All the best, The Editorial Team We will keep adding business units that enhance our offering and separate us from our competition. “ ” Editor From The Dear Reader, Welcome to the latest issue of Construction Source Canada, the magazine that highlights the best in building and building products across the country. On our cover this edition is Imagine Inc., one of Ontario’s most acclaimed and innovate architectural design firms. Over their 15-plus-year history, they have developed a unique reputation for their rare combination of artistic talent and technical knowledge. We talked to Lester Brubacher, the firm’s founder and owner, about how they utilize to help clients achieve the exact project they envision. We also highlighted some examples of them doing that – most notably their current flagship project, a 120,000-square-foot tractor dealership with a prominent showroom component. “There was a lot of art in that one,” Lester says, and we talked about how they pulled it off. Also in this issue is Northern Alliance Group, a leading provider of commercial and civil construction services, specializing in year-round infrastructure projects across Northern Ontario. They are a joint venture between two prominent local companies with a lot of experience, and according to founder and vice president Dale Allard, there’s not much they are not capable of. As an example of that capacity, we spoke to Dale about their work on the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority hospital in Moosonee. This edition, as usual, also features some industry leaders in the custom homebuilding and renovation sector. VFB Renovations is a strong example – for almost 15 years, they have been delivering premium quality kitchen, bathroom, and basement updates across the greater Hamilton and Toronto regions. In that time, they have become an industryleading expert known for their responsive service, quality workmanship, and cost efficiency. We talked to founder and owner Elijah Vermont about that reputation, which is still growing every day. For those stories – and more, including some on municipalities with exciting infrastructure projects, such as Comox Valley Regional District and their fire hall upgrades – just keep reading.
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA 1310 CREDITSTONE RD. CONCORD, ON L4K 5T7 • TEL: 905-738-8311 CONNECT WITH US AND DISCOVER WHAT IS POSSIBLE. VISIT: WINDSPEC.COM ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINUM SOLUTIONS DESIGNED, ENGINEERED, AND MANUFACTURED IN CANADA
AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA With a readership exceeding 145,000 senior executives, The Construction Source takes immense pride in providing an enticing platform to amplify your message to the most pivotal audience – your valued customers. Whether your aim is to promote an exciting new condo development, attract crucial financial investments for upcoming projects, or establish a commanding brand presence, we’re here to assist you every step of the way. To explore opportunities for featuring your company or showcasing your latest project in The Construction Source, please reach out to our Group Publisher. Jermaine Poulsen e: info@theconstructionsource.ca The Costruction Source Canada Suite 202 to 1201 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M5R 2A5 E: info@theconstructionsource.ca Executive Publisher Jermaine Poulsen COO Alexandra Box Editor in Chief Zach Janes Director of Operations Jacqueline Van Belois Business Development Managers Catherine Ditchburn Production Manager Brennan Midghall Digital Strategist Pranim Thapa
AUGUST 2026 IMAGINE INC. Artistic talent meets technical knowledge NORTHERN ALLIANCE GROUP Making it work VFBR INC. Communication, consistency, character COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT Building a name KIWI CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE Scaffex never stops 24/7 service RIMKUS From assessment to restoration TOWN OF GANDER An evolving town VAULTRA STORAGE Becoming the best LAWRENCE ARCHITECT Always about people HOMEED Part of the solution ZELTA FLOOR & DESIGN Being the best PARAMOUNT LANDSCAPING INC Transparency and accountability make the difference NOVAK CONTRACTING & CONSTRUCTION Getting it done right INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS INCINERATING TOILETS IN THIS ISSUEAUGUST 2026 VFBR INC. TOWN OF GANDER
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT
AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
ARTISTIC TALENT MEETS TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
Imagine Inc. is a custom residential and commercial architectural design firm based in Drayton, Ontario. For over 15 years, they have been providing custom residential and commercial designs for a variety of renovations, additions, and new builds. Throughout those years, they have developed a unique reputation for their rare combination of artistic talent and technical knowledge. Today, they are recognized not only for their ability to deliver outstanding conceptual designs, but also for their understanding of how to implement those plans effectively through plan finalization and actual construction. “As architectural designers, our services are unique – taking our clients ideas from concepts to reality by offering complete project management,” says Lester Brubacher, founder and owner of the company. “While we are first and foremost architectural creatives, we also have a very practical side that informs all stages of our design and implementation processes.” Lester personally comes from a deep background in both home design and building. He started his career in construction working in the field, then spent many years with a local custom home builder working as a designer and estimator. In 2011, he decided he was ready to lead his own company. He formed Imagine with the goal of providing clients with “thoughtful designs and well-managed services from start to finish.” Initially, Imagine was formed as a one-man operation, but the company now includes a team of professionals that share Lester’s vision, along with a network of certified engineers and conscientious tradesmen. Together, they operate primarily within roughly an hour’s radius of Drayton, serving clients all across midwestern AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 Ontario. Their work spans a wide range in both scale and type, from small residential additions all the way up to large commercial developments. The scope of what Imagine takes on has grown considerably since the company’s early days. Lester started out focused on residential design, and over time the firm expanded naturally into commercial work as well. The company now moves fluidly between the two sectors. Within the same week, for example, the team recently designed a garden shed while also being deep into the planning stages of a 120,000-square-foot tractor dealership – one of the largest projects Imagine has undertaken to date. No matter the project size, Lester believes clients are drawn to Imagine for the same few reasons. One of the main reasons is their aforementioned balance of artistry with technical knowledge. Where many designers think purely in terms of aesthetics, Lester thinks simultaneously about buildability and cost. “Sometimes I shoot my own ideas down before they go anywhere,” he explains, “because I think about it and realize ‘That’s going to be a nightmare to build.’ It’s not going to be efficient and effective. Then I really drill down and realize we can get 90 per cent of the architectural value out of a design by doing it a different way, and we can do it at a fraction of the cost. I don’t think a lot of designers think that way.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Additionally, Lester says he and his team have the ability to truly listen to their clients and intrinsically understand their needs – and believes that also sets them apart. “When we meet a client, we’re not really trying to sell them a design. We’re trying to solve their problems. I think that’s what resonates with people – our process and our approach is all solving the client’s problems, rather than trying to sell them something.” Lester also possesses a rare ability to truly hear what a client wants – even when the client themselves struggles to articulate it. He believes that ability is difficult to teach or learn. “It’s a gift,” he says. “It’s not something I studied for. It’s just something I have – the ability to visualize something when somebody is talking.” Lester describes a recurring scenario in client meetings where an associate might paraphrase a client’s wishes one way, and Lester will offer a different interpretation. Nine times out of ten, he says, the client responds with: “That’s exactly what I want.” Combined with his builder’s instinct for practical, cost-effective solutions, this ability gives Imagine a distinctive edge in translating a client’s vision into a finished design that actually works.
AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Serving their clients Over the years, Imagine Inc. has developed and refined a process that keeps clients informed and in control at every stage of their project. On a typical residential project, that process begins with preliminary plans, working through floor layouts and 3D renderings through several rounds of back-and-forth until the client is satisfied with both the look and the flow. From there, the plans are developed with enough detail that the client can take them to a contractor for budget estimates. With pricing in hand, Imagine and the client can either move forward to the permit stage or revisit the design to align it with the budget before proceeding. “We do it in stages so that we don’t get the cart too far ahead of the
AUGUST 2026 horse,” Lester says. “Our clients are always able to make informed decisions before they move forward to the next step.” As a result of that careful and collaborative approach, Imagine is able to form strong and lasting relationships with clients. The strength of those relationships is reflected in their rate of referrals – according to Lester, that’s how they generate the vast majority of their work. Imagine also forms close-knit relationships with their building partners. On larger commercial projects in particular, the firm values the opportunity to collaborate closely with general contractors, bringing both the creative and technical sides of a project into alignment early. New builder relationships tend to develop organically – often a contractor comes to Imagine because their usual designer lacks 3D rendering capability, and once they experience Imagine’s process firsthand, they keep coming back. “Once we show them what we can do and take them through the whole process, they usually end up really liking it,” Lester says. “A lot of our new builder clients, after working with us one time, tell us ‘next time we’re just coming straight to you.’” Imagine’s ability to connect with builders is actually what led to their current flagship project – the aforementioned 120,000-square-foot tractor dealership. The builder on that project had worked with Imagine on multiple commercial buildings in the past, and when they were hired to do this dealership Lester was one of the first
people they reached out to. For his part, Lester was excited about that project due to its artistic dimension. Beyond the standard structural and functional requirements of a large commercial building, the dealership includes a prominent showroom component that called for a more deliberate design sensibility. “There was a lot of art in this one because of the showroom component,” he says. “It was something we’d never really done before for a tractor dealership, so I was excited to do it.” The building is currently under construction, with Imagine’s structural drawings largely complete and the team now focused on interior design, finishes, and detailing. Throughout the process, the team has maintained a rhythm of weekly or biweekly meetings with the client – sitting down together for roughly an hour and a half at a time to review progress, discuss changes, and keep decisions moving. “It’s been a very, very good process,” Lester says. “I’m happy with how it’s been going so far.” On the residential side, a recent project closer to home offers a different kind of example. The clients owned an Ontario-style brick farmhouse near Imagine’s Drayton office and wanted to transform it into something with an old-world, Old English stone cottage character. The scope of work was varied and detailed – a new sunroom addition at the back, a rebuilt garage with an addition above it, and a comprehensive exterior THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 renovation that stripped back the existing brick and replaced it with natural stone. On that project, the front elevation was reworked to include a round-top window above the main entrance that brings light into the foyer below – a touch that gives the home a distinct, refined character. For the sunroom, Imagine specified Enviroshake, a composite cedar shake roofing product, which contributed to the warm, handcrafted feel of the finished space. The client on the job – a business owner who has remained close to the Imagine team – has been openly enthusiastic about the results, sharing photos on social media and showing visible pride in what his home has become. Lester says he regularly runs into the client at a nearby coffee shop, and their exchanges are always enthusiastic. “The relationship has been very, very good,” he says. “They’re very happy and their feedback has been very positive.” Moving forward, Lester’s goal is to do more complex and creative projects of that size and scale, in both the residential and commercial sectors. He says projects like that are the ones that get him and his team excited about coming to work every day. “The ones I really enjoy are the ones that have some heart and soul,” he says. “Taking something that has the potential of being simple and just putting a little twist on it – giving it that architectural beauty in a way that’s cost-effective but has some punch. That’s the kind of work we want to do.” As for size of the company, Lester says they have room to scale if needed, but that’s not what drives him. “The name of the game isn’t growth. It’s simply serving our clients and keeping them happy. If we need to grow to keep up with demand, then we will – but that’s not our initial goal. Our goal is meeting our clients’ needs.”
For more on Imagine, their process, their past projects, and to hear from their past clients – and to get in touch with Lester and his expert team – visit https://imagineinc.ca/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAKIN
NG IT WORK
Northern Alliance Group Inc. is a leading provider of commercial and civil construction services, specializing in year-round infrastructure projects across Northern Ontario. The corporation is an Indigenous-owned enterprise, an important part of the company’s identity. Shaun Innes, a member of Moose Cree First Nation, holds 51 percent of the company, while co-founder Dale Allard is a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. Formed as a joint venture between Diversified Forestry Inc. (DFI) and Innes North Contracting Services Inc., Northern Alliance Group is backed by more than 30 years of combined industry experience and a proven track record of delivering reliable, high-quality solutions in the communities it serves. Today, according to founder and vice-president Dale Allard, there isn’t much the company isn’t prepared to take on. Northern Alliance Group is currently demonstrating that versatility on the new Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) hospital project in Moosonee, where the company is performing a significant portion of the civil work. “No matter what we have to do, we make it work and we get it done,” Dale says. “If a client asks us for something, we’ll break ourselves in half to get it for them that same day. We also have a lot of industry connections and close partnerships with different companies, so if there’s something we can’t handle ourselves, we’ll put the right team together and make it happen. We’ve learned that with the right people and the right approach, there aren’t many challenges we can’t find a way through.” AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 Dale began working in the forestry industry at 19, joining a commercial forestry and timberharvesting contractor based in Timmins. After approximately eight years with the company, he moved to Hydro One, where he first met Shaun Innes. Shaun, a Red Seal Powerline Technician, brought more than 18 years of experience as a lineman, along with extensive project management and supervisory experience. Both eventually founded companies of their own. Dale established Edge Logging Inc. in his hometown of Kapuskasing, while Shaun founded Innes North Contracting Services Inc. in Moose Factory. Within just a few years, Edge Logging had grown into a thriving forestry operation, running three delimbers around the clock. When Dale left Hydro One to focus on Edge Logging full-time, he turned his attention toward diversification. Having previously worked as a supervisor in vegetation management, Dale recognized growing demand for mulching and right-of-way clearing services and knew he had the expertise to meet it. Diversified Forestry Inc. was soon established, and Dale quickly added four mulchers to the company’s fleet. It was around that time that Shaun called Dale with an opportunity to work together on an isolated transmission-line vegetation-management project. “We came in, built full roads, winter crossings, clearing — all of it,” Dale explains. “We think a lot alike,” he adds. “We flowed really well together, so after we executed our first project successfully, we decided to incorporate our joint venture.” Northern Alliance Group was born from that decision. Building the Partnership
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA From the outset, the company’s goal was to provide clients with a true turnkey experience. “It was easy to offer that kind of complete package to clients, and combining forces gave us a lot more buying power to start acquiring the heavy equipment we needed,” Dale says. Shaun’s background soon became a catalyst for the company’s evolution. While Dale’s roots were in forestry and vegetation management, Shaun brought extensive experience in heavy civil construction — a discipline that has been part of his family for generations. As Northern Alliance Group matured, that civil expertise moved to the forefront of the company’s identity. Today, Northern Alliance Group provides a broad range of civil services, including creek realignments, small tailings raises, equipment rental, excavation, hauling, grading, all-season road construction and more. The scale of the work the company takes on reflects how far it has come. According to Dale, virtually any major commercial or industrial civil project now falls within Northern Alliance Group’s capabilities. “If there’s a new mill going up and we have to do the civil excavation, we’re in 100 percent,” he says. “A new pond at a mine, a full all-season road — that’s what we’re interested in.” A Turnkey Approach
AUGUST 2026 When it comes to major projects, Dale believes Northern Alliance Group’s service and responsiveness are what truly set it apart. “Say an excavator goes down loading ore at a mine site,” Dale says. “It’s four o’clock in the afternoon on a Friday. They don’t know who to call; they don’t know what to do. At the last minute, they call us in a panic. We’ll do everything we can to have an excavator there and working as quickly as possible.” Dale credits that responsiveness to the handson involvement of both owners, as well as the longstanding relationships they have cultivated with subcontractors and suppliers. Many of those relationships go back more than a decade and play an important role in the company’s ability to mobilize quickly. “We’re very loyal to the suppliers we have,” Dale explains. “We’ve built long-standing relationships with many of them, and over the years, a lot of our suppliers have become more like friends and family. Those relationships play an important role in helping us respond quickly and deliver for our clients.” Nadeau Haulage & Excavation is one example of a trusted, longstanding partner. Also based in Kapuskasing, the multi-service construction and heavy civil contractor has operated in the region for more than 55 years. Nadeau provides a diverse range of services, including excavation, trucking, hydro-excavation, demolition, waste management and towing, while maintaining a strong focus on customer satisfaction, employee training and high-quality equipment. Northern Alliance Group was born from that decision. Service and Responsiveness
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Northern Alliance Group also places significant emphasis on its people and equipment. Across DFI and Innes North Contracting Services, Dale and Shaun each manage sizeable teams, and both operate their organizations with a similar philosophy. “We’re very family-oriented,” Dale says. “Our employees are friends and family more than anything else. It’s an open-door company. Nobody’s worried about coming to talk to us or asking for whatever they need. There aren’t many people here without a smile at work.” That culture produces tangible results. The companies experience minimal staff turnover, including through the winter months, and Dale and Shaun make a point of promoting from within whenever new opportunities arise. The people who join their organizations tend to stay. Investing in People
AUGUST 2026 No limit Northern Alliance Group’s Indigenous ownership has created opportunities, particularly on projects such as the WAHA hospital, where supporting local and Indigenous businesses is a priority. But Dale is clear about what that opportunity means in practice. “It clears the road for you to see what’s coming,” he says, “but then we have to be able to get the work done to keep getting work.” The WAHA hospital project in Moosonee is currently one of Northern Alliance Group’s marquee undertakings — a long-term contract that could span up to five years. The team is performing a significant portion of the project’s civil work and sees it as an important opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of its capabilities.
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 Alongside WAHA, Northern Alliance Group maintains a year-round presence at Agnico Eagle’s Detour Lake mine and has recently begun work at Discovery. A steady stream of smaller clearing and civil projects fills the gaps, while the company continues to manage its workload with a teamfirst hiring philosophy. The company’s focus on maintaining a strong, committed workforce means that employees are given opportunities to contribute across a range of projects and responsibilities. As Dale explains, that approach can require flexibility when several smaller projects are underway at the same time. “So when you get a lot of smaller projects and you try to do them with what you have, everyone ends up doing about five jobs each,” Dale says. To support sustainable growth, Dale and Shaun are focused on securing long-term contracts — particularly three-to-five-year commitments that provide the stability needed to hire confidently, invest in their people and equipment, and plan for the future. “If we can nail down some of those long-term projects, it’s easier to hire and get more equipment because you actually know what your numbers look like for a couple of years,” Dale says. “You’re not just going project to project.” As for how large Northern Alliance Group can — or should — become, Dale doesn’t see a ceiling. He recalls a moment not long after the company was incorporated, when he, his wife Karine — who serves as the company’s controller — and Shaun were working alongside another firm that employed approximately 200 people. Karine looked at the size of the operation and asked whether they could ever imagine wanting to build something that large. “Shaun and I looked at each other and grinned without saying anything,” Dale recalls. “She kind of knew what was going to happen.” “Shaun and I are both very driven,” he concludes. “But we want to keep growing at our own pace and on our own terms. There’s no limit to where we can take it — we’re just going to keep working and see how far we can go.”
For more information about Northern Alliance Group, its services, capabilities and past projects, or to connect with Dale, Shaun and the rest of the team, visit www.northern-alliance.ca THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
COMMUNICATION, CONSISTENCY, CHARACTER
VFB Renovations is a residential contracting and home remodelling company based in Stoney Creek, Ontario. For over 13 years, their team has been delivering custom kitchen, bathroom, and basement updates across the greater Hamilton and Toronto regions. In that time, they have become an industry-leading expert known for their responsive service, quality workmanship, and cost efficiency. They have also become known for their depth of capabilities – they handle all details from design to final landscaping, so clients need only call one number. “As a company dedicated to providing premier customer service, it is important to us to deliver unparalleled workmanship on every assignment,” says Elijah Vermont, founder and owner. “With our experience and expertise, we can provide the support every project needs.” Elijah has personally been working in the construction industry since he was 15 years old, when he started working in a shop in Tennessee that built portable storage sheds. He later started building houses and barns in his community, which is how he learned stick framing, drywall boarding, and sheet metal roofing, among other skills. After moving to Canada, he worked for several years at a roofing company before realizing his true passion was home renovations. He initially formed VFB in 2013 as a partnership with his brother. VFB’s first job was making a home wheelchair accessible. From there, they started working for a family company that owned a lot of rental properties, all of which needed renovating. After renovating those properties, they did some landlord grade work, which taught them even more skills, and then some extensive remodels of AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 some cabins up north in Sudbury. About a year in, Elijah’s brother moved to New Brunswick and the company became a sole proprietorship. In 2020, Elijah to Hamilton to pursue more work in the GTA. In the years since, the company has grown and evolved steadily in both size and renown. Today, VFB operates across a primary range stretching from South Grimsby to Oakville, with select projects reaching into Toronto for the right clients and the right scope of work. Their projects run the full gamut of residential renovation, from bathroom renovations starting at $5,000 to full home remodels valued up to $1 million. On the larger end, Elijah points to a 2022 project in Mississauga valued at approximately $700,000, in which the team reconfigured virtually the entire structure – vaulting ceilings, opening up the main floor, ripping out subfloor, and relocating loadbearing beams. The clients VFB serves are predominantly homeowners pursuing meaningful upgrades to their living spaces – people who have invested in their properties and want results that reflect that investment. As the company’s reputation has grown, it has also begun attracting higher-end residential clients pursuing larger, more complex renovations. The company also recently obtained their City of Hamilton commercial contractor license, opening the door to apartment and commercial renovation work alongside their core residential business. No matter the size of the project, Elijah believes VFB is set apart by the three things he thinks about “every single day” – communication, consistency, and character. When it comes to communication, Elijah says “clients want to feel like they’ve been heard –
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA whatever their vision is, it’s been heard.” “I listen to them, agree with what they want to do, and try to put it into practice. I don’t try to push a whole other agenda on them. I let them know when I’ll be there in the morning, what the plan is for the week. If we think they haven’t communicated something clearly to us, we ask.” That proactive communication is paired with an equally deliberate commitment to consistency – a standard that applies across every crew member and every job site. “We stand behind our work,” Elijah explains. “If we make a mistake, we make it right. We want every customer to have the same positive experience from start to finish. Construction doesn’t always go exactly as planned, but how you handle those challenges makes all the difference. We communicate, find solutions, and do our best to make sure every job goes well.” The third pillar, character, is perhaps the most personal. For Elijah, it means doing the right thing whether or not anyone is watching. “What the clients might not find out doesn’t make a difference,” he says. “It means integrity – you’re not cutting corners behind the scenes or secretly damaging something and not telling them about it. It also means that when the job gets tough, you don’t complain. You don’t put the stress on the client. You push through to the end and get it done right.” Together, these three values form a practical framework that has consistently translated into a strong base of repeat clients and referrals. As an example of that client loyalty in action,
AUGUST 2026 Elijah points to his web developer, who he met while doing a basement renovation. That renovation resulted not only in a website, but in a steady stream of referrals. One of those referrals was a project around 2020, when the referred client needed to flip a home following a family bereavement. Working within a budget of approximately $100,000, Elijah and his team completed a full renovation in four weeks – updating every bathroom, removing popcorn ceilings, installing pot lights, and delivering a new kitchen. The home had been expected to sell for $835,000 but ended up selling for $1.35 million. According to Elijah, the clients were “very happy,” and the relationship has never faded. VFB returned to the same client’s home the following winter to renovate two upstairs bathrooms, and they are currently working through the main floor and basement. “We’ve got a lot of clients that call us regularly,” Elijah says. “I think that says a lot. I think it’s what happens when you finish the job properly and stand behind your work.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Staying consistent VFB Renovations doesn’t just form strong and lasting relationships with clients – their relationships with employees, subcontractors, and suppliers are similarly tight-knit and enduring, and they are governed by the same core values. When it comes to subcontractors, for example, Elijah has been working with his key partners for five or six years, and the qualities he looks for are consistent: honest pricing, reliability, self-motivation, and integrity on the job site. When he finds partners who tick those boxes, the relationships tend to last a long time. Eureka Kitchen & Bath, for example, is a long-time partner based in nearby Oakville, Ontario. They specialize in kitchen and bathroom renovations. Much like VFB, they strive to provide clients with a
AUGUST 2026 seamless experience from initial consultation to installation, and to create beautifully designed spaces that blend functionality and modern aesthetics. VFB and their clients rely often on their design guidance and benefit always from their attentive and responsive customer service. Moving forward, in collaboration with Eureka and other likeminded partners, VFB’s goal is to keep growing and expanding their reach. Currently, the team is wrapping up a dual full bathroom renovation in a home on the Hamilton Mountain while simultaneously managing a garage renovation and dispatching a crew member to Toronto for the basement phase of the aforementioned multi-floor project. The work is varied, the geography is broad, and the pipeline continues to extend into new territory – both literally and in terms of project type. The recently secured commercial license represents a deliberate step toward that expansion. Ultimately, Elijah envisions a structure where one dedicated team handles bathroom renovations while another manages larger, more complex projects – a model he is in the early stages of building out, having recently partnered with another general contractor to expand capacity. Additionally, Elijah is considering establishing a visible market presence, potentially including a showroom, as a way to attract the higher-end clientele that larger renovation budgets tend to reach through more established-looking firms. And while new builds are not a current focus, he doesn’t rule them out for the longer term. “Someday I would love to get into new builds,” he says. “We’re way behind on new builds in this country, and I can see a day when we’ll have to turn that faucet on.” For now, however, he says their priorities are clear – attract larger renovation clients, deepen the company’s reputation for quality, and continue doing what has worked since the beginning. That means communicating well, staying consistent with quality, and always leading with character.
For more on VFB Renovations, their range of services, their past projects, and to hear from their past clients – and to get in touch with Elijah and his expert team – visit https://vfbrenovations.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAKING A SAFER COMMUNITY
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the peaks of Vancouver Island’s interior ranges, the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is one of British Columbia’s most sought-after places to call home. Comprising three diverse municipalities, the regional district has a rich history shaped by Indigenous heritage, resource industries, and a tight-knit coastal culture that has long attracted people looking for a different pace of life. These days, the district’s reputation is no longer a well-kept secret. The valley is growing fast, and the CVRD’s board of directors is working to ensure that growth is matched by the infrastructure needed to sustain it. From transportation to recreation to emergency services, the board has been proactive in identifying the facilities and services a growing community requires and investing in them. Two current fire hall construction projects – one in Union Bay and one on Mount Washington – are prime examples of that commitment in action. At the centre of both projects is Bruce Green, the CVRD’s regional rural fire chief and a man who has spent his entire career working to keep the communities of the Comox Valley safe. Bruce grew up in the valley, raised his family there, and has provided more than 30 years of service to its fire departments. He became deputy chief in 2007, took on the full-time role of fire chief in 2015, and in 2022 stepped into the position of regional rural fire chief, overseeing departments on Hornby Island, Union Bay, Fanny Bay, Denman Island, Merville, Mount Washington, and Oyster River. He has shepherded both fire hall projects from conception – and his investment in the region is as personal as it is professional, as he’s lived there all almost all his life and has never wanted to leave. AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 “I’ve got ocean on one side of me, mountains on the other side,” Bruce says. “I’m an outdoors person – I like hunting, I like fishing. Everything I want to do is here within a 15-to-20-minute drive from my house. It’s probably the most beautiful place in the world to live. Why would anybody ever want to leave?” As previously mentioned, Bruce’s view has become more and more widespread in recent years, and the district’s population has grown substantially as a result. That growth has brought new demands on fire services across the region. New multi-storey buildings have required the recent purchase of a ladder truck. Climate change and the increasing frequency of wildfires have pushed the organization to evolve its equipment and summer response capabilities. And through it all, the fire halls themselves – some dating back decades – have struggled to keep pace. “As the community grows and need for more equipment grows, you need the space to store it,” Bruce explains. “If you want to have new, updated equipment, you need fire halls that can accomodate that – and that’s why we’re where we are now.” The CVRD is currently managing two significant fire hall construction projects simultaneously – a new facility in Union Bay and a new station on Mount Washington. Both represent long-overdue investments in community safety, and Bruce is at the centre of both.
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA The Union Bay project has the more straightforward origin story. The existing fire hall in the community was built in the 1930s – constructed by volunteer firefighters with their own hands – and it has simply outlived its usefulness. Modern fire apparatus can no longer fit through its doors. The building is overcrowded. And perhaps most critically, it sits on the wrong side of the highway, forcing firefighters to park and run across a busy highway to respond to calls. Through deliberate planning, the CVRD acquired a new parcel of land and launched the process of designing a facility that will serve the community for the next three to four decades. Bruce worked closely with the local fire chief and engaged Simcic Architecture Studio to translate the department’s vision into buildable plans – a back-and-forth process that took approximately six months of refinement before the project went to tender. When they were selecting a construction partner for that project, Bruce says cost was naturally a consideration, but it was far from the only one. “We’re looking ideally for somebody that’s local, that’s hiring local people,” he explains. “What do they do? How do they give back to their community? How involved are they within the community that we’re building in? Because when you’re spending six million dollars on a structure, you want to make sure the quality is going to be there and that they’re willing to work with you through the process.”
AUGUST 2026 Knappett Industries was ultimately awarded the contract. As a locally based company with an office in the Comox Valley, they met the criteria on price and reputation alike. Construction commenced in December 2025, and the project is on track for completion in December 2026. According to Bruce, the impact of the finished product will extend well beyond simply housing bigger trucks. Fire underwriting surveys – the assessments that determine a community’s public protection grading – require departments to maintain modern equipment and apparatus that meet specific length and capability requirements. Without a facility that can house those engines, the CVRD risks losing its fire protection ratings altogether, and that would have direct consequences for residents. “If we’re not able to properly maintain equipment and acquire newer fire engines, that public protection grading will disappear,” Bruce explains, “and then the ability for residents to get reduced insurance rates on their homes and properties would probably go by the wayside – which is a potentially huge economic downturn for the residents. The fire hall may be costing the residents of Union Bay some money over the next 20 years, but there will be a net benefit to them with their savings on fire insurance and continued emergency responses from the fire department.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Making it happen The Mount Washington project tells a different and more complex story. Unlike Union Bay, where the challenge was replacing an aging building, Mount Washington required building an entirely new fire protection service from the ground up – on a mountain, in a location with a limited construction season, on terrain that has thrown more than a few surprises at the project team. The community’s need for fire protection has been painfully illustrated on more than one occasion. Years ago, a house fire on the mountain highlighted the absence of local response capacity – at the time, Courtenay Fire Department would only dispatch if someone was confirmed trapped inside a burning structure. A referendum to establish a fire hall failed. Then, around 2015, three chalets burned down in another fire, and a second public consent process
AUGUST 2026 succeeded. An agreement was signed in 2018 with Oyster River Fire Department to provide interim coverage while the CVRD worked toward a permanent solution. The path to that solution has not been without obstacles. Geotechnical issues forced a change in the building site. The mountain’s short build season – roughly six to eight months, due to snow and extreme weather – ruled out traditional construction methods. The solution was a prefabricated steel building, designed and coordinated with the involvement of Harold Engineering and Momentum Design Build. “The prefab model means we can have several things happening at the same time,” Bruce says. “We don’t have the luxury of building for 12 months up there. The prefab just made sense – we can have stuff being built offsite and then bring it up and put it together fairly quickly.” Assembling the project has required cooperation from multiple community stakeholders. Mount Washington Resort leased the land for the building at essentially no cost to the regional district. And the Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society sold the CVRD the Mountain Centre, which will serve as the administrative hub – a place for training, administration, and overnight stays for firefighters when conditions require it. “A lot of moving parts and a lot of cooperation from many different entities made this happen,” Bruce says. “I think everybody saw the need and the desire from the public to get where we are
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 today.” The Mount Washington project broke ground in June 2026 and is expected to be completed in November 2026. Even at the foundation stage, the challenges of building at elevation have made themselves known – the crew encountered a boulder too large to work around during excavation, requiring jackhammering before construction could continue. Getting concrete to the site, 30 kilometres up a mountain road, adds both complexity and cost to every pour. Once complete, the new station will transform fire response on the mountain. Currently, an engine is staged outside through the summer months but must come down each winter due to freezing temperatures. Currently there is a small crew of firefighters that reside on the mountain, with additional members brought up from Oyster River when needed. It’s an improvised solution while waiting for a fire hall. “Now we’re going to be able to have that engine up on the hill all the time,” Bruce says. “We’re going to have equipment on the hill all the time, and we’re going to be able to respond more rapidly to any emergency situation up there.” For Bruce, both projects are part of the same larger mission – giving the volunteers who staff the CVRD’s fire departments the tools and facilities they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. “The Comox Valley Regional District fire services have an exceptional group of volunteers providing service across all of our fire departments,” he says. “It’s important for me, as the person overseeing all of that, to provide them the equipment and the buildings to do that safely and effectively for the community. If we have that, the community is going to feel safer – and that’s going to make the whole environment and living within that community a better place to be. Overall public safety is the main drive behind all of this.”
For more on Comox Valley Regional District, their two fire hall projects, their other projects and strategies, and the latest news on the community, visit https://www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
BUILDING A NAME
Kiwi Construction and Maintenance Inc. is a residential general contracting and property maintenance company based in Lorette, Manitoba. They were founded in 2020 with the vision of providing clients in the Winnipeg area with a one-stop solution for all their construction and landscaping needs. Whether the client needed roofing, framing, landscaping, or excavation, Kiwi was created to meet their needs, exceed their expectations, and make their construction dreams a reality. “At the heart of our mission lies a deep-seated passion for crafting projects that stand the test of time,” says Kaden Currie, founder and owner of the company. “Our approach combines expert knowledge with a meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every structure we create is not just built, but crafted with care and precision. For us, it’s not just about constructing spaces, but about creating lasting legacies of quality and excellence.” Kaden first fell in love with the construction industry in high school, when he took a woodworking class. At just 15 years old, he took an apprenticeship with a builder that did insurance restoration jobs, where he earned experience with everything from drywall to framing, on projects ranging from new builds to firehouses. After completing the apprenticeship and graduating high school, Kaden continued working with his mentor for over 10 years before striking out on his own. When he started Kiwi Construction, Kaden’s ambitions were deliberately modest. His longtime mentor ran a tight crew of five, and that was the model Kaden had in mind for himself. He reached out to contacts in the industry, landed early work building garages, and supplemented with fence installations – a natural fit, since he happened to own a stand-on skid steer with an auger for AUGUST 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
AUGUST 2026 setting posts. Fortunately, 2020 brought a surge in fencing demand, and the company was able to ride that wave through the early months. Before long, a handful of his former colleagues sought Kaden out specifically, wanting to be part of what he was building. By the end of last year, the company had scaled to more than 10 employees. That growth came steadily and organically. In those first years, Kaden was working seven days a week – evenings, weekends, whatever it took – while still doing part-time work for his old boss. Kiwi Construction built roofs and garages across the city, and insurance restoration work filled a growing share of their schedule. Insurance work was a natural extension of everything Kaden had learned during his apprenticeship, and the company developed a reputation for handling full insurance claims from start to finish. “We were taking care of everything on an entire insurance claim just to make it easy for them,” Kaden explains. “We were subbing out electrical, plumbing, stucco, mud and tape – but we did pretty much everything else.” The breadth of their capability, combined with a willingness to take on any job regardless of size, made Kiwi Construction a reliable partner for restoration companies across the region. About two years ago, Kaden founded a sister brand to Kiwi construction, called Hera Custom Homes – a name drawn from Hera, the Greek goddess of family. “A house isn’t a home without a family,” Kaden explains, “and that idea just fits everything we’re
Behind every successful business is a team of trusted advisors. DD West LLP is a Western Canadian law firm providing strategic legal advice to businesses, developers, contractors, municipalities, and professionals across a broad range of industries. Our practice includes corporate and commercial law, development, municipal law, corporate real estate, construction, and litigation. Local Insights, National Experience Corporate/Commercial Law | Development | Municipal Law | Corporate Real Estate | Construction | Litigation Calgary 2300, 520 - 5th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 3R7 Tel: 403-245-0111 Fax: 403-245-0115 Airdrie 202, 191 Edwards Way SW Airdrie, AB T4B 3E2 Tel: 403-245-0111 Fax: 403-245-0115 Regina 103 Chisholm Road Regina, SK S4S 5N9 Tel: 306-994-5422 Fax: 403-245-0115 Winnipeg 200 - 412 Marion Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 0V5 Tel: 204-421-8655 Fax: 204-421-8566 VISIT OUR WEBSITE DDWESTLLP.COM ORVEL L. CURRIE MANAGING PARTNER ocurrie@ddwestllp.com 204-957-6401 403-541-5287 MELISSA SERBIN PARTNER mserbin@ddwestllp.com 204-925-5393 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA trying to do.” For Hera’s first project, the company purchased a piece of land in winter – securing a discount in the off-season – and designed a 2,500-squarefoot home in St. Adolphe. The team, then a crew of four, worked evenings and weekends for about a year to complete it. They listed the home in January, sold it in four days, and received roughly $60,000 over asking – closing at approximately $900,000. That result lit the flame for everything that followed. Today, Kiwi and Hera together represent a full-service residential construction operation. Under the Kiwi banner, the team continues to handle insurance restoration work – tackling everything from fire damage repairs and complete roof replacements to renovations and smaller maintenance jobs – while Hera focuses on new custom builds. Kaden currently has four properties in Lorette lined up for spec builds, one in East Kildonan, and several client-commissioned builds in the works. Hera has sold five homes to date, and the plan that debuted in St. Adolphe has since been sold twice over. The most recent Hera project, a custom home in Landmark – a community just on the outskirts of Winnipeg – is wrapping up now, and it has already drawn significant attention. A prospective client who toured the Landmark home was so impressed by the quality of the workmanship that they commissioned Kiwi to replicate the same plan for a build in Lorette.
AUGUST 2026 A nicer product According to Kaden, what sets both Kiwi Construction and Hera Custom Homes apart is their founding philosophy of going above and beyond for clients. On all projects, no matter the size and scope, he says they do whatever it takes to earn the client’s satisfaction – which is why their clients keep coming back. For example, Kaden has maintained a working relationship with Priority Restoration since his apprenticeship, and that company continues to send work his way. On the Hera Custom Homes side, Kaden also believes they are set apart by their material selection. “If you go walk through most builder-grade houses, they feel like builder-grade houses,” he explains. “Everything’s kind of middle to lower-middle range for quality. We’re overspending on all of our finishes to get a nicer product. For a $400,000 house, we’re still
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=