Last month, the federal government announced that it would be investing $10 million for 18 applied research projects that explore “specific, impactful ways” to help Canada meet its housing and infrastructure needs.

These projects aim to generate innovative, practical solutions to the housing and infrastructure challenges faced by Canadian communities. The solutions range from building a national housing data platform, to studying the impacts of transit investments on low-income and racialized communities, to combatting youth homelessness.

“These important projects will support innovative solutions that will help build more critical infrastructure and housing, faster across Canada,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

The list of projects include the following architect-led initiatives.

5468796 Architecture in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is aiming to identify and leverage under-utilized land and building assets of non-government organizations to support new affordable housing development. The project, called Shared Ground: Leveraging Social Purpose Infrastructure for Affordable Housing, aims to help address the shortage of affordable housing in Winnipeg.

In Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, a project by Taylor Architecture Group Ltd. called Prototyping a Resilient Northern Home: Ongoing Barriers and Alternative Solutions aims to help study alternative housing designs that respond to the unique systems, environments, and infrastructure in remote and northern communities. The results and insights to be shared with policymakers seek to support the construction and maintenance of housing in the North.

University research also features among the selected projects.

In Toronto, a project by Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) called Navigating Transformation: A Comprehensive Study of Transit Infrastructure Investments and Their Implications for Black Renters in Toronto, aims to help conduct a study on the impacts of transit investments on low-income and racialized communities in an Ontario city, specifically tenants. The results and findings are meant to inform policy decision makers on transit investments, while ensuring the protection of vulnerable communities from displacement and unaffordable housing.

One by the University of Toronto, called Accelerating Affordable Housing Development with an AI-Assisted Platform for Partnerships aims to help create an online platform to facilitate partnerships between developers, municipalities, and lenders for innovative mixed-use projects, promoting affordable housing solutions, diverse collaborations, and increased participation from non-traditional funders.

A McGill-led project called Canadian Housing Observatory aims to help create a national online platform that brings together diverse housing data, allowing for in-depth exploration and analysis of housing issues, supporting broad insights, and promote housing education.

Meanwhile, Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, is advancing studies of 3D concrete printing technology to build more durable housing and infrastructure by conducting large-scale proof-of-concept tests through their project, 3D Printed Concrete: An Innovative, Efficient, and Resilient Solution to Canada’s Housing Needs.

The full list of projects can be found here.

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The Architectural Institute of British Columbia has transitioned its achievement awards to the Architectural Foundation of BC (AFBC). Since 2021, the rebranded AFBC has undertaken the program which includes the Lieutenant Governor Awards—an institution that the AIBC had run for several decades. Kudos must go to the AFBC board for their ongoing efforts to which we can now add the AFBC Architectural Achievement Awards, having had its inaugural launch on November 21st in the Vancouver Railtown District.

Sitting next to Vancouver’s bustling port, the venue was generously provided by the principal at Informprojects, Harvey Reehal, offering a peek at their recently renovated Informprojects showroom next to the American Can Company building. Located on the sixth floor and facing the port and waterfront, the reno was itself the recipient of a Lieutenant Governor Award in 2023 for OMB Architects. With several prominent members of Vancouver’s architectural community receiving awards, the turnout was a packed house despite the evening’s inclement weather.

With AIBC board members Michelle Fenton and Kim Barnsley as emcees for the evening, AFBC Chair Karl Gustavson said a few opening words about the Foundation, after which the evening’s program began with a land acknowledgment and Coast Salish performance by Coastal Wolf Pack. Six awards were then given out in total, two of which were for recipients unable to receive them in 2020 due to COVID restrictions:

• Abdel Munem Amin – Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award (not in attendance)
• Nick Milkovich – Lifetime Achievement (attended)

• Nancy Mackin – Community Stewardship (attended)
• Darryl Condon – Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award for Community Service (attended)
• Peter Cardew – Lifetime Achievement (awarded posthumously)
• William R. Rhone – Lifetime Achievement (attended)

The evening provided those representatives present from Vancouver’s architecture and design firms the opportunity to honour these six individuals and allow their friends and family to see the impact their careers have had on our Little Village by the Sea. It was a privilege to be sitting next to both Bill Rhone and Nick Milkovich, two individuals whose careers have touched any architect who has lived and worked in BC. It was also a delight to see the projects Nancy Mackin had brought to share, along with the impact that her stewardship has had on the communities she’s worked with.

As Treasurer of the AIBC Council (now Board) in 2018, I was fortunate to have served alongside one of the evening’s recipients, Darryl Condon, who for many years led the Institute, and continues to lead along with the other principals at hcma. We chatted afterward that his award was not a lifetime achievement award because he is very much still in mid-stride.

On a more serious note, the evening’s most somber moment came in the posthumous award to the late Peter Cardew, who we sadly lost during COVID-19. Along with the projects of Milkovich and Rhone, these three constitute a lion’s share of architectural achievement in Metro Vancouver. Nick Milkovich was honoured for his own firm’s work along with his lifelong collaboration with Arthur Erickson, while Bill Rhone was awarded for his firm Rhone & Iredale—where Peter Cardew also worked—and itself a titan firm in its day.

It was overall a generous evening hosted by the AFBC, and we can look forward to other future achievement awards in between the bi-annual Lieutenant Governor awards. As Karl Gustavson noted in his opening comments, both architects and architecture need a voice in Metro Vancouver and the province. With the rebranding of the AFBC in 2021, very much in anticipation of the Professional Governance Act replacing the BC Architect’s Act, the Foundation currently has the opportunity to be that voice. To provide not just awards programs but scholarships, walking tours, and perhaps—as Karl hinted—even a return of Architecture in Schools.

One may ask where is Vancouver’s architecture centre? Recently visiting Montreal, it occurred to me they have called the CCA the Canadian Centre for Architecture so there is no mistaking it there. And in Toronto, for many years the Design Exchange was run by the Toronto Society of Architects and the de facto centre of architecture in TO (sadly shuttered in 2019). So, where is Vancouver’s? For some time there was the AIBC Architecture Centre, but with it closing its doors in 2020 perhaps the AFBC can look to locate somewhere in 2025.

Our country is vast, and our provincial architectural associations can only do so much given their regulatory mandate. And national organizations like the RAIC and CACB cannot possibly provide for everyone given limited staff and resources to support local advocacy for each metropolitan area. It is up to each of us, with boots on the ground in our local architectural communities, to advocate whether to write a piece like this one or attend an event like the Achievement Awards. Local architects and designers can each do their part by being present for our profession. Those who came out this past rainy November night to 411 Railway Street did just that, and congratulations again to all the evening’s award recipients!

For more information on the event go to Architectural Awards of Excellence — AFBC, and view the evening’s photo gallery here.

Sean Ruthen is a Metro Vancouver-based architect.

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The formal method of verifying the currency of licensed architects through continuing education requirements has been in place in most provincial associations since the turn of the millennium. The introduction of these requirements parallels the revision of educational requirements for licensure, from professionally focussed five-year undergraduate university programs to diverse graduate programs. The task of determining what is germane to professional competence is a notable regulatory challenge, but the fact that all our professional associations have resorted to fines—in excess of registration fees—to leverage compliance with continuing education requirements suggests that something is amiss, and worthy of rigorous and objective review.

The original intent of continuing education as a non-profit, low-cost-to-architects way to keep practitioners up to date is not immediately obvious. The AIBC states the purpose of required continuing education as “a response to the public’s increasing expectation that architects remain current with contemporary technology, business practices, methods, and materials.” But in other cases, there has been noticeable mission-creep. The OAA describes the intent of continuing education as part of the organization’s “dedication to promoting and increasing the knowledge, skill, and proficiency of its members, and administering the Architects Act to serve and protect the public interest.” One large association thus defines their mission as keeping members up to date. The other offers a broader and more open-ended mission statement that extends well beyond the issue of currency. This reflects two quite different paths.

Regulating educational requirements is a tough challenge, certainly, for any organization. “The broader the range of issues to be accommodated, the greater the difficulty to regulate” is a familiar axiom. In our profession, regulating education should be premised on the fact that architects process information and come to understand their craft in unique ways. Visual literacy, for instance, is core to an architect’s formal education and professional skill set. The accreditation process for evaluating architecture university programs in Canada, as one example, requires an exhibition of ideas and concepts as a principal component. This is how we communicate, learn, and grow as architects. Yet, ironically, attendance at such an exhibition would be ruled invalid as counting towards provincial continuing education requirements, because its inherent value cannot be readily quantified.

A sizable amount of regulation focusing on professional development is also premised on the notion that one can somehow quantify reading, and accurately corroborate the time taken to research a topic, author a book, or publish an article. In contrast, travel—which for most architects is acknowledged as an important way of coming to understand architecture—is only deemed valid by regulators if it can be corroborated by a tour guide receipt. A mode of regulation that would more accurately reflect lived experience would not be driven by administrative expediency, and would assign value beyond that which can be easily quantified.

Activities cited in the “unstructured learning” category—aside from association meetings and committee work—are, on the whole, largely impossible to regulate with specificity, and in most cases, fail to credibly validate either currency or knowledge. Elimination of these activities would be a positive first step, and serve to focus attention on legitimate profession-specific requirements. A compelling argument can be made that compliance with unstructured continuing education requirements achieves nothing but increased workloads for regulators, ill will of individual members, and no credible validation of whether the individual in question is up-to-date or not.

Structured professional development, on the other hand, can and should be monitored in a comprehensive and straightforward manner. The profession of architecture, while complex and ubiquitous in comparison to other professions, is not so complicated when it comes down to what we actually do. All North American schools of architecture seeking accreditation, for instance, are presently required to meet student and program performance criteria that are specific, quantifiable, and accepted by 185 post-secondary institutions with widely differing missions and geographic settings. Consensus on this kind of complex and diverse subject matter has thus proven to be possible. The professionally specific Internship Architecture Program (IAP) provides another example of how the scope of professional activity can be defined in 15 rationally weighted categories that all associations agree on. The referencing of continuing education activity to any of these 15 categories could serve to ameliorate concerns of whether subject matter is profession-specific.

The question arises of whether verifying compliance with continuing education requirements is fair to all associations. Smaller provincial associations with limited resources, in particular, are not well positioned to credibly monitor professional development activity, or to deal with clarification and interpretation of regulations. Most associations rely entirely on computerized transcripts to record and tally up activity hours in each category, and restrict entries beyond the deadline of each cycle. The few unfortunate individuals targeted for audit rely on local interpretation, which can vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

The concept of a national organization such as the RAIC as a central repository for course material and records has obvious merit. The RAIC already offers mostly online courses. Professionally qualified staff could efficiently manage queries on regulatory requirements. Local jurisdictions could then, as most already do, focus on continuing education related to regional issues, such as changes to legislation, building codes, construction documents, and bidding and contract negotiation.

Updating continuing education requirements first requires acknowledgement that the existing system appears to be falling short of its intended mission. A quarter century of experience should provide hard evidence that we are failing to reach the desired results. The autonomy of provincial associations should be prepared to yield to a greater need for consistency, fairness, and objectivity across jurisdictional boundaries. Well-crafted and intelligent regulation can—and should—eliminate any question of competence and currency from public concern.

Robert Ian Macdonald, FRAIC, is Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Manitoba.

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Light House, an organization focused on advancing regenerative and circular practices in the built environment, has launched a new initiative with the aim to divert and upcycle plastic waste from approximately 10 Metro Vancouver construction sites.

The pilot program, called the Construction Plastics Initiative, is running from now until February 2026 and is actively seeking projects to bring on board. 

The objective of the initiative is to demonstrate the feasibility and financial viability of a circular economic model for plastic waste generated on construction sites.

The intention is to collect, separate, measure and process plastics from construction sites to determine the amount and types of plastic waste being generated in British Columbia’s construction sector and to demonstrate circular economic solutions to divert and repurpose the plastic into new products.

Project participants will be able to showcase their leadership by pioneering plastic diversion as well as using the locally manufactured building products in their projects.

“Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive studies in North America quantifying the volume of construction plastic waste directed to landfills. Studies from Europe suggest approximately 80 per cent of plastic waste from on-site construction activities consists of clean packaging materials, which are readily divertible from landfills. This pilot project aims to provide valuable insights into the extent of construction plastic pollution in North America and to identify opportunities for circular innovation in managing construction plastics,” said Gil Yaron, managing director, Circular Innovation, Light House.

“In Canada right now, virtually all of the plastic generated on these construction sites is ending up in landfill or being buried on site. There’s a better solution – and we’re testing it out right now through our Construction Plastics Initiative. We’re bringing partners together through the construction plastic value chain, developing a management framework to collect, monitor and track the flow of materials, and we’re exploring the business case and sale of derivative building products back into the construction sector.”

Collected plastics from all projects will be processed by Ocean Park Recycling prior to being recycled into reusable plastic pellets, which will be integrated into the manufacturing of a range of new building products.

The pilot program will also help developers and general contractors reduce material use and the embodied carbon associated with their projects. Through this initiative, Light House is reducing the environmental impact of construction while also preparing the industry for the federal government’s upcoming plastics registry reporting requirements in 2026.

A qualified site monitor will be provided to the participating construction project. The site monitor will work with the general contractor and site supervisor to identify the types of plastics to be collected, schedule collections based on the construction timeline, provide size-appropriate collection bins, train site crews on proper source separation practices, monitor bins for contamination, and assist with the delivery and removal of collection bins, as required.

To learn more about the Construction Plastics Initiative, click here.

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The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) has announced the recipients of the 2024 Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarships.

The memorial scholarships, which were established nineteen years ago, are awarded each year to graduate students whose wood research exemplifies the same level of passion for wood and the wood products industry that Catherine Lalonde demonstrated as a professional engineer and president of the CWC.

This year, Laura Walters from McMaster University and Jiawen Shen from the University of British Columbia were recognized for their academic excellence and impactful research projects in the structural wood products industry.

Walters is a third year graduate student pursuing a Master of Applied Science in Civil Engineering at McMaster University. Her research project explores the use of pre-engineered beam hangers in mass timber post-and-beam systems, with a focus on the implications of design and modelling assumptions on the evaluation of structural load paths. Her work provides valuable insights into the design considerations and assumptions required for more accurate and reliable design of mass timber columns when pre-engineered beam hangers are used.

Shen is a first year graduate student pursuing a Master in Wood Science at the University of British Columbia. Her research project focuses on the development of binderless composite bark-board cladding and insulation panels that are durable, ignition resistant, carbon neutral, and manufactured from an underutilized by-product that would otherwise be burned, landfilled, or used for low-value purposes. Collaborating with a Vancouver-based architecture firm on this project, her work is key to advancing the commercial application of these innovative cladding products.

“This year marks a historic milestone for the Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarship program as, for the first time, it is awarded to two exceptional women,” said Martin Richard, VP of market development and communications at the CWC. “Their achievements highlight the outstanding talent driving innovation in wood research and construction. We are inspired by their contributions and the growing diversity shaping the future of wood-based solutions.”

For more information, click here.

Images courtesy of the Canadian Wood Council

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Cities rarely behave the way we want them to. Urbanist William Whyte illustrated this in the 1980s when he studied the behaviour of park-goers in New York. Despite planners carefully arranging chairs in unique and novel ways, people instinctively moved them around to suit their own needs. Similarly, the worn paths we see cutting through park lawns are not part of the original design — they are “desire lines,” revealing the routes people naturally choose, rather than those intended by urban planners. This highlights a fundamental truth: how we plan and design a space often doesn’t align with the way people truly live and move through it.

As a PhD candidate in urban and regional planning, I have been delving into this disconnect between intention and execution. There’s often a chasm between what urban planners envision and what is actually realized. Many plans, no matter how meticulously crafted, remain unfulfilled, leading to a cognitive dissonance between our aspirations and the final product, and contributing to frustration and disappointment from the broader community. Despite their best efforts, planners often find that the systems they work within do not operate the way they had hoped. In many prairie cities, the plans and strategies drafted by urban planners often end up collecting dust on forgotten shelves, never to be revisited.

John Forester, a key figure in the study of power and its influence on the practice of planning, famously noted that “If planners ignore those in power, they assure their own powerlessness.” This statement underscores a vital point: urban planners are not merely neutral technicians but are embedded in complex political environments. They should aim for more than just managing permits and enforcing processes — they should be agents of change, actively challenging the status quo. Yet, not every planner sees themselves in this role. This raises the question: What is the true role of a planner in a city? And more specifically, in Edmonton?

Planners, no matter how skilled, can find their work stymied by organizational constraints, and even the best plans can falter when political and economic realities intervene. As we approach another election year, much attention will be focused on elected officials, yet we should also consider the questions we ask of the city builders who work within administrative spaces. While decision-making may rest with politicians, it is within the administration and public-private partnerships where expertise and leadership traverse election cycles. These city builders — planners, administrators, architects, and engineers — wield significant influence and should not only be part of the conversation but should lead it.

In 2018, I moved to Edmonton for this very reason. While my hometown of Winnipeg was bogged down by a decades-long debate over the infamous Portage and Main intersection, Edmonton’s planning landscape was thriving. Administrators and planners were shaping the discourse, pushing boundaries, and driving urban change. I was drawn to this energy and eager to learn what enabled such leadership among Edmonton’s city planners. What inspired them to push through and make urban transformation possible?

That question led me to consider: what makes planning in Edmonton different from Winnipeg? In Winnipeg, planners often feel powerless, constrained by municipal government structures. In contrast, in Edmonton, planners seemed to embrace their role, actively pushing for change and progress.

Through my research, I attempt to understand the role of central figures like planners in prairie cities such as Edmonton and Winnipeg. Drawing on Timothy Rowley’s social network analysis theory, I have discovered that planners are either commanders, compromisers, subordinates, and/or solitarians, and each play different but vital roles in shaping the urban narrative.

Commanders, often the public face of planning, have the power to initiate dialogue, shape the direction of planning efforts, and guide the process. Compromisers are the peacekeepers, helping resolve conflicts and facilitating compromise among stakeholders. Subordinates, though less visible, provide support by listening and synthesizing the concerns of both the public and officials. Solitarians are the researchers and analysts, offering clarity and detailed knowledge that can guide more informed decision-making. Together, these diverse figures form a web of influence, creating a robust environment for urban change.

How can we, and should we, make space for these diverse players? And is Edmonton’s planning environment still supportive of innovation and leadership? Understanding and creating room for all types of city builders is essential to successfully plan and shape our cities. It enables us to adapt and adjust our plans as cities evolve and as people shape their communities. This approach empowers planners, working within diverse constraints, to discover their authentic voice and influence, foster collaboration, and understand the significance of their work in driving meaningful change. It encourages creativity within our administrations, opening pathways for transformative action. Moving forward, I believe that embracing the complexity of governance and acknowledging the varied roles of city builders is key to shaping the future of our urban landscapes.

Jason Syvixay is Vice President of BILD Edmonton Metro, and a PhD candidate in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Alberta.

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Another year has come and gone and we’re rounding up the top 10 most read news posts of the year.

From the many updates on the beloved Ontario Science Centre and Ontario Place to a review of the Well in Toronto, here are the top most-visited news posts of 2024 in order.

10. Amid 865 trees coming down, Province releases 95-year lease with Therme

The highly contested redevelopment of Ontario Place, a waterfront property in downtown Toronto, came to a head this fall with the abrupt demolition of the trees and structures in a large part of the property. The work—which included the removal of every single tree on the western portion of the waterfront site—is part of the approximately $200-million in work that taxpayers are funding to prepare the land for Therme, an Austrian spa company, to develop a stadium-sized indoor waterpark on the site.

9. The Well, Toronto, Ontario: Review by John Lorinc

The Well, a much anticipated and heavily publicized collaboration between RioCan and Allied Properties REIT, opened in Toronto this year. Several design firms were involved in the project, including Hariri Pontarini Architects, Urban Strategies, CCxA, BDP, architects—Alliance, Wallman Architects, and Adamson Associates. Journalist John Lorinc reviewed the complex, and explains its significance for Toronto urbanism.

8. Cost of Ontario Science Centre temporary location exceeds cost of roof repairs

On June 24, 2024, Infrastructure Ontario put out an RFP for a commercial/retail space to house a temporary Science Centre until its planned new facility at Ontario Place is complete. Canadian Architect editor Elsa Lam noted that the temporary location, which would not be open until 2026, would put the Science Centre in a location that was significantly smaller—and likely much more remote—than its current site. She also analyzes how the cost of the temporary location would exceed the cost of making necessary repairs to the existing Moriyama-design Science Centre.

7. Ontario Place project at risk as Canada ignores engagement requirements with Indigenous Peoples

A release issued by the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) stated that it believes that the Federal government has failed to meet Indigenous engagement obligations for the Ontario Place project on Toronto’s waterfront. The release noted that if the Government of Canada fails to fulfill its responsibility to engage and collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, the multi-billion-dollar Ontario Place development project could face significant delays.

6. Ontario Science Centre doesn’t require full closure: A close reading of the engineers’ report

Just after the Ontario Science Centre was abruptly closed, Canadian Architect editor Elsa Lam released a deep dive into Rimkus engineers’ roof report, which was used to justify the closure. Her analysis suggests that the building’s key exhibition areas could continue to operate safely—even if the Ontario government choose not to invest in any structural roof repairs by the fall.

5. McGill University researchers say modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed with historic technique

Researchers from McGill University say that by revamping a forgotten heat recovery technique used in the design of Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital, modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed.

4. TSA issues open letter on Ontario Science Centre closure

On June 21, 2024, the provincial government announced that the Ontario Science Centre’s landmark 1969 building, by Japanese-Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama, would be closed immediately, for an indefinite period of time. Organizations including Canadian Architect, ACO, and the TSA rallied quickly to voice their opposition to the closure.

3. The true cost of repairing the Ontario Science Centre is much, much less than what Infrastructure Ontario has been saying—and the proof is in its own documents

Two figures have been cited by the Ontario Government: $478 million and $369 million. The actual number is much less—around $200 million, or just $24 million for tackling priority repairs to keep the museum open for several years to come, writes Elsa Lam.

2. As Province edges towards demolition of Science Centre, documents point to a manufactured crisis

The documents issued by the government on July 11 point to known issues and minor problems that can be easily resolved, providing further evidence of a manufactured crisis surrounding the closure.

1. Provincial government agrees to pause demolition at Ontario Place

On July 10, 2024, the Ontario government agreed to halt demolition pending the results of Ontario Place Protectors (OPP)’s challenge to the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act on July 19. Unfortunately, after the group’s challenge was unsuccessful, demolition continued. OPP has appealed the ruling.

The post Canadian Architect’s most read news posts of 2024 appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The timeline for opening a permanent new Ontario Science Centre appears to have been delayed, with infrastructure officials telling the auditor general’s office the centre is expected to be up and running in 2029.

When Premier Doug Ford announced last year the planned move for the attraction, from its east Toronto location to a redeveloped Ontario Place on the city’s waterfront, the science centre said the new facility would open in 2028.

In June, when the government announced the abrupt closure of the science centre over structural concerns with the roof, its press release said the Ontario Place facility would open “as early as” 2028.

Now, according to a report earlier this month from Ontario’s auditor general Shelley Spence on the Ontario Place redevelopment, “the new building is expected to open in 2029.”

That information was provided to the auditor general’s office by Infrastructure Ontario, a spokesperson for the auditor said.

Jason Ash, co-chair of the group Save Ontario’s Science Centre, said it’s a shame that there will be no permanent Ontario Science Centre for at least an extra year.

“It’s really a whole generation of Ontario children who are not going to have access to world-class science education that the Ontario Science Centre has provided for 55 years,” he said.

“Simply put, the Ontario Science Centre was unique in that the majority of its business actually came from Ontarians, with tourism coming in second place. So Ontario kids aren’t being served and tourists are not going to get a great experience either in the meantime.”

Two requests for comment from Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma went unanswered, with a spokesperson ultimately replying to a third by saying she would not be responding.

“Due to the request submitted by the Leader of the Official Opposition to the Integrity Commissioner on October 16th, 2024, Minister Kinga Surma has been asked not to comment and will respect the process at this time,” Ash Milton wrote.

Milton’s reply came after Surma answered at least a dozen questions in question period on the auditor general’s Ontario Place redevelopment findings.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles’ integrity complaint focused largely on terms and negotiations that led to a 95-year lease for Therme to build and operate a spa and waterpark at Ontario Place, but also alleges “irregularities” with the plan to relocate the science centre.

Stiles suggests, based on information previously uncovered last year by the auditor general, that the government wanted to have the science centre at Ontario Place and integrate parking promised to Therme with the science centre building in order to dispel public concerns over the project.

“This is yet another expensive project that nobody asked for – with a plan that no one is buying,” Stiles wrote in a statement this week.

“We could have revitalized the existing Science Centre for a fraction the cost. Ford and Surma boasted about the new Science Centre opening in 2028, but that sounds like more false promises from a flailing government.”

A spokesperson for Infrastructure Ontario said the procurement process for the new centre continues, with the request for proposals stage expected to wrap up next fall.

A firm date for the completion of construction will be posted once a contract is awarded, and the opening date will depend on the centre’s timeline for moving into the new building, Karen Evans said in an email.

“The overall plan for delivering the vision remains unchanged,” she said.

That audit found that it will now cost more for the government to build a new Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place than it would have to maintain the site it abruptly closed earlier this year.

The cost estimate for building and maintaining a new science centre at Ontario Place has increased by nearly $400 million from the government’s spring 2023 business case for relocating it, the auditor said, meaning it will cost approximately $1.4 billion — higher than the $1.3-billion estimate for maintaining the attraction at its east Toronto location.

The increase is due to higher design and construction costs, life cycle and maintenance costs, and ancillary costs that have added up because of changes to the scope of the planned building and about $61 million in cost escalations, Spence wrote.

Michael Lindsay, at the time the president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, said he didn’t agree that building a new science centre will cost more than rehabilitating the old one, noting that project would also be facing inflationary price increases.

Lindsay provided some reasoning for possible delays in a briefing on the day the science centre was closed.

“The language … (of “as early as” 2028) probably just reflects the realities of procurement and construction,” he said.

“We’re going to be talking to our counterparties through the procurement about what it would take to construct a new science centre, how long that might be, and so I think the plan remains the plan. That language probably just points at the reality that further conversation with our market is coming about what it’s going to take to both procure and then build the new science centre.”

Ontario is planning to have a temporary science centre open in the interim, but has not provided any public updates on that process since it issued a request for proposals in June.

That RFP showed the province is looking for retail or commercial space of about 50,000 to 100,000 square feet — much smaller than the original building’s 568,000 square feet – with a start date of “no later than” Jan. 1, 2026.

The RFP also showed that the province wants a lease of up to five years for the temporary space, plus three options to extend the lease for one year each, which would allow the government to operate a science centre in a temporary home until 2034, Ash said.

The science centre is currently operating two pop-up exhibits at Harbourfront Centre and the Sherway Gardens mall in Toronto.

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Following three years of planning and design, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), Arts Commons and The City of Calgary have announced that the Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) expansion has broken ground.

This marks a significant step forward in the delivery of the arts-focused infrastructure project currently underway in Canada.

“Since revealing the architectural designs for the ACT expansion in April, CMLC, as Development Manager for the ACT project, has been working with our construction and project management teams to develop a strategic and efficient construction management plan for the project, and to secure approval for our Development Permit this fall,” said Kate Thompson, president and CEO of CMLC. “A groundbreaking is an exciting moment in any project – it represents the culmination of years of advocacy, design, approvals and planning, and marks the beginning of really bringing a project to life. We can’t wait for the ACT expansion to begin to take its place in Calgary’s iconic skyline.”

Construction on the ACT expansion, designed by KPMB Architects, Hindle Architects and Tawaw Architecture Collective, will begin in January 2025. Construction will be managed by EllisDon with project management by Colliers Project Leaders, and is expected to be completed in 2028.

The ACT expansion is the first of the three campus transformation phases to begin construction. The other two phases include the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project, which is now fully funded, and the ACT modernization, for which efforts are underway to secure the remaining required funds.

“To finally be able to break ground on this once-in-a-lifetime project, with such an unprecedented level of public and private support, sends a strong message to the world about the importance of arts and culture to a city’s well-being, as well as to Calgary’s position on the global stage,” said Alex Sarian, president and CEO of Arts Commons. “Earlier this year we were humbled to announce both the Government of Alberta’s $103 million commitment, and Dave Werklund and family’s record-setting $75 million transformational gift which, combined with the $320.5 million of already secured funding, brings us to over 75 per cent of our fundraising goal for this $660 million downtown cultural campus. As we prepare to unveil our rebranding to Werklund Centre in 2025, I am overwhelmed by the sense optimism that comes from building the future of our city together.”

Design is currently underway for the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project, which is aiming to create a more modern, inclusive and accessible arts-focused outdoor gathering space as part of the contiguous Arts Commons campus upon its completion in 2028. The design for the Olympic Plaza Transformation project will be revealed in the late first quarter of 2025.

CMLC and The City of Calgary have also launched a series of digital experiences to archive Olympic Plaza’s 1988-2024 chapter, including the Olympic Brick Finder, the Olympic Plaza Interactive Experience and the Olympic Plaza 3D Perspective. All three tools can be found here.

The Olympic Plaza will close at the beginning of January 2025 to facilitate construction and site fencing will be installed around the entirety of it at that time before beginning site demolition.

8 Avenue between Macleod Trail and 1 St S.E. will remain open for the majority of construction, and access to the existing Arts Commons facility, the Burns Building, the Public Building and the Dominion Bank Building will be maintained at all times.

The City of Calgary will continue to work with event organizers to identify alternate locations for events during construction. The City of Calgary has also launched a resource to help Calgarians find other parks, public washroom and skating amenities in downtown through construction.

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təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre, which recently opened in in New Westminster, British Columbia, has been awarded a Special Prize for Interiors in the Sports category at the Prix Versailles in Paris.

təməsew̓txʷ, derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language and meaning “Sea Otter House” Aquatic and Community Centre, was designed by hcma architecture + design, for all ages and abilities with a focus on community connections, wellness-based activities, and sporting and fitness activities.

təməsew̓txʷ was shortlisted against six other international sports architecture projects, including the Paris Olympic Aquatic Centre. It is only the third Canadian project to earn recognition in the competition’s history, with the other two being the Holt Renfrew Ogilvy flagship in Montreal (Jeffrey Hutchinson & Associates and Lemay, café by Laplace and Lemay) and the Apple Flagship Store  in Vancouver (Perkins & Will).

The təməsew̓txʷ facility has also recently been certified gold for accessibility by the Rick Hansen Foundation, which reinforces the principles of inclusive and accessible design that were core aspects of the facility’s planning and detailing.

The facility is located on the edge of a residential neighbourhood north of the Fraser River, which has been a cultural and economic life source for Indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

The project, located on the site of the former headwaters of Glenbrook Ravine, which was lost to development over the preceding decades, takes a strong stance toward reconciliation with the natural character of the landscape.

The 10,684 sq m / 114,571 sq ft aquatic community centre is Canada’s first completed all-electric aquatic facility to achieve the Canada Green Building Council’s (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building-Design Standard. təməsew̓txʷ is also the first to use the gravity-fed InBlue filtration system, which reduces the need for chlorine usage and creation of associated harmful byproducts.

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The CCA has announced the launch of To Build Law, the second chapter of Groundwork, a three-part film and exhibition series exploring the conceptual development and field research of contemporary architects cultivating alternative modes of practice.

Groundwork aims to ask how we understand the making of architecture in the present moment, and how architects situate themselves in relation to changing natural and disciplinary boundaries. The exhibition aims to ask questions such as: ‘What to build, or not build?’ ‘Is a building the end point of architectural production?’ ‘What to do with the existing building stock?’ ‘How to intervene in the landscape?’ and ‘How to engage with the increasing environmental and social complexities of a site?’

According to a 2020 report by the UN Environment Programme, the construction industry accounts for at least 38 per cent of carbon emissions globally, operating with narrow methods geared toward profit. Buildings are held as assets, torn down, and redeveloped, with limited consideration of community and environmental impacts.

The documentary and exhibition To Build Law follows the Berlin-based collaborative architecture practice bplus.xyz (b+) and the Zurich-located chair for architecture and storytelling s+ (station.plus, D-ARCH, ETH Zurich) as they establish a policy lab, HouseEurope!, to propose industry reforms and shift cultural norms.

The project observes b+’s radical experiments beyond the fringes of conventional architectural practice, during various phases of conceptualization and development of a European Citizens’ Initiative meant to incentivize renovation over demolition and new construction.

Guided by an urgency to understand the ways that architects are enacting change in the built environment, curator Francesco Garutti, alongside film director Joshua Frank, will be presenting a reportage of urban fragments and legal pathways in which architecture reveals itself as an open process of establishing partners, drafting positions, convening meetings, strategizing campaigns, and collecting votes to build a movement that aims to change the conditions of the architectural discipline in Europe.

To Build Law is the second chapter of Groundwork, which launched in May 2024 with Into the Island.

The exhibition will be on display until September 14, 2025.

For more information on the exhibition, click here.

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As Les Jardins de Métis approaches its 100th anniversary milestone in 2026, it will begin various transitions as it enters a new chapter.

As part of this transition, Alexander Reford, general manager of Les Jardins since 1995, will be leaving the general management of Jardins de Métis.

A new general manager will take office in March 2025 and will be accompanied in the transition by Reford, to ensure consistency in operations as well as the overall strategic vision.

Following the centenary celebrations, Reford will continue his his involvement in the Jardins de Métis’ mission as curator.

This development reflects Les Jardins de Métis’ goal to combine the legacy of Elsie Reford with a contemporary vision of garden design.

“Elsie left us blank pages at the end of her gardening notebook in 1958. These blank pages leave it to her successors to carry on her work,” said Alexander Reford.

“The centenary of Les Jardins de Métis represents an exceptional opportunity to pay tribute to our predecessors, while paving the way for future generations. This transition will breathe new life into our institution while preserving the values for which it is known for.”

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The Quinte Health Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital in Picton, Ontario, which has officially broken ground, will be the first all mass timber acute care hospital in North America upon completion in 2027.

The new hospital is designed by HDR and currently under construction with M. Sullivan & Son and Infrastructure Ontario.

This healing environment will serve its community with advanced medical technologies, energy-efficient operations, biophilic design principles, a low-carbon mass timber structure and access to nature throughout the facility.

“The new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital is more than a modern healthcare facility – it’s a reflection of the remarkable pride this community has in its hometown hospital spanning more than a century,” said Stacey Daub, president and CEO, Quinte Health. “Transitioning from an older outdated building to an innovative, all–mass timber structure allows Quinte Health to meet the latest standards in healthcare and provide a safer, more resilient space that serves both our community and the thousands of visitors drawn to the beautiful region each year.”

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital’s clinical capabilities will include 23 inpatient beds, an emergency department, diagnostic imaging, procedures, comprehensive ambulatory care services and healing gardens.

Its sustainable infrastructure will feature geothermal energy, solar panels, green roofs, electric vehicle ready parking, and a high-performance building envelope for future electrification and net-zero carbon emission status.

Located in the heart of Picton, Ontario, the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital will be adjacent to the existing hospital, which will remain operational during construction.

“It has been an amazing journey with Quinte Health and the Prince Edward County community to be able to bring such a groundbreaking energy and carbon reduction approach to the design of acute care facilities,” said Jason-Emery Groen, design director, HDR, Canada. “Through a multidisciplinary approach to building trust among key stakeholders, agencies and Authorities Having Jurisdiction, HDR was able to shift age-old limitations into phenomenal opportunities, not only for this community, but the future of healthcare design and beyond in North America.”

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The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) announced that it will not be going forward with the design of its proposed new building and will be bringing in a new architecture partner.

Estimates for the the project have now reached $600 million. Anthony Kiendl, VAG’s CEO and executive director announced on December 3, 2024, that Herzog & Meuron has been removed from the project, which is taking a new direction.

“Following the temporary pause of on-site construction activity announced at the end of the summer, we have been reassessing the project’s direction. Throughout this process, we have been listening to feedback from our supporters, artists, Members and stakeholders, who are helping to shape the next phase of this transformative project,” said Kiendl.

In the statement, Kiendl went on to state that VAG’s goal is to create a building that “embodies a diverse and inclusive artistic vision while ensuring financial sustainability within a fixed budget.”

Kiendl also noted that VAG recognizes that inflation has put “tremendous pressure” on their plans, and as a result, it has become clear that they require a new way forward to meet both their artistic mission and vision and practical needs.

“For the past decade, we have had the benefit of collaborating with the esteemed Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron on plans for a new Gallery. We are grateful for our partnership with them, which has helped shape our thinking around what a museum could look like in the 21st century and provided valuable research that can be applied moving forward,” said Kiendl. “However, in view of our reassessment, the Gallery Association’s Board has made the difficult decision to part ways with Herzog & de Meuron.”

The statement also noted that at its last meeting, the board approved updated Strategic Priorities that will guide the gallery as they move forward. “These underscore our commitment to build a new cultural hub that will be the heart of our communities and serve and inspire diverse audiences,” said Kiendl.

Kiendl concluded by stating that in the coming months, they will schedule a series of opportunities at the gallery to share more about the next phase of the project and discuss it with its members and communities.

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Submissions are now open for the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SSAC)’s two student prizes.

The Martin Eli Weil Prize is awarded each year to a student who submits an essay on the role played by the built environment in Canadian society. The $250 prize and certificate will be awarded at the SSAC Annual Conference, where the winner will be invited to present a lecture on their essay. The winning essay will also be published in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada. The deadline for submissions is February 12, 2025.

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Acton Ostry Architects (AOA) has announced the appointment of an expanded leadership team for the practice.

AOA is welcoming Ruth Chau as director of operations, Derek Fleming and Michael Fugeta as principals, Chei-Wei Tai as senior associate, and Rodrigo Alba and Andrew Carnochan as associates.

“We are extremely pleased to announce Ruth Chau as director of operations. Ruth has been with AOA for almost two decades, smoothly managing the behind-the-scenes work that has been vital to the success and growth of the practice,” said founding principal, Mark Ostry.

“New principals Derek Fleming and Michael Fugeta both share a passion for design excellence and a keen interest in innovation that has meaningfully shaped many AOA projects and strengthened the fabric of the practice,” said principal, Alex Percy.

“We are very pleased to recognize Che-Wei Tai as senior associate for his longstanding leadership, and Rodrigo Alba and Andrew Carnochan as associates at AOA,” said principal, Matt Wood.

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