Warehouse leasing jumps as shippers seek tariff workarounds

MONTREAL — Canadian warehouse leasing numbers surged last year as shippers sought flexibility — and a way to work around burdensome U.S. tariffs, a new report says. Leasing activity in the Toronto area soared to the third-highest level on record in 2025, climbing 43 per cent to 26.9 million square feet, according to figures from real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. National volumes also jumped, far outpacing those from the previous three years. Across the country, activity ramped up in the second half of the year in particular as packaging and logistics firms strove to meet a boost in demand….