Whereas BC has yet to develop an effective strategy to address the biggest constraint on new housing supplyour shrinking construction labour forceand offsite wood frame and mass timber construction has potential to deliver improvements of up to 50 labour productivity, 50 construction time and 20 cost savings, net zero and low embodied carbon construction and secure jobs in forest dependent and Indigenous communities; And whereas the greatest barrier to expanding offsite construction is insufficient market demand from public and private project developers unfamiliar with this novel approach and there are hundreds of strategically located, public land parcels with underutilized land that can be used to cost effectively build affordable housing and grow a predictable pipeline of projects to mobilize investment in manufacturing plant expansion: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM calls on the Government of BC to collaborate with diverse sectors to establish a BC-based Offsite Wood Construction Industrial Policy Framework and steadily grow demand and capacity by working with interested public sector organizations to use offsite construction to build, permanently affordable, zero carbon housing on underutilized public land close to jobs and services; And be it further resolved that UBCM works with the BC Government to develop an Affordable Housing Offsite Wood Construction Early Adopter Program with voluntary municipal actions that aggregate demand like pre-approved designs, zoning and permits for different housing types; and voluntary actions for other sectors like developers, builders, school boards, health authorities and forestry companies.
Ministry of Housing Innovation in the construction sector is a key strategy in BCs Homes for People action plan. This means embracing new technologies like digital permitting, mass timber and prefabrication to cut down on construction times, on-site labour needs and reduce carbon emissions. The Province continues to work with industry and other partners to implement the Mass Timber Action Plan so that BC stays a leader in mass timber manufacturing, design, and construction. The Mass Timber Action Plan is helping create new economic opportunities, growth, and innovation in all parts of the province. A key component of BC Builds, a new program to be launched early 2024, is supporting innovation in the construction industry. The Ministry of Housing has initiated work to create standardized building designs and is exploring processes to help shift construction into high-tech offsite housing manufacturing. The Province sees offsite manufacturing as an important strategy for addressing labour force constraints in the construction industry, as well as a necessary consideration for driving housing supply.