The Canadian Government has announced a funding package exceeding C$2.5m ($1.85m) for FPInnovations to expand the use of low-carbon construction materials.
The funding was announced by Lac-Saint-Louis Francis Scarpaleggia, on behalf of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson.
FPInnovations, a private not-for-profit research and development (R&D) organisation, will use the funds to enhance the use of Canadian wood as a low-carbon option in construction.
The company will work with various partners across the country to gather, analyse and build market intelligence data.
It will also conduct research and testing to facilitate the integration of wood building systems into Canadian building codes.
The funding for these initiatives is sourced from Natural Resources Canada’s Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) programme.
FPInnovations is also tasked with promoting zero-emission vehicles within forestry and commercial transport sectors, with an investment of over C$212,000 from the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI).
These federal investments are part of a broader strategy by the government to equip the forest sector with advanced technologies, aiming to reduce costs and supply the construction industry with sustainable wood products necessary for housing development across Canada.
Canada Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said: “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.”
