TORONTO (News release) -- Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $4.1-million investment to build a 10-storey tall wood building in Toronto.

Construction of The Arbour, a $134-million project at George Brown College's Waterfront Campus, will use an estimated 3,000 cubic metres of wood and will be a new, net-zero carbon emissions academic wood structure.

Both during its construction and 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 to serve the growing community.

The Arbour is the first project funded through the Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program, which received $39.8 million over four years in Budget 2017. GCWood encourages the use of wood in non-traditional construction projects, such as tall buildings, low-rise non-residential buildings and bridges. It aims to position Canada as a world leader in tall wood construction and the low-carbon economy.

Adam Vaughan, Member of Parliament, Spadina-Fort York:

"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."