Kieran Hawe, President and CEO, EllisDonSUPPLIED
Canada’s infrastructure needs are evolving. While housing shortages dominate the headlines, today’s cities must also accommodate growing populations in a multitude of other ways – improved transit, boosted health care systems and adaptations for a changing climate.
Kieran Hawe, President and CEO of construction and building services company EllisDon, is focused on meeting those needs. Since it was founded in London, Ont., 75-years ago, EllisDon has shaped Canada’s modern landscape, from commercial and residential structures, to civil, aviation and industrial projects.
In a conversation, Mr. Hawe explained that Canada must now rethink how it plans, collaborates on and delivers the next generation of buildings and infrastructure projects.
The discussion of housing in Canada centres around affordability and underbuilding. You’ve also said housing can’t be separated from the infrastructure supporting it. What do you mean by that?
It’s really about building complete and connected communities. Housing is critical, but it has to be considered alongside transit, health care and civic infrastructure so communities can function and grow over time. One challenge today is that projects are often delivered in silos rather than being planned as part of an integrated community. EllisDon can leverage scale and expertise to deliver on all those needs quickly, efficiently and thoughtfully.
Does that system require governments, developers, builders and the broader supply chain to coordinate even more closely?
What we’re talking about is a true moment of nation-building, but the business-as-usual model may not respond efficiently or fast enough for the commitments being made. If clients, procurement agencies and industry align earlier in the process, it improves collaboration and shortens timelines. Early collaboration allows everyone to be clear about objectives to avoid costly design issues or delays later. The earlier there is alignment, the better the outcome.
Climate change has added another layer of complexity to infrastructure planning. Floods, wildfires and other extreme weather are forcing governments and builders to rethink how communities are designed. How is that changing project planning?
Climate resilience isn’t theoretical. It’s whether infrastructure still performs when conditions change, years after the ribbon-cutting. Extreme weather events are forcing everyone to think differently about resilience. Infrastructure can no longer be designed with a narrow focus on a single building. It has to be planned as part of a broader system that considers how communities will function over time.
How is the construction sector doing its part by evolving its own practices?
We co-founded CSBA [Climate Smart Building Alliance], now with nine other major players, to drive sustainability across the industry, because it has to scale. For instance, CSBA launched a pact that has over 50 companies agreeing to change the estimating process for concrete and steel, so they actively consider if lower-carbon options make sense. Ultimately, the transition must move in collaboration with partners. How can we all start using more biodiesel? How do we include clean energy in our projects? It’s exciting, and we think it will move the needle in years to come.
EllisDon not only designs and constructs buildings but maintains them for decades after. Currently that includes 27-million square feet of facilities across Canada & Europe. What does a holistic view mean beyond considering a single building?
When you’re responsible for assets over their entire life cycle, you see firsthand why resilience and long-term planning matter. It means not compromising on quality and also looking beyond individual buildings to understand how facilities perform as interconnected systems over their full lifecycle, from design and construction through decades of operation. This kind of thinking focuses our team on how infrastructure supports people and their communities in a holistic and sustainable way. It all has to work together.
Technology is also reshaping construction projects. What tools are changing how they run?
Tools like digital twins allow us to combine design, schedule, cost, site data, and lifecycle and preventative maintenance to create a real-time view of what’s happening on a project. That helps teams identify risks earlier, reduce rework and deliver more predictable outcomes.
Artificial intelligence is also helping us analyze information earlier in the planning process and automate repetitive administrative tasks, so people on site can focus on the work itself and on supporting their teams. Technology only delivers real value when it is applied by experienced teams that know how to use it.
The construction sector has been struggling with talent shortages, especially among skilled trades, and technology specialists. Do you feel the next generation of workers will be drawn to the sector?
Younger people want to know their work matters. Construction offers that in a very visible way. You can see what you’re building and the impact it has on people’s lives. Our industry also offers a wide range of career paths beyond traditional construction roles, including technology implementation, data and software engineering, marketing and finance. That diversity of opportunity is something many people don’t fully appreciate.
EllisDon is marking its 75th anniversary this year. What values keep you looking ahead and ready to meet new challenges?
The fundamental values we live by are freedom, trust, openness and accountability. We’re proud of our entrepreneurial thinking and enthusiasm, and integrity and respect are key pillars in how we work and interact. Every employee at EllisDon is an owner, so they’re expected to lead and uphold those values every day. We’re proud Canadians who want to move the needle for Canada. The opportunity before us is to help build the next generation of critical infrastructure, including hospitals, data centres, energy infrastructure and defence facilities, working alongside industry leaders to shape the future of this country.
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with EllisDon. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.