A new aquarium, opening at the base of Toronto’s CN Tower, will boast more than 5.7 million L (1.5 million gal) of water, depicting marine and freshwater habitats from around the world.

Scheduled to open in 2013, the 12,500-m² (135,000-sf) Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is set to include more than 13,500 species of animals in exhibits ranging from tropical reefs and Atlantic Ocean habitats to the Great Lakes.

Reed Construction Data (RCD) and several local construction associations (LCAs) in Ontario have formed a strategic alliance to enhance the communication between construction owners, bidders, and design professionals.

“We listened to what the industry needed through engagement with industry stakeholders,” explained Craig Roberts, RCD’s director of business development.

A Montréal project won first place in the “Open” category in the 2010-2011 Steel Design Student Competition by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).

“Lacing the Gaze: Public Library and Cultural Centre for NGD, Montréal, Canada,” was submitted by Yekaterina Artemchuk from McGill University, with faculty sponsor Martin Bressani.

A new policy has been adopted by the City of Toronto to give credit to building designers.

Toronto City Council decided all new buildings of 1000 m² (11,000 sf) will include the name of the main design architect, or architect of record, either “affixed or inscribed on the building at a location near the main entry or prominent façade of the structure.”

A recent study by the International Parking Institute (IPI) shows a high demand for sustainable solutions and advances in new technology for parking facilities.

The “2011 Emerging Trends in Parking” survey of design/construction professionals, transportation agencies, urban planners, and facility management revealed an increasing demand for green and sustainable parking solutions.

A project to identify how different weather conditions impact solar panel effectiveness has been launched between two Kingston, Ont., schools—Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College.

“The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry around the world is growing at an unprecedented rate, but there is very little available information shared about the performance of solar cells in different outdoor environments,” explained Joshua Pearce, a professor in Queen’s Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

A condominium building is brightening up Vancouver with the city’s largest ever light art project. The ever-changing display of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) continually shifts between colours and designs with the time of day.

Reliance Properties’ West Pender Place condominium development overlooking Coal Harbour will feature the 24-hour display.

Earlier this month, ground was broken on a mixed-use skyscraper that is set to be Toronto’s fifth tallest structure. The busy southeast corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets will be home to One Bloor Street East—a 70-storey project designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects.

The 238-m (767-ft) building, expected to be completed by 2014, will have more than 730 condominium units, along with connections to the city’s two most prominent subway lines, spa and fitness facilities, and about 9290 m² (100,000 sf) of retail space.

Ontario’s June housing starts were up 3300 from May due to an increase in single and multiple starts in the province, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts was 197,400 units in June, from a revised 194,100 units in May.

Construction has begun on a new $15.6-million transit centre in Kamloops, B.C., to meet the growing number of riders.

“Kamloops is focusing on promoting transit as an alternative mode of transportation by investing in the infrastructure needed to support it, such as the recent construction of transit exchanges at Lansdowne Village and Sydney Avenue,” said Peter Milobar, the city’s mayor.