The federal government has announced a $4.1 million investment in The Arbour – George Brown College’s ten-storey mass-timber building. According to the institution, the $134-million project will be Ontario’s first mass-timber low-carbon building of its kind.

Construction at the college’s Waterfront Campus in Toronto will use an estimated 3,000 cubic metres of wood and will be a new, net-zero carbon emissions academic wood structure.

According to Natural Resources Canada, once complete, The Arbour will serve as a living laboratory where students and researchers will learn to design, construct, operate and monitor climate-friendly buildings. It will also house a new childcare facility.

“Mass timber engineering keeps getting better, creating new opportunities in the Canadian construction industry. We know how important innovative forest products are to meeting climate change targets, creating jobs, stimulating economic growth and building more resilient communities,” said Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament, Spadina–Fort York in the NRC’s press release.

The $134-million project is the first project funded through the Canadian government’s Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program.

“We couldn’t be happier about this announcement. The selection of The Arbour as an NRCan tall wood demonstration project is a significant achievement for George Brown College, the project team, and the City of Toronto. This versatile building will stand as a clear, inspiring demonstration of what can be achieved with modern wood construction. The example set by The Arbour will help drive advancement in sustainable wood construction and lead the way for additional tall wood projects in the Greater Toronto Area and across the country,” added Marianne Berube, Ontario Wood WORKS!

Construction of The Arbour is set to begin in 2021.