Woodrise 2025

Canada's Building and Forest Products Sectors

Canada: Diverse Forests & Culture of Wood

Light-frame wood and, increasingly, mass timber construction are used to build communities across Canada. Wood structures are everywhere, from single and multi-family homes to gathering spaces, healthcare, schools, and office buildings.

British Columbia: Forest-to-Frame

With advances in wood building systems, such as mass timber components, hybrid timber construction and mass timber systems, Canada is a leader in building taller with wood.

In Canada’s most western province, British Columbia (B.C.), where major cities are confined by ocean or lake and mountains, there is no choice but to build taller.

In the late 2000s, B.C. led North America by increasing the height from four to six storeys for light-frame wood building systems for residential construction. Developers quickly realized this wood-based system was the solution to providing reasonably priced and energy-efficient housing in the mid-rise market.

Remy in Richmond, B.C. was the first six-storey light-wood frame building to receive a building permit under the revised BC Building Code.

Matthew Bolt Photography, courtesy naturallywood.com

B.C.'s 5-6 storey segment saw a 12x square footage increase from 2008 (700 K) to 2022 (8.6 M).

Canada: Diverse Forests & Culture of Wood

Canada is home to some of the largest and most diverse forests in the world. With over one-third of the country covered in trees and a long history of managing our forests, Canadians strongly believe in building with wood. Light-frame wood and, increasingly, mass timber construction are used to build communities across Canada. Wood structures are everywhere, from single and multi-family homes to gathering spaces, healthcare, schools, and office buildings.

Using globally-agreed, science-based criteria and indicators, Canada continually evolves its forest management practices to address climate change, ecological resilience and forest health. Unlike most forests around the world, over 90% of Canadian forests are owned by its citizens. Incorporating Indigenous and local values and knowledge into forest management, restoration and conservation, Canada strengthens the resiliency and health of its forests and communities.

Canada forests

9%

of world’s forests

41%

of certified forests worldwide

0.3%

of global deforestation

In 2020, The University of British Columbia conducted a study comparing B.C. and Canada to seven other countries participating in the Montréal Process Criteria and Indicators. The peer-reviewed study found Canada is a global leader in sustainable forest management, with some of the world’s most stringent forest management legal and policy frameworks at national, provincial and local levels. Canada’s forest management and conservation approaches, including legal frameworks, management plans, forest inventories , community and stakeholder involvement) is one of the most advanced in the world.

British Columbia: Building up

In Canada’s most western province, British Columbia (B.C.), wood has been used for building homes and other structures for thousands of years. First Nations structures ranged from conical pit houses in the B.C. interior to coastal longhouses constructed using posts and beams. These traditional designs continue to inspire modern architecture.

Where major B.C. cities are confined by ocean, lakes, mountains and national borders, there is no choice but to build taller.

2008: B.C. led North America by increasing the height from four to six storeys for light-frame wood building systems for residential construction. Developers quickly realized this wood-based system was the solution to providing reasonably priced and energy-efficient housing in the mid-rise market.B.C.’s 5-6 storey segment saw a 12x square footage increase from 2008 to 2022.

Remy in Richmond, B.C. was the first six-storey light-wood frame building to receive a building permit under the revised BC Building Code.

Photo credit: Stephanie Tracey, courtesy naturallywood.com

Photo credit: KK Law, Courtesy naturallywood.com

2017: Brock Commons Tallwood House (left), an 18-storey mass-timber hybrid student residence at The University of British Columbia, was completed. It was the tallest mass-timber hybrid building in the world at the time of completion.

2020: With examples at home and worldwide demonstrating repeatable, reliable and safe mass timber and high-rise construction, Canada incorporated encapsulated mass timber construction into its 2020 building code up to 12 storeys.

2024: B.C. updated its building and fire codes to enable more mass timber construction across public and private projects. The new codes allow for heights of up to 18 storeys, more eligible building types (schools, care homes, retail, industrial facilities), and more exposed wood surfaces.

Photo credit: KK Law, Courtesy naturallywood.com

The Hive is a 10-storey, mixed-use building that uses innovative timber brace framing to withstand the effects of earthquakes in a tall building application. The design combines commercial space with social spaces such as childcare and wellness areas.

With almost 470 architects, engineers and constructors working with over hundreds of locally-available wood products, B.C. is one of North America’s leaders in innovative, environmentally-friendly wood design and building solutions.

Mass timber buildings since 2007: