Quesnel, B.C.- The City of Quesnel has committed to developing a Wood First bylaw designed to link to the Province of British Columbia’s Wood First Act.

 

Quesnel Council has approved a resolution stating the City will continue to support the ongoing development of its wood culture through a variety of means and that it is committed to crafting a
bylaw to promote wood use in local construction.

“We are confirming our belief in the wood industry, the lifeblood of our community. I encourage other communities across the province to do the same,” said Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom. “We want to strengthen existing markets and help create new ones. We want to develop new opportunities as a part of a strategy to ensure a strong wood industry. We will develop projects that are outstanding examples of what can be done when you are innovative while building with wood.”

The resolution contains a number of clauses, including:

• Being a wood champion and supporting the BC government’s Wood First Act by adopting a Wood First Resolution and passing a Wood First Bylaw that will establish a long-term strategy for building with wood in Quesnel.
• Selecting wood champion designers and builders for municipal projects.
• Ensuring Requests for Proposals request excellence in building with wood.
• Seeking builders who find practical, efficient, versatile and cost-effective building and design solutions through the use of wood.
• Ensuring that all municipal construction projects in Quesnel receiving either public or wood industry financial support optimize the structural and architectural use of wood.

British Columbia’s Wood First Act requires provincially-funded building projects to use wood as the primary construction material. Currently, wood represents only 19 per cent of commercial or institutional buildings when it could be used in the majority of cases.