The review panel on the “Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing” has made its report public following a period of engagement with over 200 participants on Canada’s systemic housing issue and the inequities facing tenants in greatest need. The panel consisted of three members of the National Housing Council: Sam Watts, CEO of the Welcome Hall Mission; Dr. Ann McAfee who has over 50 years of experience in housing and city planning; and Maya Roy who has experience in gender-based analysis, racial equity, and human rights. “The housing market, left to its own devices, is not delivering w ..read more

The Alberta government is investing $43 million in a new apprenticeship and technology-based education centre on the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Edmonton campus. The 640,000-square-foot Advanced Skills Centre (ASC) will focus on training for the construction, transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. It is the biggest development in the institute’s history. “The Advanced Skills Centre at NAIT will see more apprentices trained in four sectors critical to our economy, while fostering innovation not just in the Edmonton region, but throughout northern Alberta an ..read more

Recently, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) formally introduced LEED v5, its latest leadership in the Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program. This proposed new version of LEED is currently in a public comment period, a crucial stage where the USGBC collects and reviews public comments. These comments could lead to changes or adjustments before the final version of v5 is released in 2025. While some sections of v5 are considered controversial, one of the most significant aspects of LEED v5 is not: its emphasis on reducing water consumption in commercial facil ..read more

Vancouver City Council approved 254 grant awards for facility support and cultural projects within the city’s non-profit arts and culture spaces. The funding, which totals more than $7.1 million, will also bring rental relief to groups using Vancouver Civic Theatres and contribute to a new Cultural Tourism Event Fund Partnership. The city invested $7.5 million earlier this year. Mayor Ken Sim said the recent funding boost will help the cultural community maintain, renovate, acquire or access local spaces for performances or exhibitions. “The most critical challenge facing arts and culture in V ..read more

Facility managers have access to vast amounts of data, but the quality of this data can vary widely. Data serves as the backbone of facility management processes and influences decision-making at every level in an organization. Criticality of good data impacts various factors, such as validation that the facilities are being well-managed, equipment failures, determining future funding needs, compliance with regulations and standards, and mitigating health and safety risks. Establishing practical solutions for improving the quality of data starts at the outset. This encompasses how the data is ..read more

A security services provider for the commercial and residential property sectors has received a national award for advancing employment equity. Securiguard Services is among 13 newly named recipients for 2024, recognized for its efforts to remove barriers, correct under-representation and introduce policies to encourage a diverse workforce. The annual awards are aligned with the federal Employment Equity Act to recognize employers committed to ensuring fairness and creating opportunities for women, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities and members of visible minorities. Private sector c ..read more

The Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) has appointed Erum Afsar, P.Eng., ICD.D as the new executive director. Afsar comes to the AAA with a proven track record of leadership, regulatory, governance and board experience. A graduate of Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, Afsar has a background as a professional engineer. She gained regulatory experience with Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), where she was responsible for discipline and compliance functions in her role as director, enforcement. Afsar’s board governance experience includes two ..read more

In the old city of Maisonneuve, now the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough of Montreal, a historic building has turned a new page in the story of its life. The Beaux-Arts-style Maisonneuve Library underwent sensitive internal and external renovations to meet changing user needs and expand programming that was accessible for all. Along the way, EVOQ, in partnership with Dan Hanganu Architects, wanted to maintain the building’s significance and heritage value. Once the headquarters of the town’s administration and council from when it was built in 1912 until 1918, the building has since taken ..read more

The B.C. government announced significant delays on two major infrastructure projects in the Lower Mainland. The Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project started at the beginning of the pandemic in February 2020. Since then, it has faced significant challenges, including inflationary pressures and global supply issues related to the delivery of specialized components from around the world. Construction of the main tower for the new bridge to replace the existing Pattullo, connecting Surrey and New Westminster is complete. Construction took longer than expected on what is now the tallest b ..read more

Ontario’s Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) could be called on to resolve more types of disputes between condo corporations and owners. The provincial government is considering adding processes related to owner-requisitioned meetings to the online tribunal’s adjudication duties. A 30-day public consultation is now underway, seeking feedback on the process for triggering special meetings and related rules for providing notice, establishing quorum and voting. Currently, if disputes around such issues can’t be resolved informally, disagreeing parties must turn to formal mediation or the courts ..read more