Government of Canada marks ribbon cutting of new pedestrian bridge in Smiths Falls
News release
May 26, 2026 Smiths Falls, Ontario Natural Resources Canada
On May 22, 2026, Member of Parliament Bruce Fanjoy, on behalf of the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, opened the Confederation Drive Pedestrian Bridge in Smiths Falls, Ontario. This project received an investment of $495,000 under Natural Resources Canada’s Green Construction Through Wood (GCWood) program. The Confederation Drive Pedestrian Bridge will increase pedestrian activity and create a new connection in Smiths Falls with sustainable, reliable Canadian wood.
Through projects like these, the federal government is accelerating the adoption of innovative and sustainable Canadian wood-based products, such as mass timber, in local construction projects.
Through our Buy Canadian Policy, federal procurement is now prioritizing Canadian wood and engineered wood products. Through the Build Canada Homes agency, Canadian lumber, mass timber and other advanced wood-based products are helping address housing needs while driving demand back into Canadian mills and manufacturing facilities.
Canada’s forest sector is more than an industry — it is a lifeline for communities, a source of good jobs and a driver of sustainable prosperity. By focusing on leveraging Canadian forest products in Canadian construction across the country, the Government of Canada is ensuring that forestry remains a pillar of national strength and that Canada serves as our own best customer.
Quotes
“The new pedestrian bridge will connect Smiths Falls, creating a more accessible community for local residents, built with sustainable, Canadian materials. Through the Buy Canadian Policy and the GCWood program, our government is investing in new community infrastructure that prioritizes Canadian materials, creates jobs and increases accessibility across the country.”
Bruce Fanjoy
Member of Parliament for Carleton
Quick facts
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The GCWood program encourages the adoption of advanced wood-based products, systems and building technologies in construction projects across Canada. The program funds projects that demonstrate scalable and replicable Canadian solutions to accelerate construction and mainstream the use of wood in design and construction.
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Since August 2025, the government has introduced over $2 billion in measures designed to protect and transform Canada’s forest sector, including the renewal of the GCWood and other NRCan forest programs; enhanced access to financing, liquidity supports and worker protections for the industry; and new and enhanced tools to help companies modernize and invest for the future.
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To make it easier for forest sector businesses and employees to navigate and apply to federal programs, NRCan has launched a new, single-window pathfinding service, which includes a new website with information on all programs available to forest sector businesses and direct access to NRCan experts on eligibility and program applications.
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Canada’s forest sector is a major national economic driver, supporting nearly 200,000 workers, including over 11,000 Indigenous people, and contributing more than $20 billion to our GDP.
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Contacts
Natural Resources Canada
Media Relations
343-292-6096
media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
Charlotte Power
Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Charlotte.Power@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
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