I think the issue in Ottawa is competition. There aren't as many builders and condo buildings going up compared to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and so buyers have much less choices.
Buyers may be "voting or choosing" Claridge today but not necessarily because they LOVE their buildings or designs but because it's one of the only options to potentially fit their bill (in terms of location & price). We typically have a handful of buildings hitting the market every year.
I would argue other than a few condo buildings in Ottawa, all the others are very similar in terms of design and finishes. If one builder really pushed the envelope of design, style, amenities, etc.. then I would think the others would need to adapt and increase their quality to match, but that's not the case today. And let's not forget these companies are there to make profits, they won't be willing to cut their profits to design or build a "better" building - not saying that's the right way to go, especially on Icon which is supposed to be your "masterpiece".
I'm sure prices also play an important part. Many condos are still available in Ottawa in the $300-$500K range where they might go for $500K-$800K in Toronto to build a very similar building, that's a lot more breathing room for builders to go higher, more unique, higher quality, etc...
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