The dramatic increase in public consciousness concerning the environment has reverberated throughout the real estate market and it will continue to have a lasting effect on how real estate investments are structured, managed and measured.

Investment in real estate development today must take into account the environment and its impact on the investment and the investment’s impact on the environment. Every successful development must find the optimum balance between the financial return on investment and the sustainable management of the environment. No longer can we sustain over-development and no longer can we expect to optimize financial return without a responsible approach to the environment. “Green” is now an integral part of calculating the long-term viability of projects and it’s not a question of whether or not to build environmentally sustainable projects, it’s a question of who can do it best.

Inherent in Canopy’s investment and development strategy is responsible stewardship of the environment. Every project begins with the question of how best to integrate people into the environment, not simply change the environment so people can move in. It is an intrinsic part of market demand – now, and well into the future. The Village of Young Cove, Canopy’s $250 million project on Lake Ontario, is a prime example of this new approach to sustainable development.