Modern Niagara Ottawa Inc. is involved in pretty much every large infrastructure project in the city at the moment. As the city’s largest mechanical, electrical and controls contractor, with over 850 local employees, Modern Niagara’s currently involved in the redevelopment of Parliament Hill’s Centre Block, the construction of the new Ottawa Public Library and the addition and renovation to the Hard Rock Casino in Ottawa’s South end.
In addition to being one of the largest multi-trade construction contractors in Ottawa, Modern Niagara also employs one of the largest commercial & residential service departments within the city.
VP & area manager Lane Campbell says that even with the large team they currently have, they need to prepare for the future growth anticipated over the next five years.
“My hope is that being profiled through the Ottawa Business Journal as one of the best employers in Ottawa exposes the benefits of working at Modern Niagara to a whole new group of potential candidates,” Campbell says. “Everybody out there has open job postings, but culture is key to Modern Niagara. It’s what we emphasize, above all else, when trying to recruit potential employees.”
What is your recruiting philosophy?
“Our philosophy is that it’s okay if prospective employees are young or don’t have a lot of experience,” Campbell says. “Targeting the right people and training them on the job is one of the best ways to develop highly successful individuals within the company. There is no course or manual you can read on how to build these complex infrastructure projects. It doesn’t matter if you get the basics from a trade certificate or an engineering degree or a business background. We are looking for professionals with dedication, passion, and a drive for the work we do.”
Job openings
“More than anything else, we need good tradespeople,” Campbell says. “We need to be the employer of choice for plumbers, electricians, sheet metal workers and building technicians. We want them to choose to work at Modern Niagara over our competitors. We want to be the employer of choice for tradespeople.”
Vacation and leave policy
The company offers three weeks or 15 days as starting vacation leave for new hires. They receive four weeks after five years of service and five weeks after 10 years. It provides six sick days a year as well as bereavement leave.
Benefits
The company provides 50 per cent dental, vision, life insurance, travel insurance, flexible spending accounts and supplemental medical coverage for employees and dependents.
Wellness initiatives
Employees can participate in community service during normal business hours and the company hosts food, clothing and toy drives, matches employees’ charitable donations and donates each month to a different charity. Managers are also trained to deal with stress and burnout. They also receive ongoing mental health first aid training and yearly webinars on suicide prevention, fostering a supportive environment.
Retirement savings
Modern Niagara offers a registered pension plan as well as a deferred profit sharing plan. For the pension plan, the company matches employee contributions by a ratio of three to one.
Have fun!
Every July, there’s a summer team-building event. This year, it was a white-water rafting day for the 250 people who chose to participate. The company Christmas party is an annual event at the Westin Hotel. Employees and their spouses are offered a hotel room or a drive home. In addition, teams have their own activities throughout the year.
Company career page
https://modernniagara.com/careers/our-career-opportunities/
