Nearly $3 Million In Federal Investments to Support Sustainable Wood Construction Technologies in Montreal Region

MONTREAL, Aug. 23, 2024 /CNW/ – New, low-carbon construction materials and technologies allow us to build and use greener, climate-resilient homes in Canada. Thanks to innovative solutions, the construction and automobile sectors are reducing emissions and supporting sustainable job creation across the Canadian supply chain.

Today, Francis Scarpaleggia, Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis, on the behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a federal contribution of more than $2.8 million to FPInnovations for three projects. The funding includes investments to support the use of low-carbon Canadian wood in the Canadian construction market and a project to support the use of zero-emissions vehicles in the forestry and commercial transportation sectors.These investments are provided through Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program and the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI).

To support the expansion of low-carbon construction materials, FPInnovations will collect and analyze market data and develop market intelligence with several collaborators in provinces across Canada. This will involve research and testing activities to enable the commercialization of various wood building systems and to generate the necessary data to enable these wood-based systems to be adopted in Canadian building codes. NRCan is providing more than $2.5 million through its GCWood Program to FPInnovations for these two initiatives.

FPInnovations will also develop resources to support the use of vehicles that are zero-emission or use clean fuels through demonstrations, short operational trials and highlights — helping to reduce emissions and enhance the modernization of the Canadian forestry and commercial transportation sectors. NRCan is investing over $212,000 to FPInnovations through the ZEVAI to support this initiative.

Through a historic series of investments, including the GCWood program, the Government of Canada is helping forest sector workers in Montreal and across the country to adopt the most cutting-edge technologies available to drive down costs and help the construction industry access the low-carbon Canadian wood products it needs to build more homes for Canadians.

Quotes

“FP Innovations has been a long-standing pillar of applied research in one of Canada’s most important resource-based sectors. Today’s funding announcement highlights the vital partnership between the federal government and FP Innovations in guiding the forestry industry’s ongoing transformation. With the help of this federal contribution, FP Innovations will be able to conduct market research to expand the role of wood in residential and commercial construction. It will also be able to conduct research to adapt ZEV and LEV technology to vehicles used in forestry operations. In both cases, the government and FP Innovations together are helping Canada’s efforts to lower our emissions and meet our GHG targets in the fight against climate change.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“FPInnovations’ projects are concrete examples of creative and innovative initiatives industry partners can undertake to advance the fight against climate change. Through collaborations like these, we are actively reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating climate-resilient communities for the benefit of all Canadians.

Francis Scarpaleggia

Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis

“Funding provided by Natural Resources Canada will enable FPInnovations to expand the use of low-carbon construction materials and accelerate zero-emission transportation solutions to market. FPInnovations is proud to be work with the federal government to meet society’s challenges, such as emissions reductions in transportation, increasing the housing supply in Canada and supporting sustainable job creation.”

Stéphane Renou

President and Chief Executive Officer, FPInnovations

Quick Facts

The Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building technologies in construction projects. It supports Canada’s commitment to reach 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement and advance long-term priorities regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction.
GCWood invests in wood construction projects that generate many benefits, including:
- reduced GHG emissions from renewable and sustainable resources that help decarbonize the built environment
- accelerated adoption of innovative building technologies and systems
- updated building codes that allow for taller and larger wood buildings
- affordable housing and community infrastructure
On-road transportation accounts for about 18 percent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Phasing in 100-percent new electric vehicle sales by 2035 is projected to reduce over 360 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, avoiding almost $100 billion in global damages.
The Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) supports projects that aim to increase awareness, knowledge and public confidence in zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and public charging and refuelling infrastructure.
The ZEVAI helps fund outreach, education and capacity-building activities, ultimately enabling greater adoption of ZEVs by Canadians in all regions of the country