The federal government has announced an investment of $6 million for four green construction and green technology projects across Ontario that use of low-carbon and processed wood.

The funding includes more than $900,000 to Assembly Corp. for the development of an innovative design and seismic system for a 62-unit, all-wood building in Toronto. This eight-storey residential and mixed-use rental building will serve as a building typology to be repeated across over a half dozen other sites, promoting sustainable construction practices that reduce the environmental impact of the building industry.

"Thanks to NRCAN's support, we are able to create an eight-storey panelized wood building product that is sustainable and efficient,” said CEO Geoff Cape. “This product typology is a repeatable solution that can be applicable to many purpose-built rental sites, and the prefabricated construction method drastically shortens timelines, addressing Canada's urgent need for housing."

Meanwhile, Sean Mason Homes in Barrie will receive $1 million to deploy an innovative, hybrid, mass timber and steel system for the five-storey, 38-unit Rainwater Condominium project. This project aims to demonstrate a cost-efficient, sustainable and replicable building solution for mid-rise and taller residential buildings while addressing Ontario's housing needs. It will also provide the initial example and model in a series of future projects in Barrie.

"The building is the first of its kind in the entire world to use cross-laminated timber, cold-formed steel walls and geothermal powered,” said Founder Sean Mason.

The funding also includes:

• $1 million to Post Office Limited Partnership to deploy an innovative, wood-based and sustainable building solution to reconstruct and add nine storeys to a two-storey heritage post office in Oshawa. The project will stimulate demand for Canadian wood products and provide 219 high-quality rental units in a growing community.

• More than $3 million to Timmerman Timberworks to develop, study and certify next-generation mass timber building products. This project will develop the first fully automatic, precision-engineered, nail-laminated timber production line, leading to new, advanced, high-value building products.

Combined, the projects will add more than 300 units to the province’s housing stock.

"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,” said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. “By promoting the use of low-carbon Canadian wood in construction, the Government of Canada is strengthening communities and local economies in Ontario — without cutting corners on the environment."

Funding for these projects is being provided through Natural Resources Canada's Green Construction through Wood and Investments in Forest Industry Transformation programs.

The program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building technologies in construction projects.

To date, GCWood has invested in 19 projects in Ontario and is generating many benefits there, including: reduced GHG emissions, 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.