Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 36
36
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
Choice Properties provides pathways to real growth
E
lliot Sedgwick was new
to real estate when
he found work as a
temporary receptionist
at Choice Properties.
He showed an interest in
learning and got a position in the
IT department. “I had no formal
experience in project
management when my manager
offered me some project work,”
says Sedgwick, now senior project
coordinator. “Now, it’s something
that’s developing as a career
for me.”
Choice Properties is a Canadian
real estate investment trust, and
a part of the Weston Group of
Companies headquartered in
Toronto. It is a national owner,
operator and developer of
commercial and residential real
estate.
There is opportunity
for those who want
more. Where there’s
talent, we find a way for
colleagues to develop
and grow.
— Simone Cole
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
Simone Cole, senior vice
president, general counsel and
secretary, says she’s proof positive
that the Weston group gives
opportunities to people who
don’t yet have all the traditional
experience for a position. She
worked within the Weston Group
of Companies for over a decade
Senior leaders at Choice Properties actively collaborate with and mentor employees across the organization.
before joining Choice Properties.
Cole was the general counsel of
Weston Foods, prior to its sale in
2021, and did not have an extensive
background in real estate. Her
transition to Choice Properties
included time to shadow the legal
department of the real estate
company before becoming its
general counsel.
Cole finds that the company
believes in people who show
commitment and dedication.
“There is opportunity for people
who want more,” she says. “Where
there’s potential, we find a way for
colleagues to develop and grow.”
The office for Choice Properties
is open concept. “All the senior
leaders are available — and
whether through collaborating on
projects or mentorship, we try to
know who’s working on what and
we’ll talk to them about it or invite
them to present at a meeting,”
says Cole.
A mentor herself in the
organization, she is paired with
someone with less experience who
can gain insights and experience
from her leadership.
There are also sponsorship
opportunities for employees
who are ready to go to the next
level. These can take the form of
secondments to other businesses
of the Weston group, such as
going from Choice Properties, a
landlord, to Loblaws to experience
business from a tenant’s
perspective.
“We make a real effort to give
people stretch assignments —
whether a project, an initiative
or a transaction,” says Cole. For
instance, someone might move
from developing commercial
properties to gain experience in
the residential portfolio. This
year, the company launched a
two-year graduate program where
recent graduates complete four
six-month rotations across core
departments of the real
estate company.
“Our mission as leaders, from
the top down, is to bring in
