British Columbia Premier John Horgan has announced that the province is taking steps to strengthen its forest and timber industry by expanding the use of mass timber into the province’s public and private sector buildings.
Brock Commons is a 18-storey building on the UBC campus that includes 17 storeys constructed from structural mass timber. Photo Courtesy of vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/residences/brock-commons/
Premier Horgan appointed Ravi Kahlon, Parliamentary Secretary for Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, to lead the expansion and use of mass timber in B.C. buildings.
?As our economy bounces back from the COVID-19 crisis, we want to do everything we can to support forest workers,? said Premier Horgan. ?By focusing on mass timber, we have an opportunity to transition the forestry sector to high-value over high-volume production. This will mean opportunities for local workers, strong partnerships with First Nations and greater economic opportunity while making a significant contribution to advancing CleanBC.? Last year, the B.C. government announced its intention to encourage the increased use of mass timber building products in its capital construction programs, particularly in the development of the new St. Paul?s Hospital and the replacement of the Royal BC Museum.
“It’s encouraging to know that the BC Provincial Government stands behind the mass timber industry?recognizing its economic contribution to the province, an...