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 from across the country. In this edition, we’ve looked at a broad spectrum of companies and organizations across Canada encompassing the entire design, building, and property management lifecycle. Within these pages are stories on some of the industry’s leading providers of custom homes and cottages, modular homes, heritage buildings, commercial buildings, institutional facilities, and even some whole communities. Ph.D. Design, the company on our cover, is a Toronto-based, full service architectural design firm that specializes in creating distinctive homes that bridge traditional architectural styles with contemporary needs and modern technologies. Since forming over 40 years ago, they have designed and overseen the construction of more than 500 projects in the city’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. We spoke to founder and principal designer Piotr “Peter” Marzynski about his firm’s legacy and what’s powered it. We also highlighted their work in The Kingsway, where the firm has done roughly 20 houses, all of which honour the street’s architectural heritage. Ironclad Earthworks, meanwhile, is a Calgary-based company specializing in heavy civil, renewable energy, and earthworks projects, and they’ve been leading the way for over 15 years. Over those years, they have earned a reputation for taking on projects that others in the industry shy away from. Recently, they have earned particular recognition for their work within the renewable energy sector, specifically on utility-scale solar farm developments across Alberta. Over the past several years they have participated in the construction of multiple large-scale solar farms totalling more than 800 megawatts of renewable generation capacity. To learn what drew the company to that sector – and what makes them so adept at tackling those challenging projects – we caught up with Clint and Stephen Herman, the company’s founders and owners. Also in this issue is Hewson Brothers Building Supply – they’re not builders themselves, but they have long been at the forefront of delivering high-quality building materials and expert service to construction projects across Southern Ontario, Niagara, and the Greater Toronto Area. In our talk with Jeff Stoner, vice president, we covered the company’s long history, which spans four generations and 100-plus years. We also discussed their close connection to their community, as well as the key relationships that have enabled the business to stay independent for so long. For more on those stories – and more like them, about other longstanding industry leaders and family-powered businesses across the building spectrum – just keep reading.
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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
MAY 2026 PH.D. DESIGN Creating harmony HEWSON BROTHERS BUILDING SUPPLY Building real relationships IRONCLAD EARTHWORKS LTD. Loving the challenge NINE ARCH ESTATES Unwavering confidence ANC GROUP Capability and flexibility SHORELINE AGGREGATES INC One-stop-rock WILLOW TREE DEVELOPMENTS INC Building it better ECCLESIASTICAL REFINISHING GROUP INC The right choice for restoration MJ ONTARIO CONSTRUCTIONS INC All about satisfaction IMPERIAL WELDING LTD. Being the best FLOWTECH MECHANICAL LTD. Nothing less than perfection GLOBAL FORMWORK Optimal efficiency STRATTON HOMES Building a legacy INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS INCINERATING TOILETS IN THIS ISSUEMAY 2026 ANC GROUP NINE ARCH ESTATES
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA HEWSON BROTHERS BUILDING SUPPLY
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CREATING HARMONY
Ph.D. Design is a Toronto-based, full service architectural design firm that specializes in creating distinctive homes that bridge traditional architectural styles with contemporary needs and modern technologies. Since forming in 1985, they have designed and overseen the construction of more than 500 projects in the city’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. According to founder and principal designer Piotr “Peter” Marzynski, their success has been powered by their client engagement – from initial consultation through to the end of construction, he personally ensures that the client’s vision is understood and protected, and the client’s experience is a positive one. “Our clients become members of the design team, communicating their needs, values and desires,” Peter says. “We provide sensible design solutions where a focus on function drives the creation of comfortable and practical homes, be it a new residence, an addition, a renovation, or a restoration.” Peter personally comes from a deep history in architecture – his father, Stanislaw, was a professor of architecture and one of the most respected architects in Warsaw, Poland. Peter followed in father’s footsteps, earning a PhD in architecture and beginning his career in Europe working alongside his dad. While in Europe, he won awards in architectural competitions and was involved in several notable projects, including some government buildings, churches, and an amphitheatre for Pope John Paul II. During that time, he also served as an Adjunkt (Associate Professor) at the Warsaw University of Technology, School of Architecture. Later in his career, Peter moved to Nigeria, where MAY 2026
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he continued designing government projects while working as a professor at the Department of Architecture at the University of Nigeria. He then made the move from Nigeria to Canada, where he worked with a few different firms in a few different cities before starting his own shop in Toronto in 1985. Shortly after forming Ph.D. Design, Peter also ended up back in teaching – he taught architecture for many years at the International Academy of Design’s Toronto campus, and then later spent even more years teaching architectural design at Mohawk College. Throughout his teaching career, however, he kept the firm going on the side, and he says the dual roles complemented each other. “It’s difficult to teach if you don’t know what you’re teaching,” he recalls. “Actually doing architecture was extremely helpful because it kept me fresh and it gave me real life examples to show the students. It made me a better architect and a better teacher.” Initially, Ph.D. design did mostly renovations and additions, but as the years progressed the projects got bigger and the firm got busier. About 10 years ago, the firm grew so large that Peter made the decision to retire from teaching and focus on it full-time. Since then, the company has continued to grow. Today, Ph.D. Design operates with a lean but highly experienced team of around six people, including an architect, a technologist, interior MAY 2026
designers, and support staff. The firm’s project load has grown dramatically from those early days and they now take on between 30 and 40 projects per year, the vast majority of them highend residential builds in some of Toronto’s most coveted neighbourhoods. According to Peter, almost all of their work is generated through word of mouth and referrals. Again, Peter says earning that kind of customer loyalty starts with understanding their wants and needs – which takes time. He says he deliberate about the early design phase, investing as much time as it takes to arrive at a concept that every member of the client’s household genuinely loves. “I don’t have a time limit on the design. It could go through one to twenty different ideas, just to reach the point where the client, their wife or husband, their dogs, cats, and children – they all have to love it.” What distinguishes Peter’s design process is that he begins everything by hand. In an era of Pinterest mood boards and digital cut-and-paste, he reaches for a pencil. He moves between pencil, pen, and marker, changing colours, working quickly, letting the sketch reveal the character of what he’s proposing. It’s a practice rooted in his architectural education and in the tutelage of his father, and he believes there is no substitute for it. “The connection between the brain and the paper is straightforward,” Peter says. “When the clients THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAY 2026 see the sketches, we have a proper conversation about what they like and what they don’t. In general terms, very quickly they fall in love. And that’s the whole thing – when they fall in love and they understand the form, then we move to the next stages.” Only once the concept is approved does the work shift to his staff, who develop detailed computer drawings. Those drawings cycle back to Peter for review, back to the team for revisions, and so on – a careful back-and-forth until the digital image faithfully captures what was designed. The firm also handles interior design in-house, a deliberate choice that Peter sees as fundamental to a coherent finished product. “Interior design is part of architecture, the same as structure and mechanical,” he says. “When everything is done in-house, the process is controlled. There’s no competition between designer A and designer B. When the interior design isn’t done properly, the contractor doesn’t know how to finish things – where to put the plumbing, how to run the electrical. That combination of architecture and interior design together is one of the keys to success.” To ensure that the design is properly realized, Peter and his team also work closely with the contractors during the build phase. Whenever possible, he prefers to work with builders he knows and trusts – those with deep technical knowledge, reliable subcontractors, strong on-site supervision, and a commitment to transparency. “To achieve a good product, you have to have the right builders,” Peter says. “They have to know what they’re doing. They have to communicate well with the design team. They have to be transparent.” For the contractors who tick those boxes, the working relationship with Ph.D. is warm and collaborative. Peter makes himself available on short notice, ready to drive to a site when a question comes up mid-build so that decisions are made correctly and quickly. That responsiveness, he says, keeps projects moving and keeps quality intact.
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Making people happy These days, Ph.D. Design works mainly in prestigious Toronto neighbourhoods, where they design distinctive homes that fit into the design contexts of the streets. According to Peter, the “relationship between function and form” is always an important consideration for the firm, and “form should respect the local culture and contribute to a streetscape that is sensitive to the scale, character, and natural context of its surroundings.” The Kingsway, for example, is one of the firm’s primary areas of focus. The neighbourhood was developed in the early twentieth century by Toronto lawyer and visionary Robert Home Smith, who assembled the land and organized an architectural office – half Canadian architects, half British – that produced a remarkable collection of Tudor, Georgian, and Victorian homes. Peter sees his work there as
a continuation of that legacy. “We’re trying to honour what’s already been done there,” he explains. “I believe that fit is something that is incredibly important in architecture. It’s like with music – you want harmony, you don’t want noise. The same is true with architecture.” To date, Peter and his team have completed roughly twenty houses on Kingsway Crescent alone, with further projects on Queen Mary Drive, Queen Anne Road, and surrounding streets. He believes that their sensitivity to context and their commitment to honouring the street’s architectural heritage is a big part of what has kept those clients coming back. The other big part of the draw, Peter believes, is their passion for what they do: “This isn’t just a job,” he says. “It’s a passion. Yes, it brings in enough to support the family, but it’s also just so much fun. I ask myself what I would do if I didn’t do this – just watch television and travel and spend money? No thank you. I prefer to draw, have fun, meet people, and make them happy.” That satisfaction has sustained him through more than forty years of practice, and it shows no signs of fading. That is why he has no plans to retire, but also no plans to grow – at the firm’s current scale, Peter can be a designer, not just an administrator, and he intends to keep it that way. What is evolving, however, is the firm’s geographic reach. Ph.D. Design has recently taken on several projects in the Caribbean, brought in by Canadian clients who have relocated there. The work is new territory in the best sense – a different climate, a different architectural character, a different kind of challenge. Closer to home, a striking commission in Prince Edward County is also underway: a 12,000-square-foot beach house on a sweeping lot fronting Lake Ontario, complete with an observatory at the roofline for stargazing. No matter where they are working, however, Peter says Ph.D. Design will remain powered by the same thing – his personal lifelong conviction that architecture, done well, should make people fall in love. After more than 500 projects, he shows no sign of losing that belief. MAY 2026
For more on Ph.D. Design, their services, their past projects, and the legacy of Stanislaw Marzynski – and to get in touch with Peter and his team – visit https://phddesign.ca/ Currently, they are working on several interesting projects on Kingsway Crescent, which is an extremely prestigious neighbourhood they have done a lot of work in recent years. He mentioned a lot of addresses, including 41 Kingsway Crescent, 14 Kingsway Crescent, and 12 Queen Mary. Those are interesting because the houses have to fit within the character of the neighbourhood. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
BUILDING REAL RELATIONSHIPS
Hewson Brothers Building Supply is a family-run business that has long been at the forefront of delivering high-quality building materials and expert service to construction projects across Southern Ontario, Niagara, and the Greater Toronto Area. For over four generations and 100 years, they have taken immense pride in understanding and meeting the unique needs of their customers and community. Today, from their primary locations in Brantford and Cambridge – and from their specialized acoustic solutions division in Concord – Hewson Brothers provides customers a comprehensive range of interior and exterior construction materials, along with award-winning service supported by an extensive fleet of delivery trucks. They have grown and expanded over the years, but they haven’t left their founding values behind. Their goal now is to offer the product depth and competitive prices of a large multinational company combined with the personal service of a local business. “We build personal relationships with our clients at the ownership level,” explains Jeff Stoner, the company’s vice president. “Our ownership group is very active and hands-on. We deal with clients one-on-one, face-to-face. When there’s a problem, clients can reach out and get an answer from the owners right away. With many of our larger competitors, that’s not possible – in a lot of cases, their senior management team isn’t even in Canada.” “We treat our customers like people,” adds Beth Marchant, marketing specialist. “We treat them the way we would expect to be treated if we were purchasing something. We answer our phones. We make sure they’re getting exactly what they MAY 2026
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need and asked for. And we take a level of pride in our work. For us, it’s not just about the sale, it’s about the relationship. I would say that’s a very large part of why we are as successful as we are.” The company now known as Hewson Brothers was originally formed over 100 years ago as a local contractor in Southern Ontario, working on homes and commercial projects. After decades on the tools, the family saw an opportunity to use their jobsite knowledge and experience to support other builders. In 1983, they made the transition from construction to building supply, opening their first location in Brantford to provide contractors with the products they need to be successful. Since that pivotal transition, Hewson Brothers has grown steadily, expanding to a second fullservice location in Cambridge and later opening their specialty ceilings and acoustic solutions division in the Concord area. Today, with a full team spanning sales, operations, warehouse, and delivery, the company serves a robust and loyal customer base across Southern Ontario, the Niagara region, and the GTA. That growth has been built on the foundation of long-standing relationships — with customers, with industry associations, and with the manufacturers whose products lines Hewson Brothers’ suppliers. Many of those supplier partnerships stretch back decades, some to the very early days of the building supply operation. MAY 2026
To compete at the scale required in today’s market while maintaining independence, Hewson Brothers is a member of the AD Buying Group, one of the largest buying cooperatives in the industry. The membership allows the company to pool its purchasing power with other independent suppliers across Canada, enabling Hewson Brothers to offer the pricing depth of a largeformat retailer without sacrificing the character of a locally owned business. “There aren’t a lot of independents left,” Beth notes. “Being able to pool our buying power to compete on a large-scale format is fantastic – and a lot of that is because of the relationships we’ve built over the last 40 years with the same manufacturers we were selling to in the ‘80s.” One example of a longstanding partner would be CertainTeed, which is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of sustainable interior and exterior building products, including roofing, siding, insulation, gypsum, and ceilings. Hewson Brothers is a strong advocate for CertainTeed’s installation and drywall materials, which are renowned for their exceptional thermal performance, as well as their ability to reduce noise, manage moisture, enhance comfort, and generally stand the test of time. Hewson Brothers has valued their products and their relationship for many years now. On the customer side, meanwhile, Hewson Brothers has also formed and maintained longlasting relationships. Beth credits that loyalty THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAY 2026 to a combination of old-fashioned relationshipbuilding and modern technology. An outside sales team and dedicated account managers maintain the direct, face-to-face contact that has always defined the company’s approach, while a robust CRM system ensures that customer information stays current and orders move smoothly from placement to delivery. “With our CRM system, we can make sure that customer information is all up to date and easily accessible, and that our systems run really smoothly to provide top-notch support,” Beth explains. “That’s helped a lot in recent years, but a lot of our customers we’ve actually had since we started. We have very long-standing relationships in the community, and reputation is a huge part of that.” Community investment is also central to how Hewson Brothers defines itself. The company is actively involved in local construction associations and chambers of commerce at each of its locations, and it consistently directs resources toward the charities and causes that matter to its customers. “We are very invested in the communities we’re in,” Beth says. “We’re part of the local construction associations, the local chambers of commerce, and we give back through those organizations. We’re still very heavily involved in the places our customers are and in the different charities they believe in.”
Controlled, smart, strategic In recent years, Hewson Brothers’ emphasis on building “real relationships” – combined with their unrivalled product expertise and reliable service – has not gone unnoticed by their peers in the industry. At the 2024 AD Canada Annual Meeting, for example, Hewson Brothers received the coveted AD Canada ‘Member of the Year Award’ for the Building Supply division. That accolade recognized the company’s exceptional contributions, proactive engagement, and unwavering commitment to excellence within the AD Canada community. The following year, at the 2025 AD Canada Annual Meeting, Hewson Brothers was awarded the ‘AD Canada All-In Award,’ which is a distinction given to member companies that “embody the spirit of THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAY 2026 the AD network by fully embracing its programs, partnerships, and collaborative ethos.” For Hewson Brothers, that means fostering deep relationships with suppliers, investing in staff development, and consistently advocating for the strength of Canadian-made products in a competitive global market. Jeff says that award was “especially meaningful to our entire team, as it reflects our dedication to the values that guide us as a family-owned, independent building supplier.” Furthermore, at the 2025 Grand Valley Construction Association (GVCA) Building Excellence Awards, 15 projects won awards – and Hewson Brothers was involved in 12 of them. Recently, Hewson Brothers has also supplied material to some construction projects that are pushing the boundaries of innovation. A prime example is a brand new six-storey apartment complex at 150 Eight Street, Etobicoke, which was construction by ANC Modular. The building owner was the Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CKHC), a non-profit that provides of affordable housing, intervener services, and training to Canadians who are deafblind. The new 56-unit building on 150 Eight Street includes one, two and three-bedroom homes along with shared amenities such as a rooftop garden. The project also introduced a 6,500-square-foot training facility where residents can build independent living skills in a supportive environment. The whole thing was made possible by modular building – ANC Modular manufactured the building components in a controlled environment offsite before transporting them to
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA site for rapid assembly. “They built the entire thing in a modular format,” Beth explains. “We delivered all of the materials mod by mod to their factory. They would build all of Unit 1, plastic wrap it, then move to the next one. And then they assembled all of them on site — so the whole building went up significantly faster than traditional building methods, while still meeting the same high-quality we would expect from a high-performance building.” What made the project exceptional wasn’t just the logistics, but the degree to which Hewson Brothers adapted their processes to fit the job. Customcut steel was packaged by the manufacturer according to each individual module, labeled and sequenced so that materials arrived ready to use rather than requiring sorting on the factory floor. “We supplied the whole wall assembly – everything from the vapour barrier to the exterior sheathing, the steel studs, and the drywall. It was all finished before it even got to site,” Beth says. “They had kitchens installed before they even brought the mods to the building site. It really showed a different way that the supply side can support some of the newer methods of construction.” In the commercial and institutional sectors, Hewson Brothers has also been involved in some recent large-scale projects, including several for prominent post-secondary institutions across Southern Ontario, including the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the University of Guelph. Moving forward, Jeff says they want to continue servicing the builders working in those sectors
MAY 2026 while expanding in ways that strengthen their ability to support customers on the ground. A key step in that direction is the upcoming opening of Hewson Brothers’ Niagara location in Summer 2026 — a move that builds on years of supplying the region from their Brantford yard and reflects their commitment to being closer to the contractors and communities they serve. Alongside this geographic growth, they are also continuing to broaden their product offering, with a current focus on expanding their selection of exterior materials. Ultimately, however, Hewson Brothers is cautious about growing too large or too fast. Jeff emphasises that they never want to compromise what has made the company successful, which is their personal service. “Our philosophy has always been slow and steady,” he concludes. “What we don’t want to do is get too big too quick, where we can’t continue to offer the service that we pride ourselves on. Controlled growth, smart growth, strategic growth — that’s what we’re after.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on Hewson Brothers Building Supply, their 100-plus years of history, their product guide, and their award-winning service and delivery – and to contact their expert team – visit https://hewsonbros.ca/
LOVING THE CHALLENGE
Ironclad Earthworks is a Calgary, Alberta-based construction company specializing in heavy civil, renewable energy, and earthworks projects. Since forming in 2009, they have been steadily building a reputation across Alberta and British Columbia for taking on projects that others in the industry shy away from. In recent years, they have earned especial recognition for their work within the renewable energy sector, specifically on utilityscale solar farm developments across Alberta – over the past several years they have participated in the construction of multiple large-scale solar farms totalling more than 800 megawatts of renewable generation capacity. According to Clint and Stephen Herman, the founders and owners of Ironclad Earthworks, the company first became interested in solar farms because they were looking for a challenge. “What I generally tell people is we get bored easy, so we love a challenge,” Clint says. “That’s why we do the kind of jobs we do, and that’s what drew us to solar farms. When the opportunity arose, we couldn’t resist.” Clint recalls that opportunity first arising about six years ago, during a time when utility-scale renewable energy began expanding across Alberta. He remembers getting a call from Stephen asking if the company could fit their first solar farm into their schedule. The company was busy at the time, but Clint insisted they figure out a way to make it work. “It sounded exciting,” he says. “It was the first big solar farm in Alberta. It was new. It was different. It wasn’t as simple just stripping and grading. So we went all in and we had a really fun time building it.” MAY 2026
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In the years since, Ironclad has been involved in a number of high profile solar developments, including: the Brooks Solar Project; the Spring Coulee Solar Project; the Sollair Solar Energy Project; the Burdett Solar Project; the Yellow Lake Solar Project; the Conrad Solar Project; and the Claresholm Solar Project. Most recently, they partnered with PCL Construction to successfully deliver the largest solar project in Canada, Travers Solar, which covers over 3,300 acres and generates 465 megawatts of power. On each of those projects, Ironclad acted as the civil earthworks contractor responsible for the preparation and construction of the physical infrastructure required to support the solar farms. Across them, they delivered: mass grading and detailed site preparation; construction of internal road networks; excavation and civil works for substations; trenching and backfill operations; drainage systems and erosion control; survey integration and grading verification; and quality control and turnover documentation. Large-scale solar developments can be extremely challenging for a number of related reasons. One of those challenges is their sheer size – solar farms can cover thousands of acres, requiring careful coordination of equipment, crews, and material movement. Another challenge is the precise grading tolerances – solar farms require extremely precise grading because the entire array of solar panels MAY 2026
must sit on a carefully balanced surface to ensure structural stability and efficient installation of tracker systems. According to Stephen, most companies simply cannot accommodate that combination of largescale earthmoving capability and extremely precise grading control. He believes Ironclad’s ability to “bridge that gap” is a big part of what sets them apart. “Most companies that are good at mass grading aren’t good at precise grading,” he explains. “We’re one of the few companies that can do both. I think that’s what makes us unique and successful in these types of projects.” Another reason large-scale solar farms are challenging are the tight seasonal construction windows – in Alberta, major earthworks and grading have to be completed before winter conditions arrive. Stephen credits Ironclad’s ability to navigate that scheduling challenge – as well as all the other challenges inherent to solar farms – to a few key factors unique to Ironclad Earthworks. For example, one key factor is the company’s fleet, which includes more than 100 earthmoving machines, many equipped with GPS machine control, which enables precision grading. Ironclad also employs dedicated survey teams, who work ahead of and behind production, THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAY 2026 monitoring grading and material balance in real time. That allows them to detect issues early and maintain schedule certainty even on very large projects. Ironclad is also experienced, which matters a lot. Over the years, they have developed a roster of supervisors and operators with experience on multiple solar projects. They have also proven their ability to mobilize crews to remote sites and maintain productivity in challenging environments. Furthermore, Ironclad has a history of forming close-knit and collaborative relationships with all project stakeholders. For example, on each solar development, the company has worked very closely with the general contractor and project owner teams, providing regular progress updates, survey verification data, and constructability input throughout the construction process. On several projects, they have also provided design-assist feedback related to grading strategies, material balance, and access road construction to help optimize project cost and schedule. Ironclad has built similarly strong relationships with engineers, survey teams, geotechnical consultants, and environmental specialist. Stephen says those partnerships have been critical to their success in the sector. “Solar projects are highly schedule-driven, so collaboration between the civil contractor, engineers, and project management team is essential,” he explains. “Communication between these groups is critical because soil conditions, topsoil depth, and survey accuracy can directly affect project quantities and schedule. Our integrated survey approach helps ensure accurate data is shared with engineers in real time so adjustments can be made early if needed.” Over the years, Ironclad has also built some long-term relationships with a number of trucking contractors, suppliers, and specialty subcontractors, who have worked with the company on multiple solar projects. That continuity ensures that crews understand the expectations, safety culture, and production requirements needed to deliver these large projects successfully.
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MAY 2026 Not going away Moving forward, Ironclad Earthworks hopes to continue doing large-scale solar farms. Stephen calls those projects “particularly rewarding,” because they contribute to long-term sustainable infrastructure. “We take pride in helping build the physical foundations that allow these solar facilities to operate for decades,” he says. “Each project represents the combined effort of engineers, contractors, and skilled trades working together to deliver infrastructure that supports the future of energy in Western Canada. “For Ironclad, these projects also reflect the strength of the team behind them,” he continues. “Many of the supervisors, operators, and surveyors who worked on one solar project returned to work on
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MAY 2026 the next, continually refining the company’s approach and building deep expertise in renewable energy construction. Additionally, Ironclad first started doing largescale solar farms because they were looking for a challenge – and Clint says that challenge hasn’t diminished. “Those projects keep getting bigger and bigger and they keep getting a little bit more advanced,” he explains. “The challenge with the solar farms is they’re all progressive design-build. So the soils are always changing and therefore the cut-fill balance is forever changing. So they’re very heavy on the survey and the demands, and they will forever be a challenge as the jobs are just rapidly changing day to day.” “That keeps a fun amount of pressure and hustle in the workplace,” he adds. “And it keeps our workforce engaged, because we have attracted a lot of team members that really enjoy that challenge. We have a lot of employees who came to us because they heard we do a lot of really interest, unique, tough projects, and they wanted in. We want to keep those people busy and keep taking on tougher jobs” To that end, Ironclad Earthworks is also interested in exploring some other kinds of projects in the renewable energy sector. Not only do they foresee that sector continuing to grow, but Clint personally studied environmental science at college, so it’s a type of work close to his heart. “Renewable energy is fun and it’s not going away,” Clint says. “We’re interested in doing a lot more work within that sector. We’re already done a lot of solar. We’re very eager to be involved in some wind farms. We’ve done a lot of dam work over the years, and we’d love to be involved in a hydroelectric dam project. There are a lot of opportunities and we want to keep exploring them.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on Ironclad Earthworks and their work within the renewable energy sector – and to get in touch with Clint and David and the rest of their expert team – visit https://www.ironcladearthworks.com
UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE
Nine Arch Estates (9Ae) is a premier luxury home builder based in Markham, Ontario. Since forming over 10 years ago, they have successfully delivered a long list of distinctive and inspiring custom homes across prominent locations throughout the region. Over the years, they have also continually incorporated cuttingedge building science and technology into their practices, resulting in homes that are safer, longer-lasting, and more energy efficient. These days, they are known for their ability to navigate almost any building challenge and deliver unique spaces that meet the individual needs and desires of their clients. “Our extensive experience, unwavering dedication, and genuine passion have established us as a distinguished custom home builder,” says Raj Sivanandaraj, the company’s founder and owner. “We are committed to surpassing expectations by creating exceptional luxury spaces, exquisite features, and unparalleled craftsmanship that foster meaningful connections among our clients and their families.” “Our homes are designed to facilitate seamless bonding experiences, delightful guest entertainment, and ultimate relaxation,” he adds. “Our goal is always to ensure that our clients can enter their new luxury custom homes with a profound sense of pride, peace of mind, and unwavering confidence.” Raj personally comes from a background in accounting – he’s a registered CPA in Ontario and previously worked for decades with the Government of Ontario, CIBC, IBM, and KPMG. In 2014, however, he started to build his own house, and he found the process so satisfying he was inspired to change careers. MAY 2026
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“When you’re building your own house, there is a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day,” Raj explains. “You come home after a hard, stressful day, but you come home with something to show for it. You can see the tangible difference, the contribution that you’ve made – for yourself and for other people.” In the process of building his own home, Raj also found meaning in the impact he was having on the people he working with. He says they were going home happy because they were getting paid, and they knew that their work had contributed to something real. He found that to be very different to life in a corporation, and he decided he didn’t want to go back. Fortunately, he didn’t have to. After completing his own home, word spread quickly. Neighbours and acquaintances began asking if he could build for them, and the company grew organically from there. Clients came to him with varying levels of readiness – some had architectural drawings in hand, others had nothing but a vision – and Raj embraced the flexibility that came with that. He still embraces that flexibility. “I’m 100 per cent flexible,” he says. “Whatever you want, you tell me and I’ll do it for you.” For clients who arrive without a design, that’s where his expertise becomes especially valuable. Raj has developed a deep and analytical eye for residential architecture, studying photographs of homes for hours at a time, dissecting material choices, proportions, and design decisions that MAY 2026
most people would overlook entirely. “I can spend hours analyzing each component, each piece – what’s good, what’s bad, why did they do this, could we not change this or that?” he says. “This is where the creativity comes into play, and it’s something I genuinely enjoy.” Today, Nine Arch Estates focuses exclusively on custom homes over 3,500 square feet, primarily across the Greater Toronto Area. Currently, the company is in the final stages of their largest project to date – a 22,000 square foot custom residence featuring an interior swimming pool, bowling alley, home theater, gym, and underfloor heating throughout. According to Raj, clients of that calibre tend to choose Nine Arch Estates because they are a truly custom home builder – which is rarer than it would seem. “I know some builders who call themselves custom home builders, but when I look at the houses that they have done, I can tell they are the ones who built it, because they always use the same designs and the same materials. They buy their materials in bulk and as a result their houses all look the same.” Additionally, Raj is completely transparent with clients up-front, especially when it comes to pricing. He believes that also sets him apart. He says that a lot of clients’ first question is “how much per square foot,” but he will explain why that’s the wrong question. Other builders might THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MAY 2026 offer an attract per-square-foot estimate, only for the client to discover mid-build that the finishes and features they imagined cost significantly more than what was quoted. Raj, however, takes the time to educate clients and work collaboratively with them to match their vision to their budget. “You need to work with your client and understand their budget,” he says. “I have a responsibility to advise them honestly. If you’re trying to achieve a certain look, I’ll show you two ways to get there – one that costs this much, one that costs more. Which do you want, and why? That collaborative approach matters far more than just saying, ‘Here’s what you want, here’s the invoice.’” Furthermore, Raj is personally involved in every build he takes on, which is yet one more point of difference. While he works with a roster of trusted subcontractors across all the major trades, he insists on being present on every job site himself – personally overseeing structural work, meeting with inspectors, and walking the site daily. He has made a deliberate choice to keep the company at a size where that hands-on involvement is possible. “No matter whether I’m building two homes or five homes, I am there all the time, checking on everything and doing the quality control,” Raj says. “The moment you hire somebody to handle that, things can start to go wrong. They may not interact with the client the right way, or they’re working for a salary and they’re not really invested. There’s a difference between someone working for you and someone who owns the outcome.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA That philosophy shapes how he thinks about growth. Rather than chasing volume, Raj deliberately limits himself to three or four overlapping projects at any given time – enough to keep the business healthy, but never more than he can personally supervise. “You don’t make money on volume,” he says. “People try to portray themselves as high-volume builders, but I know what they go through. If you’re running between a 2,000 square foot home in Markham, one in Mississauga, and one in Oakville, you’re spending your day on the highway and not really doing anything productive. And more importantly, things start to go wrong.” His subcontractor relationships are managed with the same no-nonsense directness. Raj is willing to bring on new tradespeople to assess their quality, pricing, and communication style, and equally willing to make a change when someone isn’t meeting the standard. At the same time, he’s loyal to the ones who deliver. “Long-term relationships go in both directions,” he says. “They assess me too – how prompt I am making payments, whether I’m upfront when money is delayed. It’s important you answer the phone when you owe someone money. Tell them it won’t be ready until tomorrow. The moment you stop answering, trust breaks down.”
MAY 2026 Taking it seriously Moving forward, Nine Arch Estates intends to focus on custom home work, but they do have one other significant development on the hroizon. Raj recently secured a rare waterfront property in Brighton, Ontario – a former marina that operated as a family business for roughly 50 years, complete with private water access and a crown grant on the deed. He found it, unexpectedly, on Kijiji shortly after COVID, and quickly recognized it as a unique opportunity. He is now developing a boutique dockside condominium on the property, targeting 18 units with a rooftop terrace overlooking the water. A pre-consultation with the municipality is already scheduled, and construction is expected to begin next year. Raj is candid, however, about the challenges of real estate development in Ontario’s current market. Land costs have escalated
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MAY 2026 sharply, building costs have surged, and sale prices haven’t kept pace. Raj says the days of acquiring an older property, demolishing and rebuilding, and turning a meaningful profit are largely over. “Lots that I used to buy for $500,000 are now $1.6 million,” he says. “The final sale price isn’t going to be $10 million, so where does the profit come from? It’s not there.” The Brighton project makes sense, Raj explains, because the economics are different – it was a well-priced acquisition, there’s existing service infrastructure from the previous owner’s phased condominium plans, and the marina’s 30-plus boat slips will provide opportunity for additional. It is, according to Raj, “a very unique opportunity.” Because that kind of opportunity doesn’t come around too often, Raj says that custom homes will remain at the heart of Nine Arch Estates. He also says they will continue to approach those same ways, with the same high level of integrity from the first conversation to the final walkthrough. Raj draws a firm line between builders who cut corners and those who do the job right, and frames it in straightforward terms. “When it comes to a house, you cannot fool around,” he concludes. “People are investing a significant amount of money. They want to build a beautiful life. There is a safety dimension to this too. You have to be serious about it – and I am. I take building a client’s home very seriously.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on Nine Arch Estates, their code of conduct, their services, and their past projects – and to get in touch with Raj and the rest of his expert team – visit https://ninearchestates.com/
CAPABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY
ANC is a full-service construction management firm that specializes in modular construction and development. From their humble beginnings as a small home builder in Brantford, Ontario, they have evolved into an internationally-recognized leader in modular design and prefabrication, providing services for large-scale projects across the world. These days, by leveraging traditional construction methods, advanced manufacturing, and proprietary modular systems, they have the capacity to build virtually anything – and they can build it all under one roof while offering unparalleled speed, efficiency, and cost savings. “From concept and design to manufacturing and on-site installation, we provide a fully integrated, turnkey building solution for projects of all sizes,” says Kody Blackmore, senior estimator. “With our unique modular construction approach, we can offer clients unparalleled speed, efficiency and cost savings while ensuring consistent quality, sustainability, and customization options, enabling faster project delivery, with higher ROI while meeting the highest industry standards.” ANC was originally founded in 2017 by Andrew Neill, who began his career as a residential carpenter before advancing into the industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors. Andrew – who is ambitious and innovative by nature – recognized quickly that there was a growing demand for a more efficient construction solution. The search for that solution led him to modular building, which led him to the launch of ANC Modular in 2020. In pursuit of that solution, Andrew also developed a globally-patented modular volumetric concrete void form system used in high-rise construction which can reach unlimited heights and scales anywhere on earth. Since the move into the modular space, ANC MAY 2026
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has experienced massive growth, doubling in size almost every year. Today, the company is CSA A277 certified, they are headquartered in a 180,000-square-foot facility in Brantford, and they take on some of the largest-scale projects on the market, including high-rises, airports, and data centers. Kody – who joined ANC in late 2024 after knowing Andrew for many years – credits the company’s rapid growth to their “outside the box thinking.” “There are not a lot of modular companies out there that are capable of doing some of the projects that we’ve completed,” Kody says. “We have an in-house design team, so we can get involved in a project much earlier and show the developer or the contractor the benefits of modularizing the design. We like to say we can do anything, and if we get involved early enough, we can deliver whatever someone’s looking for. I think we’ve proven that.” That in-house design capability is central to ANC’s approach, and is a key part of what makes the company stand out in an industry where modular is often associated with cookie-cutter, repetitive builds. At ANC, everything is custom. Rather than offering clients a catalogue of standard module sizes, they start with the client’s vision and work backward. “A lot of people come to us and ask for basically a brochure of our modules – what sizes can MAY 2026
we do, what length, what width – and we don’t have a strict portfolio like that,” Kody explains. “Everything is 100 per cent custom on a perproject basis. Someone would come to us with a floor plan idea and we would chop that up into modules, making their existing floor plan work as well as we possibly can with our modular system.” That flexibility has allowed ANC to take on projects that few other modular manufacturers would attempt. One of the clearest examples is the Common Services Building at Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, which is receiving a $26.3 billion grant for a massive refurbishment project. To support the work on site, OPG needed a dedicated building where workers could be monitored for radiation exposure, access change rooms, shower facilities, and a cafeteria. The challenge was significant: the building had to be constructed directly beneath a set of high-voltage transmission lines that couldn’t be moved or altered. “Typically, we pick our modules from the top using a crane,” Kody says. “But with the overhead wires, we had to work with our engineering and design team to incorporate fork pockets so we could pick the modules up from the bottom, lift them to exactly where they needed to be – literally within inches of the high-voltage wires – and set them down in place.” The result was a 37,000-square-foot, two-storey building made up of 66 individual modules, all fabricated inside ANC’s Brantford facility over a five-month period before being shipped to the Pickering site. Because of strict on-site security requirements – anyone entering the facility must either complete an extensive training course or be escorted at all times – OPG and their general contractor, Bird Construction, needed to minimize the number of trades working on site. ANC’s ability to deliver a near-complete, turnkey modular package was precisely what the project called for. “We were able to customize our system to exactly what they were looking for,” Kody says. “Designing fork pockets is a complete 180 from how we traditionally install things, but we figured it out. Having that capability and flexibility in-house is what sets us apart.” As a 4th-generation, locally owned company, we’ve lived the realities of life on the jobsite. We’ve worked hard to build trusted relationships with manufacturers and contractors for over 40 years, allowing us to deliver award-winning service, on-time delivery, and quality materials across all product categories. From our yards to your site, we proudly support the manufacturers, trades, and contractors THAT BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES. LOCAL SUPPLY. LOCAL BUILDERS. LOCAL MATERIALS. LOCAL MATTERS! THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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