Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025) and Alberta's Top Employers (2025):
By Richard Yerema and Kristina Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 14, 2024)
Here are some of the reasons why PCL Construction was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025) and Alberta's Top Employers (2025):
- PCL Construction helps employees plan ahead with retirement planning assistance services along with a defined contribution pension plan -- and encourages employees to share directly in the company's long term successes through a share purchase program
- PCL Construction provides a variety of learning opportunities for employees at various stages of development, including the recently relaunched PCL College of Construction (with hundreds of courses and custom training), in-house apprenticeships, and the Learn2Go micro-learning initiative which employees can access anytime, and from anywhere
- PCL Construction's head office employees are encouraged to keep fit with free memberships to a 4,000 square foot onsite fitness centre that's open to family members and retirees
PCL Construction builds success through shared values
When Kim Heit stepped onto her first construction site as a co-op student with Edmonton-based PCL Construction 25 years ago, it would have been easy to be intimidated by the scale and heavy-duty machinery. Looking back, however, her biggest take-away from that time is the incredible team.
“It was the people that captured me very quickly,” says the construction manager. “They were so excited to share their knowledge and experiences and let you be a part of the team.”
That sense of inclusion is the same feeling that Harmony Carter, vice-president of people and culture, experienced when she started as a co-op student 23 years ago.
“Every single employee, no matter how senior, was willing to offer me support or take the time to talk. It felt so different from my other co-op placements,” recalls Carter.
“Everyone is so passionate about what PCL does and their role that they will always give the time and have the willingness to share.”
While Heit was first taken by the welcoming culture at PCL, the alignment with her personal values was instrumental to her longevity with one of Canada’s largest contracting companies.
Whether it’s through volunteering with United Way and the local food bank or sitting on the diversity, equity and inclusion committee, Heit feels fortunate to have found a company that so closely matches her own ideals.
“I knew very early on in my career what I wanted, the kind of the people I wanted to be with and the culture I wanted to be surrounded by,” Heit says. “PCL is very vocal about their core values, what they stand for and what they believe in.”
Being crystal clear about its values – including honesty, respect and integrity for team members and clients – has only helped to bolster the company’s success.
“It serves us well in every situation to determine whether someone shares our values,” Carter explains. “It creates an environment for them to thrive.”
Being fully employee-owned, investing in employee leadership, and ongoing professional training are other key ways PCL ensures employees like Heit can reach their full potential.
From the time she was a young swimming instructor, leadership became a lifelong personal interest for Heit, who is actively enrolled in one of PCL's high potential development programs.
“They put a high level of involvement into making sure that we're growing and mentoring and that those opportunities are open to everyone,” she says.
The result, adds Carter, is a skilled, passionate team empowered to do the best for both their own careers and others.
“Part of the employee ownership model is that we all bring our best selves to work,” she says. “That includes being our authentic selves and being able to be open and honest.”
Those guiding principles are also part of what helped steer Heit’s career growth over the last two-and-a-half decades, and something the mother of three is grateful for.
“Being a mom, there are maternity leaves, kids might get sick. PCL gave me the opportunity to merge my personal values and needs with my career needs,” she says.
Through open conversations with her teams, Heit was able to have the family and career satisfaction she wanted without feeling like she was letting go of something.
“I’m still encouraged to continue to grow in my career, but I don't feel like there's a pressure to sacrifice, which wouldn’t align with my values,” she says.
“My career growth has been different from the counterparts that I started with 25 years ago,” says Heit. “But that was a choice that I made and my company supported.”
Recognized as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025):
By Kristina Leung, Chantel Watkins, and Cypress Weston, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Jan 20, 2025)
Here are some of the reasons why PCL Construction was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025):
- As part of the PCL Student Program, students receive ongoing support and feedback from their immediate supervisor as well as an assigned buddy, and have various opportunities to engage in meaningful work throughout their four to 16-month term
- PCL Construction manages an Accelerated Superintendent Development Program and an Accelerated Estimating and Construction Risk Management Program for early-career leaders -- the intensive programs focus on identifying personal leadership strengths, building technical knowledge, and developing mentoring relationships
- PCL Construction fosters development by encouraging students to set goals at the start of their term, with progress reviewed at midpoint and term-end checkpoints --- the organization also recently introduced the College Learning Award to recognize employees who achieve learning benchmarks and demonstrate continuous growth
PCL Construction is building the country’s new builders
Jacob Bardati remembers the moment that cemented his desire to work with PCL Construction. It was the heat of summer on Toronto’s busy King Street and, standing several storeys high on a commercial office tower, the then co-op student saw the full scope of the work he was doing with Canada’s largest general contractor.
“I remember that sense of organization and doing something impactful,” says the assistant superintendent. “I always wanted the opportunity to leave a legacy or do something meaningful.”
After three terms as a co-op student Bardati was hired full-time and, with the help of professional development initiatives from PCL such as the Accelerated Superintendent Development (ASD) program, he was able to quickly grow his career.
The program gave Bardati the opportunity to connect and learn from experienced mentors in his field, something he found invaluable in broadening his understanding of how to handle real life challenges that may arise.
“You don't get to see every job that we're working on, so it's an opportunity for other people to showcase what they've learned and done,” he explains.
“It helps everyone, because you always have problems in construction, so having other people share what worked helps better your knowledge as a superintendent.”
The ASD program is just one piece of the broader training culture at the Edmonton-based general contractor, which uses innovative methodologies to sharpen employees’ technical, leadership and interpersonal skills.
At PCL, investing in employee skills development is an integral piece of how it stays at the forefront of innovation in the construction industry.
“As the company grows, we want to make sure that our growth potential is beyond where we are currently,” says Harmony Carter, vice president of people and culture.
“We’re always asking, ‘How do we accelerate our ability to grow and also make sure that our employees are ready for it?’”
PCL’s College of Construction ensures employees have a clear understanding of their career opportunities and can access the necessary skills for growth. The company is also implementing a new learning award that recognizes the importance of growth in the workplace.
“We’ve created a learning culture where everyone is constantly learning new things and also about the skills for tomorrow,” says Carter, who started at PCL 23 years ago as a co-op student herself.
While some kinds of training are more niche and geared toward a specific department, PCL also offers robust leadership programs that are available to any employee.
For Bardati, leadership training has been another key to success because, as he explains, he’s not the one swinging the hammer, but directing the person with the hammer.
“Interpersonal skills are what drive us, especially in my role,” he says. “You can always teach someone how to build something, but teaching someone how to interact with people is a very special skill.”
Leadership training gave Bardati the time and space to examine himself as a person, a rare opportunity in an industry that moves so quickly.
“Construction is so fast paced, the training forced me to take a breath and reflect on my personal skills, not only my technical skills.”
PCL’s leadership program now surpasses over 1,000 graduates, a testament to the interest in personal growth. “We're very proud of that milestone,” says Carter.
As a fully employee-owned company, helping staff reach their full potential also directly ties back to the company’s purpose: to build a better future through people, communities and legacies.
“We truly believe that if people are becoming leaders, they're not only leaders within the organization but also within the communities that we serve,” she says. “It’s a win-win.”
Recognized as one of Canada's Greenest Employers (2025):
By Richard Yerema and Chantel Watkins, and Sonja Verpoort, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Apr 21, 2025)
Here are some of the reasons why PCL Construction was selected as one of Canada's Greenest Employers (2025):
- PCL Construction employees are encouraged to volunteer with office sustainability committees, helping to develop and execute environmental plans for the firm -- employees can also apply to join PCL Solar, the company's dedicated solar construction division, and contribute to some of Canada's largest solar projects
- PCL Construction manages a dedicated network of advisors who provide in-house expertise on sustainable construction practices and lead in-office sustainability initiatives -- the company has over 300 LEED-credentialed employees and holds additional environmental accreditations across the organization
- PCL Construction employees are invited to participate in a range of green initiatives, including developing and delivering a Sustainability 101 presentation to their colleagues, hosting prep sessions for LEED accreditation exams and taking part in environmental programs in their local communities, like tree planting, beach cleanups, and recycling events
PCL Construction leads the way to a greener industry
When Mark Henderson’s children ask what he’s doing to help the environment, he can answer with confidence, thanks to his work overcoming unique decarbonization challenges in the buildings sector with Edmonton-based PCL Construction, Canada’s largest contracting company.
“I get excited about the opportunity in this sector to impact the future — it’s just fantastic,” says Henderson, manager, sustainable retrofits and decarbonization.
“Then, when my children ask me about driving change, I can look at them and say we’re trying.”
Henderson landed in decarbonization as the demand rose for LEED-certified projects — the globally recognized certification for building sustainability.
“The role came full circle from the increased need for those projects, plus a little bit of poking from my own children about what dad is doing to help ensure a good future for them.”
When tackling building retrofits, Henderson gets inspired about using innovative solutions to balance climate goals with client challenges to make a big impact.
Take, for example, the historic, 96-year-old Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The decarbonization project involved building energy analysis; converting heating and cooling systems to heat pumps and deep lake water cooling; and a centralized building automation system for improved energy efficiency — all without disrupting hotel guests.
The result was an 80-per-cent reduction in annual carbon emissions, and certification from the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building — Performance Standard.
“There was a natural alignment between the infrastructure that existed and the hotel’s desires,” says Henderson. “It took a lot of great partnerships, vision and commitment from people who really wanted to see this thing succeed.”
PCL also taps into existing and emerging innovative technologies — from solar, geothermal, hydrogen, nuclear energy and more — to reduce the environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of buildings.
Being intentional with where PCL focuses decarbonization efforts is key to being effective, explains Mike Wieninger, chief operations officer, Canadian operations.
To do so, PCL relies on a dedicated sustainability team, a sustainable retrofits and decarbonization group, and over 325 in-house LEED-certified professionals.
“There's a lot of noise out there in the sustainability world — certainly in construction — so you really have to watch where and how you spend your time and effort,” he says.
Beyond implementing sustainable solutions, PCL prides itself in nurturing employee growth through its learning and development culture.
Employees can engage with sustainability solutions through initiatives like the Sustainability Community of Practice, a platform to learn from or contribute new ideas to; the QUEST program to offer opinions and present solutions to better the organization and industry; or Excellence in Construction, which pairs newer hires with seasoned mentors.
“That’s one of the amazing parts of our organization,” Wieninger explains. “The environment allows people to learn, contribute, promote and grow themselves as a construction professional, including the sustainability skill set.”
While Henderson hadn’t anticipated landing in decarbonization when he started at PCL 17 years ago, he’s glad to have made it there.
“Did I envision this as a focus from the beginning? No — but there's lots of exciting work to do. We're trying to effect change, and we want to be part of the solution.”
At the highest level, leading the way in sustainable solutions tightly aligns with PCL’s purpose, which includes collaborating with clients, partners and communities to build a better future together.
“PCL has built more of Canada than any other contractor,” says Wieninger. “We have a responsibility to play a part in improving not just the industry, but the communities around us.”
The Career Directory
PCL Construction has been selected for The Career Directory, our guide to entry-level recruitment for recent college and university graduates.
