'Mass timber' has been something of a buzz-phrase in recent years, and it continues to strike a chord in 2025. In fact, the Ford government announced in April that it would be amending the Ontario building code to permit encapsulated mass timber construction up to 18 storeys. The amendment went into effect on January 1, 2025, and prior to this year, encapsulated mass timber buildings were permitted to be up to 12 storeys.

This is being regarded as a major step forward for new home construction — particularly considering Ontario’s long-standing reliance on concrete.

Mass timber refers to manufactured wood products that meet similar structural, fire protection, and seismic performance as materials traditionally used to construct tall buildings like concrete and steel, while encapsulated means that the manufactured wood components are covered with fire-rated treatments, like drywall. One of the main benefits of encapsulated mass timber is that it's prefabricated and ready to assemble, and that makes for a faster and quieter construction process. It's also considered a sustainable building practice as wood is a renewable resource and can be harvested locally.

“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 when the amendment was announced in the spring. “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.”

Associate Minister of Housing Rob Flack also commented at the time, noting that the increased emphasis on mass timber is part of the Province's "multi-pronged approach" to increase housing supply and help housing affordability. “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," he said.

There's been an increased emphasis on mass timber not just in Ontario, but BC as well. Last February, Vancouver City Council took its first steps towards creating a new policy program to "remove barriers to mass timber" and encourage more developers to utilize it. The city’s proposed Mass Timber Policy for Rezonings calls for additional height and density through the rezoning process, allowing up to two additional storeys on sites that currently allow for eight to 11 storeys, and up to three additional storeys on sites that currently allow for 12 or more storeys.

With files from Erin Nicole Davis.

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