What does it take to deliver better buildings? In this issue, we explore that question from a couple of different angles—primarily through a look at standout wood projects that demonstrate wood design excellence, but also through a thoughtful feature on offsite prefabrication that invites the construction industry to think critically about how we build and what it will take to build better. Through enhanced collaboration and the expanded use of technology, prefabricated construction—an approach especially well-suited to wood—is transforming the way we design and deliver buildings.
This fall, the Canadian Wood Council is proud to support Woodrise 2025, an international conference coming to Vancouver, British Columbia. As part of this event, the 5th International Congress on tall wood construction, we’ve curated nine immersive tours that offer attendees a unique opportunity to step inside some of the region’s most compelling wood projects for a firsthand look at the leadership and innovation happening here.
If you believe one of the best ways to learn about a building is to walk through it—this is your chance. The full tour lineup is available now at www.woodrise2025.com/offsite-tours. Join us to explore everything from sustainable forest management and advanced manufacturing to some of the region’s most iconic mass timber buildings – experiences that bring together the people, materials, and design approaches shaping the future of low-carbon construction in B.C. and beyond.
We hope this issue inspires you to keep exploring what’s possible with wood—whether in your own projects or out with us on tour.
Canadian Wood Council Applauds Nova Scotia’s Prioritization of Wood Products for Construction and Heating in Public Buildings
OTTAWA, ON, 18 July 2025 – The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) applauds the Province of Nova Scotia’s recent announcement regarding the prioritization of wood products for construction and heating in public buildings – a strategic move that supports economic growth, climate resilience, and innovation in the province’s forestry sector.
By committing to mass timber and other solid wood products for construction, alongside the use of wood pellets, biomass, and other products made from forest residuals for heat and energy, Nova Scotia is taking a leadership approach to development that aligns environmental stewardship with economic opportunity.
This initiative reinforces the principles of a circular economy built on sustainable forest management. This comprehensive approach to fibre utilization ensures the province is maximizing the value of harvested wood and reducing waste while simultaneously supporting jobs, stimulating rural economies, and strengthening local and regional supply chains across the forestry and construction sectors.
“This commitment from the province of Nova Scotia not only supports local forestry and bioeconomy innovation, but also delivers practical solutions to reduce emissions, improve energy security, and build with a lighter carbon footprint,” says Rick Jeffery, President & CEO of the Canadian Wood Council. It’s a smart and timely commitment to sustainability that will strengthen local industries while advancing practical, low-carbon building solutions.”
Setting a new standard in Canada’s tallest mass timber structure, Soprema Insonomat system provided an ideal balance of sustainability, safety, and superior sound insulation.
AcoustiTECH’s innovative and effective acoustic solutions made New York’s first mass timber residential project a triumph of modern design and sound comfort. Discover how the AcoustiTECH Lead 6 and AcoustiTECH SOFIX system harmonized natural aesthetics with high acoustic performance.
Canadian Wood Council Supports Ontario’s Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan
KITCHENER, ON — The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) was proud to participate in a significant announcement by the Government of Ontario yesterday, where the Honourable Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honourable Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products, launched Ontario’s Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan.
The Action Plan outlines a strong, strategic commitment to advancing the use of mass timber and prefabricated wood systems—technologies that can deliver high-performance buildings while supporting job creation and investment across Ontario’s forestry, manufacturing, and construction sectors.
As the national association representing manufacturers of Canadian wood products, CWC welcomes this important step forward. Through its technical resource program, WoodWorks, the Council is committed to supporting the growth of advanced wood construction by providing guidance, education, and project support to professionals across the building sector.
“This is about solving today’s challenges while laying the groundwork for long-term economic growth—with industrialized wood construction driving that transformation forward,” said Steven Street, Executive Director of WoodWorks Ontario.
The Action Plan includes investments in research, education, training, and manufacturing, positioning Ontario as a leader in low-carbon, efficient, and sustainable construction. CWC applauds the province’s leadership and looks forward to continuing its collaboration with public and private partners to advance the adoption of made-in-Ontario wood solutions.
Buildings that stand the test of time aren’t just durable—they are cherished. When we invest in quality materials and good design, we can create buildings that people connect with. As you’ll discover in this issue, many heavy timber warehouses and factories constructed in the early 1900s remain a vital part of our cities today—not because they still serve their original purpose, but because people valued them enough to adapt, restore, and reuse them, giving them a new purpose.
Fast forward a hundred years and resilient structures include many new forms. Modular construction, for example, has seen significant growth in recent years as this form of construction has transformed from a building method once considered inferior, into a method relied upon to deliver high-performance durable buildings.
Alongside our features on historic timber buildings and modular construction, this issue also highlights notable projects and emerging trends shaping today’s built environment. From innovative mass timber structures to forward-thinking design solutions, we explore how thoughtful craftsmanship and smart engineering continue to define the spaces we build—and the ones we keep.
Province: British Columbia City: Victoria Project Category: Educational
Description:
In July 2024, the B.C. government committed to fund $151.7 million for student housing at Camosun College’s Lansdowne Campus. The College will contribute an additional $3 million, for a total project cost of $154.7 million. According to a College press release, the six-storey building will be constructed using mass timber and will have more than 400 student beds (dormitory-style, single suite, and four-bedroom apartment-style) in addition to reflection rooms, universal washrooms, and communal kitchens. The College is currently in the process of choosing a main consultant to lead the design phase; it anticipates the consultant will be in place in 2025. Project completion is expected for fall 2027.
Canadian Wood Council Applauds Strategic Federal Investments in B.C.’s Forest Industry
OTTAWA, March 25, 2025 – The Canadian Wood Council welcomes the Government of Canada’s announcement of over $20 million in funding for 67 projects that support the growth and resilience of British Columbia’s forest sector.
While the announcement includes several strategic large-scale investments in advanced wood manufacturing, a significant strength of this initiative lies in the breadth of smaller-scale, high-impact projects that are collectively transforming communities across the province. From feasibility studies for Indigenous-led forest product businesses to the development of next-generation building technologies, these projects are advancing wood innovation, supporting workforce development, and expanding the role of wood in low-carbon construction.
Administered through Natural Resources Canada, this Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) funding supports a wide range of initiatives—from fire-testing mass timber connections and refining modelling guides for timber structures, to developing bioenergy solutions and value-added wood processing in Indigenous communities.
This announcement underscores the importance of decentralized innovation, where targeted investments in communities and research institutions alike contribute to a stronger, more sustainable forest sector. The Canadian Wood Council applauds this commitment and looks forward to continuing its work with design professionals, governments, and industry partners to support the expanded use of wood in the province through its market-leading WoodWorks program.
Canadian Wood Council Applauds Federal-Provincial Investment in Advanced Wood Construction in Quebec
OTTAWA, March 24, 2025 – The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) applauds the joint investment of over $8.5 million by Natural Resources Canada and Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests in four innovative wood construction-related projects across Quebec. These strategic initiatives will help strengthen the manufacturing sector and accelerate the adoption of low-carbon, Canadian-made wood products and technologies in residential construction and other critical community infrastructure.
By supporting advanced wood construction methods—including modular mass timber housing, artificial intelligence to modernize engineered wood manufacturing, and the design of tall wood residential buildings—this investment reinforces the essential role of wood in delivering high-performance, low-carbon construction solutions. From a 20-unit modular development and a 21-storey design study to the cultural leadership of the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi in forest-to-form construction, these projects demonstrate how innovative wood technologies can meet urgent housing needs in a sustainable way, through scalable and repeatable, locally driven approaches.
The Canadian Wood Council commends both levels of government for recognizing the critical role of Canada’s forest sector in delivering smart, climate-friendly building systems. These investments demonstrate how advanced wood technologies can contribute to addressing urgent housing needs while helping to lower the carbon footprint of the built environment.
Design and construction professionals in Quebec can access free technical support related to wood design and construction through the market-leading resource program, Cecobois. The CWC is pleased to provide support further expand the use of wood in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings throughout the rest of Canada through its WoodWorks program.
In Kelowna, British Columbia’s evolving industrial north end, The Exchange stands as a forward-thinking demonstration of what’s possible when architectural ambition meets technical precision. Designed and developed by Faction Architecture and Faction Projects, the building blends mass timber with conventional materials in a hybrid system that highlights both structural performance and environmental responsibility.
At the heart of the structural system is nail-laminated timber (NLT), used for both floor and roof assemblies. NLT is a mass timber product formed by mechanically fastening dimensional lumber together to create solid panels—an approach well-suited to exposed timber applications that value durability, texture, and straightforward fabrication. For this project, the team fabricated the panels in-house using locally sourced materials and trades. While this gave them greater control over cost and scheduling, it also introduced design and compliance challenges.
The team opted for a fluted NLT profile to enhance visual appeal and improve acoustic performance. Because the panel design differed from prescriptive norms, it required approval as an alternative solution under the BC Building Code. Extensive analysis was conducted to demonstrate compliance with fire-resistance, vibration, and load-bearing requirements. Informed by existing NLT fire test data, the design team minimized voids between laminations to enhance charring behaviour and performed physical load testing at Okanagan College to confirm strength and stiffness performance.
Complementing the NLT panels is a glulam post-and-beam system that forms the substructure, supported by concrete elevator and stair cores. Together, these elements support a program that includes retail and light industrial space at grade, with two to three storeys of open-plan office space above. A rooftop patio offers sweeping views, reinforcing the project’s appeal to creative businesses and environmentally conscious tenants.
The Exchange also showcases a thoughtful approach to the building envelope, a key factor in achieving Step 3 of the BC Energy Step Code—the highest step currently applicable to non-residential buildings in the region. The high-performance envelope includes a combination of weathering steel and corrugated metal cladding, high-performance glass windows, semi-rigid exterior insulation, breathable weather barrier, plywood sheathing, lumber studs, batt insulation, gypsum board and a polyethylene vapour barrier. The light-frame wood walls contribute to envelope performance in two important ways: 1) wood has lower thermal conductivity than other materials, so thermal bridging is dramatically reduced, and 2) the stud wall configuration allowed for thicker insulation in the cavities between studs.
This integrated approach—combining exposed timber construction, envelope efficiency, and locally supported fabrication—enabled the project team to deliver a space that performs as well technically as it does aesthetically. And with over 90% of the leasable area spoken for at completion, it’s clear that tenants are responding to both the look and the logic of the building.
The Exchange sets a precedent for accessible mass timber construction in smaller markets, particularly in contexts where a streamlined fabrication process and strong design-control loop can help close the gap between sustainable ambition and budgetary constraints.
As Faction Projects continues work on the remaining phases of the development, The Exchange stands as both a technical prototype and a commercial success—proof that high-performance, low-carbon construction can be as practical as it is inspiring.
To ensure that the financial investment of a construction project can be protected in the event of unexpected circumstances and project derailment, builders are required to obtain Builder’s Risk Insurance, also known as “Course of Construction” insurance.
In Canada, timber construction is utilized primarily in the residential market, with notable applications in low-rise industrial, institutional, and commercial buildings. The insurance rates for timber, classified as combustible construction, are generally much higher than that of non-combustible alternatives. Since timber applications have been consistent in the aforementioned markets, the associated insurance has not been substantial relative to overall project budget. However, with recent code changes and advancements in mass timber products, we can build larger and taller with timber than ever before, leading to changes in insurance rates as well.
The methodology for determining insurance rates for taller wood buildings is similar to that of low-rise builds. Combine that with the relatively new nature of these building typologies and the nuances of a stressed insurance market, we are seeing policies that are becoming a significant cost of the overall project budget.
This document is intended to support your timber builds by outlining practical steps to ensure that your application for insurance is favourable, and that your project is maximizing the potential to mitigate risk. Developed with the input of insurance stakeholders, we are confident that this insider insight will increase the success of your project.
There is much to learn from the resilient and adaptable warehouse buildings that line the streets of Canada’s historic manufacturing districts. ‘Historical Tall-Wood Toronto’ is an evidentiary database of late 19th and early 20th century vernacular brick and beam buildings that were built using the fire restrictive specifications and construction technology of Heavy Timber Mill-Construction (mill-construction) in Toronto.
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...
In addition to combustible, heavy timber and noncombustible construction, a new construction type is presently being considered for inclusion into the National Building Code...
The R-Town V6 pilot project is the first 6-storey, mixed-use, multi-unit residential building developed in Ontario that fully employs mass timber as the main structural...
June 13, 2024 (Ottawa)– Earlier today, The Transition Accelerator unveiled The Mass Timber Roadmap at the Press Conference Room in the West Block on Parliament Hill. The...
The Mass Timber Demonstration Fire Test Program (MTDFTP) included two series of experiments: the pilot scale demonstration tests in summer 2021 in Richmond, BC [1] and the...
This case study examines the design and construction of two elementary schools in Vancouver, British Columbia in which mass timber was chosen as the primary construction...
Tall Wood Feasibility Study: Mass Timber and Concrete explores the economic, construction, and environmental performance of a proposed 12-storey residential development in...
This issue of Wood Design & Building explores how intentional design can carry culture, support community, and foster connection. The projects featured here demonstrate...
Discover the world’s first 10-storey exposed mass timber academic tower at George Brown College. This landmark project proves that sustainable, innovative, and...
Every issue of Wood Design & Building tells a different story about how wood is shaping contemporary construction. Some editions revolve around a clear theme such as our...
The Nordic X-Lam Technical Guide is a comprehensive technical resource for architects, engineers, and construction professionals designing with cross-laminated timber (CLT)...
The Nordic Structures LAM+™ Technical Guide is a comprehensive reference for designers, engineers, and builders working with LAM+™ mass timber floor and roof systems....
