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. In this edition, we’ve highlighted a variety of companies who contribute to the construction industry across Canada, from custom home builders and renovators, to modular home builders, civil contractors, architects, interior designers, property developers, materials suppliers, all the way to non-profit organizations dedicated to the industry advancement of galvanized steel. Alston Properties, the company on our cover, is an industryleading investor and developer of multifamily apartments with a history of delivering high quality projects across Winnipeg, Calgary, and Victoria. We’ve highlighted that history in our magazine before when we covered the award-winning Pumphouse, a multi-phase mixed-use rehabilitation project in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. This time out, we caught up with second-generation-leader Bryce Alston, and we talked about some of their more recent projects in Calgary, the company’s new home base. Most notably, we discussed the work they did transforming nearly 100,000 square feet of unused office space into the Dominion Civic Apartments, which now comprises 132 units of bachelor, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites, with additional amenities including a gym, sauna, and co-working space. Also in this issue is Indigenous Iron Construction, a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned business dedicated delivering high-quality infrastructure projects while honouring Indigenous values and culture. Since forming in 2021, they have grown rapidly in size, service offering, and renown, and they now offer a wide variety of services and expertise to public and private sector clients across British Columbia. For more on their story and what’s powered their rapid ascent, we caught up with Cody La Rock, the company’s founder and president. This edition also includes a look at Morley Hoppner Inc., an industryleading provider of construction and real estate development solutions based out of Ottawa. They are a very longstanding company, but they have also grown a lot in recent years. In our conversation with Nick Szaszkiewicz, the company’s vice president and district manager, we talked about what’s spurred that growth. We also highlighted some of the company’s most recent projects, which also happen to be some of their most ambitious to date. For those stories – and many more like them, about other industry leaders across the building space – just keep flipping the pages. We hope you enjoy and we see you back here next time.
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
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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 Douglas Thomson Cheryl Ezinicki Mehdi El Oudghiri Production Manager Brennan Midghall Digital Strategist Pranim Thapa
MARCH 2026 ALSTON PROPERTIES Embracing the challenge INDIGENOUS IRON CONSTRUCTION Pathways to prosperity MORLEY HOPPNER A value-driven approach BOONE PLUMBING & HEATING SUPPLY Driven to serve MEZZO HOMES Building hope through transitional housing THE RENOVATORS OF CANADA Putting homeowners first LAUNCH CONSTRUCTION Beautiful buildings for a beautiful community FOHR DESIGN STUDIO Personal and enduring design CCR CONSTRUCTION The value of time SKWLAX RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Purpose and promise CANADIAN GALVANIZING INSTITUTE (CGI) Advancing Canada’s infrastructure RIVA CONSTRUCTION Modern home construction INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS INCINERATING TOILETS IN THIS ISSUEMARCH 2026 KELSON & KELSON LTD. ENERWISE HOMES
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA KELSON & KELSON LTD. The care factor ENERWISE HOMES Building for resilience LAUNCH CONSTRUCTION RIVA CONSTRUCTION
MARCH 2026 Industry INNOVATIONS MODERN & ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TOILET SOLUTIONS
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Water connection not required Requires little space No odour Easy installation No frost protection needed Secure for children ash to be emptied No waste handling, only and more Bunkies, For Home, Cottages, Shops, 3 - 4 visits per hour High capacity Propane&Electric models ABOUT CINDERELLA ECO GROUP Cinderella Eco Group is a family-owned company located in the north-western coastal community of Midsund in Romsdal, with deep roots in the beautiful Norwegian fjord-landscape. We have more than 20 years’ experience with the Cinderella Incineration Toilet, a water-free, ecological solution for the management of toilet waste. Cinderella, the natural first choice for those who place high demands on quality and functionality. HIGHLIGHTS OF INCINERATION TOILETS:
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EMBRACING THE CHALLENGE
Alston Properties is an industry-leading investor and developer of multifamily apartments with a history of delivering high quality projects across Winnipeg, Calgary, and Victoria. Since forming in the 1980s, they have successfully taken a long list of acclaimed projects through every stage of the development process, from land acquisition, through to construction, completion, and management. In recent years, they have become known for purchasing older, well-positioned properties that pose unique challenges, and using their expertise to solve those challenges and deliver finished products that enhance the streetscapes and the communities in which they take place. Several years ago, for example, Alston Properties developed Pumphouse, a multi-phase mixed-use rehabilitation project in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. That was a “very tough project,” according to Bryce Alston, the company’s director, but they confronted the challenges head-on, figured out solutions, and “it turned out extremely well.” Bryce Alston is the second generation leader of Alston Properties, and he joined the business out of university in 2012. Initially, he spent a couple years in Victoria working alongside his father, Michael Alston, the company’s visionary founder and president. In 2014, Bryce moved to Winnipeg in order to establish a Manitoba office. In the years since, the company has seen through a number of exciting projects, including a number of heritage redevelopments and rehabilitations of historic sites. Pumphouse was a prime example, though far from the only one – over the last few years, the company has continued to make their mark, both in Winnipeg and in Calgary, where Bryce now lives. MARCH 2026
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In Winnipeg, the company is now mostly working on renovating and maintaining their existing portfolio. Before making the move to Calgary, however, they did recently complete a 10-storey mixed-use project at 127 Bannatyne Avenue. That project was designed by AtLRG Architecture and was developed in partnership with Concord Projects. The story of that project began with Alston Properties purchasing the passport office building at 433 Main Street from Canada Life. That purchase also included the parking lot directly behind the passport office, which was located at 170 Bannatyne. Canada Life also owned another nearby parking lot, at 127 Bannatyne, and they ended up including that in the sale. From there, Nolan Ploegman, the CEO of Concord Projects, reached out and informed Bryce that he had long been interested in developing a building on that second parking lot. After talking it through, they agreed to team up and co-develop a project. Together, they came up with the concept for a mixed-use building that included: ground floor retail; a second floor office for Concord Projects; and then 80 residential units on floors three through 10. They settled AtLRG as the architect because Bryce had a strong and longstanding relationship with the principals, and he knew they could handle a challenge, which that project presented. “It was a controversial project because that site is in the Exchange District National Historic Site,” Bryce explains. “There was some sensitivity around new construction within that district, and we were pushing the density a little bit because we had to MARCH 2026
in order to make the project viable. AtLRG really stepped up to the plate, came up with a really god design, and then the team pushed it through the approval process and executed on it.” The response to the finished product from people in the area, Bryce continues, has been “overwhelmingly positive,” which is a testament to AtLRG’s success. “It’s been really nice to hear that people are really pleased with the outcome. Despite the fact that it’s 10 storeys amongst lower-scale heritage buildings, people do feel as though it’s a great addition to the area. The initial concerns associated with it standing out and not meshing with the area and the community – those concerns have completely gone away.” Bryce also credits that feedback to Concord Projects and how well they executed on site. He calls them “one of the best builders in the province of Manitoba.” “They’ve got such a strong team, and they’ve done numerous high rises, lots of challenging projects – so this fits right in their wheelhouse,” he says. “They also selected really good sub-trade partners who had the ability to execute on a difficult project like that. So hats off to Concord.” “We’re a vertically-integrated company, we usually do our own construction, but there’s no way we could have done it any better,” Bryce adds. “I’m super happy they did it. They executed perfectly.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MARCH 2026 Following the opportunities Following the completion of 127 Bannatyne Avenue, Bryce ended up moving to Calgary, as previously mentioned. He made that move for a mix of personal and professional reasons. On the professional side, Alston Properties was already doing a project there at the time, and looking forward they saw a lot of opportunities for more projects. “It’s a pretty robust market,” Bryce says. “There’s lots of demand, lots of people moving here. The economy is fairly strong. The political environment is pretty good for development. They want development, and they’ve streamlined some of their processes to make it a developer friendly market. And then specific to the downtown, they’ve got a pretty robust downtown revitalization strategy. As a developer, I love seeing that.” “We want to invest in places where the city and province are
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA investing, and that definitely describes the city of Calgary,” he continues. “They’re putting quite a bit of money downtown in the beautification of streets and parks, in safety, in arts and culture, in the activation of public spaces, amongst other things. They’re also incenting developers to redevelop office buildings into rental apartments – and that’s the space in which we’ve operated in for a number of years now. We wanted to be here and participate in that downtown revitalization they have.” A big part of that downtown revitalization has involved the conversion of office space into multiunit residential space. Following COVID, office vacancy downtown was over 30 per cent, so a lot of groups have been getting out of the office sector and selling to investors – Bryce says in the last few years there have been over 30 transactions of office buildings in the downtown area. Alston Properties has been involved in several of those transactions. Most notably, they recently completed a formerly 80 per cent vacant Class C office tower in downtown Calgary – formerly the Dominion Centre office building, located at 665 Eighth St S.W. – into the Dominion Civic Apartments, a 132-unit residential conversion that opened in late October 2025. That project features bachelor, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites, with additional amenities including a gym, sauna, and co-working space. On that project, Alston Properties ended up
MARCH 2026 converting nearly 100,000 square feet of office space. They also took advantage of several exciting incentives to fund the project – they received $7.5 million from the Calgary Downtown Development Incentive Program, for example, as well $1.2 million from the Climate Retrofit Challenge, as their conversation reduced the building’s emissions by 40 per cent. Emboldened by their success on that project, Alston Properties is now working on two more office-to-residential conversion projects. According to Bryce, they currently see a lot more opportunity in conversions and renovations than in new builds. He says that due to various factors – CHMC has “tightened up” and is offering fewer incentives, for example – new construction is challenging right now, but their company has been able to adjust. “I just don’t think there’s much development margin on new construction right now. It’s tougher to finance projects today that it was a couple of years ago. So we’re mostly looking at buying existing apartment buildings or buying office buildings and then redeveloping them. For the next couple years, we’re going to focus on those types of projects.” Because Alston Properties is vertically integrated – they don’t just develop, they also build and manage their own properties – they are well equipped to withstand any potential downturns in the development sector. Bryce admits they were
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MARCH 2026 busier on that side of the business a few years ago, but they have adapted and will be ready when the market picks up again. “Things are slowing down a little bit because of the challenges in the development industry, but we’re fine with that,” he explains. “We’ll just pare down our construction and development side and focus on property management and find opportunities where we can.” “We’re fine to slow down and wait for the market to change,” he concludes. “There are going to be more favourable conditions and opportunities in the future. We’re happy with the size of the company where we’re at. We’re going to keep seizing opportunities where we find them, and we’re definitely going to keep taking on challenging projects, because that’s where we find the most opportunity – but we don’t feel pressure to develop and build just so we have something to do.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on Alston Properties and their many innovative properties and developments, including their many upcoming projects in Calgary, visit https://alstonproperties.com/
PATHWAYS T
TO PROSPERITY
MARCH 2026 BUILD MORE WITH A TEAM THAT HAS YOUR BACK At SMS Equipment, we’re more than machines from trusted brands like Komatsu. No matter your project, we’re the people beside you—today and every day—bringing industry-leading technology and expertise to your job site. Because the right partnership makes everything possible.
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Indigenous Iron Construction is a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned business dedicated delivering high-quality infrastructure projects while honouring Indigenous values and culture. Since officially forming in 2021, they have grown rapidly in size, service offering, and renown. These days, their expertise includes hydro-vac services, street sweeping, site development, land remediation, fill site management, land surveying, project management, and safety compliance, and they have the knowledge, capabilities, and experience to support commercial, institutional, and infrastructure projects for both public and private sector clients across British Columbia. “Our model for success is grounded in respect, transparency, and collaboration,” says Cody La Rock, the founder and president of the company. “We believe in a team approach that values people and thrives on fresh ideas and intelligent solutions. We know from experience that collaborative projects promote innovation, which leads to better performance and extraordinary results.” “We are committed to creating meaningful employment opportunities within Indigenous communities while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and environmental stewardship,” he adds. “Our work goes beyond construction – we’re building pathways to prosperity for Indigenous peoples and communities across the region.” Cody personally comes from an extensive backgroundincivilconstructionandenvironmental remediation. He’s also Tsleil-Waututh First Nation Community member and artist, and he owns and manages several businesses that specialize in Indigenous partnerships and maximizing MARCH 2026
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opportunities and benefits for Indigenous businesses. Prior to forming Indigenous Iron, Cody was working directly for a First Nation, running a subcontracting company that provided a variety of services and would help other contractors fulfill the Indigenous involvement requirements for federal and provincial projects. In 2021, that company turned into Indigenous Iron Construction when they teamed up with an investor and purchased hydrovac assets in order to contribute to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. They started working on that project with one hydrovac unit and ended up with 12. From there, the company progressed into providing street sweeping services, fill site managing services, and eventually land development services for First Nations groups. Indigenous Iron began with just Cody at the helm, but within the first year they added a CFO with growth and finance expertise. “Once I brought him on, we started to grow exponentially,” Cody recalls. The core team now includes 18 full-time staff, plus about 50 more people employed through partnerships and joint ventures. Their fleet has also grown to be extensive, and now includes everything from hydrovac units, street sweepers, bulldozers, excavators, and water trucks. Cody largely credits the company’s rapid rise to their early adoption of technology and a MARCH 2026
rigorous approach to accountability. “I think it’s because we’re technologically advanced,” he says. “We operate a tonne of AI systems. We’re at the forefront of all of the provincial and federal requirements when it comes to actually performing these works.” Cody also credits the company’s growth to the passion and commitment of their team members – over 65 per cent of whom are Indigenous. To nurture that passion, Indigenous Iron actively recruits Indigenous youth and people with ambitions to lead or own companies one day. That support is tangible and includes training, tuition, and even equity investment. “If there is a team member that wants to have a flagging company, for example, we will support them, put them through the flagging course – the company pays for it as long as they’re advancing their own skills,” Cody explains. “If they really want to continue with that, Indigenous Iron is prepared to actually invest in helping that person start up their own company.” In cases like that, the employee would then own the majority stake in their company, with Indigenous Iron retaining a minority stake and acting as a capital partner and mentor. According to Cody, that kind of investment has paid off in retention. “We’ve actually had seven of our part-time employees all quit their other jobs and decided to take on Indigenous Iron as their full-time career because they see the benefits in THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MARCH 2026 the investment side that we want to give to them,” he says. Furthermore, the company has been careful to scale responsibly to support stable, multi-year employment. “We don’t go out and buy a piece of equipment that’s going to work for six months and employ somebody and then have to lay them off. When we invest in equipment, we’re investing in the staff just as much.” On the topic of equipment, Cody says that Indigenous Iron’s suppliers have also played a key role in the company’s success to date. As an example, they have formed a particularly close partnership with SMS Equipment, one of the industry’s leading providers for heavy equipment in the construction, forestry, mining, and road building industries, as well as one of the largest Komatsu dealers in the world. They have over 40 locations across Canada and Alaska, and their team take pride in offering tailored equipment, support, parts and technology solutions that help their customers grow – and Cody says they have definitely helped Indigenous Iron grow.
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Getting in the game As a result of their consistent expansion, Indigenous Iron can provide a wide range of Indigenous-led services to BC’s construction industry. Some of those services are now offered under subsidiary companies. For example, the company recently launched ‘Indigenous Iron Developments’ to focus on transforming raw or un-serviced First Nations land into commercial, industrial, and residential properties that drive long-term economic benefit. Additionally, the company recently acquired AMR Surveys, “the only First Nation survey company in British Columbia,” Cody notes. They are now rebranding that company as ‘Guardian Geomatics’. Cody says that having them in-house will be a great boost to the group’s early-stage project capabilities.
MARCH 2026 Currently, Indigenous Iron is utilizing all their inhouse capabilities on a major land development project they are undertaking in partnership with a First Nation, which will involve converting raw land into a light industrial park. “We’re navigating every phase of this project hands-on,” Cody says. “We’re holding four-hour strategy sessions with our legal team almost daily to structure how we can acquire the land ourselves, fund the development internally, and bring in the right strategic partners to see it through to completion. We’re fully stepping into the development game.” That project exemplifies Indigenous Iron’s trajectory – moving from specialized services into development and, eventually, large-scale infrastructure delivery. “We’re relentlessly building our capacity so we can stand at the forefront of the industry – one of the major players in the Lower Mainland capable of bidding on and winning those transformative infrastructure projects, whether it’s expanding highways, elevating roadways, or constructing major bridges,” Cody explains. “Ultimately, our ambition is to become the first fully Indigenousowned company to self-perform these large-scale projects end-to-end.” Cody’s broader vision challenges the status quo in which many Nations are offered small revenueshare arrangements by non-Indigenous partners. “Right now, too many First Nations are entering partnerships where they settle for a small revenue
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MARCH 2026 share from non-Indigenous developers,” Cody observes. “At Indigenous Iron, we’re building toward full Indigenous ownership and control – rooted in our inherent rights and strengths— with a robust employment base drawn from First Nations communities. That way, we can lead and execute these projects ourselves.” From that position of strength, he sees two paths: partnering with First Nations as a fully capable Indigenous prime contractor on major projects, and potentially becoming a shared asset for the host Nations themselves. He points to MST Development Corp – which is a proud partnership of the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation – as a model of Indigenous-led development scale in the Lower Mainland. “What we would like to see is if we can grow and scale sufficiently, perhaps one day all three host nations can integrate Indigenous Iron as a key partner in their capital buildings development programs through the MSTA framework. That would be an incredibly rewarding milestone for our partnership and for everyone involved.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on Indigenous Iron Construction, their vision, values, and range of service – and to contact Cody and the rest of his expert team – visit https://www.indigenousiron.ca/
A VALUE-DRIVEN APPROACH A DIVISION OF THE
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Morley Hoppner Inc. (MHI) is a longstanding and industry-leading provider of construction and real estate development solutions. For almost 40 years, their solutions have been enriching and enhancing Ottawa’s city and neighbourhoods, earning the company an unrivalled industry reputation backed by a long list of industry awards. Over the decades, the company has also been building strong and lasting relationships with all industry stakeholders – clients, employees, subcontractors, suppliers, and community organizations – across a variety of markets. Together with those partners, they have played a leading role in some of central Ontario’s premier projects. In 2020, MHI’s growth accelerated when the company formally became a division of the Synergy Group of Companies (SGC), an integrated and forward-thinking organization based out of Edmonton, Alberta. SGC was created to provide clients with all of their commercial construction, tenant improvements, and real estate investment and development needs. With their support over the past few years, MHI has been able to tackle some of their most ambitious projects to date. Nick Szaszkiewicz, the company’s Vice President and District Manager, joined MHI in 2024. In just the past two years alone, he has experienced significant professional growth and development, and he has had the opportunity to be a part of “a number of exciting projects.” That includes the company’s largest project to date – LUXO Place, a 1,322,940-square-foot hotel and apartment complex in the city’s Cyrville area. These days, MHI has the capacity to take on largescale projects similar to LUXO, but they also have the flexibility to take on smaller ones. According to MARCH 2026
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Nick, the company’s range is broad – with projects starting around the $1 million mark and scaling upwards to $350 million. “Our team has a lot of experience and confidence executing these projects,” he says. “We have some really accomplished people in that sector. They have seen everything there is to see, and we can leverage that experience and expertise to the benefit of our clients.” At the same time, MHI intentionally leaves room for smaller projects, to serve all of their new and existing clients’ needs and provide opportunities for growth within our employee structure. For example, the company is currently doing an 18unit wood-frame building in Stittsville, which is being led by staff within the business. Those staff members are benefiting from the opportunity to earn experience on a smaller canvas while still being supported and mentored by the senior leadership team. In terms of the construction sectors they work in, MHI is well known for their multifamily projects, but the team also delivers a significant amount work in the public sector. In recent years, for instance, they have delivered three fire stations for the City of Ottawa and are actively pursuing additional municipal, provincial, and federal opportunities. They have completed a significant amount of commercial and institutional projects – those sectors weren’t as active during the pandemic, but they are now starting to pick MARCH 2026
up again and the company is in the process of restoring their historical balance. In all sectors, Nick believes what sets MHI apart is their ability to add value to a project. Typically, they do that by being involved and engaging with project stakeholders at a very early stage. “We are very value-driven,” Nick explains. “We want early engagement with clients, consultants and trades so we can drive solutions into the plan from the start.” As an example of how the company does that, Nick points to a three-phase development they are working on with development partner Colonnade Bridgeport and equity partner Myers Automotive Group. That project started with the Granite Curling Club needing a new building. At the same time, they also wanted to leverage the real estate value from their existing property, which was located on Scott Street, on a site situated between a residential neighbourhood, Richmond Road’s arterial shopping network, and the transit corridor to the north. In collaboration with their project partners, MHI was essential in assembling the financing to provide a multi-phase solution for that project. That solution involved relocating the club to a new site within a specified geographical area; designing and building the new Granite Curling Club on that site; and reimagining the Scott Street site as a new transit-oriented multifamily THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
development with three high-rise buildings (18, 26 and 36 storeys) and a pedestrian plaza linking Scott Street to Lion’s Park. MHI believes this is one of the best residential sites in Ottawa and has proposed just over 850 units comprising roughly 725,000 square feet. Their proposal includes commercial retail units with sustainability targets including affordability, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reductions. “That’s what we love – unlocking value for communities and partners,” Nick says. “The club gets a building they love, and the city gets muchneeded housing near the Westboro light rail train station. Everyone gets a result that they’re excited about.” Elsewhere in the city, MHI is currently working on a number of other value-driven projects, including two multifamily buildings: The Parkstone, an eight-storey luxury multi-residential purpose built rental at 70 Richmond; and an 11-storey downtown multi at 100 Argyle. Both of the buildings integrate significant heritage components. The Parkstone, for example, includes the full retention of the Champlain Oil Company Service Station, which is a rare early 20th century cottage style gas station originally owned by the Trudeau family. That station was relocated across the street and will be transported back and integrated into the new building as a commercial retail space. 100 Argyle is the former Canadian Labour Congress office building, which was dismantled with the front limestone-clad portion of the building restored identically within the new building. This reconstructed façade forms the podium of the new building and remains the main focal element at street level. The company has also mobilized on a complex adaptive reuse project at 15 des Oblats Avenue in Old Ottawa East in the Greystone Village area. The project is the former site of the Sacred Heart convent, which was originally constructed circa 1915, with additional floors added in 1926 and 1954. That space is now being converted into a largely studio-based apartment style multiresidential building for young professionals with a new four-storey L-shaped addition with 284 residential units over 158,700 square feet, plus rooftop amenity space. “That is a really important project for us,” Nick says. “It is ambitious, it ties into our value-driving approach, and we have learned a lot throughout the preconstruction process. We did a lot of work to make sure the budget was aligned with the design before we really started getting in there and spending money. Now we are fully mobilized, executing carefully, and targeting completion in Q2 2027.” MARCH 2026
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Nurturing relationships Another factor that sets MHI apart is the experience, expertise, and dedication of their in-house team, which comprises about 45 people, including a strong estimating and preconstruction team, veteran construction managers and superintendents, and a strong finance and accounting team. The company is also a signatory to the Carpenters Union, and they currently employ 35 union carpenters – though that number will go up and down as their workload requires. The company’s namesakes, Brian Morley and Ken Hoppner, also remain involved in the business, with Ken focusing on the MHI development projects and Brian heading up the business development side of firm. The company is currently transitioning into employee ownership, but Nick says the principals’ involvement still provides “huge value” to the rest of the team. “Having Brian and Ken still full-time in the firm, supporting the executive team, has been really important,” Nick says. “They open
MARCH 2026 doors and nurture relationships with clients. They are a big part of what makes the group successful.” Nick also praises the supportive culture that Brian and Ken have instilled in the team from the beginning. He says the strength of that culture is reflected in the loyalty the company has earned from their employees: “We have a carpenter that’s been working with us for 25 years, and we are having a big celebration for him and a project accountant who has been with us 20 years,” Nick says. “Construction is a tough business. We don’t pretend otherwise. But we have built a flat, supportive culture where people care for each other, celebrate the wins, and take real pride in putting these buildings together.” MHI’s relationships with subcontractors and suppliers also tend to be loyal and longstanding. Nick describes those partners as “paramount to our business.” “We really rely on them, so we spend a lot of time engaging with them, understanding what is affecting their businesses – tariffs, supply chain, whatever the issues of the day are – so we can plan accordingly. We also encourage our clients to get involved in our projects as early as possible. If we can get our top five or six subcontractors locked in early, it’s amazing the value they can drive.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Smart growth Moving forward, MHI’s goal is “smart growth.” They want to maintain their position as a leader in the large-scale multifamily sector of the market, but they also want to keep diversifying and expanding into other market segments. Defense construction is currently a big focus of the federal government, for example, and the company has already been submitting on many of those opportunities including modified design build tenders and lump sum opportunities. The company is also interested in expanding into other geographical areas. Currently, they are looking at opportunities in central Ontario, as well as the Lake Ontario corridor between Ottawa and the GTA. They are also looking at opportunities in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Furthermore, as a division of SGC, they already have partners out west and they have plans to integrate more closely with those partners.
MARCH 2026 “MHI is well-situated for expansion, but we want to do it in a cautious way,” Nick says. “We’re all excited about employee ownership, and we don’t want to grow too fast and put the whole program at risk. We want to grow nationally but it has to be at the right pace and we never want to compromise on the qualities that make us special.” Ultimately, no matter where the company is working, or what kind of projects they are working on, Nick says their most important goal is to continue delivering value for all stakeholders. “We are builders,” he concludes. “We like solving problems together – with clients, with trades, with our own people. When we engage early, align interests, and get the right team around the table, we can drive tremendous value for our clients and the community. That’s the work we love, and there is a lot more of it to do.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on MHI, their services, their capabilities, and their landmark past projects – and to get in touch with their expert team, including Nick – visit https://morleyhoppner.com/
DRIVEN TO SERVE SINCE 1937
Boone Plumbing & Heating Supply is a wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC, tools and waterworks products that has been serving Ottawa, Gatineau, and the surrounding areas since 1937. Over their almost-90-year history, they have continuously worked to improve their service to their customers, to understand the challenges they face, and to anticipate their evolving wants and needs. To meet those evolving needs, they have continuously grown and evolved internally. In 1987, for example, they became a proud subsidiary of Deschenes Group. Founded in 1940, Deschenes Group is one of the top three Canadian-owned wholesaler/distributors of its kind. Then in 1997, Boone launched their retail division under the name Mondeau Bathroom & Kitchen. Though a lot has changed about the company over the past 90 years, the foundations of the company remain the same. Luc DesRosiers, vice president and general manager, says that “despite the incredible amount of growth and change that Boone has undergone, we remain true to our core values.” “We are driven to continuously create new standards of excellence in plumbing and heating distribution and to be the number one choice where employees love to work, the number one place where customers love to buy, and the number one place where manufactures love to distribute their products.” Luc comes from a family with deep ties to Boone, as his uncle and brother both served in leadership roles with the business for many years. He personally joined the company in 1985 and advanced from the ground up. He literally started by sweeping the yard, and then moved into MARCH 2026
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sales, and eventually into senior management. He further strengthened his leadership and business expertise by completing his Executive MBA at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, graduating in 2011. In his time with Boone, Luc has also personally borne witness to much of the company’s growth, including the introduction of their showroom division, which was launched for the benefit of customers and local designers who didn’t have showrooms of their own. They now have three showrooms with locations in Gloucester, Kanata, and Gatineau. All three were purposebuilt to serve trade clients. They give plumbers, contractors, and designers a curated environment to make confident selections, supported by expert plumbing fixture consultants. “If you’re a plumber and a client is planning a bathroom renovation, you can confidently refer them to us,” explains Luc. “We offer over 26,000 square feet of showroom space—featuring some of the finest showrooms in Ottawa, with a consistent, luxurious design across all three locations. Our qualified consultants meet with customers to guide them through their selections and collaborate with their preferred contractors to ensure the project runs smoothly. We help determine the right products, then provide a detailed quote along with clear instructions for the plumber.” Boone’s showrooms are designed with trade MARCH 2026
professionals in mind, featuring dedicated spaces where designers can comfortably meet with their clients. Fully equipped meeting rooms allow for extended product selection sessions in a professional, collaborative environment. Through their commission-based Showroom Pro Partnership Program (called Perks For Pros), they enable plumbers, contractors, and designers to benefit directly from the material selections their clients make. Backed by the right resources, tools, and expertise, Boone delivers a seamless, professional alternative to the big-box experience – one built around the needs of the trade. According to Luc, that commitment to going above and beyond to meet their customers’ needs is what has always set Boone apart: “We build personal relationships with our customers,” he explains. “We get to know their needs, their struggles, and their business. We do extensive research so we know what we need to do to be able to cater to them. Our mandate is to make sure our customers have an exceptional experience.” To create that exceptional experience, Boone strives to always provide customers with three things: competitive pricing, reliable inventory, and an exceptional customer experience at every touchpoint. “What we bring to the table is more than knowledge – its leadership,” Luc explains. “Through innovation, deep industry expertise, THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MARCH 2026 and a genuine commitment to the well-being of our clients and supplier partners, Boone sets the standard in our market.” As for their reliability, Luc says they have one of the largest inventories in Ottawa, and their multiple locations allow them to respond to customer needs quickly, no matter where they are working. “If a customer is working in Kanata – well, we have a location in Kanata which is really well stocked,” Luc explains. “If they’re working in Gloucester, Barrhaven, Vars, Nepean or Gatineau, we have locations available to them within a 15-minute drive from their jobsite. If they can’t pick up, we have over 30 trucks on the road, so we’re going to be able to deliver to them.” Then there’s the company’s competitive pricing. “It takes a lot of people to deliver exceptional service,” Luc acknowledges. That naturally means higher overhead than some competitors, yet the company remains highly competitive among wholesalers. Luc largely attributes this to the Deschênes Group and the significant purchasing power that comes with being part of a larger buying organization. Boone is also proud to be one of the largest distributors of Milwaukee Tools in the National Capital Region. With an extensive selection of tools and accessories available at all locations, ensuring customers have immediate access to the products they rely on every day. At Boone, they understand that using the right tool doesn’t just mean using the right equipment – it’s about productivity, efficiency, and reputation on the job site. “That’s why we are committed to supplying the right tool at the right price, backed by our Price Match Guarantee on all Milwaukee tools.” Overall, when it comes to performance, availability, and value, Boone delivers.
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Lasting partnerships These days, Boone’s business is deliberately diversified across three equal segments: residential plumbing, HVAC, and commercial plumbing. On the residential side, the company supplies plumbers who serve major builders across the region. In HVAC, Boone’s coverage, stock, and logistics create reliable delivery for time-sensitive projects and with their tin shop, they can fabricate residential custom duct work quickly and with precision. On the commercial plumbing front, Boone supports some of the market’s largest, most complex builds. Recent and notable projects include: the 55-storey Claridge Icon building by Dow’s Lake; multiple phases of the Zibi waterfront community connecting Ottawa and Gatineau; the 20-storey 360 Laurier Ave mixed-use building in Ottawa; and early work for the
Our trusted partners We would like to highlight the outstanding work of the team at Boone Plumbing and Heating Supply and are extremely proud to count them as a trusted partner. Congratulations! CONTACT US | 613 742-5556 | can-aqua.ca MARCH 2026 garage at The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus. Through working on projects of that calibre, Boone has been able to form deep relationships with some of the region’s leading mechanical contractors. According to Luc, some of those relationships go back decades. He says some of their partnerships go back even longer – they have endured for half a century or more, spanning multiple generations. Boone has also fostered longstanding relationships with employees and suppliers. As previously mentioned, many of their employees are longstanding, and they invest a lot of time and effort into earning that loyalty. That investment has been consistently recognized and rewarded – over the years, Boone has been recognized “many, many times” by Deloitte as one of ‘Canada’s Best Managed Companies,’ which means a lot to them. The company similarly invests in their supplier relationships. Luc says they are very selective about the brands they carry – and when they find the right brand they like to form lasting partnerships. “At Boone, we don’t bring in just any manufacturer,” he says. “We have very high standards. And once we commit to a manufacturer, we make sure that we respect our part of the bargain, which is to be a good business partner and move and promote their products. For example, we have a Boone Academy, where we teach our customers about our new products, how to use them, and how they can benefit their business.”
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MARCH 2026 Moving forward, Boone’s goal is to continue building longstanding relationships with everyone involved in the business – including their clients, their employees, and their suppliers. They also intend to keep growing, and they expect that growth to take a variety of forms – they want to expand into new complementary product categories, they want to open new locations and expand their service radius, and they want to grow their team and foster the next generation of company leadership. That latter goal is particularly important, as they have a wave of experienced team members approaching retirement over the next five years. “Succession planning is a major focus,” says Luc. “We’re making sure that we have a thorough plan, and whoever retires has a successor in place who can fulfill their role.” “No matter what happens, we’re definitely going to continue growing and getting better at servicing our clients,” he concludes. “Throughout the company’s entire history, that’s what we’ve always done – and that’s what we’re going to continue to do moving forward.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on Boone, their products and services, their latest news and promotional offers, and to learn where to find them, visit Boone.ca
BUILDING HOPE THROUGH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
Mezzo Homes is a leading manufacturer of prefabricated, fully furnished homes ideally suited for transitional housing. From their plant near Selkirk, they build innovative ready-to-move (RTM) homes that can be shipped by road or rail to nearly anywhere for on-site installation. In recent years, they have focused on creating “microcommunities” of 10-to-50 houses, primarily for transitional housing in Manitoba’s First Nations communities. In Canada, the need for transitional housing is enormous – the country is facing a critical shortage of transitional housing units, with the gap projected to rise to nearly 100,000 units by 2030. This crisis disproportionately impacts Indigenous communities, which already face housing shortages. Jason Vitt – the founder and president of Mezzo Homes, and a proud citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation – formed the company in 2018 partly to help address that growing crisis. These days, Mezzo Homes builds about 40 units annually at the plant, just north of Selkirk. Because their homes are manufactured indoors in a controlled environment, the company is able to produce them year-round, with no weather delays, and with factory consistency and quality control. They are also able to precisely engineer and manufacture their homes for energy efficiency and longevity. According to Jason, their homes can withstand extreme cold and heat – “think Manitoba” – and they have service lives up to 100 years. A few years back, Mezzo Homes developed their signature ‘Mezzo Community’ model, which comprises a package of 10 homes. This package was initially designed after the company MARCH 2026
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was approached by Chris Poponick, who has a long history of working alongside First Nations communities to strengthen housing, economic, and social development initiatives. At the time, Chris was working with the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, a community located just outside of Brandon. They were suffering from a lack of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units and were looking for a cost-effective solution they could execute on quickly. Chris and Jason previously had a working relationship, and Chris knew that Jason was exploring RTM building, so he approached him and asked for a solution. In response, Jason and an architect ended up designing a 10-home package that would meet the needs of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation while also meeting CHMC funding requirements. The package turned out so well they have started offering it to other communities. To assist with that effort, Chris ended up joining Mezzo Homes and now serves as the company’s vice president of community development According to Jason, one of the most appealing things about a ‘Mezzo Community’ is how easy they are to execute. Mezzo Homes has the ability to manage their entire lifecycle in-house, from design, through to manufacturing, to road or rail transportation, all the way to on-site installation, including infrastructure and utilities. All they require is road access to the site and services to the site. They can even deliver to remote communities as long as there is road or rail access. Within their micro-home communities, Mezzo Homes offers four standard models of homes: one-bedroom; two-bedroom; universal-access; and central unit. These models range in size from MARCH 2026
about 430 to 572 square feet. All homes are fully stocked and furnished, right down to the linens, flatware, and laundry detergent. All include modern amenities such as a smart TV, a washer/ dryer, a dishwasher (in the two-bedroom homes), design decor, and a front deck. The interiors are finished in natural wood, not drywall, for the sake of appearance and durability. Each 10-home package that Mezzo Homes provides also includes an additional central building that can be used for program delivery, common social space, training and education, and administrative functions. As part of the package, the company also provides security features such as fencing around the community and unbreakable window coverings. Mezzo Homes’ communities can also be larger or smaller than 10 units. Though 10 units is a “sweet spot for both cost efficiency and social outcomes,” the company is capable of delivering single units, small clusters of units, and larger multi-unit programs. The company can work closely with community leaders, program operators, and funding partners to ensure their homes align with local priorities and long-term use. Geographically, Mezzo Homes can venture pretty far. Though the company is based near Selkirk, their units are engineered to withstand the rigours of transport to remote and northern regions where traditional site-built construction is often impossible or cost-prohibitive. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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