To advance the performance, sustainability and affordability of prefabricated residential construction, it is important that the industry needs, obstacles and perceptions are studied. This study focused on the prefabricated timber housing industry in British Columbia (BC), Canada. A questionnaire was conducted amongst timber prefabrication companies to explore their opportunities, barriers, and perceptions of their situation. Based on a qualitative analysis, the responses were categorised and compared. The results confirmed that the prefabrication industry uses widely varying processes and is operating in a niche market. The biggest challenge identified throughout the study was the lack of skilled and available labour. A low level of automation is most commonly used but there was a trend that higher levels of automation have higher levels of output. Among other aspects, the findings highlighted the opportunities and difficulties in the process from traditional construction to prefabrication. This research contributes to the discourse on the needs of the BC construction industry for developing high performance prefabricated housing. © WCTE 2021. All rights reserved.