# $2-billion real estate king

By [Brandon Donnelly](https://paragraph.com/@brandondonnelly), 2017-08-23

club-link, glen-abbey, morguard, rai-sahi, real-estate, uncategorized

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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/8feba9e21ca2eb4ec62af07443730ef7.jpg)

The Globe and Mail just published a piece called: [How Morguard CEO Rai Sahi became Canada’s $2-billion real estate king](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/how-morguard-ceo-rai-sahi-became-canadas-2-billion-real-estateking/article36012190/). It’s a Globe Unlimited piece, so some of you may not be able to access the article. 

But here’s a snippet that talks about the moment Sahi left his job at the Bank of Montreal and went out onto his own as an entrepreneur:  

> _In 1981, Sahi spotted an opportunity: Advanced Extrusions Ltd., a small manufacturer of aerosol cans and toothpaste tubes based in Penetanguishene, Ontario. Along with several partners, he bought the business for $7 million. Quickly, Sahi and his partners kicked Advanced into high gear by installing a high-speed assembly line and taking advantage of the low Canadian dollar to boost exports to the United States. Revenues doubled, and CCL Industries Inc. bought the company in 1985 for a reported $22 million. He then used the proceeds from the Advanced sale as a launchpad to buy control of two transport companies, combined them, and sold them to Winnipeg-based Federal Industries for $70 million, much of it in shares._  

The reason for this Globe article is no doubt because Sahi’s [Glen Abbey golf course is in the news](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/glen-abbey-doesnt-deserve-a-mulligan/article36055853/) right now. He acquired the course by buying ClubLink when they were in a cash crunch and has since put forward plans to redevelop the land. 

On Monday night, Oakville city council [voted unanimously to seek a heritage designation](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/oakville-city-council-unanimously-votes-to-designate-glen-abbey-golf-course-a-heritage-site-1.4256733) for the course.

I don’t know much about golf courses, but I do think Sahi’s story is an inspiring one. Here is a guy who moved to Canada at the age of 24 and started out by selling insurance door to door. And today his net worth is estimated at $2 billion.

Full disclosure: I used to work at Morguard.

_Photo by_ [_juan gomez_](https://unsplash.com/photos/uBqykD-ejsY?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) _on_ [_Unsplash_](https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)

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*Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://paragraph.com/@brandondonnelly/dollar2-billion-real-estate-king)*