Mass Timber Report Reveals a Large Number of Projects Reaching New Heights in Canada

A recent report produced by the Canadian federal government’s Green Construction Through Wood (GC Wood) program, “The State of Mass Timber Industry in Canada (SMTC) 2021”, shows just how far mass timber has come since the first two Canadian plants in Quebec and B.C. established cross-laminated timber production lines more than a decade ago. According to the SMTC, close to 500 mass timber projects were under construction or completed from 2007 to 2019 — a total of 16 million square feet. Domestic manufacturing has also increased with 21 facilities in operations by 2019.

According to Jeff Biggs, director of trade and international affairs, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the SMTC provides and overview of the rise of mass timber usage in Canada. Biggs points out the design possibilities for mass timber have grown and Canada’s status globally is “top rank.” “We have some really innovative, world-class architects and engineers that are in the leadership conversation globally…with mass timber,” he said. With 37 per cent of the world’s certified sustainable forests, which are harvested at less than one percent yearly and replanted to ensure a constant supply, Canada has good reason to be viewed as a global leader in the relatively new industry.