🎧 Podcast: From Environmental Law To Impact Real Estate

Featuring the Rodney Wilts –  the real estate game changer for Canadians

🎙️ [Listen to the episode here — https://youtu.be/DyvEbYkl6hg?si=bel1ldCGIiEnKmX5]

Nearly half of Canadians say they’re losing sleep over retirement — and honestly, they should be. Between high interest rates, rent control, and tenant protections stacked against landlords, traditional investing in Ontario is getting harder by the day. Just ask Guelph landlord John Esposito. He rented out a unit in 2022, only to be stuck with non-paying tenants for two full years, racking up over $135,000 in losses from unpaid rent and damage. Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board finally approved the eviction — but far too late.
👉 Read the full story

The Better Way: Purpose-Driven Real Estate That Actually Pays

Now contrast that with Rodney Wilts, my latest guest on The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians.

A former environmental lawyer, Rodney co-founded Theia Partners, where he led the redevelopment of a 34-acre polluted industrial site into Zibi — one of the world’s only zero-carbon communities.

Built in partnership with Indigenous organizations and faith groups, Zibi is:

• 100% powered by renewable energy
  
• Mixed-use, mixed-income, and socially inclusive
  
• Winner of global planning and sustainability awards
  
• Delivering strong, double-digit returns
  

It’s proof that sustainability, impact, and profitability can coexist — and scale.

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Safer, Smarter Investing With Less Risk

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At our June iWIN meetup, we also heard from:

• Scott Dillingham (LendCity) on CMHC’s MLI Select — a game-changer for multifamily projects
  
• Andrew Kim (SHARE) on how Canadians are investing in U.S. real estate with:
  
  • Lower rates & down payments
    
  • No lender fees
    
  • Faster evictions
    
  • Better cash flow
    
  • Off-market “Subject-To” deals and seller leasebacks
    

I used this strategy myself last year in Texas — no vacancy, no upfront renos, and strong USD cash flow from Day 1.

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Final Thoughts from Erwin

Real estate is changing. Ontario’s model is broken for most investors. But with the right partnerships and strategies — from ESG-driven developments like Zibi to turnkey U.S. rental portfolios — it’s still possible to build wealth and make a difference.

👉 Learn more about investing in U.S. rentals through SHARE: https://iwin.sharesfr.com/

📞 Ready to build wealth with purpose? Book a call with me: https://iwin.sharesfr.com/

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To Listen:

📜 Click to read the full edited transcript (Rodney Wilts)

From Lawyer to Developer: How Rodney Wilts Is Building Zero-Carbon Communities With 15% Returns

A New Path From Environmental Law to Real Estate

I started my career in environmental law, advocating for green communities and working with architects and code officials to eliminate barriers to sustainable building. But I’ll never forget the day I visited Harold Kal—a pioneer in eco-friendly development. His office was buzzing with purpose, packed with giant drawings, energy. It hit me hard: this is what I want to do.

Eventually, I made the jump into real estate. It wasn’t easy, but I knew I wanted to use development as a tool for environmental and social change.

How a Derelict Factory Site Became Zibi

One day, commuting across Ottawa’s Shoal Air Bridge, I passed a boarded-up, barbed-wired industrial wasteland—just 800 meters from Parliament Hill. The site had sat untouched for years. I pitched the idea to my partners: “What if we transformed this into something great?”

We acquired the 34-acre contaminated site from Domtar and created Zibi: a master-planned, zero-carbon, mixed-use community straddling Ontario and Quebec. We:

• Built 4 million square feet of offices, condos, rentals, plazas, and parkland
• Created Canada’s first zero-carbon district energy system
• Won global awards for public consultation and urban planning
• Partnered with Dream and other stakeholders to deliver it all

Zibi is now home to residents, businesses, public spaces, and even the world’s only interprovincial zipline.

Solving Housing Affordability Beyond New Builds

Zibi was expensive: new apartments cost about $450,000 per unit to build. Meanwhile, we saw nearby 1970s buildings going for $175,000 a door. So we launched a strategy: buy older stock, upgrade it for energy efficiency, and keep it affordable.

These projects don’t make magazine covers, but they serve people—and deliver low double-digit IRRs.

Turning Parking Lots Into Housing With Purpose

Through Zibi, we gained recognition and were approached by First Unitarian of Ottawa. They had a 7-acre site—mostly unused parking—and wanted to align it with their values. Together with Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, we’re building:

• A 16-storey rental building (CMHC-backed)
• A 6-storey non-profit building for Indigenous tenants
• Directly on Ottawa’s LRT line, near the river

Despite legal challenges from affluent neighbors (which cost us $100,000 in appeals), we won at the Ontario Land Tribunal and expect to break ground next spring.

The deal is structured as a corporation to accommodate the church’s tax-exempt status, and they’re contributing land as equity. Their vacant lot will now generate recurring revenue—while delivering on their mission.

Why We Do This

We could have played it safe. But we’re driven by impact. And we believe real estate can deliver strong returns and meaningful social outcomes.

• We’ve built award-winning communities
• We’ve cleaned up 200 years of contamination
• We’re delivering housing across the affordability spectrum
• We’re still targeting 15% IRRs on projects like the Sherbourne LRT site

Want to Learn More?

👉 Visit: theiapartners.com

👉 Tour Zibi: zibi.ca

And if you’re interested in impact-driven investing that works — let’s connect.

BEFORE YOU GO…

Before you go, if you’re interested in what kind of properties I am looking at in the landlord friendly states of the USA please go to iwin.sharesfr.com for what I consider the best investment for most Canadians, most of the time.

I’ve been investing in Ontario since 2005 and while it’s been a great, great run. I started out buying properties in the 100,000s and now it’s $800,000 to $1,000,000.  How much higher can it go? I don’t know

To me, the remaining potential for appreciation does not match the risk hence I’m advising my clients to look to where one can find rental properties that are affordable range of $150,000 to $350,000 US$, with rents that range from $1,400 to 2,600/month plus utilities.   As many Canadians recognize, these numbers will be positive cash flow and are night and day compared to anything locally. Plus the landlord has all of the rights, no rent control, and income is US dollars which are better than Canadian dollars.

If you don’t believe me, US dollars are better than Canadian dollars, go ask 100 non-Canadians which currency they prefer to be paid in.

So to regain control of your retirement planning.  Go to iwin.sharesfr.com and check out what great cash flow properties are available in the USA.  

The best part is, my US investments will be much more passive compared to by local investments as I’m hiring an asset manager called SHARE to hand hold me through the entire process.  As their client and shareholder, Share will source me quality income properties, help me with legal structure and taxes, they manage the property manager and insurance provider while passing down to me preferred rates so I save both time and money.  

Share will even tell me when to strategically refinance or sell.  SHARE can even support investors all over the country for proper diversification hence my plan is to own in Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas.  Share is like my joint venture partner but I only have to pay them fees while I keep 100% ownership and control.

If your goal in investing is to increase cash flow, I don’t know of a better strategy for most Canadians most of the time.  One last time that’s iwin.sharesfr.com to see what boring, cash flowing real estate investing can look like on your path towards financial peace.

This is how I’m going to make real estate investing great again for my family and hope you choose the same.  Till next time!

Sponsored by:

This episode is brought to you by me! We don’t have sponsors for this show. I only share with you services owned by my wife Cherry and me.  Real estate investing is a staple in my life and allowed me to build wealth and, more importantly, achieve financial peace about the future, knowing our retirement is taken care of and my kids will be able to afford a home when they grow up.  If you, too, are interested in my systematic strategy to implement the #1 investment strategy, the same one pretty much all my guests are doing themselves, then go visit www.infinitywealth.ca/events and register for our next event.

Till next time, just do it because I believe in you.

Erwin

W: erwinszeto.com
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Disclaimer:

As a committed advocate for transparent and responsible real estate investment, I want to openly share my involvement with SHARE SFR (Single Family Rental) as an Advisor. I hold an equity position in this company and receive a referral commission for clients I introduce to their services. My endorsement of their business model – focusing on direct ownership of positive cash flow income properties – is consistent with my own personal investing since 2005, is based not only on a professional assessment but also on my personal experience and belief in their approach. Please note that while I stand behind my recommendations, it is crucial for each individual to conduct their own due diligence and consider their unique circumstances before making any investment decisions. As always, my priority is to provide you with honest, insightful, and practical real estate investment education.