Celebrating 30 years of getting it right

Celebrating 30 years of business this year, Colliers Project Leaders Inc. is looking at 2019 as not just a milestone but another step in the right direction. Originally MHPM Project Managers Inc., the Ottawa-based project management firm was founded on humble beginnings by CEO Franklin Holtforster.

Committed to inspiring imaginations and keeping communities safe, the firm’s mantra resonates through all its work: dedicate a team of project leaders to advocate for a client. Acquired by Colliers International, the firm reemerged under its new name, Colliers Project Leaders Inc.

From coast-to-coast-to-coast, Colliers Project Leaders proudly leads building and infrastructure projects. Now in its 30th year, the firm looks back at how going beyond project management has shaped Canadian communities into vibrant, thriving places and spaces.

Shaping ideas into possibilities

As the world watched, the Richmond Olympic Oval put Vancouver on the map. The facility acted as an international stage for Canadian athletes, offering support and celebration during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. While the games were finite, the Oval was not. Its evolution served as a benchmark-an Olympic venue transformed into a multi-use, community legacy facility; bringing to locals the same source of Canadian pride exhibited by our athletes.

Tucked between the iconic foothills of the Rockies and never-ending plains of the Prairies, the new Calgary Central Library is a community hub for residents of all ages. The library inspires both old and young alike, the moment they step inside. Earning considerable international recognition, the library features modern interactive spaces and is home to more than 450,000 books.

Just off the shore of the Atlantic Ocean sits the St. John’s International Airport, a transatlantic hub connecting 1.5 million annual travellers with the rest of the world. Approximately 70 per cent of all visitors travelling to and from Newfoundland do so through the airport. Beyond its core function, the airport expansion facilitates economic growth and development for Atlantic Canada, welcoming opportunities near and far.

What happens when you combine discovery, applied research and entrepreneurship with a best-in-class educational facility? Look no further than our backyard to find Algonquin College’s DARE District. This space is a training and test facility for high-demand job sectors, expanded research and innovation initiatives. Home to the Institute for Indigenization, or Pìdàban, the word translates as “past, present, and future” and alludes to the natural phenomena of “daybreak,” – the moment night becomes a new day.

The District is a flexible learning environment, designed to highlight Indigenous knowledge throughout the College. The Indigenous Commons and outdoor Gathering Circle encourages collaboration and offers space for learning and ceremonial events. This new facility is also home to Ontario’s first Institute for Indigenous Entrepreneurship.

Going beyond project management is an essential piece of the Colliers Project Leaders brand: enhancing communities, providing opportunities for growth and exploration, creating spaces to learn, and building hubs for community connection. This is what makes the Colliers Project Leaders story different than the rest.

Colliers Project Leaders is proud to celebrate 30 years of project leadership in Canada.

This article was originally published in the Ottawa Business Journal.