Imagine if we embraced wood as the primary solution for everything we are capable of building tall. As Canada and industry mobilize to scale our national housing stock under Build Canada Homes, I believe that the way we build in Canada is on the precipice of a pivotal moment.

Optimizing mass timber for multifamily residential construction — a key pillar of the federal housing plan — presents a tremendous opportunity to bolster our forestry and manufacturing economies while gaining on national targets for emission reductions. On top of delivering urgently needed housing, prioritizing Canadian mass timber is also regenerative for our communities, our economies and our planet.

Over a career spanning four decades in architecture, engineering, and sustainable design, I’ve witnessed firsthand the influence of policy and regulatory frameworks on driving — or slowing — the use of “novel” building materials and practices.

Having received Royal Assent in 2009, British Columbia’s Wood First Act was enacted to promote the use of wood in provincially funded buildings — a prime example of legislation that strengthened the provincial forestry industry and heavily influenced mass timber adoption across the province. By providing unprecedented funding and support for innovative construction methods and the use of Canadian construction materials under Build Canada Homes, the government is effectively aligning with and accelerating this trend.