The company has filed a rezoning application and site plans with the city to construct a new building on the site of its existing 8,000-square-foot Ottawa office in the West Carleton Business Park.
The new two-storey building will be roughly 18,000 square feet and will help McIntosh Perry in its efforts to recruit and retain quality employees as it grows, says company president Todd Perry.
“One of the things we need to do is get out of some cramped quarters and into some nice, new and enjoyable work space,” he says, adding he hopes to be in the new building in a year’s time.
The company started as a civil engineering firm in 1990 and expanded into environmental and planning services, as well as structural engineering.
In 2005, the company acquired two Perth-based surveying companies, establishing a presence in that town. McIntosh Perry also has a Kingston office.
Mr. Perry says business has been steadily growing as clients such as the City of Ottawa increasingly require the approval of professional engineers for development plans and designs.
The last year has been “exceptional” for the company, thanks to the influx of government infrastructure stimulus funds, he says.
“There was more money on the street to do more jobs.”
Within the city of Ottawa, $401 million was allocated for approximately 115 stimulus infrastructure projects that are largely expected to wrap up next spring.
Some in the heavy construction industry are concerned about a looming drop-off in municipal work, given the city opted to “borrow” $133 million from the 2011-13 capital budget to pay for its share of stimulus projects in 2009-10.
Mr. Perry says municipal work makes up roughly one-third of the company’s revenues. Demand from the private sector, which makes up another third of McIntosh Perry’s business, has been steady as low interest rates keep homebuilders and developers active, he adds.
“As long as interest rates stay in check, we are going to continue to see strong private development growth,” says Mr. Perry.
The company is also benefiting from a spurt of provincial infrastructure projects, but Mr. Perry says the Ministry of Transportation has indicated they want to avoid peaks and valleys and will maintain a constant volume of work over the next five years.
In recent years, McIntosh Perry has won provincial contract administration work, overseeing the expansion of highways just outside Ottawa, namely adding two lanes to Highway 7, as well as Highway 17 through Arnprior.
“I defy you to go anywhere within an hour of Ottawa and not see one of our signs,” says Mr. Perry.
The seasonal nature of the construction industry means employment levels at McIntosh Perry peaked at 200 this summer and currently sits at 140 full and part-time employees, says Mr. Perry.
