The 10 Largest Construction Companies in Canada
We recently put together a list of the top 10 largest construction companies in the United States that highlights the biggest general contractors and we wanted to do the same for Canada. As a disclaimer, while many of the largest American construction companies also operate in Canada, this list is comprised solely of companies that were founded in Canada or do a significant portion of their business there. Before we get into the companies, we want to provide a brief overview of the construction industry in Canada.
According to the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), 7.5% of Canada's gross domestic product (GDP), valued at $141 billion, comes from the construction industry which employs over one million people. Other reports by Global Data have estimated the size of the Canadian construction market to be around $325 billion with the expectation that it will rise by 2% in the coming years with the biggest sector being residential construction.
In the industry, small to medium-sized firms provide 70% of the jobs, numbers also according to the CCA. While we've covered what small and medium-sized contractors can do to get more business, this blog will focus on the largest employers in Canada and the projects they've completed across the country. All financial numbers below are listed in CAD.
1. SNC-Lavalin
Arguably the largest and most well-known construction services company in the country, SNC-Lavalin is based in Montreal, Quebec. The construction services they focus on span all sectors ranging from oil and gas to mining to environment and water to transportation and road infrastructure and more.
The firm has over 30,000 employees and operates in more than 160 countries across the world. Their largest projects include educational facilities, airports, nuclear power stations, and light rail transit systems. SN-Lavalin has annual revenues exceeding $7 billion.
Summary
Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec
Employees: 31,000 (2021)
Revenue: $7.37 billion (2021)
2. PCL Construction
Ranked annually among the top contracting companies in the world, PCL Construction is a very well-respected Canadian company. With operations in the buildings, civil, industrial, and special project sectors, PLC has experience across all types of construction projects.
With their head office in Edmonton, they have a United States office in Denver, Colorado, and other global offices as well. They have more than 4,500 employees directly under their company and generate over seven billion dollars a year.
Their most brand-recognizable projects include BC Place's revitalization, Rogers Place, and the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. They also have several projects across airports, commercial retail, higher education, and more.
Summary
Headquarters: Edmonton, Alberta
Employees: 4,500
Revenue: $7 billion (2021)
3. EllisDon
An employee-owned construction services company, EllisDon was founded by two brothers, Don and David, in London, Ontario, in 1951. The company is currently headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, not too far from Toronto.
As a construction services company, EllisDon delivers projects in virtually every sector of the industry with projects ranging from buildings to civil to industrial to capital services to infrastructure. With over 4,000 employees, they are able to deliver amazing work to their customers and bring in over $5 billion dollars annually.
Their projects include residential development in almost every major city in Canada, The National Gallery of Canada, the Edmonton Valley Line LRT, the beautiful Art Gallery of Ontario, and pieces of higher education campuses like Western University, York University, and Carleton University.
Summary
Headquarters: Mississauga, Ontario
Employees: 4,000
Revenue: $5 billion (2021)
4. Graham Construction
Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Graham Construction brings in annual revenues of over $4 billion. Starting in 1926 building railway stations, Graham Construction and its 1,371 employees have come a long way in developing the infrastructure of Canada.
While the sectors they worked in were once more niche, Graham has widened their services to the building, industrial, and infrastructure sectors. Whether it's schools, hospitals, entertainment venues, hospitality, or others, Graham delivers quality construction no matter where they are servicing.
Projects they worked on and developed include the CN Tower Plaza and Front Street Redevelopment in Toronto, high schools across the country, police academies, and more.
Summary
Headquarters: Calgary, Alberta
Employees: 1,371
Revenue: $4 billon (2021)
5. Aecon Group Inc.
One of the most immediately recognizable brand names on the list, at least in Southern Ontario, is Aecon. Having been founded in 1877, Aecon has been around for almost 150 years. Popular for doing large portions of highway infrastructure expansions, Aecon has been a staple in building Canada's most important infrastructure.
As a construction company, Aecon primarily provides services across the industrial, infrastructure, and concession sectors. They also produce construction materials like asphalt and other aggregate materials and have companies that build pre-fabrication processes across the country.
With over 12,000 employees and annual revenues nearing $4 billion, Aecon has been involved with several projects including the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Finch West LRT, Highway 401 Expansion, and many other road infrastructure projects across Canada.
Summary
Headquarters: Calgary, Alberta
Employees: 12,000
Revenue: $3.9 billion (2021)
6. Ledcor Group of Companies
An employee-owned company, Ledcor Group of Companies was founded in 1947 and operates now in both Canada and the United States. They have over 6,000 employees and offer services in several services including buildings, civil infrastructure, telecommunications, forestry, mining, property development, transportation, oil and gas, and marine operations.
Generating over $3 billion in revenue, they have been involved in many popular construction projects including the Albian Sands in Alberta, Royal Alberta Museum, Seneca College in Ontario, and the Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver.
Summary
Headquarters: Vancouver, British Columbia
Employees: 6,848
Revenue: $3 billion (2021)
7. Pomerleau
Founded more than 60 years ago in Beauce, Quebec, Pomerleau is an innovative company and leader in the Canadian construction industry. With more than 4,000 employees across the country and 200 active projects, Pomerleau pulled in roughly $2.9 billion in 2021.
Primarily focusing on the civil infrastructure, energy, heavy industrial, transportation, and water treatment industries, Pomerleau is an active and important player in Canadian infrastructure. Their biggest projects include Videotron Centre in Quebec City, several bridges across Quebec, and several other hospitality buildings as well.
Summary
Headquarters: Saint-Georges, Quebec
Employees: 4,000
Revenue: $2.9 billion (2021)
8. Bird Construction Group
With its start in 1920 in Saskatchewan, Bird Construction has been part of the Canadian construction industry for over 100 years now. Bird has grown by quite a lot since their inception as they currently have 1,500 employees and average revenues of over $2 billion.
Now headquartered in Toronto, Bird focuses primarily on energy, mining, retail, residential, and civil construction. Their largest projects include the Thunderbird Sports Centre, the Whitby Rail Maintenance Facility, the Medicine Hat Energy Center, and several other projects ranging from higher education to community centers to entertainment venues.
Summary
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Employees: 1,500
Revenue: $2.2 billion (2021)
9. Broccolini Construction
Founded in Montreal in 1949, Broccolini Construction is a family-owned business. They have less than 1,000 employees and bring in revenues of over $1 billion. As a business, they primarily focused on residential housing until the 1970s when they decided to build more industrial and commercial infrastructure.
Their most popular projects include Saputo Stadium, home of Montreal's Major League Soccer team, Toronto Premium Outlets, and the home of several other retailers across the country.
Summary
Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec
Employees: 600
Revenue: $1.3 billion (2021)
10. Flynn Group of Companies
Lastly, we have Flynn Group of Companies. Founded in 1978 in Winnipeg, Flynn was initially focused on commercial roofing contracts. However, after much success, they started to branch out to provide services in architecture as well. Now, they employ over 6,000 people and operate across North America. In 2021, it was estimated that they brought in just north of $1 million dollars.
Projects they've worked on include Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, HSBC tower in Vancouver, as well as several other important buildings within Canada's landscape and infrastructure.
Summary
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Employees: 5,000
Revenue: $1.1 billion (2021)
Final Thoughts
Every one of these companies has had a direct impact on the infrastructure of Canada. Whether it's roads and electrical, oil and gas, entertainment venues, and water management, we have many of these companies to thank. And while it's not just these companies that are contributing as they hire and work with many small and medium-sized subcontractors, these large companies are leading the way.
