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Hem-Fir, lumber grades, NLGA, Structural Engineering, Wood Design

Featured Content, Structural Design and Engineering, Wood Products

Updates to Hem-Fir (N) design values for dimension lumber

The Canadian Wood Council is proud to share the National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA) latest updates to the design values for Hem-Fir (N) dimension lumber, effective April 1, 2025. These changes result from a routine reassessment of strength and stiffness properties, ensuring Hem-Fir (N) continues to meet structural performance expectations.

Key Points:

Minimal Practical Impact: The updated design values should not result in significant changes to the practical use of Hem-Fir (N) in most applications, maintaining continuity for builders, designers, and engineers.

Consistent Performance: Hem-Fir (N) remains a trusted and dependable choice for residential and commercial construction, with values that closely align with previous standards.

No Impact on Existing Construction: Structures built under previous building codes remain compliant.

The updates are reflected in the NLGA Standard Grading Rules for Canadian Lumber, CSA O86 – Engineering Design in Wood, and the National Design Specification® (NDS®) Supplement for Wood Construction.

For additional details, including specific design value changes, affected lumber grades, and implementation considerations, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for Canada or the USA.

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Canadian Market

U.S. Market

British Columbia, federal governemnt

Featured Content, News

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.

View the announcement from Natural Resources Canada here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2025/03/canada-announces-support-for-british-columbias-forest-sector.html https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2025/03/canada-announces-support-for-british-columbias-forest-sector.html

Quebec

Featured Content

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.

View the announcement from Natural Resources Canada here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2025/03/canada-and-quebec-invest-in-sustainable-wood-construction.html

federal governemnt, Mass Timber

Featured Content, News

Canadian Wood Council Applauds Federal Investment in Nova Scotia’s Mass Timber Industry

OTTAWA, ON, 21 MAR 2025 – The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) applauds the Government of Canada’s strategic investment in Nova Scotia’s mass timber sector, recognizing its role in advancing low-carbon construction, economic growth, and job creation.

This funding will accelerate the fabrication of high-value mass timber components from undervalued eastern spruce, unlocking new opportunities for Canada’s forest sector and expanding the use of advanced wood materials in construction. By supporting the production of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glulam in Nova Scotia, this investment strengthens supply chains, creates skilled jobs in the region, and enhances the competitiveness of low-carbon building solutions across Canada.

Mass timber is increasingly recognized as a proven strategy for the rapid construction of much-needed housing and other critical infrastructure. Its benefits extend across multi-residential and commercial buildings, offering a scalable, efficient, and sustainable approach to modern construction.

Canada’s forest sector is well-positioned to meet the growing domestic demand for sustainable construction materials. This investment will drive innovation in mass timber manufacturing, creating economic opportunities in Nova Scotia while enhancing Canada’s capacity to produce and supply mass timber products nationwide. Expanding domestic production advances low-carbon building solutions and strengthens Canada’s wood manufacturing sector.

The CWC applauds this commitment to fostering a resilient and competitive mass timber industry in Atlantic Canada. Through our WoodWorks technical program, we look forward to supporting construction professionals with the knowledge and resources they need to integrate mass timber into more projects across the country.

View the announcement from Natural Resources Canada here: https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2025/03/canada-invests-in-nova-scotias-local-mass-timber-industry.html

Featured Content, Why Wood (FAQ)

Treatment during engineered wood product manufacture

Some engineered wood panel products, such as plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are able to be treated after manufacture with preservative solutions, whereas thin strand based products (OSB, OSL) and small particulate and fibre-based panels (particleboard, MDF) are not. The preservatives must be added to the wood elements before they are bonded together, either as a spray on, mist or powder.

Products such as OSB are manufactured from small, thin strands of wood. Powdered preservatives can be mixed in with the strands and resins during the blending process just prior to mat forming and pressing. Zinc borate is commonly used in this application. By adding preservatives to the manufacturing process it’s possible to obtain uniform treatment throughout the thickness of the product.

In North America, plywood is normally protected against decay and termites by pressure treatment processes. However, in other parts of the world insecticides are often formulated with adhesives to protect plywood against termites.

building code, CWC, lateral bracing, structural design, Structural Engineering, Wood-Frame Housing

Lateral Bracing Requirements – Part 9 of the BC Building Code 2024

Purpose:
This publication provides detailed guidance on the BC Building Code 2024 requirements for lateral bracing in Part 9 wood-frame houses. It explains the building material requirements and construction methods necessary to ensure houses are safe and resilient against seismic and wind loads.

Impact:
This illustrated guide aims to help designers and builders in British Columbia understand and implement the updated Code requirements for lateral bracing. By doing so, it enhances the structural integrity of houses, ensuring they are better protected against environmental hazards, especially earthquakes.

Partners:
Canadian Wood Council, National Research Council, The Province of B.C., University of Ottawa

Sizer Course

Course Overview

The Sizer Course provides an in-depth introduction to the WoodWorks Sizer Program, a powerful tool for designing and analyzing structural elements such as beams, columns, and shearwalls. The course covers key features, including bearing design, cross-laminated timber (CLT) analysis, load input, lateral support considerations, and Concept Mode for preliminary structural modeling.

You will explore how the program optimizes designs by automatically generating load patterns, checking compliance with building codes, and refining structural elements for improved performance.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Design and analyze structural elements using the WoodWorks Sizer Program, including beams, columns, and CLT panels, while considering material selection, loading conditions, and code compliance.
Evaluate load distribution and structural stability by applying Sizer’s automated features for pattern loading, lateral support analysis, and fire resistance adjustments.
Optimize structural designs through Concept Mode and detailed element analysis, ensuring efficient material use, proper load transfer, and adherence to engineering best practices.

Course Structure

This course consists of six (6) lessons. Each lesson is comprised of a lesson overview, learning outcomes, instructional videos, assessment questions and an assignment. Through these elements, you will gain practical experience in using the Sizer Woodworks Program for real-world applications.

Once you have completed all assessment questions and assignment submissions, a certificate of completion will be digitally awarded.

Time for Completion

This course is comprised of ten videos for a total run time of 67 minutes.

To complete the assessments in this course you can expect to spend ~ 100 minutes.

Program Download

In order to complete this course you will need to download a trial version of the Sizer Program.

Complete these steps to download the program:

Navigate to the program download page by clicking here.
Click on the “Download Now” button for the Sizer Program.
Locate and click on the download either in your browser or on your computer.
Follow the prompts provided by your computer to complete installation.

*Note: the trial version of the program is only valid for 10 days upon installation.

Webinar: Efficient Tall Wall Framing using Engineered Wood Products

Webinar: Diversify Your Structural Portfolio: Wood in Low-Rise Commercial Construction

Aspen Art Museum: Creating an Innovative Wood Structure

Course Overview

The Aspen Art Museum, designed by architect Shigeru Ban, includes a long-span three-dimensional wood space-frame roof. Ban’s charge was to create a wood space frame with spans of more than 50 feet and cantilevers of 14 feet, in a structural depth of 3 feet. The space frame was to have two planes of intersecting diagonal webs of curved members that undulated up and down to touch the planes of the top and bottom chords with no visible connectors. This case study presentation will describe the design and construction of the wood structure, including paths explored but not chosen for the final design.

Learning Objectives

Articulate the particular demands associated with creating a 3-dimensional space frame entirely in wood.
Recognize the advantages and disadvantages of several wood connection strategies in space-frame structures.
Be aware of manufacturing capabilities and limitations that influenced the design of the Aspen Art Museum roof structure.
Understand the importance of early engagement of manufacturing and engineering partners in the design process for innovative wood structures.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Gregory R. Kingsley, PhD, PE
President and CEO
KL&A Inc.

Gregory is the president and CEO of KL&A Inc., Structural Engineers and Builders in Golden, Colorado, a firm of 65 that includes structural engineers, steel detailers, and construction managers. He enjoys working with design architects on innovative structures, especially wood and steel.

Online Tools for Wood Construction

Course Overview

This course will cover two new free online tools developed by CWC: CodeCHEK and FRR & STC Tool.

CodeCHEK helps designers to determine if and when lightweight wood-frame, heavy timber, mass timber and/or encapsulated mass timber construction can be used, and to determine what are the applicable construction requirements related to fire safety.

FRR & STC (fire-resistance rating & sound transmission class) Tool helps designers in the determination of generic fire-resistance rating designs of lightweight wood-frame wall, floor, and roof assemblies using the Component Additive Method described in Appendix D of the NBC , which is referenced as an acceptable solution in Section 3.1 of the NBC and can be used for buildings permitted to be of combustible construction. In addition, the tool provides the sound transmission class (STC) value that is associated with each wall or floor assembly for which STC information is available.

Learning Objectives

Background on the height and area articles of the National Building Code.
Overview of new CodeCHEK tool.
Description of the component additive method from Appendix D of the National Building Code.
Overview of new FRR & STC (fire-resistance rating & sound transmission class) tool.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Marc Alam, Ph.D.
Manager – Codes and Standards, Fire
Canadian Wood Council

Marc Alam is a member of the Canadian Wood Council. As Manager, Codes and Standards in the fire division, Marc assists through participation in CWC’s building code and standards fire‐related initiatives and the development of CWC’s fire design tools, as well as code‐related fire research projects.

Insuring Timber Buildings: Best Practices for the Best Rates!

Course Overview

Recent code changes and advancements in timber products are allowing for larger and more complex buildings to be built in timber. These multi storey, complex buildings are comparable to steel and concrete in strength and durability and conform to all building codes. Although a relatively small portion of the overall project budget, the course of construction insurance for these projects tend to be much higher than the non-combustible alternative. This presentation will walk the attendee through the nuances of the insurance industry, and highlight the research that has taken place over the last 3 years to lower these rates. We will debunk many of the myths associated with timber construction that serve as roadblocks to desirable insurance rates. The best practices we will examine in this presentation could be instrumental in helping achieve a safe and insurable construction site.

Learning Objectives

Understand the insurance industry’s methods of assessing construction risk.
Identify the major risk factors associated with timber construction.
Identify construction site best practices.
Be prepared to submit a comprehensive package to apply for insurance.

Course Video

Speaker Bio

Timothy Buhler, BBA
Technical Manager
Canadian Wood Council

Born and raised in Northern Ontario, Tim is very aware of the importance of the forestry industry to Canadians.

Tim graduated from Nipissing University in 2006 and shortly after joined the Canadian Wood Council. Tim’s keen interest in sustainable construction and curbing climate change led him to pursue the role of technical manager within the Wood WORKS! Program. Over the last 14 years Tim’s experience and education has taken him across North America and Europe where he has engaged and learned from a variety of leading experts in the field. Tim has worked closely with industry and the design community to become a resource for all things related to timber construction.

As a technical manager with the Ontario team Tim continues to work diligently to promote timber construction has assisted with over 100 projects in Ontario ranging in size in scope from 1 to 35 (theoretical) stories.