Through the Wenchuan
Earthquake Reconstruction Project, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia
are supporting the construction of community facilities to replace structures
damaged or destroyed by the earthquake in Wenchuan County
in May.
The $8-million project was
first announced in June 2008 and is supported by $5 million in funding from British Columbia and $3
million from the Government of Canada.
These buildings will be
constructed from 100 per cent high-quality Canadian wood. Research has shown
that wood-frame buildings are an especially well-suited construction design for
earthquake-prone regions because of their adaptability and seismic stability
when used in compliance with proven construction techniques.
The delivery of the project
will be undertaken by FII Consulting (Shanghai)
Co. Ltd. (FII China), in partnership with the Canada Wood Group (CWG), a
consortium of industry associations. FII China will work with Chinese
government officials and local design and construction experts to implement the
project and ensure that the wood-frame structures meet local needs. In
addition, FII China will procure Canadian wood required for this project. CWG
will support the initiative by providing technical support and construction
training in wood-frame construction.
Three projects have been
approved to date:
Xiang’E Primary School in Dujiangyan
The Xiang’E Primary School in
Dujiangyan in China’s Sichuan Province was destroyed by the May 12
earthquake, which took the lives of many students and their rescuers. It has
since captured the attention of the entire country and was personally selected
by Mayor Han of Shanghai to be one of the first
schools that Shanghai,
as the appointed reconstruction partner province for Dujiangyan, will rebuild.
On July 1, 2008, the Shanghai government granted Tongji
University, a leader in structural
engineering, design and urban planning, approval to oversee the facility’s
reconstruction, with assistance from Canada
and British Columbia.
The wood-frame Dujiangyan
school complex will include a mixture of classrooms, dormitories and
administrative/common area facilities. It will make use of green design
concepts and have many energy-efficient features.
Construction is expected to
be completed by the spring of 2009.
Care Centre for the Elderly in Beichuan
China’s rural elderly rely heavily on their children for
support when they can no longer care for themselves. The Ministry of Civil
Affairs provides basic social assistance (food, clothing, housing, medical
care) for those without children or other financial means.
The Leigu Town Elderly Care
Centre in Beichuan
County, which previously housed
75 people, was destroyed in the May 12 earthquake. The new facility will
provide care for more than 200 people.
Design for the project is
underway, with construction to be completed in 2009.
Rehabilitation Centre in Mianyang
The Wenchuan earthquake had a
dire impact on Mianyang Municipality (which includes Beichuan County),
claiming the lives of more than 20,000 and injuring almost 180,000. More than
13,000 children and adults have been left disabled by the quake. To help these
victims the Mianyang Government is planning the construction of a comprehensive
facility that will include a recovery and rehabilitation centre for children
and adults, a special needs school for disabled students and a vocational
training centre for disabled adults. Canada will be involved in the
construction of some of these facilities.
Design of this project will
begin in 2008 with construction to be completed in 2009.
FII China
FII Consulting (Shanghai) Co.
Ltd. (FII China) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Forestry Innovation Investment
Ltd. (FII), a company established by the government of British Columbia to
promote the province’s forest products, raise awareness of its environmentally
sound forest practices and develop new products and market them
internationally. FII, along with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), is a major
funding agency for the Canada Wood Group. Headquartered in the Dream Home
Canada Demonstration Centre in Shanghai and with
a shared office in Beijing, FII China and CWG
work jointly in China,
delivering a comprehensive program focused on creating opportunities for
Canadian forest products in wood-frame construction, landscaping,
remanufacturing and value-added product sectors.
Canada Wood Group
In China,
the CWG has offices in Shanghai and Beijing and supports the Canada
Wood College,
which delivers vocational training on wood-frame construction techniques
adapted to China’s
building codes and construction practices. The Canada Wood
College will play an
important role in providing on-site training and technology transfer as part of
the project. The Canada Wood Group is supported by Natural Resources Canada and
FII.
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Contact:
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Gordon Williams
Communications Director
Ministry of Technology,
Trade and Economic Development
250 952-0152
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Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
613 992-4447
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Sophia Proctor
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests and
Range
250 387-4592
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