RAIC issues statement on 2017 federal budget 

The RAIC reviewed the federal budget announced on March 22 and identified initiatives related to the built environment.

Highlights include spending on housing, transit systems, post-secondary education facilities and infrastructure.

• Read the full statement

Festival registration now open

Register now for the RAIC/OAA Festival of Architecture online at festival2017.raic.org. Sessions and hotels are filling up fast, so complete your registration soon to make sure you don’t miss out on everything Ottawa has to offer during Canada’s big year.

• Register

Bill C-323 passes second reading vote

Bill C-323, a private members bill that would create tax credits for historic places, passed a vote of 150 to 139 in the House of Commons on March 24. It will be discussed by the Environment Committee in the near future.

The RAIC wrote to Members of Parliament in support of the bill and issued a public statement.

RAIC Document Six 2017 Edition now available

The new RAIC Document Six 2017 Edition, Canadian Standard Form of Contract for Architectural Services, is now available as a free download on the RAIC website.
The 2017 Edition, newly revised by the RAIC’s practice support committee, replaces Document Six, 2006.

The RAIC Fee Guide 2009 also requires revision to reflect the new Document Six. The revised Fee Guide will be issued later this spring.

• Download the new Document Six

RAIC announces 2017 Advocate for Architecture Award recipient

A municipal politician who has made a significant contribution to sustainable development and exemplary design in Montreal will receive the 2017 RAIC Advocate for Architecture Award.

Alan DeSousa has been mayor of the Borough of Saint-Laurent of the City of Montreal since 2002 and a municipal politician since 1990. He is a member of the council of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, which represents 82 municipalities.

“His work reflects a creative and effective use of the role of government in support of architecture,” said the three-member jury. “He is a strong and effective advocate for quality architecture and urban design in Quebec, supporting a vision of modernism as well as heritage conservation.”

• Read more

Talking to architecture students: ‘The power to change the world’

On a sunny January day in Montreal, the RAIC’s Maria Cook spoke with a group of second-year architecture students from Carleton University. The short field trip from Ottawa ‎was an opportunity to visit a site for their new project, see interesting buildings and to meet the architects responsible. As they toured former industrial lands and thought about new uses, they talked about how they came to study architecture and what it’s like being in architecture school.

• Read more

Membership renewal deadline

The deadline for 2017 renewals is March 31. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to log in to your account at www.raic.org to renew. You can also renew over the phone by calling 613-422-3617.

IIDEXCanada 2017 call for presentations – Deadline April 3

IIDEXCanada seeks topics in the following categories: building code, accessibility, architecture, business management, education design, facility management, healthcare design, hospitality design, industry trends, innovation, institutional design, interior design, landscape architecture, lighting design, marketing, materials, P3’s, residential design, retail design, senior living design, sustainable design, technology and workplace design.

• For more info

RAIC members release new book: “Tall Wood Buildings”

Michael Green, FRAIC, and Jim Taggart, FRAIC, have co-authored the newly released publication that provides an introduction to the technology behind tall wood construction systems. The book includes 13 case studies.

• Get the book on Amazon

Vivian Manasc a leader at Athabasca University

Past President and Fellow of the RAIC Vivian Manasc was recently appointed as Chair of the Governors at Athabasca University.

"I'm delighted to be leading this important and remarkable institution at a time when sustainable 21st century learning is top of mind for Albertans," says Manasc.

• Read the full media release

UBC offers new online course: “Ecodesign for Cities and Suburbs”

Starting April 4, Larry Beasley, former Co-Director of Planning for the City of Vancouver, will be presenting a new online course for the University of British Columbia. It includes short video lectures with images and a follow-up activities, extending over six weeks. The course is free.

• For more info

In memoriam: Roman Kucharczyk, MRAIC, of Toronto