Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) Program
Funding opportunity – Closed
Expression of Interest (EOI) intake closed as of June 30, 2024; applications currently under review.
Due to the large volume of submissions and high quality of proposals received, our program is heavily oversubscribed. We are experiencing delays with the application review process. Please be assured that while our program strives to provide all applicants with selection decisions as promptly as possible, we may not be able to meet the initial decision dates for all submissions. We apologize for any inconvenience.
About the program
The Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building technologies in construction projects. This program supports Canada’s commitment to reach 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement and advance long-term priorities regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction.
GCWood invests in wood construction projects that generate many benefits, including:
- reduced GHG emissions from renewable and sustainable resources that help decarbonize the built environment
- accelerated adoption of innovative building technologies and systems
- updated building codes that allow for taller and larger wood buildings
- affordable housing and community infrastructure
Demonstration projects
Since 2017, the program has successfully funded 16 demonstration projects to de-risk and support the greater adoption and commercialization of wood-based products in the construction of tall and low-rise wood buildings and timber bridges. As of March 2023, the program has funded 4 tall wood building projects, 10 low-rise non-residential building projects, and 2 timber bridge projects.
The program produced the 2021 State of Mass Timber in Canada report and an interactive map to record, review, and analyze the rise of mass timber construction in Canada. Applicants are encouraged to review the report and interactive map to see the progress Canada has made in mass timber production, design and building, and the potential for ongoing leadership in this area.
As part of its renewal, the program has expanded its focus to fund the demonstration of schematic designs, innovative building systems for wood construction, and the use of advanced building bio-products in new and existing buildings that have low GHG emissions, are regionally representative, and are highly replicable. The GCWood program provides non-repayable contributions of up to $1.4 million of a project’s eligible costs.
The program will seek to target innovative building solutions and schematic designs under key areas of interest including, but not limited to, prefabrication including modular buildings, retrofits, and design for disassembly/adaptability.
Eligibility
GCWood funding is open to the following applicants:
- Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada, including:
- for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as companies, industry associations, research associations, and standards associations
- Indigenous organizations and groups
- Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies, where applicable
How to apply and key dates
The GCWood program launched an ongoing Expression of Interest (EOI), which is designed to identify potential demonstration projects for funding. Applications can be submitted within our 4 application windows, detailed below. The program will process and assess proposals based on the submission date and will provide ongoing decisions as they are determined. Proposals will be assessed in the order in which they are received and efforts will be made to ensure funding is distributed appropriately across all windows.
Note: The screening process for EOIs may take between 15 to 45 days.
Window 1: Apply by September 30, 2023 for a decision by February 29, 2024.
Window 2: Apply by December 31, 2023 for a decision by May 31, 2024.
Window 3: Apply by March 31, 2024 for a decision by August 31, 2024.
Window 4: Apply by June 30, 2024 for a decision by November 30, 2024.
The GCWood program hosted webinars in August (one in English and one in French) to provide information about the program’s application and evaluation process and to answer questions from applicants. You can find the webinar recording here.
The program uses a two phase application process:
Phase 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)
The initial proposal process requests high-level information about your organization and project.
To complete a proposal, you will need to log in with a GCKey through the NRCan Online Submission Portal.
Submit an EOI for the stream you are applying for. You can find additional details in the GCWood Applicant Guidebook. The form will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
We strongly recommend preparing your responses in a document offline using the EOI template before copying them into the online form and submitting. Please also ensure you save the online form often (every 10 to 15 minutes).
You can save your progress and return to it at any time or review the form structure prior to beginning the process to get an idea of what to expect. You will also be able to view your EOI after you have submitted it. You can submit multiple EOIs.
Program staff will review your EOI and contact you about next steps.
Phase 2: Full Project Proposal (FPP)
Applicants who are selected to move on to Phase 2 will receive a link and an editable form to the FPP. They will be asked to submit additional information and documentation such as business financials and project plans.
Applications will be assessed against the specified Rated Program Criteria that can be found in the GCWood Applicant Guidebook.
Final funding decisions will consider the assessment results and other criteria, such as:
- funding requested per year and GCWood budget availability
- distribution of funding to projects across Canada
- distribution of funding to projects that align with eligible project categories
The assessment criteria will establish a prioritized list of eligible projects. NRCan may provide some or all the funds requested, based on the number of successful projects, the proposal evaluations, and the amount of funding available in a given year.
Contact us
Email the GCWood team for more information or to join our mailing list to receive program updates, webinar dates, and registration details.
Photo credits
- First photo in banner: Ontario Ministry of Transportation
- Second photo in banner: Michael Elkan
- Third photo in banner: KK Law
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