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BCIT building 12-story student residence with mass timber

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is building a 12-storey student housing project out of mass timber.

The provincial government is kicking in $108.8 million towards the costs, with BCIT picking up the remaining $6 million of the $115 million project. It’s expected to create about 700 direct and indirect jobs, in addition to supporting the government’s commitment to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and produce affordable student housing.

It’s the first student housing investment at BCIT in nearly 40 years.

“Building these new homes is answering a call to action from students and communities to support innovation and create more affordable, cleaner and greener housing,” says Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.

Ravi Kahlon, the parliamentary secretary for Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, says mass timber is key to diversifying and creating a more resilient forest sector as the industry transitions to “high-value over high-volume production.”

“Mass timber is key to diversifying and creating a more resilient forest sector as we work to “It’s great to see the ripple effects from the expanded use of sustainably harvested, low-carbon wood products in B.C. buildings. It helps combat climate change and brings people back to work in forestry-related jobs, while this project creates housing for hundreds of future BCIT students,” says Kahlon.