Home to Mission Critical Banking & Data Centres Earns Digital Connectivity Distinction

MARKHAM, Ontario, Feb. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canderel, Fiera Properties and WiredScore, the company behind the world's leading rating system for technological capacity in commercial buildings, announced today that 3500 Steeles Avenue East located in Markham, Ontario, has achieved the designation of Wired Certified Platinum. The property's superior connectivity and 24/7 power guarantee enable a suitable home for major financial institutions and technology companies.  Major tenants include TD Bank and IBM.

3500 Steeles is a 552,000 square foot office and data centre complex building located on a 42-acre park-like site at Highway 404 and Steeles in Markham.

3500 Steeles is the first Wired Certified Platinum office property in the city of Markham. The designation was assigned upon review of the building's best-in-class connectivity, technological infrastructure and readiness to adopt emerging technologies.

"Quality internet connectivity and technology have become increasingly important priorities for tenants in the Greater Toronto Area.  We are thrilled to see Canderel and Fiera Properties position themselves as a leader in providing tenant value by adopting Wired Certification and their Platinum-level achievement sets the highest bar for competitors," said WiredScore CEO Arie Barendrecht.

"Our Wired Certification confirms the superior connectivity of this asset and fits into our strategic plans for serving the needs of our tenants and their client's.  The Platinum level aligns with client expectations for a mission critical complex.  We are proud to take a leadership role in adopting this standard in Canada and have appreciated working closely with WiredScore," said Canderel's Michael Vilner, Vice-President, Leasing & Development.

Peter Cuthbert, President of Fiera Properties added: "The Wired Certification demonstrates our strong commitment to provide tenants with state-of-the-art and reliable environments that meet the highest standards and needs''.

In pursuing Wired Certification, 3500 Steeles went through a comprehensive certification process that evaluated aspects of digital infrastructure that support resilient, reliable internet connectivity for businesses. Upon review of the building's internet service providers available to tenants, infrastructure redundancy, connection access points, and readiness to meet future tenant needs, a Wired Certification level is assigned based on the official standards developed by WiredScore and its connectivity advisory board with representatives from Google Fiber, Rudin Management, Arup, WSP / Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Zayo Group.

3500 Steeles has displayed the highly advanced technological infrastructure that is essential for reliable, redundant Internet connections, thus earning it a Wired Certified Platinum designation.

This certification was given based on the building's ability to provide tenants with features of connectivity that matter most: multiple points of entry into the building to mitigate service outages, capacity to support future equipment installation, and seven providers offering high speed fibre connectivity, which provides tenants with flexibility when selecting an internet service provider (ISP).

3500 Steeles is one of only a few buildings in Canada that offers dual grid power supply combined with a direct connection to the provincial power grid. This offering represents tremendous value for tenants looking for 24/7 operations with fully redundant power services meaning the building provides direct connection to backup electricity for telecom equipment.

For leasing inquiries, please contact:
Michael Vilner
Vice-President, Leasing & Development
[email protected]

For management inquiries, please contact:
Michael McCormick
Vice-President, Property Management
[email protected]

ABOUT WIREDSCORE
WiredScore is the organization behind Wired Certification, the internationally recognized digital connectivity rating system for commercial real estate that helps landlords design and promote their buildings' great digital connectivity to tenants. 

Wired Certification champions cutting-edge technology in commercial real estate by providing the only certification for rating the infrastructure, connectivity and technological capacity of commercial buildings. WiredScore launched Wired Certification in 2013 in partnership with Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York; in October of 2017, an investment group led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Fifth Wall Ventures acquired the company's majority share.

Since launch, more that 350MM square feet of commercial real estate in more than 1,000 buildings has been Wired Certified globally including buildings owned by premier landlords such as Blackstone, Brookfield, and Hines. International demand for the digital connectivity rating system has seen the company expand operations to the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Canada.

In an increasingly tech-driven economy, connectivity is fast becoming the most critical factor for tenants when selecting office space. The widely recognized Wired Certification seal is a trusted symbol that identifies buildings that have been independently certified to provide the best-in-class connectivity infrastructure that businesses require to thrive. For more information on Wired Certification or to find Wired Certified buildings, visit: http://wiredscore.com/

ABOUT FIERA PROPERTIES LIMITED
Fiera Properties Limited ("FPL"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fiera Capital Corporation, is a leading Canadian real estate investment management firm with both institutional investors, foundation and endowment clients, and high net worth investors. As of December 31, 2017, FPL has $2.0 billion of assets under management which is comprised of the Fiera Properties CORE Fund, the Fiera Properties GTA Opportunity Fund and segregated accounts. Through direct investment in exceptional real estate across Canada, FPL offers strategies that produce stable, growing income and capital appreciation. Strategies are comprised of institutional-grade retail, office, industrial and multi-family properties in all major markets in Canada. As part of the private alternative investment division of Fiera Capital Corporation, FPL is committed to providing innovative and superior client-driven investment strategies that continuously generate value for its investors. For more information, please visit www.fieraproperties.com.

ABOUT CANDEREL
Canderel is a leading innovator in Canadian real estate investment, development, and asset and property management, with expertise in acquisitions, leasing and marketing, and construction. Based in Montreal with regional offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, the company's management portfolio is approximately 19 million square feet. Since its founding in 1975, Canderel has acquired, developed and managed projects worth more than $11.7 billion. For more information, please visit www.canderel.com.