Ottawa, Ontario
Natural Resources Canada
Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, along with the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests of Quebec, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, announced a joint contribution of over $8.5 million for four projects that will promote green construction in Quebec, including the use of low-carbon Canadian wood to accelerate new building projects. The Government of Canada is investing more than $4.7 million, while the Government of Quebec is contributing $3.83 million.
The funding announced today includes:
- $1 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program and $1.33 million from the Programme d'innovation en construction bois of Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. The project will:
o Develop a four-storey, 20-unit residential mass timber building using prefabrication and modular construction techniques.
o Demonstrate how we can deliver affordable housing using innovative wood-based products and technologies, including in remote communities and regions.
- An additional $2 million for Les Chantiers Chibougamau Ltée from NRCan's Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and $2.5 million from the Programme Innovation Bois of Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. This project will:
o Modernize production processes of finger-jointed lumber, glue-laminated, I-joists and cross-laminated timber through the innovative use of artificial intelligence.
o Support a strong Canadian supply of value-added advanced wood construction products.
- $500,000 for Samcon Stanley Properties from NRCan's Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program. This project will:
o Develop the design for a 21-storey multi-unit residential building built from mass timber.
o Provide crucial data and insights into the feasibility of taller mass timber structures.
- $1.2 million for the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi from NRCan's Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program. This project will:
o Build a two-storey low-rise community building with wood building technology.
o Ensure that the building's shape and design preserve the historical culture of the Cree First Nation.
Through these investments, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are further accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge residential construction technologies to drive down costs and help the industry access the made-in-Canada products it needs to build more homes for Canadians.
