Wood First Initiative

Home to one of the world’s most sustainable and globally-competitive forest sectors, B.C. is actively taking steps to advance the use of wood. Maintaining B.C.’s forest sector leadership requires continued effort to develop innovative products and to diversify markets.

Advancing wood use in British Columbia

Through its Wood First Program, the Province encourages the forest industry, researchers and design professionals to:

• Innovate in B.C.'s built environment and with value-added wood products
• Help to grow local and global markets
• Promote climate-friendly construction
• Support our forest-dependent communities

By advancing the use of wood across the province, community leaders are helping residents benefit from new, functional and innovative facilities. Developing new uses of wood in building design and construction can help the province’s forest industry remain vibrant and globally competitive. This benefits current and future generations, strengthening B.C. communities.

Highlights of B.C.’s leadership in advancing wood use

B.C. was the first province to adopt building code changes in 2009, permitting six-storey wood frame residential buildings. Through the Wood First Act and updates to provincial building codes, B.C. leads Canada in positioning wood as a building material of choice.

B.C. is building taller and larger with wood, accelerating innovative design and building solutions. Brock Commons Tallwood House is an innovative tall wood hybrid building at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Successful construction of the mass timber structure - completed four months ahead of schedule - is showcasing the potential for mass timber building systems in B.C. At 54 metres in height (18 storeys), it is one of the tallest contemporary wood structures in North America.

Why build with wood?

1. Wood is sourced locally, supporting our economy and local communities
2. Wood is strong, lightweight, flexible and proven to be seismically safe
3. Wood comes from renewable, certified and sustainably managed forests
4. Wood creates optimal living and working environments, has excellent durability, and meets building code and safety requirements
5. Wood buildings are easy to renovate, expand and adapt to changing uses
6. Wood is a responsible choice that helps reduce our environmental footprint both through the reduced energy required to create wood building products and through carbon storage in the wood itself