Planning for a National Centre for Indigenous Laws
The university is building an expansion to the Fraser Building to house a National Centre for Indigenous Laws, slated to open in August 2025. It will be an iconic, exemplary and Indigenous-informed facility that provides space appropriate for the learning and practice of Indigenous Laws in the Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders program (JD/JID), the JD program, public legal education programs, as well as much needed classroom space, clinical and research space for the Indigenous Law Research Unit, the Environmental Law Centre, the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence and the Business Law Clinic and administrative and student support space. By expanding the Fraser Building, the university will enhance the experience and success of JD and JD/JID students, and will serve as a national centre for dialogue, research and knowledge transfer.
The JD/JID program launched in September 2018, with a 25-student cohort entering the four-year program. The JD/JID program is the first of its kind in Canada, is unique globally, and will further the university’s reputation by training legal professionals to work across Indigenous and non-Indigenous legal traditions.
Planning for this program and this project has been ongoing for several years, and significant work has been invested in visioning for the program and project. For more information, please access the documents tab at the bottom of this page.
The project scope also includes upgrades to the existing Fraser Building, which will bring students, faculty and staff access to end-of-trip cycling facilities (e.g., showers and change rooms) and add new flooring, carpeting and ceiling improvements. The student lounge, Main entrance, lobby and hallways will be modernized. Sprinkler and heating system upgrades at the Fraser Building will be implemented alongside the expansion project. These upgrades will move the university towards its goal of a zero carbon campus.
Rendering of the main entrance to the Fraser Building and National Centre for Indigenous Laws from McGill Road looking northwest
Indigenous engagement
Engagement with local Indigenous communities is based on long-standing relationships that the university has maintained for many years. From these relationships, specific engagement regarding the Fraser Expansion was initiated from May 2018 to January 2019 with the aim to inform local communities of the project, provide an opportunity for feedback, and inform how their feedback would be used to shape the building program. We consulted with both hereditary and elected leadership, community members and Elders from Esquimalt and Songhees particularly, but also W̱SÁNEĆ, as well as the Elders who work with IACE. This engagement was conducted by representatives from the Faculty of Law. Engagement with these communities continues throughout the various stages of the project.
Tree Retention, Replacement and Environmental Stewardship
The university is committed to protecting and managing the ecological diversity of the natural areas on campus. Where tree removal is required, replacement trees will be planted and landscaping will be restored with Indigenous plantings.
Project vision
UVic is located on the traditional territories of the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ Nations. Rooted in the JD/JID program four purposes – convening, sharing, stimulating, researching – and grounded in an understanding of Indigenous Laws as a living practice, the project seeks to:
Build physical space for the celebration of Indigenous Laws;
Build culturally appropriate space; and
Weave the four purposes together in the expansion: convening, sharing, stimulating, researching.
Program guiding principles.
Timeline and engagement
Community engagement
Community engagement is an essential component of planning for the Fraser Expansion. The public engagement process follows the University of Victoria Community Engagement Framework that was designed with input from our neighbours and stakeholders.
Engagement with the campus and broader community began in Fall 2019. Online engagement events on the conceptual design for the building expansion occurred in Fall 2020. In-person engagement was completed during the detailed design phase of the project in 2022. Construction started in Fall 2022 with completion planned for Spring 2025.
All engagement materials, links and engagement reports including community feedback can be found to this website in the documents tab.
Construction
The construction duration for the project is Fall 2022 to Spring 2025. Construction commenced in November 2022, beginning with initial excavation, civil, and foundation works. The foundation for the NCIL was completed in 2023, and the installation of the steel and mass timber superstructure began in late 2023. Throughout the Spring and Summer of 2024, the superstructure was completed along with the installation of the roof and precast all panels. The building envelope is scheduled for completion in Fall 2024, after which interior framing will commence. Building completion is planed for Spring 2025.
The expansion and renovation will be a national centre for critical engagement, debate, learning, public education and partnerships of Indigenous legal traditions. It will foster the fundamental values of Indigenous societies of respecting the natural environment and interacting with the landscape to support the practice of law that honours the land.
The centre will house classrooms, research and office facilities, and gathering spaces. The project scope also includes upgrades to the existing Fraser Building, which will bring students, faculty and staff access to end-of-trip cycling facilities (e.g., showers and change rooms) and add new flooring, carpeting and ceiling improvements. The student lounge, Main entrance, lobby and hallways will be modernized.
Sprinkler and heating system upgrades at the Fraser Building will be implemented alongside the expansion project. These upgrades will move the university towards its goal of a zero carbon campus.
The location of the expansion has shifted from the south of the existing building to the south-east of the existing building in order to:
Preserve old growth and high quality trees- The forest to the south of the building, which was the proposed site area of the feasibility study, contains the oldest and highest quality trees on the site. Building in this location would effectively remove the majority of these trees and thus affect the quality of the forest and all that it offers. By shifting the program to the north the building will have less impact on high quality trees and the continuity of the forest.
Respect the watershed and Bowker Creek- The topography on the south side of the site is significant in its slope towards the catchment of Bowker Creek. Building in the original location would have increased structural foundation work as well as increased impact on the Bowker Creek system.
Connect with the existing Fraser Building- By shifting the program towards the existing building main entrance there is the opportunity to create a full building circulation system that allows for ease of movement and connection between the existing building and the new addition. This allows for a building and program that will feel integrated and not siloed. This also provides for a refresh of the existing Fraser Building main entry, which was a desire documented in the 2019 Feasibility Study.
Activate on Ring Road- The location of the new addition provides a presence on Ring Road that clearly identifies the Fraser Building as a part of the campus. This location also provides a clear link to the inner Ring Road, aligning with pedestrian traffic coming from the heart of campus. This move supports the 2016 Campus Plan.
Improve way-finding- The location of the new entrance clearly orients you to an understanding of the building as soon as you walk into it, and alignment with the library corridor allows for a clear sightline into the south end of the building. A visual connection through many parts of the building allows for a clear sense of where you are when you are in the building. This move supports a commitment to walkability (2016 Campus Plan).
Increase area for learning deck- By pulling the building out of the forest there is an opportunity to increase the size of the learning deck. The deck, unlike the building, can have a lighter touch around the trees, which will allow it to penetrate further into the forest without being destructive.
Current location and footprint of the Fraser Building.
The landscape designs reflect feedback from community engagement
Proposed landscape designs, with more details on the Elders garden fronting the small ceremony space, and the learning deck fronting the rear forest forthcoming.
The landscape design is rooted in the principles of the UVic Sustainability Action Plan and best practices for environmental stewardship and management.
UVic is committed to protecting and managing the ecological diversity of the natural areas on campus. The project’s Environmental Stewardship Strategy maximizes the retention of trees on the site.
Where tree removal is required, UVic plans to re-use harvested timber within the building or gift it to Indigenous communities. UVic generally aims to exceed the tree replacement bylaw requirements of the District of Oak Bay and the District of Saanich (generally 2 to 1 tree replacement). In instances of tree removal, landscaping is restored with Indigenous plantings.
Campus Cycling Plan directions have been incorporated into the expansion design including:
Covered and uncovered bike parking stalls;
End-of-trip facilities such as showers and lockers; and
A 3m wide cycling path and a 2m wide pedestrian pathway fronting the building to the northeast.
Overall, the project aims to support sustainable transportation choices.
Parking
The project received a parking variance approval from the District of Oak Bay for 25 stalls.
At this time it is anticipated that the project will not displace or add any parking stalls. The parking demand created by this new program is anticipated to be minimal.
Students, faculty and staff will have access to end-of-trip cycling facilities and secure bike storage in the new building. In addition, students entering the JD and JD/JID program will receive a universal bus pass for the duration of their degree providing them with unlimited use of the Greater Victoria Transit System.
The project will be designed and constructed to target the CaGBC LEED Gold certification for new construction. Opportunities to further demonstrate sustainable design and construction innovation will be explored during the design process. The project is informed by best practices for environmental stewardship and management.
The building will aim to respect and learn from the environment through approaches such as utilizing mass timber, maximizing solar orientation and benefits, and managing on-site storm-water. The use of mass timber will contribute to the building’s overall sustainability goal by providing a carbon sink and reduction in emissions from prefabricated construction materials. Electric heat pumps will provide efficient and sustainable heating and cooling to the building. Infrastructure to encourage students, staff and faculty to cycle to campus, such as lockers, showers and bike parking, will also be included.
The university has a long history of leadership in sustainability. The campus has received international attention for our commitment to green campus operations, interdisciplinary research, real-life learning opportunities and innovative community partnerships. The university integrates sustainability practices and a culture of shared responsibility into all areas of its operations and services.
UVic strives to maintain a campus that fosters an energy conservation culture that utilizes innovative technologies and engages occupants to continually improve building performance as well as providing comfortable living, learning and work environments.
The inaugural graduating class of UVic’s trailblazing joint degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders (JD/JID) celebrated their accomplishments at a special recognition ceremony at the Songhees Wellness Centre, April 9, 2022
Photo: UVic Photo Services.
Project team
The project has been awarded to an Architectural Prime Consultant led by Two Row Architect in partnership with Teeple Architects and Low, Hammond, Row Architects. Our construction manager, Chandos Construction, and multiple sub-consultants are supporting this expansion and renovation project. Two Row is an Indigenous-owned and operated firm from Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in southern Ontario.
For further information contact Mike Wilson, Director - Campus Planning and Sustainability at 250-472-5433 or planning@uvic.ca.
Community engagement is an essential part of planning for the Fraser Expansion. The campus and neighbourhood association engagement process will follow the university’s Community Engagement Framework.
The first round of campus engagement was held in October 2019, the project team engaged with 165 students, faculty and staff the project introduction, the site location, and opportunities for restoration of a natural ecosystem.
