Environment committee  Yes, we do. It depends on the unit being used.

Environment committee  As you know, with the 2015 codes, we are allowed to go up to six storeys high with wood construction right now. There is now word about going up to 12 storeys. We will follow the same code process with the stakeholders around the table. We do this necessary technical work to be sure it's safe—fire-wise and structurally speaking.

Environment committee  In regard to the waste aspect of that, we don't have data or a study on that. Of course, when we do a new code provision, again, we look at all of the economic impacts of retrofitting it. How much it is going to cost? What's the payback? What's the cost of a new building and the impact?

Environment committee  The NRC doesn't provide money for that. Would you like to answer, Sarah?

Environment committee  The NRC deals with science and technology, not government programs.

Environment committee  Even though our governance is still quite—

Environment committee  No, but they are involved right from the start. The goals are ambitious. Considering the support of SMEs, Canadian companies and other partners as well as our own expertise, I feel that we have what it takes to support these goals in science and technology. In addition, the way we build codes leaves a lot of room for innovation and ingenuity.

Environment committee  They don't all adopt it at the same time for various reasons. It could be for a lot of reasons, but they don't do it at the same time. Some adopt it as is, and some with a lot of changes. Right now I'll refer to Philip. I don't know who is ahead and who is behind. One thing, though, before I turn it over, is that right now the model code is one set of reference.

Environment committee  On the incentive aspect, I think am not best suited to answer that, but in regards to the legislative aspect, I would point out that in the life of a house there are many mini-steps. You need to change the windows. Sometimes you want to enlarge your house and you have to do a major retrofit.

Environment committee  In the code process, at the beginning of every five-year cycle, we always make sure that we engage with the provinces and territories, because they have a lot of questions like how much is this going to cost? Can a family afford that? What benefits does it have? They have a lot of questions, and often they need facts.

Environment committee  Thank you, Madame Chair. My name is Richard Tremblay. I'm the director general of the construction research centre at the National Research Council of Canada. I'm here today with Philip Rizcallah, who is the director of our building regulations and market access program. He's been working with the code process for 19 years, which is why he's here with me today.