The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) recently welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Mark Carney in Kelowna, which unveiled a $1.2 billion investment to support Canada’s forest sector and accelerate the use of Canadian wood in domestic construction.
The measures include $700 million in loan guarantees and $500 million to advance innovation, workforce development, and market diversification, which support sustainable construction and domestic manufacturing.
Prime Minister Carney has also promised that “future projects will prioritize Canadian lumber.”
“We will be our own best customer by relying more on Canadian lumber, Canadian softwood for Canadian projects,” he said.
Carney also said that the government will work toward “doubling the pace” of new home building to nearly 500,000 homes per year over the next 10 years.
CWC is encouraged to see federal action aligned with the priorities it has championed through its technical work in codes and standards and resource program delivery.
“This announcement reinforces the critical role that wood-based solutions can play in meeting Canada’s housing and climate goals,” said Rick Jeffery, president and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council. “The focus on innovation, capacity expansion, and domestic use of wood aligns well with technical insights we’ve shared over many years through our work with government, industry, and the architects, engineers, construction professionals, and developers (AECD) community.”
CWC has worked with federal departments and agencies, including Natural Resources Canada, on initiatives such as the Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program, which has demonstrated the ability to de-risk early projects and help scale up Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).
CWC says approaches such as mass timber and prefabrication are essential to accelerating housing starts while reducing carbon emissions and supporting rural economies across Canada.
“With the Build Canada Homes plan targeting 500,000 new units annually, today’s announcement provides important tools to help scale construction innovation,” said Jeffery. “Ensuring that Canadian wood products are part of the solution is a smart investment in housing, climate action, and economic resilience.”
CWC will continue working to provide technical assistance, education, and data-driven insight to support the successful implementation of federal initiatives. The organization also remains committed to working with all levels of government and industry partners to help increase the use of sustainable wood systems in construction.
For more information on the Canadian Wood Council and its programs, click here.
– With files from the Canadian Press