Pomerleau constructs tallest academic timber building in Canada at U of T

TORONTO—It’s a building that will set a precedent for sustainable design. 

Pomerleau and its client, the University of Toronto, recently celebrated the mass timber building-raising for the Academic Wood Tower at the St. George Campus in Toronto. 

Anticipated to be completed in 2026, the tower will stand at 14 storeys and 77 metres, making it the tallest timber building in Canada at the time of completion. It will also set new standards for tall hybrid steel-timber structures. 

The mass timber “building raising” event ceremonially marked the start of construction, much like a formal groundbreaking, a release indicates.

The event provided an opportunity for project participants and supporters to hand sign one of the mass timbers before it is used in the construction of the building.  

Pomerleau has been building with mass timber since 2008. The company has built 20 mass timber projects in total, with the Academic Wood Tower being the first mass timber project in Ontario. 

A mass timber project of this nature follows a growing international trend towards tall timber structures, which are lauded for their low carbon footprint and fire safety, the release adds.   

“This inspiring piece of architecture will provide our students, faculty and staff with state-of-the-art spaces for research, learning and community engagement,” said Meric Gertler, president of the university, in a statement. “It will stand as a testament to U of T’s global leadership in sustainability, as well as our commitment to city-building. It will also showcase Canada’s leadership in wood construction technologies and the forest products industry. We are very grateful to our donors and to all those helping us to realize this incredibly exciting vision.”