Ontario Supporting $107 Million Investment in Mass Timber Manufacturing Sector

September 17, 2025

Element5’s St. Thomas expansion will create 150 new jobs, supporting provincial forestry and manufacturing sectors

ST. THOMAS — The Ontario government is welcoming an investment of $107 million from Element5, a homegrown mass timber manufacturer, to expand the company’s operations in St. Thomas. This investment will create 150 new, good-paying jobs across the region and enable Element5 to double its production capacity, supporting Ontario’s domestic supply chain through the use of Ontario forestry products and meeting the rising demand for sustainable building materials and modular homes. This investment will advance the government’s plan to protect Ontario workers and attract investment in the forestry and advanced wood construction sectors.

“Ontario’s forestry and wood manufacturing sectors support tens of thousands of jobs across the province,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade. “As our government delivers on our plan to protect Ontario, Element5’s expansion will create over a hundred new jobs and bolster the province’s wood manufacturing supply chain, increasing the forestry sector’s competitiveness and unlocking new opportunities for workers, builders and homeowners.”

At a time when U.S. tariffs are taking direct aim at Canada’s leading industries, Element5’s investment is a reflection of the competitiveness and resilience of the province’s economy and workers. As one of North America’s first fully automated timber plants that sources materials from Ontario, the new facility will be equipped with a glued-laminated and cross-laminated timber production line, allowing the company to boost the domestic supply of sustainable building materials and meet a rising demand for modular housing. In support of this investment, and as part of the government’s plan to build a more resilient forestry sector, Ontario is providing $8 million in funding through the Invest Ontario Fund.

“This expansion represents a bold step forward for Element5, our partners and the mass timber industry in Canada,” said Chris Latour, President of Element5. “We are proud to provide innovative, sustainable building solutions that help address Canada’s urgent need for affordable, climate-friendly housing and infrastructure. With our expanded operations, we are even better positioned to support communities across Ontario and North America.”

By leveraging the strength of the forestry sector and ensuring strategic supply chains are developed in Ontario, with Ontario workers, the government continues to secure the province’s place as the most competitive jurisdiction to invest and grow within the G7.

Quick Facts

  • The Ontario government is protecting jobs and building communities by accelerating the manufacturing and use of modular and prefabricated wood-based materials, known as advanced wood construction.
  • As part of Budget 2025, Ontario is committing $50 million over five years through Invest Ontario to grow the province’s industrial capacity in modular and innovative construction by investing in the expansion and upgrade of existing production-line machinery and adoption of new technologies that increase productivity and output.
  • Ontario’s Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan will position the province as an advanced wood construction leader by leveraging the forest sector’s talent, technology and sustainable forest management expertise.
  • Founded in 2015, Element5 specializes in the design, fabrication and assembly of contemporary timber structures ranging across an expansive portfolio of commercial, industrial, residential, and municipal projects. With its long tradition in timber manufacturing and rich resources, Elgin County has served as an strategic location for their ongoing growth and invited investments from industry leaders like Austria-based timber company the HASSLACHER group.
  • To date, Ontario has committed over $13 million to enhance the province’s advanced wood construction capacity by investing in research, development projects and innovative forest sector manufacturing.
  • Accounting for approximately 830,000 workers in Ontario, the manufacturing sector is important to the province’s prosperity, especially in regional communities.
  • Since inception, Invest Ontario has helped companies announce over $7.6 billion in investments and over 9,700 jobs in Ontario.