 | |
| Company type | Private Company |
|---|---|
| TSX: MI.UN | |
| Industry | Real estate |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Headquarters | , Canada |
Key people | Michael Waters (CEO) Roger Greenberg (Executive Chairman) |
| Owner | The Greenberg Family |
Number of employees | 1085 (2020) |
| Website | https://www.minto.com/ |
The Minto Group is a Canadian real estate company based in Ottawa, Ontario. It builds homes in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Florida, and manages multi-residential and commercial properties in Ontario and Alberta. As of 2018, Minto has built 85,000 new homes,[1] and manages $2.9 billion in assets, including 13,000 multi-residential units and 2.7 million square feet of commercial space.[2][3] The firm is one of Ottawa's largest residential landlords.[4] Minto also has a publicly traded subsidiary, holding some of its multi-residential units, called Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust. Some of Minto's joint-venture partners have been with Lasalle Investment Management, Greystar, and CPPIB.
Minto Group was founded in 1955 by Gilbert, Irving, Lorry and Louis Greenberg, as a home builder.[5] It was originally called Mercury Homes, but renamed itself Minto Construction Company in 1957. Its first large development was Parkwood Hills in Nepean in partnership with Westmore Investments.[6] As part of that development, Minto built Canada's first high-rise condominium, Horizon House on Meadowlands Drive.[1] The firm developed a number of other subdivisions in the Ottawa area in the 1960s and 1970s; in 1971, three quarters of construction in Nepean was by Minto.[6]
In the early 1980s, the firm expanded to Florida.[7]
In 1991, Roger Greenberg, son of Gilbert, became CEO, after the death of his uncle Irving.[7]
In 2013, Michael Waters, who is not part of the Greenberg family, became CEO.[7]
In May 2018, Minto announced it would hold an IPO for its Canadian multi-residential properties.[8] The properties became part of a new entity, Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), which Minto Group continues to have a significant ownership stake in. The trust would initially own 4279 rental suites, 72% of which would be in Ottawa, with the intention of eventually holding all of Minto's 13,000 multi-residential units. Minto Group held the IPO in part to provide money to Minto's owners, the Greenberg family. Minto raised $200 million in the IPO, which took place on the Toronto Stock Exchange.[9] The IPO took place on June 29, 2018, with an initial price of $14.50 per share, and under the share symbol MI.UN.[10]
Minto Group is divided into three divisions:
The Greenberg family, who founded and still controls the Minto Group,[7] was listed as the 74th richest people in Canada in 2017, according to Canadian Business.[5]
Minto has been involved in a number of controversial developments, including Minto Mahogany in Manotick,[14] the Minto Midtown in Davisville,[15] Potter’s Key in Stittsville,[16] and Minto West in Palm Beach.[17]
Minto has also been involved in a number of controversies in its role as a landlord. There have been complaints about the company's proposed rent increases.[18] Minto's 2017 decision to charge for visitor parking in its Ottawa buildings also angered some tenants.[19]