Western University
As Western University stewards significant land holdings in both urban and suburban contexts, they have recognized the need for a coordinated approach that responds to shifting economic conditions, changing government policies, and increasing expectations around land optimization. In 2025, PaperDolls began a multi-phase land strategy initiative with Western to evaluate the development potential of several priority sites across the University’s portfolio. This work—now underway—reflects Western’s commitment to planning strategically amid rising demand for alternative revenue generation, infrastructure pressures, and long-term growth.
On behalf of Western, PaperDolls is currently leading a series of integrated market, financial, and development assessments to shape real estate alternative revenue generation pathways. All active project streams are being guided by Western’s standards for academic excellence, community stewardship, sustainability, and long-term operational feasibility.
PaperDolls is working closely with University leadership and external technical teams to ensure that each development approach remains aligned with municipal approvals processes, market viability, and Western’s broader strategic objectives.
Several concept proposals are advancing through deeper analysis and partner engagement, positioning Western to pursue development opportunities that can deliver high-quality outcomes and generate meaningful alternative revenue to support academic priorities, reinvestment in aging facilities, and future campus initiatives.
To underpin this multi-phase strategy, PaperDolls is also advising on ongoing capital optimization opportunities across Western’s broader landholdings—identifying mechanisms that can unlock value and help fund future projects as the real estate portfolio continues
to evolve.
University of Guelph
Given the changing realities of the Canadian higher education landscape, the University of Guelph identified both a need and an opportunity to reassess its non-core land portfolio and determine how these assets could generate long-term, mission-aligned value while preserving future academic, research, and community flexibility. In response, Guelph engaged PaperDolls to provide strategic oversight and advisory leadership for the development of its Real Estate Land Use Vision & Strategy — a multi-phase initiative designed to unlock long-term value from university-owned lands while upholding Guelph’s mission, governance structure, and multi-generational outlook.
PaperDolls led the integration and coordination of all major workstreams required to shape this strategy. This included comprehensive planning analysis, land-use visioning, market and economic assessments, design frameworks, and a long-horizon development sequencing plan. Our role ensured that every technical input — from stakeholder engagement to financial modelling — was woven into a coherent, institutionally aligned strategy capable of generating future revenue while preserving long-term flexibility.
Through this work, PaperDolls supported the University in defining a series of mixed-use neighbourhood concepts spanning housing, research and innovation space, campus-adjacent community uses, and open-space systems. These concepts were organized into near-term, mid-term, and long-term development phases, giving Guelph the structure needed to advance opportunities responsibly and adapt to evolving conditions. All components of the strategy were shaped to reflect Guelph’s commitments to sustainability, inclusivity, and academic excellence. PaperDolls worked closely with University leadership, municipal partners, and external consultants to ensure the plan respected policy constraints, community context, and financial realities — while creating room for future academic programs and research growth.
Several priority precincts have since advanced into deeper planning and partner engagement, positioning the University to pursue development opportunities that will generate meaningful revenue to support its academic mission, fund reinvestment in aging assets, and enable future campus initiatives.