BURLINGTON, ON, May 12, 2026 /CNW/ - Equiton is marking the 10-year anniversary of its flagship Apartment Fund (Equiton Residential Income Fund Trust), a milestone that reflects a decade of growth, diversification, and consistent execution across changing market conditions.

Since its inception in May 2016, the Apartment Fund has operated with a vision to create long-term value for Canadian investors while building communities that residents love to call home. Through discipline and strategic focus, it has grown to more than $1.5B in assets under management as at March 31, 2026.

"A decade of growth is an incredible milestone for our team," says Jason Roque, CEO and Founder of Equiton. "We're grateful to our investors, residents, and partners for the trust they've placed in us. That trust is something we carry into every decision. By maintaining a long-term focus and acting when opportunities align with our strategy, especially during uncertain times, we've been able to grow the Apartment Fund into what it is today."

Roque recalls inspecting 30 & 31 Campbell Court in Stratford, Ontario, the property that would become the Fund's first acquisition in April 2016. More than a decade later, the property has more than doubled in value, based on third-party appraisals. It remains a strong example of the Fund's long-term approach to multifamily investing rooted in disciplined due diligence, active management, and strategic growth.

That thoughtful approach helped drive the Fund's growth over the following decade as it navigated the pandemic, periods of elevated inflation, and one of the most rapidly changing interest rate environments in recent history. Through it all, the Fund delivered more than 120 consecutive distributions to investors.

That performance reflects a strategy built on diversification and long-term thinking.

The Fund began with a focus on secondary and tertiary rental markets in Ontario before expanding into major urban centres and, more recently, Western Canada, which now represents approximately 20% of the portfolio. This geographic diversification provides exposure to some of Canada's fastest-growing regions while supporting Fund performance through changing market conditions.

At the asset level, the portfolio seeks to balance properties that generate stable cash flow with those that offer opportunities for value creation through active management and capturing the difference between in-place and market rents. Together, this approach supports both income and long-term growth objectives.

"This is what we do best," says Helen Hurlbut, Equiton's President and Chief Financial Officer. "We identify opportunities to improve assets and create communities where residents want to stay. As the Fund has scaled, that focus has remained consistent."

The Fund's vertically integrated platform supports that execution. Through Equiton's award-winning in-house subsidiaries, Equiton Living and Equiton Developments, the Fund brings investment, property management, and development together under one strategy to drive efficiencies and maintain a consistent resident experience.

Equiton continues to build on this foundation. In Ottawa, the first of the Fund's three-tower Maison Riverain development project was completed, earning CoStar's prestigious Development of the Year award. The firm is also expanding its use of technology across the portfolio to enhance leasing and resident services while continuing to evaluate new acquisition opportunities.

Reflecting the strength of its approach to real estate investing, the Fund has delivered five-year returns of 10.87% (Class F, DRIP) and 9.77% (Class A, DRIP) as at April 30, 2026. As the Apartment Fund enters its next decade, Equiton plans to replicate this multifamily strategy across new markets as part of its continued growth.

ABOUT EQUITON 

Equiton is a private real estate investment firm built on the belief that real estate, when approached with discipline, expertise, and integrity, creates enduring value for investors, residents, and the communities we serve. Backed by deep leadership expertise and a hands-on operating model, we make institutional-quality private real estate investing accessible, with an uncompromising commitment to governance, transparency, and performance.

The Apartment Fund offers investors access to a diversified portfolio of multifamily properties and investment strategies, including select development projects, optimized through asset management and strategic capital improvements. Its portfolio includes 44 properties across 19 communities as at Q4'25.

SOURCE Equiton Inc.