Samantha Irvine

Samantha Irvine is a non-practicing lawyer and Principal at ERA Architects. She advises private and public sector clients in connection with strategic projects, complex approvals, and long-term management of cultural and heritage resources. She has been privileged to work on landmark projects at ERA that include large-scale urban assembly sites, major proposals within Heritage Conservation Districts, and decommissioned industrial complexes.

Samantha also leads municipal and community-driven Visions, Strategies, and Management Plans. Recent projects include the Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy for the County of Brant, the Yukon Heritage Reserves Management Protocol, the Cultural Resource Strategy for Rosseau Memorial Community Hall, and the Cultural Heritage Management Plan for the Town of Halton Hills, which was honoured with a 2024 Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) award of merit.

Samantha holds a BA in History and Sociology from McGill University (Great Distinction); MA degrees in Historical & Sustainable Architecture (NYU), and Sustainable Urbanism (Wales); and a Juris Doctor from Queen’s University. She is a licensed member of the Law Society of Ontario, a professional member of CAHP, and currently serves on the Board of the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation.

Prior to joining ERA, Samantha was a Fellow of Sustainable Urbanism with the King’s Foundation in London, England and an associate lawyer at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Toronto.

In ERA’s Meet the Principals series, Samantha talks about harmonizing conversations about the built environment.