Forum Asset Management
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Alternative assets |
| Founder | Richard Abboud |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Richard Abboud (CEO) |
| Services | Investments |
| Website | forumam |
Forum Asset Management is a Canadian investment firm specializing in alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and infrastructure.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]Founded in 1996 and based in Toronto, the firm focuses on innovation, sustainability,[4][2] and community impact.[5] Forum was founded by Richard Abboud, who serves as the company's CEO. In 2024, he received the title of CEO of the Year from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.[6] In the 2025 Canadian Federal election he was noted to be a donor of Pierre Polievre's Conservative by progressive advocacy group Press Progress[7].
Forum manages residential and commercial properties with assets currently valued at more than $1.7 billion[8] including a $200 million self-storage fund under "Make Space Storage," which it acquired in January 2024.[9][10]
In July 2022, the firm assisted in the second installment of a growth equity investment in Broadlinc, a US-based digital media company.[11] In 2023, Forum donated $125,000 to the University of Guelph’s Lang School of Business real estate program to support industry-related education.[12]
In February 2024, it purchased the two head office buildings of NB Power in downtown Fredericton.[13] In December 2024, Forum acquired Alignvest Student Housing real estate investment trust (REIT) in a record-setting $700 million deal,[14][15] making it one of the largest transactions in the Canadian student housing sector.[16][17]
Student Housing
[edit]Forum has sought to position themselves as industry leaders in the construction of student housing.[18] They have acquired Alignvest Student Housing REIT in a deal valued at $700 million. This transaction is noted as one of the largest in the Canadian student housing market.[19] In the spring of 2025 a student housing development in Guelph ran into trouble over the charging of development fees.[20]
References
[edit]- ^ "Forum Asset Management | Condo Developer". GTA-Homes. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ a b "Forum Asset Management Inc". Responsible Investment Association. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ "Forum creates $200M fund; acquires stake in Make Space storage". renx.ca. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ "New Partnership Brings Geoexchange Heating to Ontario Condos" The Energy Mix. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Reducing Canada’s carbon footprint, one building at a time" Vancity. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Richard Abboud – Founder & CEO of Forum Asset Management - Named OCC's 2024 CEO of the Year Award Recipient". OCC. 2024-10-22. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ PressProgress (2023-09-05). "Big Real Estate Executives Among Top Donors to Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives". PressProgress. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
- ^ "Alignvest Student Housing to sell holdings in deal creating Canada's largest firm of its kind" CoStar. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ "Forum Asset Management Creates $200M Make Space Storage Fund" Real Estate News Exchange. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Forum Asset Management Strategic Expansion into Self-Storage Industry" The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Forum Announces Growth Equity Investment" Yahoo Finance!. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Forum Asset Management Donates $125,000 to University of Guelph" Lang School of Business News. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ "N.B. Power sells 2 Fredericton properties to Toronto firm" CBC News. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Toronto real estate investment fund purchases four student housing properties in Ottawa" Ottawa Business Journal. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ "Alignvest Student Housing REIT Acquired by Forum Asset Management" Market Watch. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Forum’s REIIF acquires Alignvest’s REIT in largest PBSA deal in Canadian history" PBSA News. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ "Forum Asset Management's REIIF Completes Acquisition of Alignvest Student Housing REIT" The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
- ^ "Opinion: Shortage of student housing is a massive strain on Canada's overburdened housing market". The Globe and Mail. 2024-10-27. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
- ^ "Forum Asset Management's REIIF Completes Acquisition of Alignvest Student Housing REIT, Solidifying Leadership in Canadian Purpose-Built Student Accommodations". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ Pickel, Jeff (2025-05-08). "Large student housing project in Guelph paused over $15 million development charges dispute". CTVNews. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
External links
[edit]- ForumAM.com Official site