Introduction
National partners have been actively engaged in the project since its early stages. In February 2024, this collaboration was further formalized through the creation of a collective initiative bringing together partners from large organizations, many of which operate across multiple provinces and research sites. The group was established to provide a dedicated space for addressing transversal issues that extend beyond individual research sites.
Since its creation, the group has met regularly to exchange perspectives, share knowledge, and reflect together on common challenges. Through this ongoing collaboration, the National Partners Group has supported collective reflection on quality in the built environment by bringing a transversal, system‑wide lens to the research projet.
National Actions for Quality
As one of its first steps, the group came together to reflect on what is needed to meaningfully improve quality in Canada’s built environment. This exercise mirrored work being undertaken across all research sites as part of a shared national approach. Through this process, they identified three priority actions they believe are critical to raising the bar and setting a stronger national direction for quality.
A lack of public advocacy for design quality has seen short-term economic considerations take precedent over long-term value. This results in a built environment that meets only minimal safety and functional standards and overlooks priorities such as sustainability, accessibility, cultural relevance, and community well-being.
Action #1: Establish a National Framework for Design Quality.
- What is the specific problem and or barriers to quality your team has been working on?
- Canada lacks a unified architecture policy, resulting in fragmented standards and inconsistent practices across jurisdictions.
- What needs to be done to remove this type of barrier to quality in the built environment?
- Create a Forum on Design Quality – Open Source / Leveraging lived experience from multiple stakeholders and vantage points.
- Develop an evergreen National Design Manual based on the Quality in Canada’s Built Environment: Roadmaps to Equity, Social Value and Sustainability.
- Leverage the National Design Manual for the creation of a National Policy on Architecture.
- Who should implement this action and how can they do it?
- National Partners & Stakeholders
- Establish a forum for ongoing dialogue to ensure broad sectoral and public representation.
- Academics
- Lead development of Design Manual, provide evidence-based recommendations to affect policy. Leverage research strategies from the roadmaps to create a nationally focused design manual.
- Government Agencies (All levels)
- Fund and support National Forum, lend internal expertise, and formally adopt national standards.
- RAIC
- Act as facilitators for the creation of a national policy in collaboration with other professional organizations.
- National Partners & Stakeholders
Action #2: Build a National Culture of Design Literacy.
- What is the specific problem and or barriers to quality your team has been working on?
- Canadians generally have low design literacy, leading to limited public awareness of how design shapes social, environmental and economic outcomes.
- What needs to be done to remove this type of barrier to quality in the built environment?
- Leverage the Forum on Design Quality as a device for National Education on Design Literacy.
- Educate people on design priorities such as accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability, health and wellness, and reconciliation to achieve a universal and holistic understanding of the importance of design quality.
- Integrate Design Thinking into Early and Lifelong Education.
- Who should implement this action and how can they do it?
- Academics
- Assess community impacts; co-create delivery of educational programs; provide evidence of the value of quality design and disseminate research through a National Forum on Quality in the Built Environment.
- Government Agencies (All levels)
- Fund and support National Forum, lend internal expertise, and formally adopt national standards.
- Professional Bodies (RAIC, CSLA, Regulatory Boards)
- Embed public interest criteria; support professional training programs; develop content, host forums, and participate in national programs and events on Quality in the Built Environment that engages the public; Collaborate with media outlets to foster broader public participation in a National Forum; Collaborate with academics and researchers in disseminating research.
- Community & Advocacy Groups
- Disseminate educational content and lead public awareness campaigns
- Academics
Action #3: Prioritize Design Quality in the Procurement Process.
- What is the specific problem and or barriers to quality your team has been working on?
- Procurement processes further erode quality by prioritizing lowest initial cost, allowing general contractors to reduce architectural intent to minimum code compliance, thereby overlooking the importance of design quality.
- What needs to be done to remove this type of barrier to quality in the built environment?
- Define Design Quality for the Procurement Process.
- Quantify the Economic Payback of Quality Design.
- Define and implement Quality-Driven Procurement Models.
- Who should implement this action and how can they do it?
- Academics
- Provide economic evidence to measure the outcomes of Quality Design.
- Stakeholders and Partners
- Collaborate with researchers, government and public sector to define the best path forward for Design Quality in the procurement process.
- Government & Procurement Agencies
- Participate in quantifying economic payback, participate in defining Design Quality, incorporate value-driven procurement processes.
- Citizen & Advocacy Groups
- Engage in defining procurement criteria.
- Academics
