Stantec to acquire Morrison Hershfield

Stantec is set to acquire Morrison Hershfield, a 1,150-person engineering and management firm headquartered in Markham, Ontario.

The acquisition expands Stantec’s presence in most major Canadian markets, and strengthens its U.S. presence in buildings engineering. Morrison Hershfield is one of the few large Canadian-based engineering firms with core strengths, business lines, and clients that are additive to Stantec’s presence in multiple key growth markets, including the Greater Toronto Area. The addition of MH will increase Stantec’s staff in Canada by 10 per cent.

“Stantec and Morrison Hershfield have a similar history from our roots in the Canadian market, growing and diversifying services both by geography and service line,” said Gord Johnston, president and CEO of Stantec. “And, importantly, our values and culture are very well aligned.”

Among the many services Morrison Hershfield will bring to the new venture are more capacity in the high-growth mission critical and data centre market space, new capabilities directly tied to smart buildings and 5G implementation, and building envelope and science design knowledge, including code life safety consulting, commissioning, sustainability, and whole building energy modeling. Adding Morrison Hershfield’s Horizontal Infrastructure business will also double Stantec’s transportation presence in Ontario.

“Joining the Stantec family marks a historic moment for our 78-year-old company,” said Anthony Karakatsanis, president and CEO of Morrison Hershfield. “With access to Stantec’s depth of renowned experts, resources, and cutting-edge technology, we will be able to provide our employees with exciting and meaningful work, growth, and professional development for the long term. This acquisition provides us with access to many high-profile North American and global projects and markets in the communities where our employees live and work.”

Christina Iacoucci promoted to BGO Canada helm

Christina Iacoucci has been promoted to head of Canadian business at BentallGreenOak (BGO), overseeing all divisions of the multinational firm’s operations. She will also continue to serve as BGO’s chief investment officer in Canada, a role she has filled since 2021.

“Christina’s career with BGO has been exemplary and we are thrilled to tap into her decades of knowledge and the respected relationships that she has cultivated across our industry for this critically important leadership role for our firm,” says Amy Price, president of BGO.

Iacoucci has more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate and was previously senior vice president with BGO’s forerunner, Bentall Kennedy, and senior managing director, real estate investments, with Sun Life. Her strengths in sustainable real estate investing and innovation are considered a good fit for BGO’s growth strategy in Canada.

Currently its Canadian portfolio encompasses more 400 properties and 62 million square feet of commercial space. More than 1,000 employees, working out of seven corporate offices nationwide, provide full-service capabilities in investment management, asset management, sustainability, property management, leasing and development.

“Across our integrated platform in Canada, we are innovating and pursuing exciting new growth strategies that I am excited to lead alongside the best real estate professionals in the business,” Iacoucci says. “I look forward to empowering the collective work of our people to demonstrate true leadership in environmental and social performance and to positively impact the livelihoods of Canadians across the country who are connected to our properties and the communities we serve.”

Burnaby implements new emissions standards

On January 1, Burnaby introduced new standards for emissions reductions which will keep the construction industry on track to meet the city’s long-term climate action goals.

Burnaby is getting a head start on B.C.’s Zero Carbon Step Code by voluntarily implementing higher requirements of this code ahead of the provincially-mandated timeline. These new changes apply to both small and large new construction, with residential home construction on an incremental schedule that will not require zero-carbon performance until 2025.

These changes are a significant milestone in the city’s climate action roadmap. Buildings and construction are one of the largest sources of carbon emissions, accounting for nearly half of Burnaby’s total emissions.

Like Energy Step Code, Zero Carbon Step Code is part of the BC Building Code and both apply to the most common types of new buildings. The Energy Step Code lays out the requirements for energy-efficiency in newly constructed buildings, while the new Zero Carbon Step Code focuses on emissions reductions from those same buildings. While the province has signaled that the highest step of the Zero Carbon Step Code will be a requirement of the BC Building Code in 2030, Burnaby is accelerating the adoption timeline as a part of the city’s commitment to climate leadership.

Step Code Changes
Large (Part 3) buildings like new offices, residential towers and retail stores in Burnaby must now achieve the highest level of performance under the Zero Carbon Step Code—Emission Level 4, Zero-Carbon Performance. Part 3 rezoning applications which have progressed to second reading by December 31, 2023 are not subject to the new requirements and will follow the previous regulations.

New single/two-family home constructions (Part 9 buildings) will be required to meet Emission Level 3, Strong Carbon Performance in 2024, with Emission Level 4, Zero Carbon Performance to be implemented in 2025.

To meet these new standards, new construction will undergo either an energy-modeling exercise to confirm the building’s systems will achieve the required performance, or sign off on a declaration that the various building systems (like space heating, water heating and cooking) will use electric power. Details of these compliance pathways can be found in the Green Buildings & Land Development section.

These timelines put the city ahead of the schedule for zero-carbon performance in their Climate Action Framework, which set the target dates as 2025 for Part 3 buildings and 2027 for Part 9.

Reusable hospital gowns lower GHG emissions most, finds study on PPE

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care led research on reusable personal protective equipment in an effort to identify opportunities for waste reduction and reuse across the health system. Most of the PPE used in Canada is made of plastic.

Reusable, safe and Infection Prevention and Control Canada- (IPAC) approved PPE gowns emerged as the most promising item to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Medical glove use generated the most significant waste quantities.

“It was important to consider the question of reusability of PPE as a strategy to address both waste plastics and GHG emissions, while also enabling a secure supply of safe, IPAC-approved PPE products,” Dr Myles Sergeant, executive director of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, said in a media release.

The project, ‘A circular economy model for hospital-generated PPE and medical single-use plastic waste: Demonstrating opportunities for reduction and reuse’, also explored the synergies with other government and health system priorities that would enhance opportunities and support for a reusable PPE system.

Dr. Fiona Miller, professor of health policy at the University of Toronto, was an advisor to the project. “Disruptions to the health care supply chain, whether it is through a pandemic or through climate change-related events, can affect the quantity and quality of PPE or other medical supplies and can impact the safety of both patients and health care workers,” she said. “Development of strategies to ensure 100% continuous access to essential health care products is needed.”

Dr. Andrea MacNeill, medical director of planetary health for Vancouver Coastal Health in British Columbia, and one of the project hospital partners suggests scaling up the laundering of reusable gowns and keep up with demand. ““It is a lot easier to scale up your reuse cycles such as laundering gowns or replacing the filters in your reusable respirators than it is to remanufacture more of something … and of course it creates less pollution,” she said. “In some of our BC hospitals the reusable gown use ranges from 80-100% now.”

Timely access was cited as a key reason many hospitals desire reusable PPE.

“Converting to reusable gowns immediately introduced a predictable supply of product for the foreseeable future. The fact that it also reduced our environmental footprint was an added benefit,” Altaf Stationwala, CEO of Mackenzie Health in Ontario. “Mackenzie Health has now converted all of the isolation gowns used in the ICU to reusables.”

University Health Network (UHN) in Ontario was another project partner. More than 99 per cent of the isolation gowns currently used at UHN are reusable. Joanne Bridle, executive director, FM-PRO Operations, said UHN’s linen services partner was able to scale-up during the pandemic and launder and return clean reusable isolation gowns up to three times a day during the peaks of COVID-19 when use had more than tripled to 120,000 gowns per week.

Hospitals with reusable gowns also reported cost savings. UHN reported that reusable isolation gowns were 60 per cent of the cost of disposables. Toronto-area hospitals that used reusable isolation gowns saved about $70 million over the first two years of the pandemic. Memorial Hospital in Surrey, B.C., reported that these gowns were nine times cheaper per use than disposable gowns.

Randy Bartsch, executive chairman of Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, and the incoming Chair of the Washington, D.C. based Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA), stressed the critical importance that health care laundry processing facilities play. “Our TRSA members process more than 80% of all the health care laundry at hospitals in Canada, and are key suppliers of reusable PPE gowns and other protective medical garments and textiles.”

A copy of the Coalition’s paper, Reusable personal protective equipment in Canadian healthcare: Safe, secure, and sustainable is available in Healthcare Management Forum, volume 36(4), 2023. More information about the project can be found here.

Cedar LNG awards EPC contract

The Haisla Nation and Pembina Pipeline Corporation, partners in the development of the proposed Cedar LNG Project announced Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Black & Veatch have been selected to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for the design, fabrication and delivery of the project’s floating LNG production unit (FLNG), subject to a final investment decision (FID).

“This is a critical milestone on our path towards a FID for Cedar LNG, the first Indigenous majority-owned LNG project in the world,” said Doug Arnell, Cedar LNG chief executive officer. “We have secured world class FLNG expertise and look forward to working with SHI and Black & Veatch to build an LNG facility with one of the cleanest environmental profiles in the world that will usher in a new era of low carbon, sustainable LNG production.”

Cedar LNG now has major regulatory approvals, signed memorandums of understanding for long-term liquefaction services for the project’s total LNG capacity, and with the achievement of this milestone, the project is at an advanced stage of planning and development with a FID expected by the end of the first quarter 2024.

“Our role in helping Cedar LNG make history on this world-class facility aligns with our commitment to deliver a reliable and resilient global energy supply as a leader in the world’s energy transition,” said Mario Azar, Black & Veatch chairman and chief executive officer.

Subject to a positive FID, onshore construction work for the project could commence as early as the second quarter 2024, with the delivery of the FLNG and substantial completion expected in 2028.

Morguard to divest hotel portfolio

Morguard is selling a portfolio of 14 hotels to better focus on its core real estate investments, including office, industrial, retail, and multi-suite residential properties.

The Marriott, Hilton, IHG and independent hotels are located across the Greater Toronto Area, and in Ottawa, Sudbury and Halifax.

“It is an opportune moment to divest these properties given the current market demand for a hotel portfolio of this size and quality, as well as their enhanced market value.” said K. Rai Sahi, chairman and chief executive officer.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, with gross proceeds of $410 million before adjustments and closing costs. Morguard will repay first-mortgage debt totaling $48.7 million, gaining net proceeds of $361.3 million. “The heightened level of financial flexibility provided by this transaction will empower us to strategically deleverage, which is important given the current interest rate environment, said Paul Miatello, chief financial officer.

Morguard will retain ownership of two hotels: the dual-brand Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites in Ottawa, Ontario, and Inn at the Quay in New Westminster, British Columbia.

IREM backs women aspiring to career advancement

The IREM Foundation is offering a 2024 scholarship to support women aspiring to career advancement in commercial real estate. Plans for the special bursary were hatched in conjunction with the 90th anniversary of the Institute for Real Estate Management (IREM) in 2023, and will be made available in a year when an all-female executive slate — president, president-elect, secretary/treasurer, secretary/treasurer nominee and immediate past president — leads the organization.

Candidates who identify as women and are working toward professional certification as an accredited commercial manager (AcoM), accredited residential manager (ARM), certified property manager (CPM) or towards their firm’s certification as an accredited management organization (AMO) can apply for the scholarship, which will cover 75 per cent of the tuition or exam fees for three courses. Recipients who pass scholarship-funded courses or exams by June 30 will also be eligible for a stipend to cover 75 per cent of the registration fee for the 2024 IREM Global Summit, set for October 6-9 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The IREM Foundation is a non-profit public charity that raises funds exclusively from the IREM membership to channel to scholarships, specialized funds and recognition programs that place a priority on diversity, supporting young professionals and expanding knowledge and skills for all industry practitioners. After surpassing the USD $90,000 target for seeding the one-year scholarship for women in leadership, the Foundation will disburse funds until that pot is fully expended.

“This new opportunity is a testament to the dedication of our donors and the Foundation’s mission to foster inclusivity and excellence within the real estate management profession,” says Chip Crumpler, the 2023 IREM Foundation president.

Office conversion eases Ottawa’s Class B woes

Office conversion plans helped trim downtown Ottawa vacancy rates in the fourth quarter of 2023. Colliers Canada reports 338,000 square feet of positive absorption citywide during the last three months of the year, with most of that activity occurring downtown and in the Kanata node of the suburban market. The overall vacancy rate climbed to 12.2 per cent, up 99 basis points (bps) since September, but downtown enjoyed a 116 bps drop in vacancy, ending the quarter at 11.2 per cent.

More than 300,000 square feet of Class B office space has been withdrawn from the downtown inventory as two separate commercial landlords pursue plans to replace it with housing. Montreal-based Group Mach has now set aside earlier plans to reposition 110 O’Connor Street, a 14-storey 183,000-square-foot tower located about 500 metres from Parliament Hill, and is now looking to demolish the 1970s-era structure and replace it with new purpose-built rental housing. Meanwhile, Gatineau-based Katasa Group in partnership with Sudbury’s ARG Devco acquired 130 Slater Street in the summer of 2023 with plans to convert the 13-storey, 127,000-square-foot building into multifamily rental suites.

“This transformation reflects a strategic response to Ottawa’s evolving needs, enhancing the supply of urban rental housing units and contributing to the revitalization of downtown Ottawa,” Colliers analysts observe.

The O’Connor Street property, which previously housed the Department of National Defence, had been entirely vacant, while the 58-year-old 130 Slater Street was two-thirds empty. Removal of the two buildings from the office stock helped push the Class B vacancy rate down to 15.5 per cent downtown, a 470 bps decrease from the third quarter.

The downtown Class A vacancy rate now stands at 8.4 per cent with the availability rate at 10.5 per cent and average asking net rent at $25.47 per square foot (psf). In contrast to Class B, there was nearly 20,000 square feet of negative absorption over the course of the quarter.

The citywide office occupancy rate is pegged at about 56 per cent of pre-COVID levels, with the downtown rate at 52 per cent. This lags the rates in Vancouver and Toronto — at 68 per cent and 62 per cent respectively — and was recently flagged as a cause for concern in the Ontario Auditor General’s report on the Ottawa Convention Centre.

“Ottawa continues to lag all major Canadian office markets in its return-to-office rate despite the federal government’s directive for its employees to be in the office two to three days each week since January 2023,” Colliers analysts note. “It’s noteworthy that areas with abundant amenities and suburban business parks have seen year-over-year increases in occupancy.”

Citywide, the average asking net rent was $17.44 psf as the year ended, posting a 2.2 per cent year-over-year increase since Q4 2022. The Kanata sub-market recorded 72,111 square feet positive absorption, with 56,000 square feet of that in the Class A inventory. Kanata commanded average asking net rents of $14.36 psf for Class A space, with Class B just slightly lower, at $14.13.

Designing the office for human connection

As commercial designers shift their approach to what makes a great workspace, the focus on human connection and well-being has become paramount, laying the foundation for office trends that incorporate elements of residential and hospitality design and bring the natural world indoors.

Human connection

After spending time in homes alone or with close family, the longing for human interaction is a driving factor for many people coming back to the office, if even for a couple of days a week. Employees missed the company of work colleagues, perhaps because many of them had spent more time with colleagues than they did their own families during a “normal” work week.

Office space can help build, or rebuild, a sense of culture. It can create a gathering place where connection, collaboration and camaraderie thrive. Fostering human connection in the office is vital for promoting a positive work environment and enhancing the overall well-being of employees. And while technology will continue to be a cornerstone of communication and collaboration, technology is not a replacement for human connection.

If a space is designed well, it can play a huge role in encouraging human interaction. Office kitchen spaces are not only about food; they are also places for employees to talk with each other—to chat about work, family, sports or whatever else might come up over lunch.

Encouraging engagement among employees is critical. Providing spaces where colleagues gather for informal meetings fosters collaboration and enhances comfort. Residential-style furniture, cozy lounge areas and homey touches are being introduced to create a more relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

The demand for comfortable breakout or brainstorming areas is increasing. Providing spaces where employees can relax, collaborate, and gather their thoughts is essential in promoting creativity and productivity.

Comfort zone

Designing comfortable workspaces is essential in promoting employee well-being and enhancing productivity. When employees feel at ease in their work environment, they are more likely to be engaged and satisfied, creating a positive atmosphere. Many companies recognize the importance of prioritizing employee comfort as it contributes to a positive work culture, boosts productivity and aids in talent retention.

Designers should take a holistic approach to employee wellness by including ergonomic furniture, adjustable lighting and good air circulation/ventilation. These are all crucial elements in building comfort in the workplace.

Flexible workspaces are also important. Personalized workstations, designated quiet zones, and incorporating office acoustic pods create adaptability in office design. Research shows that happy employees not only drive sales and productivity but also contribute to organizational success.

Creating spaces that boost employee well-being, encourage social bonding and reduce stress is key. This can include incorporating residential design trends such as rugs and mixed flooring types to make the office space feel more comfortable and home-like. Dampening noise through the use of rugs, upholstery and acoustic walls is also important in creating a conducive work environment.

The aim is to blur the lines between work and home, inspiring users to feel and do something meaningful. Overall, designing comfortable workspaces is vital in promoting employee well-being and creating a positive work environment.

Inviting the outdoors inside

Many offices are introducing outdoor entertaining spaces that can double as creative gathering spots or break areas. Incorporating biophilic elements, such as skylights, enhances the appeal of the indoor office space and contributes to well-being. Prioritizing access to natural light and introducing plants can create a more inviting and refreshing environment.

In addition, using neutral colours makes smaller spaces feel more open and airy. Natural materials like wood, textural fabrics and earthy colours create warmth.

The inclusion of comfortable seating, flexible furniture layouts, and access to natural elements can create an inspiring and rejuvenating environment. Designing workspaces that bring the outdoors in through biophilic elements, natural materials, and comfortable breakout areas can create a harmonious and enjoyable work environment for employees.

The use of office space is changing to reflect what we’ve discovered is important to us—a workplace that provides comfort, instills wellness and increases productivity.

As Vice President of Commercial Design, Roby Isaac leads a team of talented designers who develop products across six flooring categories for Mannington Commercial.

Museum operators await reprieve on PCB cull

Proposed amendments to Canada’s PCB regulations would spare museum operators from having to cull items from their collections. Current rules mandate decommissioning of goods and equipment that contain a concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) greater than 50 milligrams per kilogram or 50 parts per million (ppm) by December 31, 2025, but a handful of specified facilities are in line for a deferral.

The proposed amendments, which have been posted in the Canada Gazette for public response until February 21, would also provide a reprieve for nuclear facilities, coal-fired electricity generating plants scheduled for shutdown by year-end 2029 and specified military applications. All are meant to address implementation issues that were not foreseen when the regulations were enacted in 2008 and updated in 2014.

Notably, it is difficult to even quantify the amount of PCBs in museum artifacts without damaging or destroying them. The existing regulations do not identify museums as a permitted use, meaning that operators face the prospect of having to remove all PCB-containing items from their collections even though the potential health or environmental risks are deemed to be low.

Under the proposed amendments, “any concentration” of PCBs will be permitted in objects of “historical value” if the PCBs are sealed within the item and removal would destroy it. Such items must already be part of the museum’s collection at the time the updated regulations come into force; fire suppression systems would be required in areas where PCB-containing items are kept; and museum operators would have to keep records and annually submit documentation to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

“The Department understands that the PCB concentration in the objects is unknown, and that testing cannot be completed without destroying the objects themselves. The PCBs are contained in sealed objects and consequently, the risk of release is minimal,” the accompanying regulatory analysis states. “Therefore, allowing museums to retain objects of historical value containing PCBs has been added to this proposal. This would allow for the possibility of preserving the historical significance of such objects.”

Proposed exemptions for nuclear facilities and military purposes deal with other kinds of practicalities including the challenges of handling radioactive equipment and PCB waste, and absence of non-PCB alternatives to maintain older ships and aircraft. The proposed extended time period for coal-fired electricity generating plants would align with the December 31, 2029 deadline for taking them out of service.

Military administrators and operators of coal-fired generating plants would have to apply for and received approval from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to keep PCB-containing equipment in service past 2025, whereas the amendments would more simply confirm that it is a “permitted activity” for museums. Meanwhile, it is considered safest to refrain from removing PCB-containing equipment from nuclear facilities.

“There are no facilities in Canada able to destroy radioactive PCBs, and therefore it is preferred to leave them in place where they are contained, rather than removing them from use. As the radioactive PCBs are located in contained and confined areas within nuclear facilities, it has been determined that there are minimal environmental risks associated with leaving the equipment in place,” the regulatory analysis advises.

New Rental Market Industry Index coming soon

Rentals.ca has partnered with Statistics Canada to create the Rental Market Industry Index, a new data-based resource to help landlords and renters make informed decisions while also helping policymakers and government officials address the needs of Canadians.

Through this partnership, Rentals.ca will be providing Statistics Canada with rental listing data, while Statistics Canada will be responsible for the analysis, aggregation, and development of the Rental Market Industry Index.

“In supplying rental housing pricing data to Statistics Canada, we take the responsibility very seriously and we feel that this partnership further solidifies and validates our leading position and authority on asking rent data across Canada,” said Max Steinman, CEO of Rentsync. “Through this new partnership, we’re able to get data into the hands of institutions, and help policymakers, developers, and the Canadian public as a whole to make more informed decisions to help tackle the rental housing supply crisis.”

According to the partners, the new Rental Market Industry Index signifies a significant step towards enhancing transparency and understanding within the rental housing market in Canada, and will provide comprehensive and reliable data for those in need.

Rentals.ca is owned and operated by Rentsync, a leading SaaS and marketplace technology company based in Toronto. For more information, visit Rentals.ca.

Yukon introduces new climate change goals

The government of Yukon released its Our Clean Future report this past December, outlining greenhouse gas emissions data for 2021. Emissions, not including mining emissions, were four per cent above 2020 levels.

The territory is aiming to reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. The government recently added 42 new actions to its climate change plan to accomplish this feat and become more adaptive.

The goals focus on seven areas, including homes and buildings, transportation, energy, people and the environment, communities, innovation and leadership.

Some of these plans aim to accelerate fuel-switching, develop a focused recommissioning program by 2025 for performance improvements in Yukon’s government facilities, and require buildings constructed after 2025 and 2027 to meet Tier 3 and Tier 4 of the National Building Code.

The government is also looking to reduce the life cycle carbon intensity of heating oil sold in Yukon, aiming for 30 per cent by 2030, and align emissions intensity with BC’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Flood information platforms with relevant data and local observations are another priority for emergency response by 2028.

Climate change will also be highly considered throughout Yukon’s asset management process for buildings by 2025.

Julie Di Lorenzo named to Order of Ontario

Julie Di Lorenzo, president of Mirabella Development Corporation, a Diamante legacy company, has been named to the Order of Ontario. A trailblazer for women in the real estate industry, she has been actively involved in all aspects of high-rise residential development for nearly 40 years and is a member of the Building Industry and Land Development (BILD) Association of the Greater Toronto Area’s hall of fame.

Di Lorenzo also served on the Ontario government’s Housing Affordability Task Force, is a past president of BILD and is a current or past member of several boards of directors, including for the Ontario Science Centre, Harbourfront Toronto, Tarion and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. She launched Mirabella Development Corporation in 2023, following a career-long tenure with the Diamante Group.

As a new inductee to the Order of Ontario, Di Lorenzo joins a select group to have achieved the province’s highest honour, which is awarded to exemplary achievers who have made outstanding contributions to the life of Ontario, Canada and broader society. The 25 appointees for 2023 collectively represent accomplishments in the public, private and community-based sectors in all regions of province.

“These Ontarians have demonstrated the highest levels of merit, excellence and dedication in their respective disciplines, and they have made significant impacts here at home and around the world,” says Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. “Our province gratefully acknowledges their remarkable contributions, which inspire us all to be leaders and change-makers.”

The 2023 cohort also includes John M. Beck, founder and chairman of the construction and infrastructure development company, Aecon Group, and Blake Hutcheson, president and chief executive officer of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), who formerly served as president and chief executive officer of the pension plan’s real estate arm, Oxford Properties.

Architects awarded contract for CRA facility in St. John’s

The federal government recently acquired land in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to build the Canada Revenue Agency’s new National Verification and Collections Centre and Tax Services Office.

Canada also awarded a $8.8-million contract to Moriyama & Teshima Architects to design the federal facility that replaces one built in 1980. The firm will provide architectural and engineering services, including preparing plans, specifications and cost estimates, as well as providing construction oversight services.

The interior office space will include activity-based workplaces, providing a safe, efficient and modern workspace for CRA employees. The new building will optimize space occupancy with a hybrid work model to better align with the current and future space needs of federal employees and accommodate a peak of about 3,000 workers during tax-filing season.

The new facility will also comply with the 2020 Greening Government Strategy, which requires departments to prioritize low-carbon and climate resilience. New federal buildings must target net-zero carbon, and this will be achieved through integrated design and the incorporation of modern building technologies.

Construction will include mandatory requirements for Indigenous Participation Plans. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2029.

Nova Scotia funding 31 clean energy projects

The Low Carbon Communities program in Nova Scotia is funding 31 clean energy projects over the next year with the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions across the province.

The program has invested more than $4.9 million to support 86 community-led projects since 2018. This latest round will contribute over $1.8 million.

One grant recipient, Nova Scotia Community College, will study the potential for energy sustainability and reduced greenhouse gas emissions at Akoma Holdings, a non-profit organization that supports affordable housing, education and economic development in Preston.

The Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia will use funding to work on its Yarmouth net-zero affordable housing building plan.

Bear River First Nation, will use its funding for a smart micro-grid and electric vehicle feasibility study.

The funding program can be used for clean energy feasibility studies, designs, strategies and planning, education, engagement and initiatives that demonstrate positive and innovative low carbon solutions. The program is open to municipalities, Mi’kmaw communities and organizations, post-secondary institutions, businesses and non-profit organizations.

“Nova Scotia has ambitious climate change goals, and communities across the province are rising to the challenge to help us meet them,” said Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables Tory Rushton. “Our investments support innovative local projects that will help move the climate change needle in the right direction.”

Distinctive Alberta place names prioritized

New directions for naming Alberta government facilities prioritize provincial culture, history and distinctive natural features, but generally discourage tributes to living individuals or commemoration of recent events. The guidelines apply to buildings and open spaces that the provincial government owns and administers, and includes principles for selecting names and terms for consulting with stakeholder groups and the broader public.

“This policy change reflects our government’s commitment to recognizing the amazing span of Alberta’s history and the richness of our cultural and natural heritage,” says Tanya Fir, Alberta’s Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women. “It makes sure that the names we choose for our buildings resonate with, and represent, the many people we serve.”

Preference will be given to names connected to influential individuals and events in Alberta’s history or “plants, animals, landforms and geographical features” that are particularly associated with the province or one of its regions. It is recommended that buildings not be named for individuals until at least five years after their death and, similarly, at least five years should elapse following a noteworthy event. However, the guidelines provide leeway for “extraordinary circumstances” in both cases.

The guidelines also extend to the renaming of existing facilities, although they indicate that previously adopted names should remain in place unless they directly conflict with the new policy or there is another “demonstrable reason” for a name change. In all cases, names deemed to be inappropriate are those that: could harm the government’s reputation or integrity; suggest “endorsement of partisan positions”; or are inconsistent with diversity, inclusion and reconciliation with Indigenous people.

Municipal governments and other public sector agencies such as schools, post-secondary institutions and health care providers will continue to set their own policies for naming the facilities they operate.

Protecting the public interest

The profession of interior design in British Columbia has been self-regulated since the inception of the Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia (IDIBC) in 1950. IDIBC continues to ﬂourish, with more than 800 registrants constituting the second largest professional interior design association in Canada. Our mandate is clear – to serve and protect the public interest in British Columbia by overseeing best practices in the governance, administration, enforcement, and continuing education of IDIBC registrants.

In B.C., registrants of IDIBC can only obtain professional status and earn the title of Registered Interior Designer (RID) by holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited post- secondary interior design program; successfully completing a mandatory set of North American recognized examinations; an intern period under the full-time supervision of a RID; being a registrant in good standing through compliance, continuing education; and upholding best practices with IDIBC oversight.

Although the profession is relatively youthful when compared to architecture and engineering, interior design is a vital component of almost any building. Today’s structures are more complex than ever, demanding an increasing degree of specialization. RIDs in British Columbia play an important role in the design and construction of buildings, working in collaboration with architects, engineers, landscape architects and other allied professionals associated with the built environment.

In B.C., legislative involvement is needed to further provide public protection by recognizing and regulating individuals who have the education, work experience and ethics worthy of practicing as a qualiﬁed interior design professional. Such legislation is generally in the form of a statute that protects established titles and reserved practice for each profession. In Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Alberta have designated practice acts for the profession of interior design that are overseen by each provincial government.

IDIBC has been actively seeking title designation and protection of the interior design profession through legislative change since 2012. A Government Regulatory Committee was created in 2013 to help establish, develop, and maintain relationships with key government stakeholders and associated built environment regulatory bodies. Over the past decade, IDIBC has made significant progress in building awareness of our registrants to better protect the public interest through best practices, while shifting from being a self-regulated body with no government oversight to taking proactive steps in anticipation of transitioning into a regulatory body with a government protected title designation.

A major component of this anticipated change in structure was recognizing the need to get our house in order and to effectively support IDIBC registrants. A restructuring of IDIBC over the last four years has resulted in a stronger, highly organized, and comprehensive regulatory body. Advocacy roles that were previously part of the mandate of IDIBC are now housed by regional societies that continue to champion the profession of interior design throughout B.C.

As provincial and state jurisdictions across North America continue to assess and provide title protections and regulation of the profession of interior design, the B.C. government has recently formed an umbrella act that would be an appropriate regulatory framework for interior design.

The provincial government identiﬁed a need to focus on regulatory bodies that incorporate professional reliance in professions dealing with the built environment and the natural resource sector. Following a professional reliance review of such in 2018, the Professional Governance Act (PGA) took effect in February 2021. The purpose of the PGA is to develop a governance framework that follows international best practices and to help regulatory bodies strengthen their role in protecting the public interest while improving public trust in professionals.

There are currently six professional regulatory bodies named in the PGA, including the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC), and Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC). More professions have since submitted application to the administrator of the PGA, the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG), to request designation or to seek regulation of their profession. The Superintendent of Professional Governance has recently recommended the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects (BCSLA) and the profession of Landscape Architecture to be designated under the PGA.

IDIBC is in the final stages of preparing an application to the OSPG requesting designation of the institute and the profession of interior design under the PGA. A Government Relations Committee was struck in 2020 to focus primarily on developing the application with the IDIBC executive director. A legislative consultant was engaged in 2023 to assist in producing a draft of the application document. After an extended period of hard work and due diligence, IDIBC is on schedule to apply to the OSPG this spring for designation under the PGA.

IDIBC is hopeful that the B.C. government will recognize and act on inclusion of our profession under the PGA. Legislative change resulting in a government statute for IDIBC and the interior design profession will allow RIDs to work to their fullest capability. Title protection will help RIDs become true registered professionals and reduce red tape by streamlining building regulatory processes in B.C.

Work that RIDs are qualified to practice in other provincial jurisdictions with designated interior design title protection but disallowed in B.C. without the involvement of a registered professional is a redundant cost burden to the public, and a detriment to RIDs. Title protection will also further protect the public by enabling enforcement of non-qualified individuals who practice illegally.

The time is ripe for IDIBC and the profession of interior design in B.C. to become part of a government regulatory framework that benefits all British Columbians.

Jim Toy, BA BArch LEED AP RID (Fellow), is president of the Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia. He is principal of False Creek Design Group Ltd.

BOMEX 2026

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