Evidence of meeting #96 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was north.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I want to bring it back first of all to the building code and talk especially about the use of engineered wood and mass timber construction in larger buildings, and how far behind we are with the building code, and what we can do to move ahead on it.
Are we stuck with using structural engineers to sign off on every project?
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
It depends on the size of the project. With housing, you're usually not, but as soon as you're talking about larger infrastructures, engineers are on board anyway, so it's a non-issue.
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
Wood is being used increasingly. Changes are being brought and have been brought allowing wood to be used on structures up to...I forgot whether we're up to five or six or ten storeys—
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
We're working our way up there.
I would say that I'm not sure wood construction actually needs a lot more incentives, because it's currently being used a lot, and I think it's developing well. As a result, a number of local companies have now grown.
It used to be that you could only get it from B.C., but now there are companies elsewhere that have adopted European technologies and are currently using them here. We were talking about doors and windows; that's an example in which we import that stuff.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I was going to bring that up, because right now, as in everything, the European companies dominate this market there. There are a couple of Canadian companies, one in my home town and one in Quebec, that do this in Canada. I don't think there are any in the United States that do it to any extent.
One reason I brought the bill forward was to use government procurement to build the companies here, so that we can maintain this.
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
Well, that is actually going on. I don't know about other provinces, but in Quebec it's practically mandatory, when a project is going through the approval process: why aren't we using wood structures? That's the first question.
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Right, there is the policy in Quebec and there also is the Wood First Act in British Columbia, which does the same, and the companies there that do this point to those pieces of legislation.
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
That's right, and it is working. I have to say that these days, architects are also driving this, because many of them have jumped on the bandwagon to use wood. It's actually threatening some of the steel suppliers.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Well, they have a huge chunk of the market. I don't think they have anything to worry about.
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
Of course. I'm not worried about them. I wasn't saying that because I was worried.
NDP
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
There is a market, and there is support, and yes, it is being supported through various government initiatives, and it's working.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I have another quick question, then, to you and perhaps to Mr. Wong, if he's still there.
You talked about the inefficiencies, perhaps, of diesel generation, but about using modules that would heat every house individually and create electricity that could then cut down on the amount of diesel needed. Is that something the government could consider, in terms of social housing or building out communities in the north?
Architect, Founding Partner, EVOQ Architecture
If such modules exist and tested out there, I'm sure there would be a use for them.
I know that the CHARS was designed to be ready to plug in a container-type structure that would actually use garbage of any type and convert it into power. It's not there yet, but it's part of the mission of the CHARS to do that kind of testing.
So yes, anything that can produce power differently from what is now being done will certainly be more than welcome. However, it's going to have to be tested and then shown to work there.
NDP
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Yes, that's it. That went fast, didn't it?
We have two more minutes, and I think it's Mr. Lloyd.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
I have a question for Mr. Wong.
You stated in your testimony that if we want to build the best, moving toward net zero homes in the north, it comes with a sacrifice of not providing enough housing for the people who are living up there.
Can you comment on some of the factors and inputs that are cost prohibitive and prevent you from building enough of these high-quality homes for people in the north?
Director of Infrastructure, Nunavut Housing Corporation
Some of the cost factors are clearly the isolation, the mobilization of materials and people, or skilled labour; the lack of infrastructure equipment in the communities, for example, cranes; and the lack of other support infrastructure. In the south, if a building is being built and there are missing materials or trade workers—that whole support system around building, as well as the support of the whole regulatory system, such as the inspection system and the diligence that allows that to occur—it all tends to—
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
You mentioned local content requirements.
Is that a significant factor in the cost of building homes?