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Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code

Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code

The Guide to Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction in the Ontario Building Code – Second Edition is a comprehensive resource designed to help designers, code officials, and building professionals understand and apply the latest Ontario Building Code provisions for Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC), effective January 1, 2025. Developed by the Canadian Wood Council / WoodWorks Ontario in collaboration with Morrison Hershfield (now Stantec), the guide explains the technical requirements, fire safety principles, and design considerations unique to EMTC, with clear references to relevant OBC articles. It covers everything from structural mass timber element specifications and encapsulation materials, to use and occupancy limits, mixed-use scenarios, and related provisions for structural design, environmental separation, and fire safety during construction. Intended to be read in conjunction with the Ontario Building Code, this is not a design guide, but rather a tool to distill complex regulations into practical, accessible information—equipping professionals to confidently design, review, and approve EMTC projects while ensuring compliance and optimizing performance. Notice of Correction: A previous version of this document contained a small error on page 19. In this electronic version of the document (updated August 12, 2025) the 3rd major bullet of Section 5.1.1 has been corrected.

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

We are pleased to open our Call for Entries and invite North American and International submissions to the 2025 Wood Design and Building Awards program celebrating excellence in wood architecture and construction. The Canadian Wood Council (“CWC”) is committed to upholding the confidentiality and security of your personal information. The CWC respects your right to privacy and have instituted best practices to help ensure that your personal information is handled responsibly. This Policy explains how CWC collects, uses, and discloses personal information that you knowingly provide while using this website and website content (the “Website”) and in any electronic publications, newsletters, or announcements made by it (“Electronic Communications”). By using CWC’s Web sites, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of the information you provide, as set out in this Privacy Policy. Any personal information provided to CWC through the Web sites will be treated with care, and subject to this Policy will not be used or disclosed in ways not consented. 1. Scope of this Policy 2. Information Automatically Collected 3. Personal Information You Specifically Provide to the Website 4. Other Matters Your Comments — If you have any comments or questions about this Policy or your personal information, please contact CWC at helpdesk@cwc.ca. Other Websites — The Website may contain links to other Websites or Internet resources. When you click on one of those links you are contacting another Website or Internet resource that may collect information about you voluntarily or through cookies or other technologies. CWC has no responsibility or liability for, or control over those other Websites or Internet resources or their collection, use and disclosure of your personal information. Website Terms of Use — The Terms of Use governing your use of the Website contains important provisions disclaiming and excluding the liability of CWC and others regarding your use of the Website and provisions determining the applicable law and exclusive jurisdiction for the resolution of any disputes regarding your use of the Website. Each of those provisions also applies to any disputes that may arise in relation to this Policy and the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information, and are of the same force and effect as if they had been reproduced directly in this Policy. Former Users — If you stop using the Website or your permission to use the Website is terminated by CWC, CWC may continue to use and disclose your personal information in accordance with this Policy as amended from time to time, and subject to compliance with the law. Privacy Policy Changes — This Policy may be changed by CWC from time to time, without any prior notice or liability to you or any other person. The collection, use and disclosure of your personal information by CWC will be governed by the version of this Policy in effect at that time. New versions of this Policy will be posted here. Your continued use of the Website and receipt or request of any electronic communication subsequent to any changes to this Policy will signify that you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with the changed Policy. Accordingly, when you use the Website or receive or request any electronic communication, you should check the date of this Policy and review any changes since the last version.

Terms of Use

Terms of Use

By accessing and using this website and website content (collectively, the “Website”), you are deemed to have agreed to these terms and conditions of use (the “Terms of Use”) and any other notices, guidelines and rules published by the Canadian Wood Council (“CWC”) on this Website from time to time (each of which is incorporated into these Terms of Use by reference), and all applicable laws and regulations governing the Website. By using this Website you also represent and warrant that you have the legal authority to enter into this Agreement. You also agree to the use of any personal information that you may supply to CWC through this Website, as further described in our Privacy Policy. CWC has the right, in its sole discretion, to add, remove, modify or otherwise change any part of these Terms of Use for the Website, in whole or in part, at any time. Any change will be effective when notice of such change is posted on the Website. Your continued use of this Website after any such change is posted will constitute your acceptance and agreement from you or any party you purport to represent, without limitation or qualification, to be bound by this Agreement as it may be amended from time to time. If any portion of these Terms of Use or any change to these Terms of Use is not acceptable to you, you must discontinue your use of this Website immediately. These Terms of Use apply exclusively to your use of this Website and do not alter the terms or conditions of any other agreement you may have with CWC. 1. Your Use of This Website The Materials included on this site are provided for convenience and informational purposes. CWC grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sub-licensable, revocable, limited license to display on your computer, print, download and use the Website for informational purposes only and solely for your own personal or internal company use. Except as otherwise expressly stated, no other use is permitted. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you may not use the Website to infringe the rights of, restrict or inhibit anyone else’s use or enjoyment of the Website, disseminate any unlawful or objectionable material, obtain unauthorized access to or interfere with CWC’s computer systems, or otherwise breach applicable laws or regulations. Accessing the Website from locations where its content is illegal is prohibited. Those who choose to access the Website from other locations do so at their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws. 2. Intellectual Property CWC either owns the intellectual property rights in the Website (including, without limitation, underlying HTML,  trademarks, logos, designs, photos, information and material in text, graphical, video and audio forms, images, reports, articles, data, databases, charts, graphics, interfaces, and other content), or has obtained the permission of the owner of the relevant intellectual property for use in connection with the Website. Except for any rights you may have in User Content (as defined below) posted by you on this Website, CWC reserves all rights that are not specifically granted under these Terms of Use. For permission to reproduce any portion of this Website, or to make suggestions for Website improvements, please email us at: helpdesk@cwc.ca. Any authorized reproduction of any portion of this Website must be accompanied by CWC’s copyright notice or the copyright notice of the owner of the relevant copyright, as the case may be. CWC claims no ownership or control over any content including any and all trademarks, logos, designs, photos, information and material in text, graphical, video and audio forms, images, reports, articles, data, databases, charts, graphics, interfaces, and other content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through the Website (the “User Content”). You or a third party licensor, as the case may be, retain all rights to any User Content you submit, post or display on or through the Website and you are responsible for protecting those rights. By submitting, posting, uploading or displaying User Content on or through this Website, you grant CWC a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, unrestricted, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, sublicense, collect, reproduce, store, compile, download, adapt, modify, translate, make derivative works from, transmit, publish, distribute, publicly perform or display such User Content for any purpose using any form, media or technology now known or later developed in accordance with CWC’s Privacy Policy, without providing compensation to you or anyone else, without any liability whatsoever, and free from any obligation of confidence or other duties on the part of CWC. You represent and warrant that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the rights granted herein to any User Content submitted. CWC may, but is not obligated to, edit any User Content provided to it prior to or after it being posted to the Website. 3. Disclaimer The Website is provided “as is” and “as available”. Your use of the Website is at your own risk, and you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for actions and communications undertaken or transmitted by you in the course of your usage of this Website. The Website is not guaranteed to be error-free or uninterrupted. CWC assumes no responsibility and provides no warranties, representations, guarantees, covenants or conditions, express or implied (either in fact or by operation of law) or statutory, including, without limitation, with respect to the quality, accuracy, reliability, currency, truth, completeness, merchantability, merchantable quality, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or continued availability of the Website. The Website may provide, or third parties may provide, links to other websites or resources. Because CWC has no control over such sites and resources, you acknowledge and agree that CWC is not responsible for the availability of such external sites or resources, and that CWC does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products, services or other materials on or available from such sites or resources. You further acknowledge and agree that CWC shall not be responsible or liable, directly

The 2025 Ottawa Wood Solutions Conference will be presented on February 5, 2025 at the National Arts Centre

The 2025 Ottawa Wood Solutions Conference will be presented on February 5, 2025 at the National Arts Centre

December 19, 2024 (Ottawa) – The 2025 Ottawa Wood Solutions Conference will be presented on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, at the National Arts Centre, located at 1 Elgin St. in Ottawa.  First launched over 20 years ago to serve design and construction professionals interested in building with wood, this event has evolved from a niche gathering into a cornerstone of professional education, driven by the growing demand for sustainable wood construction. The program offers a range of presentations—from technical deep dives to inspiring case studies—catering to participants at every stage of their professional journey, from newcomers to seasoned experts. Attendees can also take advantage of valuable opportunities to connect, collaborate, and expand their professional networks within the wood community.  Conference organizers are delighted to welcome Christophe Ouhayoun of KOZ Architects (France) to share insights into the innovative, collaborative development of the Paris Olympics Athletes’ Village. His presentation will also explore the current effort underway to convert these structures into much-needed permanent housing, highlighting this progressive mass timber development as a model of adaptability and sustainability.  Another program highlight pays tribute to the venue itself. Donald Schmitt, CM, of Diamond Schmitt Architects will present on the revitalization of the National Arts Centre, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the timber structure and prefabrication process that transformed this iconic building into a modern landmark.  Other technical presentations include managing sound and vibration in mass timber buildings and growing Canadian capacity for industrialized wood construction, advancing wood products in our changing climate, and a discussion of the value of conventional wood frame construction in small communities where it provides job opportunities, with a specific focus on Indigenous housing projects.  Early Bird registration of just $99+HST is available until the end of December. In the new year, registration for the conference will be $149 +HST. Delegates can find the Ottawa Wood Solutions Conference on Eventbrite or jump directly to online registration with this link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2025-ottawa-wood-solutions-conference-tickets-1080654991169 A limited number of discounted passes are available for post-secondary educators and students in AEC+D programs of study. Please contact Kelsey Dayler for more information kdayler@cwc.ca.  

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