The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Blackstone is eyeing an unloved Canadian apartment owner, H & R REIT. The Globe's Andrew Willis writes that last Thursday, H & R confirmed it is in talks to sell part of its $6.5-billion portfolio to Blackstone has a reputation for snapping up Canadian properties when the real estate values hit cyclical lows. Analysts say Blackstone is targeting H & R's 26 apartment buildings, many of which are in the New York area, and possibly its warehouses. If a deal results, H & R would be the latest and unlikely the last publicly traded REIT to embrace private ownership of its properties. Who else would attract sharks? H & R peers such as Killam Apartment REIT and Boardwalk REIT are complaining they get no love from investors. Both make enticing takeover targets. Blackstone and other institutional investors are snapping up apartment REITs because they look past the short-term noise around interest rates, trade deals and falling immigration. They make generational investments on themes such as Canada as a continued destination for skilled workers. Despite tighter immigration, the government predicts 370,000 people will arrive in 2027 and 2028.