Canadore's "The Village" gaining Provincial Attention
North Bay’s Canadore College Project Among OAA’s Queen’s Park Picks
The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) has revealed the projects comprising the 2025 Queen’s Park Picks. For the tenth year in a row, the OAA invited Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to nominate a building within their riding that highlights the community’s unique architectural heritage, celebrating the rich legacy of architecture in Ontario.
This year’s theme, “Reshaping Communities,” inspired province-wide nominations, with MPPs from across all political parties suggesting exemplary places that have significantly impacted their constituents. The theme aligns with the 2025 OAA Conference’s focus and reflects the Association's commitment to regulating the practice of architecture to protect the public interest. It also highlights the essential role of adaptability in design, urging the profession to create or re-envision sustainable solutions for a rapidly changing world.
Fifty-five submissions were received from 36 MPPs, and among the nine projects chosen by a jury of architects is The Village in North Bay, nominated by Hon. Vic Fedeli, MPP (Nipissing).
Completed in 2018 and designed by Critchley Hill Architecture Inc., The Village at Canadore College reimagines campus design as a community-focused hub for healthcare, cultural revitalization, and wellness training. Housing clinics, labs, and culturally significant spaces like a harvest kitchen and ceremonial gathering room, it blends Indigenous and mainstream practices.
Anchored by the light-filled Village Centre, the building fosters connection between students, elders, and the public, creating a “living lab” where learning, healing, and cultural exchange thrive.
