Canada and Quebec Invest in Sustainable Wood Construction

OTTAWA, ON, March 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, along with the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests of Quebec, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, announced a joint contribution of over $8.5 million for four projects that will promote green construction in Quebec, including the use of low-carbon Canadian wood to accelerate new building projects. The Government of Canada is investing more than $4.7 million, while the Government of Quebec is contributing $3.83 million.

The funding announced today includes:

• $1 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program and $1.33 million from the Programme d'innovation en construction bois of Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. The project will:
  • Develop a four-storey, 20-unit residential mass timber building using prefabrication and modular construction techniques.
  • Demonstrate how we can deliver affordable housing using innovative wood-based products and technologies, including in remote communities and regions.
• An additional $2 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from NRCan's Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and $2.5 million from the Programme Innovation Bois of Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. This project will:
  • Modernize production processes of finger-jointed lumber, glue-laminated, I-joists and cross-laminated timber through the innovative use of artificial intelligence.
  • Support a strong Canadian supply of value-added advanced wood construction products. 
• $500,000 for Samcon Stanley Properties from NRCan's Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program. This project will:
  • Develop the design for a 21-storey multi-unit residential building built from mass timber.
  • Provide crucial data and insights into the feasibility of taller mass timber structures.
• $1.2 million for the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi from NRCan's Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program. This project will:
  • Build a two-storey low-rise community building with wood building technology.
  • Ensure that the building's shape and design preserve the historical culture of the Cree First Nation.

Through these investments, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are further accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge residential construction technologies to drive down costs and help the industry access the made-in-Canada products it needs to build more homes for Canadians.

Quotes

"Developing new markets for Canadian timber not only supports forestry workers and creates jobs but also helps us achieve other goals — including more housing and lower emissions. By promoting the use of Canadian wood in construction, the Government of Canada is strengthening communities and local economies in Quebec without cutting corners on the environment."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

"Canada is facing a housing shortage. We need to build more — millions more. That's exactly what we're doing through Canada's Housing Plan, which will unlock over 3.8 million new homes by 2031. But we also have a unique opportunity to build more energy-efficient, resilient and low-emission housing — reducing costs for families and pollution for future generations. That's why our government has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners make their homes more energy-efficient. Today's investment will enable the Province of Quebec to deliver affordable housing using innovative wood-based products and technologies. Through these partnerships, we are strengthening Canada's economy while building a more sustainable forestry sector."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant 

"The Government of Quebec is proud to support Les Chantiers Chibougamau in the construction of a mass timber modular building as part of the Wood Construction Innovation Program. Since wood is a renewable and recyclable resource, its use in construction is an effective way to reduce GHG emissions, especially when it replaces materials with a higher carbon footprint. We are also supporting the development of an intelligent operations management system through the Wood Innovation Program. These investments will boost the forestry sector by enabling companies to be even more competitive in the market benefiting all of Quebec!" 

Maïté Blanchette Vézina
Minister of Natural Resources and Forests of Quebec 

"The fight against climate change and the critical contribution of wood materials to this chapter require new ways of doing things. The same is true of the economic context that drives the increased processing of softwood lumber. Going beyond the norm, both in construction systems and factories, results in financial pressure and risk taking for us. This is why the government's support is essential in motivating us to invest now, and the outcomes are convincing." 

Frédéric Verreault
Vice-president, Corporate Affairs, Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée

"Designed based on historical elements by local Elders, the new commercial building located in the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi marks a significant move forward in the realization of the forest-to-form cycle in the Eeyou Itschee. The wood for the building was sourced from trees managed and harvested by Cree enterprises, then manufactured into advanced-engineered CLT and glue-laminated structural members. Constructed on budget and with marked construction efficiency by a local Cree construction company, the building is a true showpiece of the community. The intended purposes of the building are a grocery store on the main level, which will have a measured positive impact on the food quality and security within the community, and an upper floor with office space for local development corporation as well as other regional entities. We would like to expressly thank the NRCan GCWood team for their commitment to this project, and for allowing us the opportunity to demonstrate the cost, time and ecological value of building with wood." 

Tony Gull
CEO, Mishtuk Corporation 

Quick Facts

• The Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building technologies in construction projects. It supports Canada's commitment to reach 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement and advance long-term priorities regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. GCWood has invested in six projects in the province of Quebec. GCWood invests in wood construction projects that generate many benefits, including:
  • reduced GHG emissions from renewable and sustainable resources that help decarbonize the built environment;
  • accelerated adoption of innovative building technologies and systems;
  • updated building codes that allow for taller and larger wood buildings; and
  • affordable housing and community infrastructure.
• The Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) aims to bridge the gap between development and commercialization of innovative, low-carbon and higher-value forest products. IFIT has invested in 31 projects in the province of Quebec. IFIT projects include those that contribute to:
  • the decarbonization of industrial processes;
  • the efficient use of resources that generates more value from the same amount of wood; and
  • the integration of technologies leading to greater energy efficiency.
• Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forest's Programme d'innovation en construction bois was launched in 2021. The program provides financial support to businesses and organizations that integrate innovative wood materials in commercial and multi-residential construction and major renovation projects. The program is funded under the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy and is part of the Politique d'intégration du bois en construction. 
• Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forest's Programme Innovation Bois was launched in 2016. It provides financial support for innovative forest product processing projects while encouraging the processing of lower-quality wood. 

Associated Links

• The Canada Green Buildings Strategy: Transforming Canada's buildings sector for a net-zero and resilient future
• Green Construction through Wood Program
• Forest Innovation Program
• Investments in Forest Industry Transformation
• Sustainable Jobs Plan
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• 2030 Plan for a Green Economy
• Politique d'intégration du bois en construction (available in French only)
• Programme d'innovation en construction bois (available in French only)
• Programme Innovation Bois (available in French only)
• Les Chantiers Chibougamau
• Samcon Stanley Properties
• The Cree First Nation of Waswanipi

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada