Join the Climate Action Community on RAIC Connects! Here, members can post climate-related questions, participate in discussion threads on pertinent topics, stay up to date with the latest 2021 Congress on Architecture news, and meet other members interested in sustainable and regenerative design.

Following the launch of the RAIC Members community, RAIC Connects is excited to be adding topic-specific communities where members can come together over shared interests and areas of practice. Be sure to watch for more communities coming soon. All open communities can be found in the Explore Communities > All Communities menu.

• On behalf of Canadian Heritage, the RAIC assisted in the call for a Jury Facilitator for the LGBTQ2+ National Monument Competition. The Jury process will begin in January and is slated to be completed by September 2021.  

• Board Director of Ontario North, East and Nunavut, Emmanuelle van Rutten, FRAIC, represented the RAIC at an Ottawa Regional Society of Architects (ORSA) event on November 10, 2020. 

• RAIC was invited to participate in the 2020 BEAT Forum “Empowering Architectural Practices to address Emotional/Identity Tax”. President John Brown provided an introduction for the event by speaking about RAIC initiatives underway related to equity and justice.[GB1] [KG2] [GB3] 

• A letter was sent to his Worship Mayor Kennedy Steward by the RAIC Metro Vancouver Network expressing support for the City of Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan. The RAIC congratulates the City Council who approved the plan on November 17, 2020.  

• RAIC participates in monthly national Construction Industry Roundtable meetings led by Public Services and Procurement Canada.

• RAIC is an active member of the Federal/Industry Real Property Advisory Council BIM Working Group to help the Government of Canada plan for the implementation of BIM to existing and new government buildings

• Working closely with the Canadian Urban Institute, the RAIC continues as an active member of the Main Street Action Network, as well as a steering committee member in the Bring Back Main Street Coalition.

• Free Mental Health Resource available: Wellness Together Canada was funded by the Government of Canada in response to the unprecedented rise in mental distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People are being challenged like never before due to isolation, physical health concerns, substance use concerns, financial and employment uncertainty, and the emotional dialogue around racial equality. Wellness Together Canada is a resource to support everybody on that journey. Learn more.

• Apply now: Round one of Impact Canada’s ‘Data Driven - Solutions for informed decision-making’, part of the Government of Canada Housing Supply Challenge, is now open until January 20, 2021. Apply here.

The fourth in a series of surveys since the declaration of the pandemic nine months ago, your responses will assist the RAIC in gathering and updating information on three topic areas:

1. Demographic Information
2. COVID-19 Pandemic and Practice
3. RAIC Continuing Education Services

This survey will be open to December 11, 2020 until 8:00 ET. We encourage you to share this survey among your networks.

Complete the survey to be eligible to win a free all-access 2021 Conference pass (value up to $450).

Responses are confidential and the collected data will be used in aggregate form.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

On June 2, 2020, the RAIC released an initial statement regarding systemic racism and the subsequent protests due to unjust actions or lack of action. Building on that initial commentary, the RAIC further clarified that it stands in solidarity with Black people across the USA and Canada. We were filled with sadness and outraged about the deaths of Black people at the hands of law enforcement.

The RAIC acknowledges that Canada has a long history of colonialism, white supremacy, and continued systemic racism which disproportionately affects Black communities across the country. We also acknowledge that in this history of colonialism and white supremacy, there is ongoing systemic oppression of Indigenous peoples in Canada. As architects, we must look critically at our complacency and the perpetuation of white supremacy and racism.

As a profession, we must be committed to our values which include equality, justice, diversity, and inclusivity. The RAIC is committed to working towards a strategy that ensures that the organization is anti-racist and anti-oppressive—and recent strategic planning with the board of directors and RAIC staff, validated those priorities.

The RAIC understands that it needs to reposition itself on issues of equity and justice including (1) broadening participation in the RAIC, (2) expanding access to the RAIC and (3) integrating equity and justice into infrastructure, programs, and services. Over the past several months, the organization has been actively developing a framework for a Promoting Equity and Justice Action Plan. At this time, the Action Plan encompasses three main themes:

1] Examining Existing Organizational Structures
2] Educating Ourselves
3] Educating Others

One of the initial steps to operationalizing the action plan is to convene a diverse group of volunteers to serve on a new operational committee, the Promoting Equity & Justice Advisory Committee.

The focus of the advisory committee is to support the development and implementation of the RAIC Promoting Equity and Justice Action Plan. 

If you are interested in putting your name forward for this new advisory committee, complete your expression of interest before January 31, 2021.

Duration of Term:2 years

Meetings: Six (6) times per year

Deadline: January 31, 2021 

The RAIC will be in touch with successful applicants no later than February 26, 2021.

The RAIC is calling for volunteers to join this new advisory committee to support the RAIC Continuing Education program. If you are interested, complete an application before January 15, 2021. RAIC staff will be in touch with successful applicants no later than February 12, 2021. The key responsibility of the RAIC ConEd-AC is to serve as an advisory committee to the RAIC regarding the goals, objectives, and content of the continuing education program.

The scope of work includes:

• Assisting the RAIC to guide the development and delivery of continuing education programming, which is relevant, topical, accessible, and beneficial to Canadian architects.
• Reviewing and assessing educational content, and proposals to develop content, for delivery in different forums, including:
  • Annual Conference
  • Webinars
  • Workshops
  • Practice resources
  • Other continuing education offerings
    
• Assisting the RAIC to identify unmet continuing education needs within the architecture profession
• Assisting the RAIC to identify appropriate subject matter experts who may contribute to the development of relevant content.
  

Duration of Term: three years

Meetings: four to six times per year

Deadline: January 15, 2021

The RAIC is seeking one volunteer to join CORE, a committee of the board. The purpose of the Committee is to support the profession’s collective capacity, collaborative agency and ability to respond to complex systemic challenges, in a way that is inclusive, inspiring, and equitably enabling; so that we can collectively help create a world that nurtures quality of life and empowers people and place to thrive. Learn more about CORE here.

Duration of Term: two years

Meetings: minimum of four times per year

Deadline: January 15, 2021

In response to requests to share information about Indigenous members, the RAIC has launched a one-year RAIC Indigenous Member Directory pilot project. The Directory has been developed in consultation with the RAIC Indigenous Task Force and will only be shared in direct response to incoming requests. To access the directory, contact ITF@raic.org 

The Department of Canadian Heritage, on behalf of the Government of Canada and the LGBT Purge Fund, is inviting teams of professional artists, landscape architects, architects, and other urban design professionals to submit their credentials and examples of prior work for the first part of a two-phase design competition to create the LGBTQ2+ National Monument. Prominently located in downtown Ottawa, with views of key federal institutions, this monument will be a place where visitors can learn about the historical and present-day discrimination faced by LGBTQ2+ people in Canada, with particular reference to the LGBT Purge, and celebrate their achievements in their fight for equality. The Department of Canadian Heritage is therefore seeking design teams to create a moving, bold and thought-provoking monument that will provide a space for remembrance, education, celebration and inspiration.

The deadline for receipt of submissions is Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 3:00 p.m. ET.

The RAIC is committed to equity and inclusion and encourages anyone interested in the volunteer positions to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or age.