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Innovative Strategies for Light-Frame Mid-Rise Buildings in High-Seismic Regions presents a detailed design example and practical guidance for engineers and builders responding to rising seismic demands on Canada’s West Coast. With the 2020 National Building Code of Canada significantly increasing seismic forces—particularly in Vancouver and Vancouver Island—conventional light-wood-frame (dimensional lumber) shearwall systems often no longer meet code requirements without costly additions.
This guide, prepared by WHM Structural Engineers for WoodWorks BC and the Canadian Wood Council, explores two high-capacity shearwall solutions: Mid+Std walls, a code-compliant adaptation of Midply construction that achieves roughly 50% greater capacity than standard walls without increasing wall length, and Double Nail walls, a research-based approach using double rows of edge nails to match Mid+Std strength. Combined with lightweight floor topping strategies, these systems enable six-storey light-frame buildings to remain viable and cost-competitive even on poor soils and in the highest seismic regions.
Cost analysis shows Mid+Std walls incur about a 30% framing cost increase over baseline, while Double Nail walls add about 20%, both more economical than doubling corridor wall lines. The publication includes complete design calculations, construction considerations, and conceptual connection details to help practitioners implement these strategies confidently.
This resource equips designers, contractors, and owners with practical, innovative approaches to maintain the competitiveness of light-frame wood construction while meeting the stringent seismic requirements of the latest building codes.
Industrialized offsite construction, also known as prefabricated or modular construction, is a construction method where building materials and components are manufactured and assembled offsite in factories before being transported to the project site for the final assembly. This approach can improve efficiency, reduce cost, and enhance quality compared to the traditional onsite construction. Industrialized offsite construction results from the reality of labour shortages, as well as the desire to automate manufacturing processes and shorten delivery schedules.
As the construction industry evolves and processes are becoming automated, FPInnovations has been working on industrialized offsite construction for the last decade to ensure that the Canadian wood industry maintains its competitiveness. Guided by a comprehensive roadmap developed by FPInnovations and its partners in 2019 to identify the knowledge gaps, FPInnovations accelerated in the past five years to address the impacts of manufacturing and construction changes across the value chain.
Inside the guide
This in-depth guide on offsite wood construction includes chapters on the following topics:
September 15, 2025, Ottawa, ON: The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) welcomes the federal government’s launch of the Build Canada Homes (BCH) agency, announced yesterday by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Backed by a robust $13 billion investment and a plan to allocate federally owned lands for development, BCH will fast-track the delivery of affordable, sustainable housing nationwide.
“This commitment to factory-built housing and prefabricated building components, including both mass timber and light wood frame systems, directly supports the architects, engineers, and builders we work with every day. It enables them to rapidly deploy quality homes at scale, while meeting Canada’s sustainability and affordability goals,” said Rick Jeffery, President and CEO of CWC.
“We’re especially encouraged by BCH’s plan to adopt a ‘Buy Canadian’ policy and streamline permitting for bulk projects.”
BCH’s first projects will be launched in Dartmouth, Longueuil, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Edmonton, with construction expected to begin next year. The agency will also work with the Nunavut Housing Corporation to deliver 700 homes, 30% of which will be built off-site and transported to Nunavut.
In advance of this announcement, the Canadian Wood Council (CWC) with Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) submitted recommendations to the BCH Market Sounding Guide highlighting how wood-based modern methods of construction (MMC)—including mass timber, light wood frame, and modular systems—can reduce build times by up to 50%, cut carbon emissions by 30–60%, and lower long-term operating costs.
The CWC and FPAC urges BCH to implement key recommendations from its submission, including:
The CWC stands ready to champion this effort and ensure design and construction professionals have the information and support they need to rapidly deploy the sustainable, affordable homes Canadians need.
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The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) is a leading force in advancing building codes and standards for wood construction, ensuring market access for Canadian wood products, and accelerating the adoption of sustainable, wood-based construction solutions in the marketplace. As a national federation of associations, the CWC serves as the unifying voice for our members, who represent hundreds of manufacturers across the country.
Ottawa, Ontario – September 9, 2025 — The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) is pleased to welcome BarrierTEK as a new national partner of its WoodWorks program. This collaboration aligns two organizations committed to supporting safe, innovative, and low-carbon construction practices across Canada through education, technical excellence, and strategic market development.
As the construction sector responds to climate imperatives, shifting societal expectations, and progressive building codes, the role of wood in the built environment continues to expand. By combining traditional wood systems with value-added solutions like fire-retardant treatments, project teams can expand the application of wood in diverse building types without compromising performance or design flexibility. This partnership will help raise awareness of the full range of tools and technologies available to support safe, code-compliant wood construction while reinforcing wood’s reputation as a versatile, safe, high-performance building material.
“WoodWorks is proud to collaborate with BarrierTEK to help build industry knowledge and confidence in the proven fire performance of wood construction,” says Martin Richard, Vice President of Market Development and Communications at the Canadian Wood Council. “This partnership supports our broader goal of advancing wood use in all forms by equipping professionals with practical, performance-based solutions.”
“At BarrierTEK, our mission has always been to make fire safety more accessible without compromising the sustainability or affordability of wood construction,” says Ewan Davie, VP Sales at BarrierTEK. “Working alongside WoodWorks allows us to contribute to the national conversation on wood construction and demonstrate how innovation in fireperformance can enhance—not limit—wood’s role in shaping modern construction practices.”
Through shared outreach, resource development, and technical education across the country, this national partnership aims to equip architects, builders, and developers with the knowledge they need to confidently design and build with wood.
About the Canadian Wood Council
The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) is Canada’s unifying voice for the wood products industry. As a national federation of associations, our members represent hundreds of manufacturers across the country. Our mission is to support our members by accelerating market demand for wood products and championing responsible leadership through excellence in codes, standards, and regulations. We also deliver technical support and knowledge transfer for the construction sector through our market leading WoodWorks program.
About the National WoodWorks Program
The Canadian Wood Council’s WoodWorks Program a national outreach initiative dedicated to advancing the use of wood in construction by providing educational opportunities and direct technical support. The program helps architects, engineers, developers and other industry professionals expand their capacity for wood design and construction, contributing to a more sustainable built environment.
About BarrierTEK
BarrierTEK is a Canadian company based near Edmonton, Alberta, at the forefront of enhanced fire performance of wood construction since 2010. Their team of chemists, engineers, and researchers collaborates with builders, code officials, and fire prevention authorities to develop cost-effective, non-toxic, factory-applied fire-retardant treatments for dimensional lumber, I-joists, OSB/plywood panels, attic trusses, and sheathing. These solutions meet or exceed Canadian and NFPA fire safety standards—while being LEED‑compliant and compatible with conventional construction processes—and are designed to reduce the risk and severity of high‑intensity fires in both single‑family and multi‑family wood buildings, delivering measurable benefits like lower insurance premiums and enhanced community safety.
The Canadian Wood Council partnered with federal and provincial governments and organizations, as well as key experts, to conduct a series of five fire research burns on a full-scale mass timber structure in Ottawa. The five tests occurred in June 2022. The project supports market acceptance of tall and large mass timber buildings in Canada and encourages the construction of buildings that include mass timber.
With the most certified sustainable forests in the world, Canada is a champion of sustainable forest management and in a position to solidify our global leadership in the bioeconomy and forest sector by advancing mass timber adoption. Mass timber is revolutionizing the building industry as a renewable, nature-based construction material. Recognizing mass timber’s vital role in achieving a low carbon, built environment, the Canadian Wood Council and its partners are dedicated to advancing its adoption.
Purpose
The project was designed to support market acceptance of tall and large mass timber buildings in Canada and encourage the construction of buildings that include mass timber. By designing and executing a series of demonstration fire research tests on a full-scale mass timber structure, and collecting data from tests, the project:
Objectives
While there is evidence, research, and case studies that demonstrate the comparable, safety and performance of mass timber construction compared to construction using conventional materials like steel and concrete, misconceptions still circulate. By designing and executing a series of demonstration fire research burns on a full-scale mass timber structure, and collecting data from these burns, our objective was to:
Targeted Audiences
Various key stakeholders within the construction sector need to be educated through science-based tests that mass timber building systems can be designed to provide a safe building environment when subjected to fire. The key groups targeted by the project include, but are not limited to:
Funders & Stakeholders
Full Scale Fire Testing and Research
The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) provided support for the technical work and science-based fire tests, as part of its research to inform the advancement of safe and innovative solutions across Canada’s construction industry.
Key Consultants & Contractors
Key Suppliers & Manufacturers
Five mass timber product manufacturers supplied the mass timber materials:
Several key material suppliers also supported the program:
The structure for the Ottawa Fire Test was built by Timmerman Timberworks Inc.
Ottawa, ON — September 4, 2025 — The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) and the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to accelerate the adoption of steel-timber hybrid structural solutions in Canada.
Steel-timber hybrid construction is emerging as a sustainable and efficient approach to modern building design. By combining the strength and durability of steel with the renewable, low-carbon benefits of wood, hybrid systems—such as steel-timber composite floors—can deliver superior structural performance, improved cost efficiency, and faster construction timelines. These benefits are particularly valuable for larger and taller buildings where structural demands are greatest.
To advance this opportunity, CWC and CISC have established a joint Technical Steering Committee. This committee will oversee the strategic use of funds contributed by both organizations to maximize industry impact. Its primary mandate is to support designers, engineers, and builders by developing technical guidance, best practices, and publications that will enable practical, code-compliant solutions for hybrid systems.
“By working together, we aim to provide the industry with the resources it needs to deliver innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable building solutions,” said Robert Jonkman, Vice-President, Engineering, Canadian Wood Council.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing construction practices that meet today’s affordability and performance challenges,” added Logan Callele, Director of Engineering, Canadian Institute of Steel Construction.
Further details on upcoming resources, publications, and industry engagement opportunities will be shared in the coming months.
For more information, visit: www.cwc.ca
For media inquiries, please contact:
Martin Richard,
VP, Communications and Market Development
Canadian Wood Council
[email protected] | 1-613-725-4339
About the Canadian Wood Council (CWC)
The Canadian Wood Council is the national association representing manufacturers of Canadian wood products used in construction. Through technical expertise, market development, and education, CWC promotes the responsible use of wood, advancing building practices that are innovative, sustainable, and aligned with Canada’s climate goals.
About the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC)
The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction is the national industry organization representing the structural steel, open web steel joist, and steel plate fabrication industries. CISC works to advance the use of steel in construction through advocacy, education, research, and the development of design and construction resources.
This comprehensive course package provides educators with a ready-to-use framework for teaching structural wood design, aligned with CSA O86 and the Wood Design Manual. Suitable for advanced undergraduate or graduate engineering students, the materials include:
These teaching materials were developed byDr. Niel Van Engelen with partial funding support from the Canadian Wood Council. The content is provided free of charge for teaching and educational purposes only. Any commercial use, redistribution, or modification outside of academic teaching is strictly prohibited.
When using these resources in any context that requires citation, please use the format below.
Author(s). (Year). Title of module [Teaching Module]. Funded and published by the Canadian Wood Council.
This comprehensive pedagogical resource presents two detailed mass timber projects, developed to support educators in teaching advanced wood construction concepts.
The first project is a 3-storey mass timber office building featuring a Glulam post-and-beam main structural system supporting CLT floor and roof panels. The case study includes extensive engineering calculations for the primary structure, detailed analyses and design of CLT shear walls, and full calculations for all major connections. Sample construction documents are provided at the end of the case study, offering practical examples of how the design can be implemented. The resource is complemented by a fully detailed architectural and structural Revit model, providing a complete digital representation of the project. An accompanying Design Example illustrates practical applications of the design principles, helping students connect theoretical concepts with real-world practice.
The second component focuses on timber highway bridge design. Key reference materials include Wood Highway Bridges (CWC), the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code 2014 (CHBDC), CAN/CSA O86-14, and the Ontario Wood Bridge Reference Guide. The material covers wood bridge systems—including decks, superstructures, and substructures—with examples from Canada, the United States, and Europe demonstrating a variety of timber bridge types and designs. Durability considerations are emphasized, including protective roofing, preservative treatments, moisture control, proper detailing for drainage and airflow, and the use of corrosion-resistant connectors. A detailed design example of an 18 m single-span vehicular bridge is included, featuring transverse glulam deck panels on glulam girders. Structural analyses for deck panels and girders, stiffener beams, diaphragms, and major connections are provided, with calculations and code-based design methods aligned with CHBDC standards.
Together, these projects provide educators with a robust, ready-to-use teaching package that integrates theoretical knowledge, engineering calculations, construction documentation, and digital modeling. The resource supports instruction in both building and bridge mass timber systems, allowing students to explore structural design, durability, load transfer, and practical implementation in real-world contexts. It is intended to facilitate comprehensive learning in wood construction, bridging the gap between classroom theory and professional practice.
These teaching materials were developed by the Canadian Wood Council. The content is provided free of charge for teaching and educational purposes only. Any commercial use, redistribution, or modification outside of academic teaching is strictly prohibited.
When using these resources in any context that requires citation, please use the format below.
Author(s). (Year). Title of module [Teaching Module]. Funded and published by the Canadian Wood Council.
This 8-lecture module provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles of thermodynamics and hydrodynamics as they apply to wood buildings. It equips students with a foundational understanding of building science, emphasizing the critical role of energy efficiency, air tightness, and moisture control in modern construction.
The module addresses the evolving demands of taller and larger wood buildings and highlights the impact of prefabrication on envelope assemblies and modern manufacturing methods. Content is specifically aligned with NBCC Divisions 5 and 9, ensuring relevance to structural and enclosure design standards. The package includes lecture slide deck; instructor lecture notes; and sample questions for assessment.
This resource is designed for architectural design educators aiming to deepen knowledge for their students in high-performance wood building envelopes and contemporary construction strategies.
These teaching materials were developed by Scius Advisory and BIM One with funding support from the Canadian Wood Council. The content is provided free of charge for teaching and educational purposes only. Any commercial use, redistribution, or modification outside of academic teaching is strictly prohibited.
When using these resources in any context that requires citation, please use the format below.
Author(s). (Year). Title of module [Teaching Module]. Funded and published by the Canadian Wood Council.
This module provides an introduction to wood prefabrication, exploring its various levels and methods to give students a fundamental understanding of the advantages, disadvantages, and market factors that influence its successful implementation. Designed for students in structural engineering or related disciplines, the module can be delivered flexibly as four blocks of 90–120 minutes, two blocks of 3–4 hours, or a single full-day session.
These teaching materials were developed by Scius Advisory and BIM One with funding support from the Canadian Wood Council. The content is provided free of charge for teaching and educational purposes only. Any commercial use, redistribution, or modification outside of academic teaching is strictly prohibited.
When using these resources in any context that requires citation, please use the format below.
Author(s). (Year). Title of module [Teaching Module]. Funded and published by the Canadian Wood Council.
This resource provides educators with an accessible introduction to Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the context of wood construction. It explains core BIM concepts, outlines the implications of adopting BIM, and demonstrates its value for efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. The guide serves as a clear starting point for teaching BIM practices to students in architecture and engineering, with practical examples to support classroom discussion.
These teaching materials were developed by Scius Advisory and BIM One with funding support from the Canadian Wood Council. The content is provided free of charge for teaching and educational purposes only. Any commercial use, redistribution, or modification outside of academic teaching is strictly prohibited.
When using these resources in any context that requires citation, please use the format below.
Author(s). (Year). Title of module [Teaching Module]. Funded and published by the Canadian Wood Council.
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