Canada is currently confronting a national housing crisis, which presents a unique set of social, economic and environmental issues to be considered. With a new federal housing plan in place, the work to find solutions is even more pressing. Dr. Susan Fitzgerald, associate professor in the School of Architecture is leading the Mass Timber Project, which focuses on creating a prefabricated modular housing prototype using mass timber – an engineered wood known for its durability and comparative sustainability. Dr. Fitzgerald’s project is investigating the potential of this building material to provide a scalable, rapidly deployable solution to the housing crisis. Definity Financial Corporation – a leading Canadian property and casualty insurance company – has identified mass timber as a potential solution. In Spring 2024, they committed $300,000 in support of the Mass Timber Project as part of a broader mission to address housing challenges through sustainable practices.