Policies encouraging mass-timber towers approved by Vancouver City Council

Artistic rendering of 123 East 6th Avenue, Vancouver. (Proscenium Architecture & Interiors/PC Urban Properties/Hines)

Various new policies approved by the Vancouver City Council on Tuesday are intended to catalyze more high-rise building development using mass-timber construction materials and techniques.

The City of Vancouver will offer a new rezoning incentive that provides additional height and building floor area if a proposal pursues mass-timber construction instead of conventional techniques using primarily concrete and steel.

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According to the new policies, buildings in areas that currently allow heights of between eight to 11 storeys can qualify for two additional levels for a mass-timber building up to 13 storeys.

As well, buildings in areas that permit 12 or more storeys can qualify for three additional storeys for a mass-timber tower up to 15 storeys.

Example areas include the Broadway Plan and Grandview-Woodland Plan areas.

According to City staff, such incentives are needed to encourage more developers to pursue taller mass-timber construction, as just eight tall mass-timber projects have been proposed or completed in the last five years in Vancouver. Some of the tallest mass-timber buildings currently under construction include a nine-storey social housing building at 1766 Frances Street, a 10-storey office building at 2105 Keith Drive, and a 17-storey social housing building at 981 Davie Street.

City staff state some of the issues include the current perception of cost and risks compared to concrete.

“Mass timber is the building material of the future, and we’re thrilled that Vancouver and BC are at the forefront of this movement,” said Mayor Ken Sim in a statement.

“It’s a game-changer, offering significant environmental benefits by reducing emissions compared to typical concrete buildings. It’s not only affordable and safe, but stands strong against fires and earthquakes. Embracing eco-friendly materials like mass timber isn’t just responsible — it’s a boost for our local economy, creating jobs right here in our community.”

981 Davie Street 1190 Burrard Street Vancouver qmunity

Mass-timber construction example: Artistic rendering of 981 Davie Street (1190 Burrard Street) in Vancouver with QMUNITY. (ZGF Architects/New Commons Development)

123 east 6th avenue vancouver t3 mount pleasant

Mass-timber construction example: Artistic rendering of 123 East 6th Avenue, Vancouver. (Proscenium Architecture & Interiors/PC Urban Properties/Hines)

2017-built, 18-storey Brock Commons Tallwoodhouse Student Residence. (UBC)

City Council first enabled taller mass-timber buildings in 2020, when it amended the Vancouver Building Code to allow mass-timber buildings up to 12 storeys. In December 2023, the provincial government announced that forthcoming changes to the separate BC Building Code will enable mass-timber buildings up to 18 storeys.

Mass timber construction, built out of pre-fabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) components, is said to reduce embodied emissions in construction by 25% to 45% compared to conventional concrete buildings. They also carry lower construction costs and can be built more quickly.

Such taller buildings are typically hybrid mass-timber designs, as they incorporate a concrete foundation — sometimes up to the floor of the second level — and a concrete building core for fire safety and seismic resilience. The concrete building core also encases the elevator shaft and emergency staircase.

The tallest mass-timber tower approved in Vancouver to date is a 260-ft-tall, 25-storey rental housing tower project at the Main Alley tech campus. It was approved in early February 2024, after the proponent made a plea to City Council to provide an exception to requiring balconies for every unit due to the potential high risk that water could leak into the CLT floor slabs, causing significant long-term damage. This project is being carried out as a pilot project.

2015 main street vancouver westbank m5 prototype mass timber

Artistic rendering of Prototype/M5 at 2015 Main Street, Vancouver, as part of the Main Alley tech campus. (Henriquez Partners Architects/Westbank)

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