ample storage, and space for guests to sit. Not to mention its accessibility along Atlantic Ave and adjacency to the highly trafficked King Street West made for the perfect recipe. Everyone loves burgers, but because of the residents around Liberty Village, the neighbourhood is always supportive and ready to welcome local, small businesses such as Burger Drops.

We’re honoured to have some of the best guests in Toronto… They’re always gracious and excited to try our food. With Liberty Village, you can feel the support from our local community.
– Kat Gaskin, Burger Drops’ Director of Creative & Community

Burger Drops opened its doors in September 2020 and has become a Liberty Village institution, as well as a destination spot attracting people from all over Toronto, the GTA, Vaughan, Barrie, Milton, Waterloo, and beyond – it is no secret their burgers have become a Southern-Ontario sensation.

Their food needs no introduction – the flavours, textures, and freshness speak for themselves. Their most popular burger, the Double Original, is Burger Drops in a burger. Its flavour profile is Greg’s idea of the most perfect cheeseburger. From burgers and chicken sandwiches to veggie patties; curly, crinkle, and cheese fries; paired with a classic soda and choice of decadent dessert – they’ve refined a classic combo with a twist.

A simple burger and fries doesn’t really command a lot of respect but we care about our food and everything that goes into it… We love what we do and we love our people, so why not feed them the best?
– Greg Bourolias, Burger Drops’ Chef & Owner

Everything is perfected. From Burger Drops’ famous Jalapeño Relish, never frozen AAA beef, in-house pickles, hand-crafted condiments, to using Martin’s Potato Rolls (their go-to puffy, pillowy-soft bun). Even their cheese sauce is hand made and created in-house for quality assurance. Desserts are not an afterthought either; they hand-mix their whipped cream, make their own brown butter cereal crumb, and self-caramelize their salted caramel.

What really makes them stand out is their incredible attention to detail, use of the highest quality ingredients, top notch made-to-order freshness, talented professional chefs and team, and everything is made in-house with love and care. In fact, their produce, meat, and other ingredients are shipped fresh to their doorstep every morning. You know when you enter the Drop Shop or order delivery online, you’re getting simply the best.

Now in it’s second year here in Liberty Village, First Capital couldn’t be prouder of the sheer success and well-deserved admiration Burger Drops has received. In fact, they were named #26 in Yelp’s top places to eat in Canada (all voted in by the people), their veggie burger placed in the top 9 of Toronto Life’s best burgers in the city (list includes beef burgers as well), and have been featured in BlogTO twice: read the most recent one here and the other here.

The future of Burger Drops is bright, and we look forward to seeing them grow even more. From searching for their second location, expanding their team to innovating their menu, they are thriving more and more everyday!

Be sure to give them a try at their Drop Shop at the Shops of King Liberty and keep an eye out for updates and special announcements on their website and Instagram.

We’re pleased to share that we’ve been recognized for the first time as one of Canada’s 2022 Greenest Employers by Mediacorp Canada and The Globe and Mail. Now in its 15^th year, this special designation recognizes the employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. These employers have developed exceptional sustainability initiatives – and are attracting people to their organizations because of their environmental leadership.

From our properties to our corporate practices, we’ve been at the forefront of environmental awareness in the Canadian Real Estate industry for over a decade. We’re always building out our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) programs, and regularly rethinking and upgrading our policies as showcased in our yearly ESG reports, 2020 – 2024 ESG Roadmap, and Tenant Sustainability Operations Guide to name a few. This honourable recognition speaks to our primary ESG goal of becoming sustainable and environmentally conscious in every aspect of our business – which in turn is integral to our overarching strategy of building thriving urban neighbourhoods.

“Sustainability initiatives, whether they focus on creating a healthier indoor environment, reducing our carbon emissions, or developing community engagement programs, all further our company’s purpose of having a positive impact on our tenants and communities”

– Melissa Ferrato, FCR’s Senior Director, ESG

Over the past decade, our ESG initiatives have evolved. Back in 2006, one of our first ESG-based initiatives was our commitment to construct our new buildings using LEED Standards – a globally recognized designation of environmentally responsible design and construction practices. We were the first Canadian retail developer to do so and have since expanded on this commitment that now exceeds 3.8 million sf of LEED certified space across our portfolio – a proud achievement indeed.

FCR’s Place Viau located in St Leonard, QC is LEED certified

Not only do our ESG commitments cover our construction and development practices, but they also extend to our biodiversity and carbon footprint goals. In fact, last year we strategically installed 3 beehives on the rooftops of several buildings that have continued to thrive in their environments and increase the area’s biodiversity. With last year’s installation, we now have a total of 11 beehives and plan to install 5 more this summer. Bees are essential to the survival and future of the world’s ecosystems and food supply. As a result of harsh pollutants and scarce green space in urban settings, bee populations have struggled. With the help of initiatives like ours, the bee population across Canada has steadily increased in the last 5 years. By introducing more beehives within our properties, we are excited to see those numbers rise one hive at a time.

Some of our busy bees and their honey at Cedarbrae Mall in Scarborough, ON – this hive houses over 70,000 bees!

In preparing for the future of sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint, our goal is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. As part of our strategy to achieving this goal, we’ve invested in LED lighting systems across our portfolio. In fact, we’re proud to share that in 2020 we completed our five-year initiative to convert our parking-lot lighting to energy-efficient LEDs. This will reduce our properties’ annual parking lot electricity expenditure by over 50%! It is initiatives like these that bring us one step closer to achieving our 2050 net zero emissions goal.

Not only are we investing in initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint, but we’re also providing ways for our neighbourhoods to do so as well. In fact, we’ve invested in projects like our Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations initiative to install EV chargers across our entire portfolio by 2024. Just last year, we installed a total of 90 EV charging stations that brought our total up to 250 and in keeping up with our 2024 target we plan to install over 200 more this year and next. By installing EVs at our properties, we’re providing the necessary infrastructure, making it easier for our neighbourhoods to choose EVs and reduce their own carbon footprint.

Some of our EV Charging stations.

We’re also spreading our sustainability efforts into local communities as well. Our employee-led, non-profit Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation recently partnered with Second Harvest to help fundraise and support the food-rescue organization in major cities across Canada. This event raised an outstanding $281,000, which provided 562,000 meals for Canadian families facing food insecurity. These funds rescued and redistributed over 780,000 pounds of food, and as a result, prevented 2.9 million pounds of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere – the equivalent of taking 400 cars off the road this entire year.

Many of our initiatives including our FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation, beehive implementation, EV Charging Stations, and LED lights have come as a result of our 2020-2024 ESG Roadmap. This five-year roadmap outlines our strategically detailed plans and aligns a series of actions and measurable goals that allows us to hold ourselves accountable and stay on track to reach our ESG targets. What’s especially unique about this roadmap is that it’s integrated into every area of our business, allowing for us to move more cohesively and have a profound impact on our neighbourhoods and the environment.

Being recognized as one of Canada’s 2022 Greenest Employers not only speaks to our ESG excellence, but also our talented employees, tenants, shareholders, and other stakeholders who help us along this sustainable journey. Each step we take towards a more environmentally sustainable future, means a better, cleaner, promising future for all.

We’re proud to be recognized for our extensive ESG efforts over the past decade and would like to thank Media Corp and The Globe and Mail for this honourable recognition. Learn more about it here.

Please see below a list of our ESG Resources:

All things ESG
2020-2024 ESG Roadmap
Tenant Sustainability Operations Guide
2020 ESG Report
Beehive Program
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations initiative
WELL Health-Safety Rating

Introducing 1071 King Street West: First Capital and Hullmark’s new mixed-use development featuring an iconic flatiron design, a neighbourhood park, a convenient new extension of the West Toronto Railpath, and more! The completed building will span 14 storeys, comprised of 227 purpose-built rental residential units, an abundance of amenities, and approximately 6,000 square feet of new retail space fronting along the busy King Street West corridor. This stylish development is designed to pay homage to Liberty Village’s industrial history, while incorporating modern architectural elements that are sustainably focused. We’re proud to be a part of the neighbourhood’s ongoing growth and revitalization, with 1071 King Street West creating a new gateway into Liberty Village.

Rendering of 1071 King St. West

Our Partnership with Hullmark

When we first purchased the property, our initial interest was sparked by its strategic location in the middle of our larger Liberty Village portfolio and its proximity to our head office. In addition to being one of the last remaining development sites along this dense corridor, the site has terrific transit adjacency, vehicular access, and great proximity to neighbourhood amenities.

In 2018, we partnered with Hullmark, a private real estate investment and development firm specializing in mixed-use developments in downtown Toronto. 1071 King Street West marked our first strategic partnership with Hullmark, having recently finalized our second joint venture partnership with the acquisition of 102 Atlantic Avenue in Liberty Village. Hullmark also owns and manages several properties in the Liberty Village neighbourhood, so our aligned vision for the area makes for a successful partnership.

Hullmark is excited to partner with First Capital on this new flatiron project! We look forward to bringing new residential and retail opportunities to the Liberty Village neighbourhood, and look forward to seeing this project come to fruition.
– Charles Arbez, Director, Development at Hullmark

Rendering of 1071 King St. west from the Railpath

Iconic Design Features

In designing the building, we were inspired by the property’s unique triangular shape bounded by King Street West to the north and the Metrolinx GO Train corridor to the south. Together with the design architect BDP Quadrangle, we decided to take advantage of the site’s shape and develop a new iconic landmark for Liberty Village.

Did you know there’s only a handful of flatiron-shaped buildings in Toronto? 1071 King Street West will be the first of its kind in Liberty Village.

Paying homage to the rich industrial history of Liberty Village, this stylish building will feature a red brick facade and punched windows – respecting the neighbourhood’s heritage character. Not only does the building’s façade pay tribute to the area’s brick and beam warehouse-style buildings, but it also helps to mitigate heat loss, reducing the building’s total energy consumption and ecological footprint. Additionally, this project will incorporate a geothermal system that will provide sustainable heating and cooling for the entire building. First Capital is committed to incorporating ESG principles in all of our projects as outlined in our 2020-2024 ESG Roadmap.

Did you know geothermal systems harness the earth’s natural underground temperatures and results in net zero emissions?

In addition to its historical design and ESG focus, 1071 King Street West will also feature key public realm amenities including a new public park and community gathering spot. It will also tie into a planned extension of the West Toronto Railpath that will better connect the neighbourhood and increase its accessibility to the city’s west end. The planned Railpath extension will conveniently link Liberty Village to the new SmartTrack GO station planned near First Capital’s King High Line project to the west. Ultimately, the project will take advantage of this unique public amenity and connectivity opportunity, attracting more residents to the neighbourhood.

Aiding Toronto’s Housing Supply Shortage and Rejuvenating Liberty Village

This iconic flatiron landmark will work to better serve the neighbourhood through its integrated city mobility, new retail space for everyday shopping, and the introduction of purpose-built rental housing amidst Toronto’s ongoing housing supply shortage.

1071 King Street West is part of our significant Liberty Village portfolio which includes over 500,000 sf of retail and commercial GLA, along with over 500 existing rental residential units. To complement and enhance our portfolio, we identified a further need for well-designed, amenity-rich residential rental space in Liberty Village. 1071 King will differentiate itself given its unique design, public realm, and convenient location.
– Jennifer Arezes, Vice President, Development, First Capital

This project aligns with our super urban strategy of creating vibrant mixed-use neighbourhoods that meet the needs of everyday urban life – bringing together people, public spaces, retail shopping and services, public art, and access to public transportation. Our 1071 King Street West flatiron development is our next pursuit in doing so as we continue our contribution in helping Liberty Village thrive. We couldn’t be more excited for the future of this neighbourhood and are proud to be a part of its ongoing growth.

Currently, we expect to begin construction by the end of 2022 and anticipate the completion of this project by 2025.

More updates to come!

A special thank you to the following Project Team:

Planning:
Mike Bissett – Bousfields
Katie Hickey – Bousfields

Landscape:
Sibylle Von Knobloch – NAK

Interiors:
Anwar Mekhayech – Design Agency

Municipal Legal:
Eileen Costello – Aird & Berlis

ESG:
Adam Alaica – GeoSource Energy Inc.

Architecture:
Richard Witt – BDP Quadrangle
Michelle Xuereb – BDP Quadrangle
Carlos Antunes – Kirkor Architects

Civil:
Chris Follet – WSP
Pouya Hagshenas – WSP

Construction: Terry Olynyk – Multiplex

Transportation: Warren Chow – BA Group

We’re proud to share that First Capital has once again been named one of Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employers for 2022 by Mediacorp Canada and The Globe and Mail. Now in its 9th year, Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes the small and medium employers (SMEs) that offer the nation’s best workplaces and forward-thinking human resources policies. Companies are evaluated based on leadership in employee culture, benefits & total rewards, communication, training & education, and community involvement

We’re honoured to have been named one of Canada’s Top SMEs for the third year in a row. This speaks to our ongoing goal of fostering a rewarding, inclusive, enthusiastic, and supportive workplace – where everyone is able to bring their best selves to work and are given the necessary tools they need to succeed.
– Michele Walkau, Senior Vice President, Brand & Culture

Our “Everyone is Welcome” stairs at our offices in Liberty Village – an ED&I initiative!

This recognition covers a number of our programs and initiatives including our extensive benefits package, employee-led ED&I Council, ESG initiatives, and FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation. It also covers the progress we’ve made in our People & Culture programs and practices, including our highly sought-after Summer Intern Program, COVID-19 support resources, learning and development, employee engagement program, social media strategy, community involvement, and overall wonderful company atmosphere.

Some of our staff at our FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation Fall Fundraiser in support of Second Harvest!

Being recognized as one of Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employers for the third consecutive year is rooted in the excellence and talent among our 350+ employees nationwide. Our employees are at the core of our success, and we wouldn’t be who we are today without them.

THANK YOU FCR STAFF!

To learn more about this recognition here: Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employers 2022

Since the first cohort joined us in 2017, we’ve had many talented young professionals come through our intern program who kicked off their careers and ultimately made their mark in the Canadian Real Estate industry. We’re looking for the next generation of budding Real Estate professionals to revolutionize and push our industry forward. Do you have what it takes?

Our Intern Program gives interns access to enriching opportunities to start and accelerate their careers. First Capital interns have the unique opportunity to gain real, meaningful work experience, all while gathering insights into the areas of our business that are most relevant to them. Our program is uniquely hands-on, allowing our interns to shadow and work alongside our leaders on exciting new projects and strategies. This gives them real work experience they can put on their resumes and tools they need to succeed in their respective fields in the Real Estate industry.

Did you know we received over 3800 applications for 13 positions we had in our Summer Intern Program in 2021?

In addition to day-to-day assignments, interns have access to a series of learning and networking events, practical job searching skills, and mentorship sessions from our leaders. Some of these include weekly departmental information sessions to explore new areas of the business, ongoing socials to network and grow connections, end of term Capstone Project presented to the Executive leadership, and much more. In fact, our most recent cohort was treated to an end of term “Intern Day”, where they attended a presentation of our ESG Beehive Initiative, a career building workshop, and were provided a delicious team lunch. Our goal is to provide all our program graduates with a good grasp of our business, a career search plan, and lots of great friends and connections.

This program spans from May to August and we offer positions in virtually all departments including Asset Strategy, Investments, Leasing, Development, Information Technology, Marketing & Communications, People & Culture, Finance, Legal and many more. There’s truly something for everyone!

“In the summer of 2021, I join the First Capital REIT internship program as a Leasing Intern! This experience has taught me various skills of negotiation, creative thinking and working with a collaborative hardworking and highly knowledgeable team. First Capital has exposed me to a team with one common goal – To establish thriving communities that go beyond the standard framework of a regular landlord.

I was later brought on the team as a leasing coordinator once the internship concluded. The First Capital Team has been a great support and guide for my career path within the real estate sector. Special thanks to my Senior Leasing Manager, Leah Feeley who has been a great mentor and superior through this journey. “

– Andrew Chiaino – FCR’s Leasing Coordinator

“In the summer of 2021, I began my internship with First Capital as a Marketing & Communications Intern. As a fresh graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University, I was given the right tools and learning opportunities needed to further my career beyond my academic knowledge and experience. Thanks to my outstanding mentors at FCR, I have gained invaluable marketing skills in strategy, campaigns, creative writing, graphic design, and so much more.

In the fall of 2021, I was hired on as a full time Coordinator and am extremely grateful to be part of such a dynamic, collaborative, and positive team that helps me reach my career goals – I look forward to my future here at FCR!”

– Sophie Dewitte, FCR’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator

“My 2021 summer internship with FCR has been a wonderful learning experience. I worked with the IT department and was guided by my incredible mentor Brad Edey, Director of Data & Automation. I have applied a lot of what I’ve learned in school while also learning advanced skills from fellow interns, co-workers, and mentors.

FCR has an excellent and diverse workplace environment. Aside from my technical training, I was really impressed and felt educated during their Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion informative sessions and weekly Power Hours for interns.

Upon completion of my summer internship, I was hired on as a full time Data & Automation Analyst – I look forward to my future here at FCR!”

-Thao Tran, FCR’s Data & Automation Analyst

CEO’s Capstone Project

Each summer, our interns also take part in the CEO sponsored Capstone Project that ties all the foundational elements of the internship program — practical work experience, collaboration, research and innovative problem-solving. Students work together across their disciplines and look for ways to drive creativity and innovation within our portfolio of mixed-use real estate. This special project spans the entirety of the program and is presented to our Executive Leadership Team at the end of the four-month term. Talk about real work experience!

Our 2021 Interns presenting their Capstone presentation to our Executive Leadership Team

Why First Capital?

At First Capital, we offer a dynamic and diverse environment that allows for all our employees to grow and be successful. Our goal is to change the face and pace of Real Estate, and that all starts with our team. We’re serious about Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, are passionate about our Environmental, Social, and Governance goals and initiatives, and have an extensive Public Arts Program. In 2021, we partnered with The Globe and Mail on their Women’s Collective, was recognized as one of , and named one of the top honourees for The Globe’s Women Lead Here Annual Report.

Need help with your resume? Check out our blog on resume trends, tips, and tricks you should be thinking about here.

Want to keep updated on all FCR job opportunities? Subscribe to our Recruitment Newsletter here.

In the Fall of 2021, the FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation partnered with Canada’s largest food rescue organization, Second Harvest, in an effort help to combat food insecurity. This philanthropic organization works across the supply chain, from farm to retail, to capture surplus food before it ends up in landfills.

Thanks to the generous donations from our staff and corporate partners, we’re proud to announce our total amount raised is an outstanding $338,000, which will provide 939,168 meals for Canadian families facing food insecurity. These funds will rescue and redistribute over 939,168 pounds of food, and as a result, will prevent over 3.5 million pounds of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere – the equivalent of taking 491 cars off the road this entire year.

The FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation is an employee-led organization that supports registered charities and philanthropic initiatives that support the neighbourhoods in which we operate. Since its inception in 2020, we’ve been solely focused on food insecurity – one of our foundation’s four main pillars, beside mental health, youth initiatives, and social justice. We’re proud to have continued our mission to combat food insecurity in Canada this past fall.

Did you know 1 in 7 Canadians face food insecurity everyday?

Our foundation set an initial goal of $50,000, encouraging staff, their friends and family, as well as our corporate partners to donate through our online portal. FCR then matched all employee donations dollar for dollar, doubling our support for Second Harvest. With every dollar equalling two meals, this initial goal would’ve provided 100,000 meals – but did we ever surpass this goal!

The FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation kicked off this charitable initiative with an employee-led fundraising walk through seven of our urban neighbourhoods across Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. We also offered a virtual attendance option to allow for all staff to participate and join in on the cross-country event.

Immediately, we were overwhelmed with the generosity of our amazing staff and corporate partners, and we couldn’t be more thankful to those who participated. By October’s end, our staff fundraising had come to a close, yet we continued receiving corporate donations through November and December. In our final push to raise funds for Second Harvest, we held an internal Holiday Draw that raised an additional $4,000 in just one week – a remarkable achievement for FCR staff.

First Capital staff joining our Neighbourhood Walk in Liberty Village

About Second Harvest

Aligning with our charitable goals, as well as our ESG objectives, Second Harvest actively works to solve our nation’s food insecurity issue. In Canada, $49 billion worth of perfectly good, edible food goes to waste every year due to cosmetic imperfections, confusion around best before dates, and errors in labeling or packaging. This wasted food often ends up in landfills and produces methane gas. Methane is a harmful green house gas that adds to climate change. In fact, if methane or food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third largest polluter behind China and the US. By diverting this perfectly good food from landfill and using it for its intended purpose – feeding people – there is a significant environmental benefit as well.

This really aligns with our ESG goals here at First Capital. It is important to us to have positive impacts on the environment and participating in fundraisers like this one, only increases our efforts
– Meaghan Bach, FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation Co-Chair

This wasted food has the potential to feed millions of hungry people as Canada produces enough to feed almost double its population. Second Harvest fights this problem by providing surplus food to local social programs across Canada, free of charge. By providing free food to these charitable organizations, it in turn helps to expand their capacities as they can spend the funds that may have otherwise been spent on food, on their core programs and support resources. To provide these charitable organizations with free surplus food, they often host fundraising events and lean on corporate donations for support.

Generally, we do not receive any funding from the government and rely solely on the generosity of individual and corporate donors like FCR. We truly could not do what we do without companies like you!”
– Corey Smith, Vice President, Philanthropy at Second Harvest

First Capital staff joining our Neighbourhood Walk at the Edmonton Brewery District

As one of Canada’s leading REITs, we are active in over 148 neighbourhoods across the country. With that in mind, the goal of our 2021 Fall Fundraiser was to ensure all neighbourhoods in which we operate would be supported, portfolio wide. Our $338,000 raised will provide 939,168 meals for community members in need across Canada.

First Capital would like to thank our staff, corporate sponsors, Second Harvest, and our Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation for the outstanding success of our 2021 Fall Fundraiser. We couldn’t have done it without the support and remarkable generosity of those who participated, fundraised, and supported this charitable event.

Going forward, the FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation has some exciting plans for 2022 and 2023! Stay tuned for special updates including volunteer opportunities, charitable events, and the announcement of our next pillar of focus (one of mental health, youth initiatives, or social justice).

For more information on our 2021 Fall Fundraiser, listen to our newest episode of The Explainer podcast here – also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Read more on our FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation here
Read more about Second Harvest here

First Capital staff joining our Neighbourhood Walks at Shops at New West, Shops of King Liberty, and Meadowvale Town Centre

For the third consecutive year, we are honoured to have been named one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada and The Globe and Mail. This esteemed award recognizes organizations who demonstrate excellence and best practices in the workplace for employee support and success. Each year, applicants are evaluated on leadership in employee culture, benefits & total rewards, communication, training & education, and community involvement.

“Our ongoing goal is to foster a professional, rewarding, dynamic, and enthusiastic work environment where everyone feels welcome and free to express themselves”, says Sommer Stewart Senior Director, People & Culture. “In supporting our employees, we offer competitive compensation, generous employer-paid benefits, training & education resources, and opportunities to grow their careers”. To name a few, we provide every full-time employee with a $3500 academic fund to further their education, an exceptional summer internship program, employees and their family members can receive up to $2,000 in mental health benefits, as well as extensive wellness packages to fit the diverse needs of our employees.

We recognize that fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable work environment is at the centre of every successful organization and remains at the core of our values. By creating a safe and respectful work environment that embraces different perspectives and lived experiences, we strive to inspire everyone to become their best selves. As a Canadian company, we understand the importance of ED&I in the workplace as it reflects the diverse communities in which we operate. We’re continuing to evolve, educate ourselves, become more socially accountable, and build on our understanding of ED&I. In doing so, we created our employee-led ED&I council in 2020 to improve our workplace and support our staff.

This fall, the FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation held a charitable walk in seven of our neighbourhoods across Canada in support of Second Harvest. Focusing on food insecurity, our goal was to raise at least 100,000 meals. With FCR’s match, every $1 we raised, translated to 4 meals for those in need. Our amazing staff exceeded this total and raised an outstanding $50,744 which was doubled by FCR ($101,488), translating to a total of 202,976 meals for hungry Canadian families.

As COVID-19 has continued to affect our workplace environment, our goal is to ensure the safety of our employees upon returning to the office. This fall, we implemented a hybrid work model where fully vaccinated employees have the flexibility to work three days in office and two days at home. During this time, we also introduced flex work hours to fit the diverse needs and schedules of each employee.

Being recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for the third consecutive year is a testament to the excellence and talent among our 350+ employees nationwide. Our employees are at the core of our success, and we wouldn’t be where or who we are today without them.

THANK YOU FCR STAFF!

To learn more about this recognition here: Greater Toronto’s Top Employers 2022

Introducing The Webster, our newest luxury retail tenant at 121 Scollard Street in Yorkville. It is one of the world’s most prestigious retail concepts that curates emerging and established luxury fashion brands together. The Webster is completely different from other conventional mono and multi-brand retailers and department stores. Their personalized approach to the entire shopping experience really sets them apart – from their first-class private appointments, to stylists pre-ordering runway and couture pieces for special clients. Burberry, Chanel, Givenchy, Gucci, Valentino, Versace, and Saint Laurent, are among some of the luxury brands displayed side-by-side as a collection. First Capital recognized The Webster’s unique retail concept would enhance the overall experience for Yorkville shoppers and the neighbourhood in general.

Laure Hériard Dubreuil, The Webster’s Founder and Creative Director, opened her first location in Miami, Florida in June 2009 as a recent immigrant from Paris, France. Taking her extensive background and expertise in luxury fashion with her, she had a vision that would offer shoppers warmth, comfort, personality, and the best of international fashion. Since then, the brand has grown extensively into a world-renowned luxury fashion retailer with a concept like no other.

Spanning seven locations across the U.S., their newest location at 121 Scollard is their first-ever debut on the international stage. Fitting in perfectly with the prestigious neighbourhood that is Yorkville. The Webster is located just off the main street, creating a destination spot all on its own. This unique heritage building features an eye-catching pink exterior and a gold expansion on the back, all designed in collaboration with the famous French interior designer Stéphane Parmentier.

From meeting The Webster’s team over two years ago, to celebrating its recent opening on October 30th – this was truly an outstanding accomplishment to celebrate.

Keep reading to see how this unique project came together.

Back in 2019, First Capital met with The Webster’s team, touring their existing locations to develop a real understanding of their brand and concept. By doing so, we were able to curate an opportunity within our portfolio that fit perfectly based on what we had learned about the brand. Revered for its mix of high-end retail, award-winning restaurants, luxury residential, and home to Toronto’s most affluent shoppers, we knew the Yorkville neighbourhood was the perfect spot.

By the fall of 2019, our Construction team kicked off this special project. Upon touring 121 Scollard, The Webster team loved this unique heritage building and were easily able to roll out their concept to fit the mould of this unique property. We then began the design process in early 2020 and by mid-year, we had engaged Structure Corp as our construction partner – one of the leading construction management companies for luxury retail in Canada. For the remainder of the project, we were forced to pause construction on several occasions due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

First Capital was responsible for all aspects of the building, from the base building components, to bringing it up to code, interior design and fit, structural reinforcement, exterior brick restoration, roof replacement and updates, accessibility enhancements, to even the finest of interior details – including a substantial millwork package, back expansion, and exclusive circular shaped room. This essentially allows for the tenant to open for business as soon as they take possession.

From there, our construction team began diving into the more detailed design discussions with our architect of record (Cumulus Architects Inc.), as well as interior designer Stéphane Parmentier and his team (Agence Stéphane Parmentier), as requested by The Webster. Though difficult to coordinate given the pandemic, as well as time and geographical differences, both teams had one goal in mind. Differing from most tenants and retailers, The Webster doesn’t have a specific design prototype or preferred layout, which means every single one of their now eight stores are uniquely designed. With this in mind, the design team was free to be as creative as could be.

Stéphane wanted visitors to not only experience the store visually, but also to feel it’s vibrations – engaging the senses. His initial inspiration came from photos of palm trees, daisies, goldleaf, flamingos, and extravagant mansions, which all shaped the design of the space.

You can really see all of those elements in the final product now… It’s interesting to see the inspiration come to life
– Meghan Bichsel, Senior Project Manager, First Capital

His ultimate goal was to bring an entirely new vibe to what you might not expect from a typical retail space; a travel into space and time with this new kind of luxury. As The Webster brand is exactly that, he got right down to the DNA of the brand – new, different, twisted, elegant, funky, contemporary, but also homey and inviting. He wanted to generate excitement among shoppers to buy new things as the brand itself and their clothes are different.

When you enter the store, there are surprises all around, including a life-sized pink feathered bear made by Italian artist Paola Pivi. Second, the large preserved palm trees imported straight from France. Third, there is a mirrored-ceiling portal that leads to the back expansion titled “The Whisper Room”. Circular in shape, this exclusive space embodies the rounded edges of a daisy. Stéphane was inspired by the recent birth of The Webster’s founder, Laure Hériard Dubreuil’s baby girl whose middle name is Whisper. This personal touch provides a link to The Webster’s design principle of love being at the centre of everything.

She’s the soul, the heart, the vibe, and the smile of The Webster… The room is a tribute to love
– Stéphane Parmentier

One of the last major hurdles in completing this project was getting the respective approvals to paint the exterior brick pink – The Webster’s signature colour. As the building falls within a Heritage Conservation District (HCD), this provided its challenges and our Construction team had to receive approval for every exterior design element from the City of Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Services. The city was not initially fond of the pink, but were always happy to collaborate, especially with the help of our heritage consultants ERA. They helped draft important proposals comparing the neighbouring buildings and their existing colours, which ultimately secured the approval from the city – a momentous achievement!

After two years of collaboration between our Leasing and Construction teams, as well as the entire project design team and the brand itself, The Webster finally opened its doors at 121 Scollard on October 30^th, 2021. It is always rewarding to see such a detailed and unique project come together. Not only is The Webster transformational for the Yorkville neighbourhood, but also Toronto’s fashion experience and offerings overall. It is expected to be a destination for international travelers and local visitors for many years to come. In this prime location, The Webster’s world-class experience is setting a new bar for luxury in the country as this concept is something that Canada hasn’t seen before.

First Capital is proud to welcome The Webster to Toronto and look forward to seeing their success in Yorkville and beyond. Head to their newest location at 121 Scollard to check out the Pink Experience and see their one-of-a-kind fashions. To learn more about The Webster head to the following links:

Instagram: @thewebster
Website: The Webster

We’d like to thank the following consultants on their outstanding time and effort on this amazing project:

Architect	Cumulus Architects Inc.
Interior Design	Agence Stéphane Parmentier
Structural Engineer	Leonard Kalishenko & Associates Ltd.
Electrical Engineer	Hammerschlag & Joffe Inc.
Mechanical Engineer	The Mitchell Partnership Inc.
Envelope Consultant	FORSMITH Building Science Consultants Inc.
Heritage Consultant	ERA Architects Inc.
Elevator Consultant	Soberman Engineering Inc.
Code Consultant	CodeNext Inc.

Over 25 years ago, Craig Buckley, the CEO and founder of Kettlemans bagel, had a dream of having his favourite childhood food be enjoyed by more than just Montrealers. Bringing that dream to life, he’s grown his business from a humble bagel shop in the heart of Ottawa, to a Canadian sandwich institution. In our newest tenant spotlight, we explore how Kettlemans Bagel has popularized the Montreal bagel, while keeping to tradition and maintaining authenticity.

Soon, Kettlemans will be celebrating the opening of their fifth location at our Eagleson Place property in Kanata, ON – one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing areas. Not only will it serve the surrounding neighbourhood and increase accessibility for patrons in the city’s west end, but it will serve as the company’s new office and headquarters.

Born and raised in Montreal, Craig Buckley grew up with the city’s most beloved traditional baked good: Montreal bagels. Moving to Ottawa for work as an adult, he often made the lengthy Montreal trip only to enjoy them whenever possible; though, he wasn’t the only Montreal native doing so. With their wild popularity in one city, he realized the potential they could have in other cities.

He quickly fell in love with the idea that no matter where you are in the world, Montreal bagels are something that make people happy. He envisioned them being enjoyed in as many homes as possible, as he and his family did growing up. Fulfilling this dream, he left his corporate commercial bakery role behind, and Kettlemans Bagel was officially born.

In August 1993, Craig opened his first location in The Glebe, one of Ottawa’s oldest and most vibrant urban neighbourhoods. In order to make the best bagels around, he began by sourcing the most impeccable ingredients, while sticking to the traditional 400-year-old recipe. In this pursuit, he felt being 100% transparent with customers was essential, from which the open concept kitchen design was created – a feature that is still around in all their locations today. Essentially, Craig wanted Kettlemans to be more than just a bagel shop, but an entire experience where customers can come in and watch the baking process before their very eyes.

Differing from standard bakery bagels, Kettlemans Montreal bagels are hand rolled and pressed to release the trapped air. They’re then placed in a kettle of boiling honey water to provide a pop of sweetness and seal in the freshness; the name Kettlemans pays homage to this very process. The bagels are then baked in a wood-fired oven, giving them a slightly smoky flavour profile with a crispy exterior and soft interior. On top of their outstanding texture and flavour, what especially sets them apart is the profound love and attention that goes into every single one.

Because they’re hand-rolled, they’re not perfectly shaped… They’re beautifully imperfect”

Over the years, Kettlemans has become famous for their outstanding bagel sandwiches, using fresh proteins that are cured and prepared in-house. Keeping to the classic bagel-cream cheese pairing, they also offer fourteen different cream cheeses and fourteen bagel flavours – the combinations are endless!

As the older Glebe neighbourhood rarely saw new comers, Kettlemans immediately sparked a major buzz that quickly echoed throughout other Ottawa neighbourhoods. From the great success of his first location, not long after did he open his second in our College Square property serving the Nepean neighbourhood. It was here they started snowballing, as Craig had once dreamed, the success of his two locations allowed him to expand even more. In fact they’ve now opened a new location in the GTA, and soon to open in downtown Toronto, and Eagleson Place in Kanata, ON – Ottawa’s fastest-growing neighbourhood, to add to their three Ottawa locations.

Choosing Eagleson Place was easy not only because of its growth, but it serves the western most part of the city that their other locations do not – they wanted to make it their crown jewel in order to pay homage to their Ottawa roots. Overall, it will act as the company’s office headquarters and feature an innovative pick up window which will leverage pre-order technology via their mobile app.

Today, their bakery operations span over a 24-hour, 7 day a week period, in which customers can enjoy their bagels any time they please. This non-stop baking process allows them to wholesale their products to local grocers such as Farm Boy and Costco. They also offer catering services, a subscription model, a rewards program, and a state-of-the-art app to support these initiatives. However, their growth doesn’t stop there… In fact, expansion plans exceed this as they’ll be growing even further in Toronto in 2022 and potentially international in the future.

Did you know they’re now one of Canada’s most famous bakeries?

In the midst of all their growth, they pride themselves on maintaining the authenticity and tradition that Craig built the company upon. By sticking to the best quality ingredients, same classic recipe, perfect taste and texture, and attention to detail, they’ve established a loyal customer base.

Mixing tradition with progression, their main focus is to expand their flavour profile on a seasonal basis – a popular practice within the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. For example, they recently came out with a pumpkin spice bagel for fall and are experimenting with a peppermint bagel for the upcoming Christmas season. In fact, for June pride month 2021, they welcomed the “LGBT” bagel containing lettuce, guacamole, bacon, and tomato, as the acronym suggests – a portion of the sales were donated to a local 2SLGBTQIA+ charity. Overwhelmed by its success, they decided to add it as a regular menu item, while continuing the ongoing donation.

Not only are they participating in socially responsible initiatives, but they’re focused on being environmentally friendly as well. In fact, Kettlemans has switched from using plastic to compostable bags and introduced eco-friendly packaging to reduce their overall carbon footprint.
By implementing initiatives such as this, they like to “lead by example” as not many other QSRs in the Canadian market are doing so. By being socially and environmentally responsible, while bettering customer experience and maintaining the best bagels around, they’re confident in their ability to inflict change and be pioneers in the QSR industry.

First Capital would like to congratulate Kettlemans Bagels on the opening of their newest location at Eagleson Place. For many years, they’ve been valued tenants of ours at College Square, and we can’t wait to see where their success will take them next. For more information on this Canadian bagel institution, check out their website or Instagram!

Meet Jennifer Cruz – First Capital’s Talent Acquisition Specialist.

Making that critical first impression while looking for employment all starts with one simple thing: your resume. No pressure, right? Taking that extra time to make sure it looks professional, functions the way you want it, and highlights your previous work experience are just some of the things to take into consideration. It only takes an average of 6-10 seconds for Recruiters to review a CV and determine if you have the experience they are looking for. Standing out as a top candidate isn’t always easy, so taking extra time to make these tweaks may help to give you a boost in this competitive job market.

Customize, Customize, Customize

As a Recruiter, we gravitate right to your relevant experience. The easier we can get to it, the easier it will be for the Recruiter to digest. Essentially, the goal for Recruiters and Hiring Managers is to match candidates’ skills and motivators to specific roles, so a generic resume may cause you to be unsuccessful in your job search. Ensure you are highlighting or rewording certain responsibilities to match the job description.

Adjust for ATS scanning

Just like us, most companies are now utilizing an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to scan and filter through resumes. PDF’s (though not the best format), Word documents, and even plain text files can be scanned by the system much easier. Additionally, if you are using keywords from the job posting, you are more likely to come up at the top of the search.

Formatting

Choosing the best format to highlight your skills and experience sounds easy right? Well, that’s not always the case. Super flashy resumes might put off some recruiters (depending on the role), and even the wrong font size can really put you at a disadvantage. Choose the format that best represents you but is also easy to navigate through. Keep it simple and tasteful.

Adding Social Media

Everyone is on social media these days and your online presence is a common way of representing “your brand”. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and especially LinkedIn, are great resources to help promote yourself. Hiring managers and recruiters often look beyond your resume to get a glimpse of who you are, so be strategic about what you post publicly.

Length

o The saying goes, “Less is more”, and this definitely applies when it comes to your resume. If it starts getting too long, it is time to cut back. As a guideline and depending on the role you are applying for, if you have 1-3 years of experience your resume should be one page, and 5+ years of experience can be two.

Common Mistakes

Spell Check? Adding extra periods? Grammatical errors are common, and this can cause the recruiter to move onto the next resume – especially if the role requires attention to detail!

Our wonderful group of interns this past summer!

Going that extra mile and taking these simple things into consideration will only set you up for success and hopefully allow you to land your dream job.

Looking to join First Capital’s dynamic and diverse team? Head to our careers page for all job availabilities and sign up for our recruitment newsletter here.