Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) welcomes the federal government's move to introduce a catalogue of pre-approved, ready-to-build housing designs – a measure that could help accelerate rapid, affordable, and climate-resilient housing solutions offered by Canadian mass timber and harvested wood products.
“The introduction of a federal housing catalogue is a step forward to grow Canada’s housing supply and presents a unique opportunity to advance more innovative manufacturing and wood-based construction across the country,” said FPAC President and CEO Derek Nighbor. “Having just returned from BC Forests Minister Bruce Ralston’s trade mission to Japan, I saw first-hand the role prefab construction and mass timber can play in accelerating affordable housing construction and beautiful, low carbon building solutions. As we look to build more multiplexes, mid-rise structures, and denser residential properties – systems like precision manufacturing, modularity, and prefabrication using Canadian wood can help government reach national housing targets in a way that's affordable for families and good for the environment and economy,” Nighbor added.
Last month, FPAC and Canadian Wood Council (CWC) released Solutions to Canadas Housing Crisis are Found in the Forest – a fifteen-page policy report which explores wood-based housing solutions offered by the forest sector and provides a series of actionable recommendations for government to help unlock the suite of environmental, economic, and social benefits associated with harvested wood products.
“Canada’s forest sector looks forward to participating in the consultation process and working with the federal government to ensure the benefits of harvested wood products and made in Canada, wood-based housing solutions are fully realized,” Nighbor said.
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. As an industry with annual revenues exceeding $73B, Canada’s forest products sector is one of the country’s largest employers operating in hundreds of communities, providing 205,000 direct jobs and over 600,000 indirect jobs across the country. Our members are committed to collaborating with Indigenous leaders, government bodies, and other key stakeholders to develop a cross-Canada action plan aimed at advancing forest health, while supporting workers, communities, and our environment for the long term.
