UTILE’s student housing project in Rimouski has received an Award of Excellence at the 2026 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards, presented by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada (ACEC-Canada). This recognition highlights a project that brought together engineering, modular construction and collaboration to quickly address a very real challenge: access to student housing.
In Rimouski, pressure on the rental market represented a significant challenge when the project was being developed. The vacancy rate had fallen to just 0.2%, while UTILE sought to quickly deliver a large-scale housing solution that was accessible, well located and affordable.
Located approximately 500 metres from the Université du Québec à Rimouski, the project of student housing now includes 155 housing units: 126 studios and 29 two-bedroom apartments. These units are distributed across two four-storey modular buildings connected by a central structure featuring several common areas. The development consists of 96 modules and covers approximately 7,150 m².
Beyond these figures, however, lies a greater ambition: to demonstrate that traditional design and construction methods can be reimagined to deliver housing more quickly while meeting the needs of communities.
Collaboration at the Heart of the Project
One of the project’s greatest strengths lies in its delivery model. gbi was part of a team working within a collaborative approach inspired by the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model. This approach combined collaborative planning, modular construction and accelerated decision-making.
Rather than advancing design, manufacturing and construction sequentially, the various stakeholders worked in a highly integrated manner. This collaboration helped determine which components should be completed in the factory and which should be carried out directly on site, taking into account production capacity, labour availability and project constraints.
A Shared Recognition
For gbi, this Award of Excellence recognizes much more than a technical achievement. It highlights the ability of a multidisciplinary team to work differently in order to address a tangible community need. We are proud to have contributed to a project where engineering serves as a true driver of collaboration, efficiency and social impact.
Above all, this recognition is the result of a collective effort. Congratulations to UTILE and all the partners who brought their expertise together around a shared objective: delivering affordable housing more quickly and creating an approach that can inspire future projects.
