The Globe and Mail

Few in the industry want to talk about it, but commercial property developers and owners, as well as insurance companies, can spend millions of dollars to pay for design blunders, inferior materials or faulty, even negligent workmanship. The issue greatly affects the professionals involved in building design and construction, as well. It has reached the point where architects and engineers will soon see premium hikes on their professional liability coverage. Starting July 1, in the first increase in 20 years, architects -- usually the first up on the insurance claims firing line -- will have to pay premiums increased by as much as four times what they are paying now. In Ontario, architects, as well as engineers, will be required to carry coverage for up to $1-million per claim