Ottawa is one of Canada’s most liveable cities, with little help from the city

The Globe and Mail recently declared Ottawa the Most Livable “major” city in Canada. But the top spot is mostly thanks to the NCC. Ottawa…

March 12, 2026

A look at the many risks of Lansdowne 2.0

Ottawa is facing a major infrastructure deficit. Past generations have built parks, libraries, community centres and pools, investing tax dollars in social infrastructure that we…

November 4, 2025

Can the city spend smarter on its ‘social’ infrastructure?

Last week, news broke about the City of Ottawa’s $10.8 billion infrastructure gap. This gap is not a surprise. Nor is it a complete picture…

July 15, 2025

Keeping Public Buildings Truly Public

Recent news of new security measures at Ottawa City Hall has sparked mixed reactions and important questions about how we design and use public space….

July 4, 2025

Canada Needs an Architecture Policy

Why do so many of our buildings feel generic, forgettable even when they’re brand new? In Canada, design excellence keeps getting sidelined by a procurement…

May 15, 2025

Rethinking the Design Process

Ottawa is a G7 capital city. We have incredible opportunities to be a city on par with London, Paris, Tokyo, or Berlin, even if we…

April 15, 2025