After becoming the first province in Canada to permit mass timber buildings of up to 12 storeys, BC has announced increased funding to further research.
On Wednesday, the provincial government allocated $4.2-million for a dozen mass timber projects across BC to help advance the technology.
The research will study mass timber’s fire performance, the costs relative to steel and concrete, and carbon benefits.
Some of the projects will include a Vancouver Island firehall with strict post-disaster requirements, an Indigenous health and culture centre and low-cost housing on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
“The face of construction is about to change in British Columbia through our government’s investments in mass timber,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.
“By encouraging greater use of mass timber, we are supporting jobs in research, design, engineering, construction and forestry using B.C. expertise and materials.”
In 2017, BC became home to the world's tallest hybrid mass-timber building when the Brock Commons at the University of British Columbia was completed.
