From Rents to Riches: Derek Warren’s Property Power Plays
Canadian REITs are staging a quiet comeback, and Derek Warren of Lincluden Investment Management is betting big on resilience, recovery, and real returns.

When Derek Warren speaks, smart money listens. As Vice President of Lincluden Investment Management, Warren isn’t just another voice in the crowded REIT space—he’s a strategist grounded in reality, and his timing couldn’t be sharper. While the broader market treads water amid geopolitical chaos and rate-fluctuation fatigue, Warren is steering his focus toward normalization—a return to fundamentals. In a world still reeling from pandemic-induced dislocation, interest rate whiplash, and an ever-escalating tariff war led by U.S. President Trump, the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector is quietly rebuilding its base. Warren’s strategy? Stay grounded, get selective, and capitalize on value where others see noise.
From Pandemic Chaos to Strategic Clarity
REITs have had a turbulent run. From the zero-rate hysteria of the past decade to the COVID-19 fallout that transformed how we live, work, and shop, the sector has absorbed shock after shock. The sudden explosion in immigration inflated rent markets, while mass bankruptcies crippled retail malls and an overnight shift to remote work gutted office demand. But today, that era of extremes is giving way to something closer to balance. Rates are stabilizing. Leasing is ticking up. Construction costs are no longer spiking. And most importantly, the REITs that survived are coming out of this stronger, leaner, and more strategic than ever. According to Warren, the cream has risen—and it’s ripe for investment.
