Savills Amplifies Western Canada Presence with Strategic Edmonton Office Opening and Key Leadership Hires

Savills, a leading global real estate advisor, has announced a significant expansion of its operations in Western Canada with the opening of a new office in Edmonton, Alberta. This strategic move reinforces the firm’s commitment to delivering unparalleled commercial real estate services across the region’s dynamic and growing markets. To spearhead the new office’s initiatives, Savills has proudly welcomed two seasoned industry veterans, Alex Heintz and Kyle Bartkus, who join as Corporate Managing Director and Managing Director, respectively. Both Heintz and Bartkus bring a wealth of expertise from Lizotte and Associates Real Estate and will primarily focus on specialized office and industrial leasing, alongside comprehensive commercial sales in the robust Alberta market. This expansion is a testament to Savills’ proactive approach in identifying and investing in key growth areas, ensuring clients receive top-tier local expertise backed by global resources.

Strategic Expansion: Capitalizing on Alberta’s Economic Vitality

The establishment of the Edmonton office marks a pivotal component of Savills’ ongoing strategic advancement across North America. Rick Schuham, Vice Chairman and Market Lead for the Mountain-Northwest region, emphasized the significance of this expansion, stating, “Our increased presence in Western Canada, particularly with the new Edmonton office, is a direct reflection of our commitment to strategic growth and enhancing client service. Alberta remains a vital hub for a multitude of thriving industries, and Edmonton, in particular, stands out with its exceptionally well-diversified industrial base. This sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience and impressive growth potential, even amidst challenging global economic conditions, making it an opportune market for our continued investment.”

Schuham further highlighted the invaluable contribution of the new hires: “Adding Alex Heintz and Kyle Bartkus to our Savills team not only extends our formidable global industrial services platform but also significantly enhances our capacity to deliver highly specialized, local expertise throughout Alberta. Their deep understanding of the local market dynamics will be instrumental in providing our clients with the strategic insights and innovative solutions necessary to navigate and capitalize on the opportunities within this thriving region. This expansion underscores Savills’ proactive approach to meeting the evolving needs of clients seeking expert guidance in commercial real estate across key North American markets, from acquisition to disposition and everything in between.” Savills aims to leverage this new presence to foster stronger relationships with local businesses and international clients looking to invest in Western Canada.

Introducing Key Leadership: Alex Heintz and Kyle Bartkus

Alex Heintz and Kyle Bartkus bring a combined two decades of extensive, hands-on experience in commercial sales and leasing within the highly competitive Alberta region. Their proven track record of success, coupled with a profound understanding of the local real estate landscape, positions them as invaluable assets to the Savills team and its diverse client base. Throughout their distinguished careers, this dynamic duo has successfully executed a wide array of complex and high-value transactions on behalf of a diverse portfolio of prominent national and international companies. Their extensive client roster includes industry leaders such as Above and Beyond Compression, Allied Fitting Canada, Ampak, Bird Construction, HESCO, OK Tire, Parkland Fuel, The Brick, and Wood Wyant Canada. This breadth of experience speaks volumes about their capability to handle varied client requirements, from large-scale industrial projects to intricate office leases, and consistently deliver superior results across different commercial sectors.

Alex Heintz: A Top Performer and Strategic Visionary

As Corporate Managing Director, Alex Heintz is widely celebrated for his exceptional performance, strategic acumen, and client-centric approach to commercial real estate. His career achievements are truly remarkable, having successfully completed transactions totaling over $200 million in value, encompassing more than two million square feet of commercial space. These figures not only highlight his negotiation prowess but also his ability to consistently identify and secure lucrative opportunities for his clients. Savills recognizes Heintz’s unique and innovative approach, noting, “His profound, in-depth knowledge of the market, coupled with an unwavering commitment to innovative thinking, has consistently empowered him to provide clients with insightful, forward-thinking solutions. These tailored strategies are crucial for effectively building and executing their real estate objectives, ensuring optimal outcomes and long-term success in a competitive environment.” Heintz’s ability to foresee market trends, adapt strategies, and provide actionable advice makes him a critical advisor for businesses aiming to optimize their real estate portfolios in Alberta.

Kyle Bartkus: Expertise in Industrial and Investment Markets

Kyle Bartkus, joining as Managing Director, brings a specialized and comprehensive focus on both the vibrant industrial and lucrative investment markets within Alberta. His extensive experience includes successfully completing numerous sale and lease transactions across multiple asset classes, demonstrating his versatility and comprehensive understanding of the entire commercial real estate landscape. Over the course of his distinguished career, Bartkus has been instrumental in executing over 1.2 million square feet of commercial leases, with the cumulative value of these transactions exceeding $125 million. His dual focus on industrial and investment properties allows him to offer a holistic perspective to clients, whether they are looking to expand their operational footprint, divest assets for strategic reallocation, or make significant new investments in the burgeoning Alberta economy. His expertise is particularly valuable given the resilient nature of Alberta’s industrial sector and its continued growth trajectory, driven by logistics, manufacturing, and energy services.

Synergy and Growth: Collaboration Across Western Canada

The new Edmonton office is strategically positioned to work in close and continuous collaboration with the established and highly successful Savills Calgary location. This crucial strategic partnership will be meticulously overseen by Senior Managing Director Josh Hamill and Vice President Adam Stewart, who lead the thriving Calgary team. Since its opening in September 2019, the Calgary office has rapidly expanded its operations and market influence, necessitating a relocation to a prominent new downtown space to accommodate its robust growth and steadily increasing its staffing levels. This includes the recent and significant addition of Steve Berman, a highly respected tenant representation expert, as Managing Director, further bolstering the team’s already formidable capabilities in serving tenants across various sectors.

Hamill and Stewart will play an instrumental role in overseeing the broader Western Canada operations, ensuring seamless integration and driving synergistic growth across both the Calgary and Edmonton offices. Their leadership will be pivotal in fostering an environment of shared knowledge, best practices, and collective expertise, enabling Savills to present a unified, comprehensive, and highly effective service offering to clients throughout the entire region. This collaborative model ensures that clients benefit not only from localized, in-depth market intelligence but also from a broader network of expertise and resources, reinforcing Savills’ position as a leading and indispensable real estate advisor in Western Canada. The combined strength of these offices promises an enhanced service delivery for clients seeking opportunities in the region.

Alberta: A Dynamic Hub for Diverse Industries and Real Estate Opportunities

Josh Hamill eloquently articulated the immense and untapped potential of the Alberta market, stating, “Alberta truly features a thriving tech sector and burgeoning industries across life sciences, petrochemical, and agriculture. The province’s significant economic diversification is a key driver for sustained growth and innovation across all facets of commercial real estate. Many of the leading energy, service, logistics, and manufacturing companies have strategically established and expanded their presence in Edmonton, making it an absolutely ideal and logical extension to our rapidly growing practice in Calgary. This expansion allows us to more effectively serve these critical sectors.”

This rich and expanding industrial tapestry translates directly into a diverse and escalating demand for commercial real estate, encompassing a wide range of property types. This includes cutting-edge office spaces specifically designed for tech startups and innovative life science research facilities, to vast industrial properties essential for modern logistics, distribution networks, and advanced manufacturing hubs. Edmonton’s strategic geographical location, coupled with its robust infrastructure, access to a highly skilled and educated workforce, and pro-business environment, collectively positions it as a prime destination for businesses looking to expand or establish new operations. The resilience and continuous growth demonstrated by these key sectors, particularly the industrial base during recent global economic shifts, further cements Alberta’s status as a stable, attractive, and high-potential market for both real estate investment and development, promising sustained opportunities for years to come.

Savills’ Enduring and Expanding Presence in North America

The strategic establishment of the Edmonton office is a clear and resounding testament to Savills’ unwavering commitment to its robust North American growth strategy and its dedication to providing comprehensive client services across the continent. With a formidable and expanding presence of more than 35 offices and a dedicated team of over 900 highly skilled employees across North America, Savills continues to broaden its geographic reach and enhance its already extensive service offerings. This vast and interconnected network enables the firm to provide localized, granular expertise within a powerful global framework, offering clients unparalleled insights, strategic advantage, and seamless cross-border capabilities in increasingly complex real estate markets. The expansion into Edmonton further solidifies Savills’ well-earned reputation as a premier global real estate advisor, unequivocally dedicated to empowering clients with informed decisions and fostering successful outcomes in all their real estate ventures.

This latest expansion in Western Canada reaffirms Savills’ proactive and forward-thinking approach to identifying and investing in regions with significant long-term growth potential, ensuring that clients benefit from the most current market intelligence and comprehensive real estate solutions available anywhere. The Edmonton office, under the expert leadership of Alex Heintz and Kyle Bartkus, is set to become a cornerstone of Savills’ continued success in the dynamic Canadian market, offering specialized services that cater precisely to the evolving demands of businesses across Alberta and beyond. Savills remains committed to being at the forefront of commercial real estate innovation, delivering value and driving success for its clients globally.