Tall wood buildings on government's agenda

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli’s Bill 19, will be up for Second Reading debate tomorrow afternoon in the Ontario Legislature.

The Ontario Forestry Revitalization Act would amend the Ontario Building Code to allow for wood frame construction to be used in mid-rise buildings up to 14 stories. In 2015, Ontario made changes to its Building Code related to the use of wood-frame construction in mid-rise construction of up to six stories.

Meanwhile, the government is touting what it calls the new Mass Timber Program as part of Ontario's Climate Change Action Plan. 

The use of wood in infrastructure can help address climate change by storing carbon in buildings and by avoiding greenhouse gas pollution associated with other carbon-intensive materials.

In addition to environmental benefits, mass timber structures will have lower building costs due to quicker construction times, while maintaining fire safety standards.

Ontario's Mass Timber Program has been developed to promote the use of wood in taller buildings by:

• Providing funding for research and development of innovative wood products,
• Funding post-secondary education institutions to provide skills development and technical training and to create tools relating to using wood in construction
• Supporting the establishment of a tall wood research institute in Ontario, in partnership with researchers, universities, and colleges.
• Demonstrating the successful use of mass timber in design, construction, and the fire safety of taller wooden buildings (seven stories and higher) including four tall wood demonstration projects.

Mass timber refers to large engineered wood products, including wood panels, beams, and columns, used in the structural systems of high or mid-rise buildings.