A company with solid roots in the Eastern Fraser Valley earned high praise for its diverse projects and skills.
Emil Anderson Construction and Emil Anderson Maintenance took home the hardware at the Deputy Minister’s Contractor of the Year awards last Friday in Victoria.
They were among top contractors from across B.C. recognized for delivering stellar transportation and infrastructure projects.
Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc. and Emil Anderson Maintenance Co. Ltd. earned the ‘Award of Excellence’ for outstanding community service this year. Notable projects included the Rotary Trail Extension in Chilliwack, and the Kelowna Women’s Shelter. They were also recognized for their Community Give-back Programs in the Fraser Valley and the Okanagan.
“Every day, hard-working people are delivering on highway, road and bridge projects, creating robust infrastructure to keep people and goods moving safely and efficiently, throughout B.C.,” said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena in a news release. “These awards are a great opportunity to appreciate the outstanding projects that have been completed around the province this year, and to recognize our contractors for their diligence and excellence.”
Emil Anderson Construction, EAC, based in Chilliwack, is a multi-discipline contractor. EAC just completed the new Vedder bridge in 2017, and Emil Anderson Maintenance (EAM) has been providing highway and bridge maintenance services to MOTI in the Fraser Valley since 1996.
EAC also took home the ‘Award of Excellence’ for grading in the widening of the Trans-Canada Highway to four lanes, from Pritchard to Hoffman’s Bluff, east of Kamloops. Local First Nations were part of the workforce and consulted about work in culturally sensitive areas.
“Emil Anderson Construction is a proud fourth generation company with two great-grandsons in senior management,” according to the company’s online history. “Emil Anderson held the position of President from incorporation to 1959.”
Emil’s great-grandson Robert Hasell was appointed president on January 16, 2017.
The company also has roots, just outside of Chilliwack in Hope, as well.
EAM was officially founded by Emil Anderson in 1938 in Ontario. But the Alaska Highway beckoned. Emil Anderson’s son, Carl, moved from Ontario to supervise these projects.
EAC was awarded a four-year contract in 1945 to build the Western half of the Hope-Princeton Highway. Emil’s son Carl Anderson relocated to Hope to supervise this project, and in 1950 Emil Anderson moved the remaining operations from Ontario to establish the head office in Hope.
“From this base in Hope, Emil Anderson Construction developed into a multi-faceted construction operation and expanded geographically to Saskatchewan in the east and California in the south,” reads the company website.
“While maintaining a reputation as one of the major highway builders in the industry, the Company expanded into hydro projects, tunneling, major earthmoving, dam construction, mining, bridges, land development, residential housing, and highway maintenance.”
Awards categories for 2017 ranged from Maintenance, Bridges and Structures, Paving, Grading to Community Service. The awards were presented Friday, Dec. 8, at the Victoria Conference Centre.
Maintenance
Yellowhead Road and Bridge Ltd., based in Fort St. John, won this year’s Award of Excellence for its outstanding maintenance work in Service Area 22 (North Peace). Its proactive approach to maintaining the province’s roads and bridges, combined with a high level of stakeholder and community engagement on projects, led to the company winning the maintenance category this year.
Bridge and Structures
Knappett Industries Ltd., based in Nanaimo, took home the Award of Excellence for its work on the Rees Bridge Replacement and North Courtenay Connector. The project included a new, 58-metre, two-lane bridge across the Tsolum River to improve the Comox Valley’s north connection to the Island Highway, which was completed on time and under budget.
Paving
Selkirk Paving Ltd. won the Award of Excellence for resurfacing approximately 55 kilometres of highways and roads surrounding Slocan, Silverton, New Denver and Nakusp. Selkirk Paving developed excellent relationships within those communities, and despite the large project scope and challenges with flooding in the areas, the work was completed on time and on budget.
Grading
Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc. was presented the Award of Excellence for its work on widening the Trans-Canada Highway to four lanes, from Pritchard to Hoffman’s Bluff, east of Kamloops. Local First Nations were employed as part of the workforce to complete the project and were consulted extensively in the culturally sensitive areas where work was being done.
Community Service
Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc. and Emil Anderson Maintenance Co. Ltd. were presented the Award of Excellence for their outstanding community service this year. Key projects included the Rotary Trail Extension in Chilliwack and the Kelowna Women’s Shelter. They were also recognized for their Community Give-back Programs in the Fraser and Okanagan Valleys.
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jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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