The Ontario government is taking steps to get more homes built in the province by expanding how tall a building built with wooden materials can be.
In a press release issued on Monday, April 8, 2024, the Ontario Government announced it would be increasing the maximum number of storeys allowed in a building built with encapsulated mass timber construction (EMTC) from 12 to 18. the release stated that the move would allow the province to get more homes built faster, as well as provide more jobs in forestry, technology, engineering design and manufacturing.
“The use of mass timber can help the sector build more homes faster, keep the cost of construction down and boost our northern economy,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“As we work to cut red tape in order to increase housing supply, we’re taking an innovative approach to help our partners get shovels in the ground.”
According to the Canadian Wood Council (CWC), encapsulated mass timber construction is a method of construction defined as “the type of construction in which a degree of fire safety is attained by use of encapsulated mass timber elements with an encapsulation rating and minimum dimensions for the structural timber members and other building assemblies.” In other words, EMTC refers to buildings where the mass timber components of the construction have been surrounded by fire-resistive materials. “Mass timber” itself refers to manufactured wood products that meet similar structural, fire protection and seismic performance as materials traditionally used to construct tall buildings, such as concrete and steel. Therefore, the materials encapsulating the wooden components of the mass timber construction help it to achieve these heightened safety requirements, particularly as they pertain to fire safety.
“Modern building techniques, including mass timber and modular construction, are part of our multi-pronged approach to boost housing supply and make homes more affordable,” said Rob Flack, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Housing.
“Our government will continue to execute comprehensive housing initiatives that include smarter planning, less red tape, housing-enabling infrastructure investments and working with our partners to unlock the potential of high-speed homebuilding technologies to create sustainable communities for everyone.”
The government states that EMTC offers environmental solutions for quieter and faster construction of buildings while maintaining the same fire and structural protection as previously mentioned building materials. It also said that provincial initiatives aimed at supporting advanced wood construction will offer a significant opportunity within the province to shift housing construction offsite and into factories, which will in turn support more efficient and rapid construction from renewable forestry resources grown and harvested within Ontario.
“Our abundant natural resources and highly-skilled forestry sector are helping to meet the demand for housing across the province,” said Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
“Advanced wood construction will help bring long-term investments to northern communities that will create new, good-paying jobs while increasing housing supply and supporting Ontario’s largest renewable natural resource sector.”
The Ontario government said it was part of a national consultation on the proposed changes to the Ontario Building Code to allow for the expanded use of mass timber, with feedback provided by a multi-province Joint Task Group that will share a report on the findings that will be used in implementing the change.
According to the government, Ontario’s forestry sector generates close to $21-billion in annual revenue and supports more than 142,000 direct and indirect jobs in communities across the province.
