A new working group created by the province will provide guidance on education, research and investment in advanced wood construction.
It’s the next step in the province’s five-year Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan, which was launched in June to increase the manufacturing and use of wood building products in Ontario in an effort to protect the forestry industry against U.S. trade tariffs.
Advanced wood construction can include the use of wood products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) or laminated strand timber (LSL), as well as the use of modular and prefabricated components that are factory-built and assembled on-site.
The plan has four areas of focus: support initiatives that create awareness and encourage the use advanced wood construction; identify and remove barriers in codes, standards and regulations for the use of advanced wood construction; stimulate innovation and investment in advanced manufacturing facilities to grow Ontario’s advanced wood construction sector; and demonstrate and display examples of advanced wood construction to instill confidence in adopting new Ontario wood building products.
Ultimately, the goal is to increase demand in the forestry, manufacturing and construction sectors, attracting investment and creating jobs.
The working group comprises 18 members, gathered from across industries, who will contribute their experience and expertise in rolling out the action plan.
Among their tasks they will be asked to “promote, prioritize and accelerate wood-based building, provide strategic advice to unlock new business opportunities, and position the province to compete in the global market,” according to the province.
There will be Northern Ontario representation in the working group, as Scott Jackson, the CEO of the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE), has been named to the panel.
The Thunder Bay organization works to innovate and fast-track solutions for Ontario’s bio-economy, including in the areas of biomass and sustainable building materials.
The full list of people in the working group follows:
- Steven Street, executive director, WoodWorks Ontario
- Robert J. Jonkman, P.Eng., vice-president of codes and engineering, Canadian Wood Council
- Ian Dunn, R.P.F., president and CEO, Ontario Forest Industries Association
- Adam Bridgman, director of training, College of Carpenters and Allied Trades
- Kirstin Jensen, vice-president of policy, advocacy and relationships, Ontario Home Builders' Association
- Scott Jackson, CEO, Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE)
- Kate Lindsay, senior vice-president and chief sustainability officer, Forest Products Association of Canada
- Andrea DeJong, deputy fire chief, St. Catharines, Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs
- Donald Chong, design principal and associate vice-president, HDR
- Paul De Berardis, M.Eng., P.Eng., director of building science and innovation, RESCON
- Jack Keays, MSc, fire safety Eng., P.Eng., principal, Vortex Fire
- Robert Kok, P.Eng., owner/senior engineer, RCK Engineering Solutions
- Lawrence Wagner, CEO, Ontario Building Officials Association
- Tim Caldecott, senior director of sustainable construction, carbon and market economics, FPInnovations
- Finn Johnson, director of government relations, Carpenters Regional Council
- Nathan Hill, infrastructure supervisor, Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation
- Ed DeBiasio, chair, Ontario Structural Wood Association
- Jonathan Gregg, director of strategic initiatives, Independent First Nations Alliance