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INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS
PROJECT BRINGS TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION TO LIFE
UVic’s National Centre for Indigenous Laws focuses on
inclusivity, sustainability and community impact
HE NATIONAL CENTRE (provisionally named) for Indigenous Laws (NCIL) at the University of Victoria
(UVic) is a project for Chandos Construction that
showcases how truth and reconciliation principles
can guide construction. It highlights Indigenous
design, sustainability and community partnerships
while earning industry recognition.
“There’s a purpose behind every detail of this building,
which is dedicated to the study and practice of Indigenous
laws,” said Tim Laronde, national director, Indigenous
Strategies, Chandos Construction. “The team focused on
inclusivity, sustainability and local needs to create a project
that bene昀椀ts the community now and in the future.”
Laronde explained that Chandos worked closely with the
university and the consultant team to re昀氀ect its Indigenous
Plan in the design and construction of the building. Indigenous perspectives were included at every step through
consultation and collaboration. Key e昀昀orts include:
WORKING WITH ELDERS: Chandos partnered with the university’s
Faculty of Law and consulted Elders and members of the
Esquimalt, Songhees and W_SÁNEC (Saanich) Nations to
align the project with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.
HIRING LOCAL INDIGENOUS WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS: Indigenous
contractors from Vancouver Island played a major role in
the project, with 19 per cent of expenses going to businesses
owned by Indigenous communities. Chandos also worked
with the Victoria Friendship Centre to recruit Indigenous
workers.
SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS SUPPLIERS: Chandos engaged Khowutzun
Development Corporation (KDC), an Indigenous-owned
昀椀rm, for civil and excavation work worth over $2 million.
KDC partnered with smaller Indigenous contractors and
bands, providing opportunities to work on large contracts
and grow their expertise.
FOSTERING EQUITY IN THE WORKFORCE: Nearly 28 per cent of total
hours worked on the project came from workers from equity-seeking groups, including Indigenous workers.
USING TECHNOLOGY FOR COLLABORATION: BIM tools allowed Chandos
to identify any con昀氀icts ahead of time to avoid delays in
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construction, especially in the complicated hybrid mass timber and steel building structure.
OpenSpace, a 360-degree photo documentation tool, allowed remote consultants to track
progress and resolve issues quickly.
“The hybrid mass timber and steel structure required precision and innovation, and
tools like BIM and OpenSpace allowed us to
address challenges early, ensuring the project
stayed on track. From moisture management
plans for mass timber to designing ventilation
systems for smudging ceremonies, every technical decision was made with care to honour
the building’s purpose and the community
it serves,” said Thomas Oster, senior project
manager, Chandos Construction.
The design team of Two Row Architect, Teeple Architects and Low Hammond Rowe Architects played
a large role in ensuring the project honoured Indigenous
knowledge and traditions.
“As Indigenous leadership at UVic instructed us, ‘The
building has to be a teacher, it has to be one of the professors.’ Now, as the National Centre for Indigenous Laws
comes to life in the construction phase, it is clear that this
building is already teaching, not only through its form,
materials, and relationship to the land, but also through the
collaborative process that brought it into being,” said Brian
Porter, principal, Two Row Architect, an Indigenous-owned
and operated 昀椀rm from Six Nations of the Grand River
reserve in southern Ontario.
The 2,680-square-metre NCIL building incorporates
Coast Salish design elements that connect the structure
to the surrounding environment. For example, instead
of removing trees on the site, Chandos repurposed them
as exposed structural columns throughout the building,
reducing the building’s carbon footprint. Rain gardens for
irrigation and stormwater management further demonstrate sustainable practices.
“Alongside the integrated design team, UVic and Chandos, we have worked to create a structure that, like the
