2025 marked another year of strong financial and operational performance for the Canadian Wood Council (CWC).
Key highlights include the successful completion of the three-year Natural Resources Canada funding agreement, with solid performance against established KPIs. Throughout the year, CWC maintained strong collaboration with federal and provincial public funders and effectively delivered programs under its various funding agreements. The notable result was that CWC secured $5.71 in additional revenue for every $1 of member contribution, demonstrating the organization's ability to leverage member investments effectively.
In line with our commitment to delivering value and following an 8% reduction in membership dues in 2025, the 2026 budget was approved with a further 20% decrease in dues for all members—representing total savings of approximately $435,000.
Additionally, the 2026 Master Services Agreement (MSA) with the National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA) was renegotiated, with CWC proposing a modest reduction in fees. These measures reflect the organization’s disciplined approach to managing revenue streams and maximizing value for members.
Through these efforts, CWC continues to demonstrate its commitment to operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and delivering strategic impact.
To preserve and maximize market access for wood products, our strategic approach centres on ensuring wood is recognized as a safe, high-performance material across a wide range of building types and systems. We work to influence codes, standards, and policies so that wood can compete on a level playing field, while also advancing research and demonstration projects that strengthen wood’s position in the market. Through continued participation in domestic and international standards development, we help align wood construction with evolving expectations around sustainability and building performance. We also support the growth of light wood frame construction and prepare for future regulatory shifts, including the transition to performance-based codes.
The CWC has been very active with Canadian codes and standards meetings in 2024, addressing seismic increases for 5- and 6-storey light wood frame construction, providing technical expertise to broaden occupancies where encapsulated mass timber (EMTC) can be used, and providing technical expertise on international and Canadian standards to ensure wood is treated fairly with respect to GHG emissions. Our codes and engineering team continues to advocate for the use of wood products in construction through engagement in current and future codes, standards, and policy development. Here are some of our 2024 highlights.
