In a historic move, the House of Commons unanimously approved Bill S-222, championed by MP Richard Cannings from South Okanagan-West Kootenay, British Columbia. This legislation promotes the use of wood-based construction materials to reduce carbon emissions and bolster sustainability.

The resounding 326-0 vote signifies widespread consensus across Canada’s political landscape to embrace wood as a primary building material. This development allows Canada to follow the footsteps of environmental stewards, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland, as an environmentally responsible leader.

While concrete and steel will continue to be significant, Bill S-222 emphasizes the importance of considering wood at the forefront of construction design and procurement decisions. This approach enables climate resiliency and a reduced carbon footprint, harnessing Canada’s abundant, renewable wood resources while supporting domestic jobs and economic self-sufficiency. With Indigenous communities directly managing 10 per cent of Canada’s wood supply, it also fosters economic reconciliation.

There are now some 800 mass timber projects in Canada, either completed or underway, with hundreds more under consideration or in design development across the country.  They address both environmental concerns and the pressing housing crisis. The country faces a need for more 9 million affordable housing units by 2030, and the forest sector can provide efficient, cost-effective, and climate-resilient solutions. Wood products, especially mass timber, offer precision manufacturing, modularity, and prefabrication, reducing construction time and labour costs, which are crucial for addressing housing shortages.

Contrary to misconceptions, mass timber buildings demonstrate excellent resistance to fires and earthquakes, enhancing safety in disaster-prone regions.