Our History

From a firm of two, to a firm of now over 160 professionals, Hemmera has consistently been involved with some of the toughest and most interesting projects in the industry.

1994
1997
2000
2003
2006
2009
Today

As a company of two In 1994, Paul Hemsley established the company with the vision of helping organizations navigate environmental guidelines and legislation with practical solutions that make business sense. The company soon gained our first clients—Transport Canada and BC Hydro—with whom we have continued to work for over 17 years. As our head-count gradually grew, we took on some ambitious projects, including environmental baseline work for one of the first diamond projects in the Northwest Territories. Our contributions to the remediation of a Canadian Airlines facility gained us industry-wide recognition as experts in contaminated-site services.

In 1997 and with six staff on board, we were awarded our first project combining environmental assessment and contaminated-site work. This large contract, for the Vancouver Convention Centre, helped establish our reputation as multi-disciplinary specialists. Soon afterward, we won a major contract for risk assessment services with Public Works and Government Services Canada, which opened the doors to long-term relationships with federal departments and the many significant projects with which we have been entrusted. In 1999, we doubled in size within one year.

With nearly 25 staff, and reflecting our new stature, we brought in Eric Pringle to take over as General Manager and partner. Eric has been with us since, and has played an instrumental role in our growth, as we opened our Victoria office soon after, and established our Energy division to serve the growing need for renewable energy solutions such as GeoExchange. In 2002, Business in Vancouver Magazine named Paul Hemsley to their Top 40 Under 40 list.

2003 was a year of milestones: we reached 50 employees and won the contract for the Gateway Program, a series of transit, road and bridge improvements that represent the largest infrastructure project in the history of British Columbia. Our work on the Gateway Program continues to this day. Over the next few years we established a leadership position in the environmental services industry: we won the first environmental certification for a wind-power project in BC and have led more environmental assessments for major BC wind projects than any company; and we helped establish the BC Chapter of the National Brownfield Association.

Yes, there is more to Hemmera than environmental services: in 2006, we were recognized by the United Way with their Quantum Leap Spirit Award for outstanding fundraising. Over the next few years at 70 staff, we grew steadily while maintaining our leadership in the field. Our Adaptive Management Strategy for the Deltaport terminal—Metro Vancouver’s largest container terminal—included the first use of adaptive monitoring on a North American coast. We provided environmental resources for the first wave-energy project in BC. And we opened our third office, in Burnaby BC.

As we marked the milestones of 15 years in business and 125 people on staff, we developed a Sustainability Services practice, with expertise in greenhouse gas inventory and solar hot water heating. In support of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, we completed work on two Olympic projects.

With over 160 staff in offices in Calgary, Burnaby, Victoria, Whitehorse, and Vancouver, we are growing, innovating, and leading our field. We still serve our very first clients, as well as governments of all levels and a broad spectrum of industries. We are partnering with Port Metro Vancouver on multiple aspects of the Container Capacity Improvement Project, and our contaminated sites work has earned national awards. Our original vision has developed and expanded, but remains, at its core, to help our clients face the challenges of environmental guidelines and legislation with practical, economical, forward-looking solutions.