B.C. and federal governments reach five-year wood construction memorandum with China

British Columbia's Forests Ministry and the federal Department of Natural Resources entered a non-binding five-year memorandum with China's housing ministry to cooperate on modern wood construction, including tall wood and mass timber projects, announced during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China.

British Columbia's Forests Ministry and Canada's federal Department of Natural Resources have entered a non-binding memorandum of understanding with China's housing and development ministry to promote modern wood construction in China. The five-year agreement focuses on research, development and promotion of mass timber and tall wood buildings as part of green building efforts. The memorandum was announced during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China, the first by a Canadian prime minister in more than eight years. B.C. officials have cited recent job losses in the province's forest industry as context for renewed engagement on wood-sector opportunities. Key facts: - The agreement is a non-binding memorandum of understanding with a five-year term. - Parties are B.C.'s Forests Ministry, the federal Department of Natural Resources, and China's housing and development ministry. - The memo focuses on research, development and promotion of modern wood construction and green buildings in China. - It calls for exchanges and joint research on tall wood buildings and mass timber projects. - The memorandum mentions integrating modern wood construction into China's urban renewal and rural revitalization strategies and strengthening a wood-construction industrial chain. Summary: The memorandum aims to establish cooperative work on modern wood construction and related research between Canadian and Chinese agencies, with particular emphasis on tall wood and mass timber projects and industry development. Undetermined at this time.