On October 4, 2021 —recognized as World Architecture Day — the inaugural RAIC Congress on Architecture will address Climate Action and Architecture in Canada. Over the next year, the RAIC will host a series of events leading into the 2021 Congress on Architecture and the development of a Climate Action Plan.   

The first in the series is the Taking Action: A conversation on climate action and architecture in Canada—a virtual event that brings together four experts to discuss Climate Action and Architecture in Canada.  

Topics include: 
Facing the Facts / The Context  
Challenges and Opportunities 
Towards the Future: Solutions 
Implementation and Application 
   
A discussion and Q&A session will follow the presentations. 

Date: October 5, 2020 (World Architecture Day 2020) 

Time: 1:00 pm–2:30 pm ET 

Cycle 1 & 2 submissions  have been published and are available here. A reminder that the final Cycle deadline is coming up and submissions are accepted until September 18, 2020.

Don’t miss the chance to provide your design solutions– Learn more and submit your ideas here. 

On July 16, 2020, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) launched a new initiative designed to rally support for a green recovery that includes green building. Industry leaders like the Canadian Urban Institute, the RAIC, RealPac, National Trust, and more, have lent their support to encourage government decision-makers to direct stimulus spending toward green building initiatives. 

CaGBC asks industry leaders to add their voice to the call for a green recovery that prioritizes green building here.

The full Green Building in Canada report will be published in September 2020, including a deep dive into the national and regional green building market. 

As of September 10, 2020, the RAIC will be transitioning the Emerging Practitioners (EP) Committee from a Board committee structure to one where EP representation will be infused throughout RAIC operational activities. The board is looking forward to expanding the opportunities to support EPs holistically throughout the organization. Stay tuned for more information in the months ahead. 

In the meantime, the Board of Directors extends gratitude for the invaluable volunteer service provided by the following EP Committee members: Fotini Pitoglou (Chair), Afsaneh Asayesh, Ksenia Eic, Liam Guitard, Grame Haunholter and Ken MacPherson. 

Contact EP@raic.org with any questions. 

The results are in! Thank you to everyone who provided input in the third Pulse Survey. An infographic with the breakdown of the findings will be shared in the coming weeks. 

The RAIC continues to develop free resources for members in response to current challenges in the profession. New webinar now available: 

Working from Home During the Pandemic - Claiming Home Office Expenses in the COVID-19 Era 

Date: September 17, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. ET 

Presented by: Alex Mitrovic & Jessica Zhang-Chapman | Welch LLP  

Cost: Free for RAIC Members, $10 for Non-Members 

This webinar will cover the current CRA rules as they relate to claiming home office expenses on 2020 personal income tax returns, deductible vs. non-deductible expenses, documentation requirements, what’s new, and what the unknowns are at this point. 

We continue to monitor the situation and the restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in each province and territory. Following a review and revisiting of the national guidelines and recommendations, the RAIC will continue to take a cautious approach and plan for events and activities to continue in a virtual format until December 31, 2020. The health, safety and wellbeing of members, volunteers, and staff remains top of mind, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact info@raic.org.