Kelowna’s new mass‑timber terminal is slated to open on Wednesday, marking a major step for one of Canada’s fastest‑growing aviation hubs.
Speaking to the media last week, Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas said the expansion is a major milestone for one of British Columbia’s fastest‑growing cities. “YLW is a critical gateway that supports jobs, tourism, and economic growth, and this investment will help ensure we can continue welcoming more visitors and connecting our community to opportunities in Canada and beyond,” he said.
Breaking ground in 2023, the Terminal Building Expansion Project (TBEP) is split into two phases, with the waffle‑slab timber roof forming a key part of the first stage of works.
“A key component to everything we do at YLW is ensuring we reflect the community in our airport. Mass timber embodies our commitment to sustainability and innovation while honouring the local industries and resources,” YLW CEO Sam Samaddar said. “By integrating this material, we are creating a space that showcases our region and community to everyone who passes through our terminal building.”
Wood Central understands the project was supported by a $500,000 grant from British Columbia’s Mass Timber Demonstration Program, which funded the digital construction twin, advanced fire modelling and life‑cycle assessment. The roof incorporates at least 788 square metres of locally sourced cross‑laminated timber and glulam, manufactured at Kalesnikoff’s facility in Castlegar, British Columbia.
“B.C. mass timber projects like this showcase how our province is a world leader in the industry and supports our objectives around a clean, sustainable economy,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “Using mass timber in B.C. buildings is helping to create economic benefits for a wide range of companies and is key to responding to the U.S. tariffs and duties.”
A unique waffle-slab roof design
Without doubt, the architectural and engineering standout of the new terminal is the 1960s modernist waffle‑slab roof, expressed through a two‑storey prefabricated mass‑timber structure and a long‑spanning signature grid. The design creates a distinctive visual identity for the terminal while anchoring the project in the airport’s original architectural language.
McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers developed the mass‑timber waffle system to mirror the geometry of the earlier structure. Fast + Epp engineered the roof using long‑span glulam girders that cantilever five metres in a north–south direction and stretch 20 metres over steel columns rising from the main floor.
Prefabricated cross‑laminated timber panels span between the primary girders, concealing lighting, sprinklers, conduit, HVAC and drainage systems within the depth of the roof. Fast + Epp said the system was designed with modularity in mind, allowing the waffle pattern to be repeated and extended southward as the airport grows.
Wood Central understands that prefabricating components cuts construction time by 25 per cent and reduces construction‑related traffic by up to 90 per cent. These efficiencies were essential given the tight airside constraints and the need to avoid encroaching into active aircraft movement areas.
Samaddar said the mass‑timber expansion “will increase airport movement and passenger traffic,” noting that the guest experience has remained a priority throughout construction. “Our team is making every effort to minimise impacts and inconvenience to passengers caused by construction,” he said.
