(Ian Hanecak is among the 2025 Canadian Next Generation Award recipients, as selected by Connect CRE Canada. This profile explains how he stands out among his peers. Read about all of the award winners.)

By Amy Wolff Sorter

Ian Hanecak is the senior manager of community relations at Northcrest Developments. With a background in urban planning, municipal politics and media publishing, he serves as the Indigenous relations and community engagement lead with the firm.

When Hanecak joined Northcrest six years ago, the company didn’t even have a formal name. With few official roles and a small, scrappy team, he went beyond his job description to do what was needed. Since 2020, the engagement team has met with 20,000 participants, held more than 120 community engagements, worked with more than 200 local, equity-deserving and Indigenous artists and engaged with 2,000 non-profit and regional organizations.

Hanecak manages the YZD Experience Centre, a 16,150-square-foot immersive space that showcases the vision for the 250-acre YZD, a $30-billion transformation of the historic former Downsview Airport lands.

He supports the annual Downsview Merchants Market Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway and the North York Harvest Food Bank. Hanecak recently helped introduce the Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive, an initiative collecting gently used hockey equipment to support sports development among Indigenous youth. He is also a founding member of the Rotaract Club of Willowdale.

Hanecak was awarded the Canada 150 Commemorative Medal.

These are just a few reasons we chose Ian Hanecak as one of Connect CRE Canada’s 2025 Next Generation Award winners. Connect CRE’s annual Next Generation Awards recognize young leaders who will have a strong influence on the commercial real estate industry.

Read about all of the award winners.