About the RAIC Conference
The Royal Architectural Institute Of Canada (RAIC) 2025 Conference on Architecture took place on 1 to 4 June 2025 in Montréal, QC.
The program included high quality learning opportunities through interactive content, innovative ideas, and engaging discussions, so that participants at all career levels could take away insights, inspiration, and ideas for practical application.
As the RAIC’s premiere face-to-face event, this year’s conference drew industry leaders from all realms of the design and architecture community. With their commitment to empower Canada’s architectural community they developed a program that fed directly into the goal of providing the tools, educational opportunities, and practice supports to advance a built environment that is more liveable and sustainable.
Captured through eight themes, 50+ education sessions provided much to think about:
- Climate Justice and Resilience, Sustainability, Adaptation and Mitigation
- Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice
- Indigenous Led Architecture and Design
- Health, Safety, and Accessibility
- History, Heritage, and Culture
- Housing, Planning, and Urbanism
- Innovation in Materials, Technology, and Construction
- The Practice and Business of Architecture
A RIBA delegation led by RIBA President Muyiwa Oki, RIBA Interim Executive Director Membership Experience, Belinda Irlam-Mowbray, Partnerships Manager Emmanuelle Meunier, and Director of Strategic Development North America Catherine Clark, attended.
About the RAIC/RIBA Collaboration
The Royal Architectural Institute Of Canada (RAIC) is a not-for-profit, national organisation dedicated to representing architects and architecture since 1907. The RAIC is the only national voice for excellence in the built environment in Canada focused on providing Canada’s architectural community with the tools, resources, and education to elevate their practice. To learn more about the RAIC, click here.
We value our relationship with the RAIC as we share a common goal to champion the highest standards in architecture globally, and support architects wherever they are in the world. We all work towards putting architecture front and centre as we tackle themes that are encountered across the world from the climate crisis to affordable housing.
Networking event, Montreal
RIBA hosted a networking event in partnership with the British Consulate in Montreal.
RIBA Members from Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal joined us as we heard from the British Consul General, David Jones, Muyiwa Oki, the RAIC CEO Mike Brennan, and Belinda Irlam-Mowbray.
We were delighted to be joined by Royal Gold Medal Award 2024 winner, Leslie Lokko who was in Montreal receiving an Honorary Fellowship from the RAIC.
The event featured an introductory video on the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) signed on 23 April, between the ARB and and its counterpart in Canada, the Regulatory Organisations of Architecture in Canada / Regroupement des Ordres d’Architectes du Canada (ROAC), and which came into effect on 14 May.
The ARB and the ROAC collaborated on the presentation which outlined the steps to registration for British and Canadian architects to apply for recognition of their licenses in each other’s countries. Since the MRA came into effect it has had a very high take-up rate, indicative of the strong bond between the UK and Canada in our professional field.
Also in attendance were RIBA Members based in Canada, RAIC President Jonathan Bisson; RAIC Immediate Past President Jason Robbins; AIA 2025 President-elect/2026 President Illya Azaroff; AIA 2024 President Kimberly Dowdell; NZIA President Huia Reriti; current AIA Canada President, Dora Ng; the RAIC and AIA Executive teams; RAIC members; AIA Canada Chapter representatives; and stakeholders.
It was fantastic to meet our members based in Canada, as many travelled a long way to join the event.
There is a demand from members based in Canada to form a Canada chapter, and the visit was an opportunity to meet in person with the two members leading the initiative and discuss the formation of a steering group and an activity plan. Get in touch with ribainternational@riba.org if you want to find out more.
President’s speaking opportunities
RIBA President Muyiwa Oki participated in the RAIC Beyond Borders: International partnerships for climate action in the built environmental panel discussion
This unique panel discussion brought together leading architectural institutions from various countries, including the RAIC, RIBA, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), and the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA), to explore the role of international collaboration and partnerships in accelerating meaningful action on climate and planetary health.
With a focus on priority three of the newly released RAIC Climate Action Plan: Mobilising partnerships and collaborative action. This session explored strategies for fostering multi-sectoral collaboration, learning from indigenous knowledge holders, and connecting regional efforts to global commitments and science based targets. Panellists will share insights on how to leverage knowledge exchange, build inter-professional alliances, and strengthen engagement across education, regulation, and practice.
RAIC meetings
1 June, RAIC Indigenous Meeting
We participated in an International Indigenous meeting, alongside representatives from the RAIC, the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The aim was to discuss the work led by RAIC and NZIA as part of the UIA Indigenous People Work Programme. The conversation focused on removing barriers to registration for Indigenous architects, and how we can collaborate to create a more inclusive profession and include cultural competency in the curriculum
2 June, RAIC International Roundtable Design Culture, Excellence & Innovation in Architectural Practice
The RAIC is undertaking a national initiative to cultivate a robust culture of design across the country. This roundtable served as a platform to explore how we can collectively approach this goal—balancing architectural practice with advocacy, and embedding design excellence, architectural policy, and innovation into the core of our professional and civic environments.
In attendance were representatives from the AIA, RAIC, NZIA and the UIA (International Union of Architects). The discussions focussed on getting visibility for architects, advocating for good design, educating the government, getting cultural competency into the curriculum and include indigenous communities in the conversation.
We also reflected on how the institutes could come together as a collective.
2 June, CAA Members meeting
The meeting was chaired by the Senior Vice President of the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA), who provided an update on the CAA’s work, specifically regarding the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership, which was established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2023 by sixteen CAA Member Organisations, including RIBA.
Other activities
Meeting with Presidents of International Institutes were also organised between RIBA President, Interim Executive Director Membership Experience, and Partnerships Manager and their counterparts to discuss matters of mutual interest and possible collaboration.
30 minute meetings were organised with:
- The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC)
- The New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA)
Practice visits
Our visit to Montreal, was also an opportunity for Belinda to visit AECOM and Architecture 49 studios
