Vancouver/Surrey/Abbotsford – Thirteen B.C. communities are leading the nation as they adopt innovative and safe mass timber technology for taller wood buildings that are faster to build, better for the environment and create new jobs and opportunities for forest communities in the province.
“Building with B.C. wood is good for people, communities, our economy and our climate. It will create thousands of jobs, reduce carbon pollution and support forest-dependent communities,” said Premier John Horgan. “These 13 communities will help us get there faster.”
The following communities, and the University of British Columbia, have signed on to become early adopters to bring mass timber technology for buildings up to 12 storeys:
* City of North Vancouver;
* Township of Langley;
* Colwood;
* Surrey;
* Abbotsford;
* Campbell River;
* Langford;
* Richmond;
* Kelowna;
* Mission;
* Victoria; and
* Saanich.
These communities represent 35% of all housing starts in 2018 in B.C.
“The City of Abbotsford is extremely pleased to be an early adopter of mass timber for construction,” said Henry Braun, mayor of Abbotsford. “Abbotsford continues to break records year over year in new construction starts, making increased adoption of mass timber an exciting opportunity for our community.”
A 12-storey mass timber development proposal in Victoria, which also includes affordable homes, will deliver much-needed housing quicker. As the mass timber components are prefabricated off-site and can be put in place quickly, the community will also benefit from reduced traffic to the construction site and reduced noise during construction.
Forest communities throughout B.C. will see economic benefits of increased production from B.C.’s mass timber manufacturers as they develop value-added timber products and revitalize this cornerstone industry. As part of the government’s Wood First Program, this initiative will benefit forest-dependent communities by helping diversify markets for B.C. wood, both at home and abroad.
Abbotsford-based StructureCraft engineers and builds mass timber structures, manufacturing and prefabricating timber products using wood from B.C., including beetle-kill wood. The jobs created through its expanded operations are helping both the local economy and creating opportunities throughout the province.
“We are being approached by developers and architects from all over North America pursuing mass timber for projects that would traditionally be built with steel and concrete,” said Gerald Epp, president, StructureCraft. “And a lot of the wood fibre for this is coming from B.C.”
To be eligible to sign on as early adopters, local governments currently regulated under the BC Building Code need to have:
* support from their city council and the planning, building and fire departments;
* Level 3 certified building officials; and
* land use bylaws for buildings higher than six storeys.
There will be further opportunities for other interested communities to get onboard.
