Homburg Invest announces filing of preliminary prospectus for initial public
offering of Homburg Canada Real Estate Investment Trust

    
    /NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR DISTRIBUTION THROUGH
    UNITED STATES NEWS OR WIRE SERVICES./

           Shares issued: Class A - 17,094,490 Class B - 3,148,538
    

HALIFAX, April 9 /CNW/ - Richard Homburg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Homburg Invest Inc. ("HII" or the "Company") (TSX: HII.A & HII.B and NYSE Euronext Amsterdam: HII) announced today that further to the Company's December 16, 2009 news release in which it declared its intention to spin off its real estate assets into five geographically based real estate companies, a preliminary prospectus has been filed with the securities regulatory authorities of all provinces and territories in Canada for the initial public offering of trust units of Homburg Canada Real Estate Investment Trust (the "REIT"). The filing is the initial step in executing HII's previously announced strategy of unlocking value for its shareholders.

The proposed offering is being underwritten by a syndicate of underwriters led by TD Securities Inc. and including National Bank Financial Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., Canaccord Financial Ltd., HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc., Dundee Securities Corporation and Beacon Securities Ltd. Completion of the initial public offering is subject to and conditional upon the receipt of all necessary approvals, including regulatory approvals.

A preliminary prospectus containing important information relating to these securities has been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in all of the provinces and territories of Canada. The preliminary prospectus is still subject to completion or amendment. Copies of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained from one of the underwriters noted above and are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the REIT's profile. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the securities until a receipt for the final prospectus has been issued.

These securities have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of that Act. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of these securities in the United States of America or in the European Economic Area.

This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect HII's and the REIT's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. HII and the REIT disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Homburg Invest Inc.

Homburg Invest Inc. owns and develops a diversified portfolio of quality real estate including office, retail, industrial and residential apartment and townhouse properties throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. Its head office is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

About Homburg Canada Real Estate Investment Trust

Homburg Canada Real Estate Investment Trust is a recently created unincorporated open-ended real estate investment trust established pursuant to a declaration of trust under the laws of the Province of Quebec.

Upon closing of the offering, the REIT, which is managed internally, will own a portfolio of Canadian income-producing commercial properties, comprised mainly of retail and office properties with certain industrial properties, as well as certain income-producing multi-family residential properties. The properties comprise approximately 6.6 million square feet of commercial gross leasable area and 1,725 multi-family residential units located in Québec, Atlantic Canada, Western Canada and Ontario.

%SEDAR: 00013330E

For further information: Mr. Richard Homburg, Chairman and CEO, Homburg Invest Inc., [phone]; J. Richard Stolle, President and COO, Homburg Invest Inc., 31-20-573-3855; Paul de la Plante, NATIONAL Public Relations, [phone]