Hazelview Investments Inc., a money manager focused on commercial real estate, announced it will merge its real‑estate arm with Presima Securities ULC to bulk up its global platform. The deal creates a single listed vehicle that pools Hazelview’s portfolio with Presima’s assets, aiming to broaden investor access and deepen market depth. Analysts view the move as a bid to capture the $1.5 trillion REIT market.

Both firms have grown through acquisitions, and the merger follows an industry trend of consolidating fragmented REIT structures to achieve scale. Joining forces lets the new entity leverage Hazelview’s underwriting expertise and Presima’s capital‑raising capabilities, enhancing liquidity for shareholders and drawing more institutional investors. The deal still needs Canadian securities regulator approval, which the companies aim to secure this quarter.

The transaction does not disclose a valuation, but combining the two platforms could push the merged REIT into the upper‑mid‑cap tier, sharpening its edge against larger landlords. Investors will now weigh whether the expanded asset base delivers earnings growth sufficient to justify higher price multiples, a decisive test for the new structure.