Element5 is proud to announce that we were awarded the Mayor's Choice Award at the 2026 St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce IMPACT Awards.
Selected by municipal leaders, the award recognizes an organization making a meaningful contribution to the communities of St. Thomas, Central Elgin, and Southwold. The award was accepted on behalf of the company by Element5 President & CEO Chris Latour during the annual awards celebration, which brought together more than 360 business and community leaders from across the region.
The Recognition Belongs to the Whole Team
While the award carries the company's name, it is truly a recognition of the people behind it. From our manufacturing and engineering teams to project management, administration, sales, and support staff, every member of the Element5 team has played a role in building a company that is helping transform how buildings are designed and constructed across North America.
Since opening our St. Thomas manufacturing facility in 2019, Element5 has experienced remarkable growth. Supported by the strategic investment of our parent company, HASSLACHER Group, we completed a major expansion of our facility in September 2025, adding a state-of-the-art Glulam production line and doubling both the size of our plant and our production capacity.
Today, our integrated manufacturing operation produces both cross-laminated timber (CLT) and Glulam, enabling us to supply complete mass timber structural systems for projects across Canada and the United States.
Growing Together with St. Thomas
Equally important to our success has been the support of the St. Thomas community. In a video produced following the award, Chris Latour reflected on the partnerships that have helped Element5 grow—from municipal leaders and local businesses to suppliers and community organizations that embraced the company's vision for advanced manufacturing and sustainable construction.
Those relationships have helped position St. Thomas as a growing hub for innovation in Canada's forest products sector.
We are honoured to receive the Mayor's Choice Award and grateful to the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Joe Preston, municipal leaders, and the entire community for this recognition.
Most importantly, thank you to our employees, whose commitment, expertise, and passion continue to drive everything we do. Together, we're proud to be designing and manufacturing the next generation of sustainable mass timber buildings, right here in St. Thomas, Ontario.