In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Jon Love, founder and executive chair of KingSett Capital, one of Canada’s largest and most experienced private equity real estate platforms. A seasoned investor who has navigated multiple market cycles, Jon is known for his frank, unfiltered takes on Canadian policy, regulation, and capital deployment, and this conversation is no different.

Jon shares his honest assessment of the federal government’s newly announced $25 billion Canada Strong sovereign wealth fund, the push to fast-track major resource projects, and what’s really holding Canada back: not a shortage of capital, but a shortage of permission. He also breaks down where the real estate market stands today across office, retail, industrial, and residential, and why he believes a sharp recovery is coming for those with the balance sheet to wait it out.

Whether you’re a developer, investor, policy watcher, or simply trying to understand what’s actually happening in the Canadian economy, Jon Love delivers the kind of straight talk that cuts through the noise.

Canada’s $25 Billion Sovereign Wealth Fund: Progress or Déjà Vu? (02:48)

* Jon’s honest take on the Canada Strong fund and what’s still missing

* Why the real barrier to investment isn’t capital, it’s permission

* Lessons from the Heritage Fund and what discipline looks like in practice

Resource Fast-Tracking and the Major Projects Office (08:36)

* The bull and bear case for Tim Hodgson’s promise of 5–10 shovel-ready projects by spring 2027

* What regulatory bottlenecks remain under the Carney government

* Why Shell’s takeover of Arc Resources signals renewed confidence and what still needs to happen next

Institutional Capital Coming Home (14:50)

* What’s different about this wave of pension fund repatriation

* OMERS, the Maple Eight, and why Canadian real estate returns are among the best in the world

* The case for Canada as a technology superpower and why Jon is more optimistic than most

The Real Estate Cycle: Where We Are and What’s Coming (20:25)

* Triple-A office as the surprise strongest asset class in the country

* Why for-sale residential is in pain and why a sharp recovery is inevitable

* How banks are behaving with stressed borrowers, and the Oxford story from 1992 that defined a strategy

Creative Repurposing, Affordable Housing, and the HST Rebate (30:44)

* Office-to-hotel conversions in Toronto and why adaptive reuse is just getting started

* Why streamlining affordable housing approvals matters more than new funding programs

* The HST rebate: right medicine, but the prescription still isn’t written

Media, Trade Wars, and What Jon Would Tell Carney (33:24)

* Why the Port of Vancouver’s seven-day container turnaround vs. Dubai’s seven hours is a symbol of a much bigger problem

* How media fragmentation and social media have made constructive policy debate nearly impossible

* The one frank piece of advice Jon would give Prime Minister Carney if he had 15 minutes: give permission

About Jon Love

Jon Love is the founder and executive chair of KingSett Capital, one of Canada’s leading private equity real estate platforms. With decades of experience across multiple market cycles, Jon has built a reputation for candid, principle‑driven commentary on Canadian policy, regulation, and investment. He is a former CEO of Oxford Properties and has been a key figure in shaping Canada’s institutional real estate landscape. Beyond investing, Jon is known for mentoring young talent, championing affordable housing, and relentlessly advocating for cutting red tape.

Connect with Jon Love on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonlovekingsett?originalSubdomain=ca

Visit KingSett Capital website: https://www.kingsettcapital.com/

Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1

Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

Bring it Home: Canada's Regulatory Gridlock & Real Estate Recovery with Jon Love of KingSett Capital

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures

Bring it Home: Canada's Regulatory Gridlock & Real Estate Recovery with Jon Love of KingSett Capital