Langford Sued for Giving OK to Building That Didn’t Use an Architect

The Provincial Architects Act prohibits a person other than an architect from designing an apartment with five or more dwelling units. That’s the basis of the lawsuit against the city of Langford and it’s chief building inspector Jerry Worobec by the Architectural Institute of BC.

The Institute wants to see a declaration from the court that the decision to issue the permit was unreasonable because the drawings submitted “were not in compliance with a provincial law [the Architects Act] relating to the safety of buildings,” and “were prepared by an unlicensed person who provides design services, not an architect, contrary to the Architects Act.”

Langford Mayor Stew Young was outraged when he learned about the lawsuit.
The municipality’s currently is only responsible for making sure a building is up to code, not to be a gatekeeper for a private professional organization.

“They want to get municipalities to do their enforcement. They’re the ones making the money, but (we’re being asked) to do the enforcement for no money,” Young said.

Reference: https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/langford-sued-for-giving-ok-to-building-that-has-no-architect-1.23853919