If Year Eight was all about settling into our new home, Year Nine was about showing the world what we could accomplish from it.

We kicked things off with a pair of awards that brought some serious shine to our growing portfolio: our work at the Manitoba Legislative Building earned both the 2018 Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals Award for Conservation and the 2018 Heritage Winnipeg Preservation Award for Conservation. These honours not only recognized our technical skill, but our ongoing commitment to preserving the past while designing for the future.

As always, the #PeopleOfRepublic grew—both in size and in strength. We welcomed Ron Prociuk to our architectural team, Wren Egan brought fresh expertise in Building Condition Assessment and Project Management, Jing Sun joined our finance team, and Brent Campbell stepped in as our dedicated Health and Wellness Director. Together, they embodied our belief that great work starts with a well-rounded, balanced team.

Another big milestone? Project #400. From a modest start in Year One to hundreds of completed projects across Canada, hitting the 400 mark was a moment worth celebrating—and celebrate we did.

Speaking of celebrations, Republic Retreat #9 took us deep into the heart of Texas—Dallas, to be exact. We took in the sights, feasted like locals, and even channeled our inner Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders during a tour of AT&T Stadium. (Let’s just say the photo ops were… legendary.)

Back at home, we launched a new tradition: Thirsty Thursdays. The team gathered over lunch to swap stories, share lessons learned, and pass along tips and tricks from the field. What started as a casual lunch-and-learn quickly became a cultural cornerstone while making space for both laughter and learning (and food!).

Year Nine was also about innovation. In July, we handed Sean a 3D scanner and a mission: capture precise on-site data for digital modeling. This marked a turning point in how we verify as-built drawings and led to some surprising problem-solving breakthroughs. (Stay tuned for Year Twelve.)

And in a fun twist, RAINO made its small-screen debut! Our office starred as the law firm Steadman Lavery in six episodes of Season 2 of Burden of Truth (yes, starring Kristin Kreuk!). From set visits to stealthy background cameos, it was a surreal experience made possible in large part thanks to Leah, who held down the fort on-site throughout filming 24/7.

By year’s end, our portfolio had grown to 426 projects. From national accolades and cutting-edge tech to stadium selfies and small-screen cameos, Year Nine was, without a doubt, bigger, bolder, and better than ever.