The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) welcomes the Government of Canada’s commitment to addressing the housing crisis through the creation of Build Canada Homes (BCH). We recognize the scale of the challenge and the need for bold, coordinated action to expand affordable housing while advancing innovation in design and construction.
The RAIC respectfully requests to be included as an active partner in the development of Build Canada Homes, and we welcome the opportunity to meet with the federal team to share our expertise and perspective on behalf of the architectural profession.
The RAIC represents the architectural profession across Canada and is dedicated to building a better world through design excellence. We believe that BCH can succeed by ensuring architects are fully engaged as partners in shaping this initiative.
Building Strategic Partnerships for Housing Delivery
BCH’s vision to act as a single window and catalyst for housing delivery requires deep collaboration with multiple partners.
- Architects as essential partners: Architects bring expertise in design excellence, sustainability, and community well-being. BCH should formally integrate architects and design professionals into governance, advisory, and project decision-making structures.
- Indigenous engagement and reconciliation: BCH must uphold commitments to Indigenous self-determination in housing and prioritize partnerships that amplify Indigenous-led design and construction.
- Cross-jurisdictional collaboration: The RAIC encourages BCH to align its programs with provincial/territorial building codes, municipal planning processes, and existing housing programs to avoid duplication and increase efficiency.
- Fair procurement practices: Transparent procurement through qualifications-based selection (QBS) and fair fees will ensure housing projects deliver long-term value.
Ensuring Quality and Innovation in Housing Solutions
BCH emphasizes faster, smarter building through modern methods of construction.
- Design excellence as a housing outcome: Affordability and speed are essential, but BCH should embed design quality standards that ensure housing is durable, healthy, and inclusive.
- Innovation and modern methods: The RAIC supports BCH’s focus on prefabrication, modular design, and digital tools (e.g., BIM). We recommend coupling these methods with participatory design processes to ensure housing solutions are adaptable and culturally appropriate.
- Fair fees and sustainability of practice: Properly resourced professional services are essential for innovation. Under-compensating architects and design professionals undermines quality and risks project outcomes.
- Capacity building and standards: The RAIC can contribute professional development resources and best practice standards that support BCH’s mandate to modernize and scale housing delivery.
Creating Complete, Livable Communities
BCH’s mandate to build affordable housing at scale must also create thriving communities.
- Complete communities: Housing projects should integrate public space, transit, cultural identity, and community infrastructure.
- Mixed-tenure and diversity: The RAIC recommends BCH prioritize mixed-tenure and inclusive housing models to strengthen resilience and community well-being.
- Equity and accessibility: Architecture professionals can contribute expertise in universal design and social equity frameworks to ensure projects serve all Canadians, including seniors, students, and those with disabilities.
Delivering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Housing
BCH’s emphasis on sustainability and low-carbon materials must align with Canada’s climate commitments.
- Low-carbon, resilient, regenerative design: BCH should go beyond net-zero and support housing that is low-carbon, resilient, and regenerative, as set out in the RAIC Climate Action Plan. This includes reducing embodied and operational carbon, advancing circular material flows, and prioritizing adaptive reuse.
- Science-based targets: The RAIC recommends BCH align projects with science-based climate targets and biodiversity goals, ensuring measurable reductions in emissions and ecosystem impacts.
- Indigenous knowledge and reconciliation: Indigenous-led housing and land-based approaches should guide climate-responsive solutions.
- Human and ecosystem health: Housing must address climate change as both a public health and equity issue.
- Capacity building: The RAIC can support BCH by providing education and professional development to accelerate adoption of regenerative design and climate action practices.
Flexible and Fair Implementation Models for Diverse Communities
BCH’s approach to financing and development must serve both large-scale and community-based projects.
- Flexible models: While BCH envisions large-scale deals, smaller community-led and rural/remote projects must also be supported.
- Risk-sharing with fairness: Financial tools must protect long-term affordability and ensure public benefits are prioritized over private profit.
- Procurement aligned with outcomes: The RAIC recommends procurement models that reward quality, innovation, and long-term value, rather than lowest-cost bidding.
- Regional equity: The RAIC stresses the importance of models that work for urban, rural, and northern communities, ensuring no region is left behind.
Conclusion
The RAIC strongly supports the intent of Build Canada Homes and urges the federal government to recognize architecture and design as essential to its success. Housing is not only about units delivered but also about the creation of resilient, equitable, and inspiring communities. By embedding design excellence, reconciliation, climate action, fair procurement practices, and architectural expertise into BCH, Canada can deliver housing solutions that endure for generations.
The RAIC looks forward to continuing dialogue and contributing to the design and implementation of Build Canada Homes.
To advance this work, the RAIC requests a meeting with the Build Canada Homes leadership team to contribute architectural expertise and to ensure that fair procurement, qualifications-based selection, and climate-aligned design are built into BCH’s framework from the outset. We stand ready to participate in advisory groups, policy design, and implementation discussions to help deliver lasting housing solutions for Canadians.