Building Forward: How EllisDon Responds in Times of Crisis

When disaster strikes, EllisDon steps in with a full-spectrum approach to relief, combining construction, consulting, and compassion. Learn how this integrated model is helping communities recover faster, rebuild smarter, and restore hope.

Infrastructure is more than steel and concrete – it's a lifeline.

EllisDon’s catastrophe relief efforts are rooted in this belief: that building is a social responsibility, especially when communities are at their most vulnerable. As natural disasters grow more frequent and severe, EllisDon is redefining what it means to build responsibly – with empathy, foresight, and purpose.

Our approach blends the strength of our construction expertise with the agility of our consulting teams, creating a continuous model of response, recovery, and rebuilding.

A Lifecycle Approach to Relief

Disaster recovery isn’t a single event — it’s a continuum.

From emergency mobilization to long-term rebuilding, EllisDon’s Project Advisory & Management (PA&M) and Civil teams integrate planning, operations, and recovery into one seamless framework.

Our “Cradle-to-Grave” model ensures that every phase of a catastrophe relief project is connected: the lessons from one stage inform the next, allowing us to act quickly, coordinate effectively, and deliver lasting solutions. Whether navigating insurance policy complexities, advising or coordinating government input, or installing renewable systems in remote areas, EllisDon brings the same commitment to clarify, coordinate, and care.

Where It All Began: Hurricane Ivan and the Birth of a New Capability

EllisDon’s catastrophe relief journey began in 2004, following Hurricane Ivan when insurance providers were seeking help with damage assessments and cost consulting. EllisDon’s role was to help insurers understand the scope of destruction, estimate fair settlements to complete the repairs, and help all parties navigate the complexities of disaster recovery.

“We started with Hurricane Ivan. We weren’t doing the construction—we were doing the consulting. And that’s what makes us different. We’re the only company that does both, which ensures our ability to be accurate.”
David Smith, Senior Vice President, Project Advisory & Management

That early experience revealed the value of combining technical expertise with strategic advisory insight. It shaped how EllisDon approaches catastrophe response today — blending the precision of a builder with the foresight of a consultant. Over time, this capability evolved into a formalized service offering within our Project Advisory & Management (PA&M) team, which now leads complex disaster-response initiatives.

From coordinating multi-stakeholder recovery programs to advising public agencies on preparedness planning, EllisDon continues to bridge the gap between construction, consulting, and environmental recovery – helping clients and communities rebuild stronger.

In the Wake of the Fire: EllisDon’s Role in Jasper’s Recovery

In the summer of 2024, wildfires tore through over 32,000 hectares in Jasper, Alberta—destroying homes, displacing families, and leaving the town in shock. With no national disaster recovery agency in Canada to coordinate a response, local communities were left to navigate the aftermath largely on their own. Following the request of the Insurance Bureau of Canada for our assistance on behalf of their clients, EllisDon’s PA&M and Civil teams mobilized, within just three days, to fill that void, launching a full-scale recovery effort that would span environmental cleanup, demolition, and direct support to residents.

Working alongside the Municipality of Jasper, Parks Canada, Environment Alberta, Alberta OHS, the Red Cross and the Insurance Bureau of Canada, EllisDon developed debris management plans and environmental protocols for the $30 million remediation project, covering 210 residential properties, and coordinated the safe demolition of more than 300 lost structures.

When extended power outages created biohazards in thousands of homes, EllisDon launched a white goods extraction program to safely remove over 2,300 contaminated appliances. Residents could request service by scanning a QR code, streamlining and expediting the process and reducing health risks.

This wasn’t just a construction project; it was a demonstration of EllisDon’s values in action. The company didn’t arrive with a playbook; we built one in real time. Guided by empathy and transparency, EllisDon worked shoulder-to-shoulder with residents and insurers, while assisting the small town’s government partners that were overwhelmed by the many challenges in front of them, helping them develop their plans and processes to meet the needs of community to restore hope.

Planning for What Comes Next

Every crisis reinforces a simple truth: real recovery requires vision, collaboration, and compassion. As the landscape of disaster response grows ever more complex, it becomes increasingly evident that true recovery requires vision and planning as much as action. EllisDon’s integrated, human-centered approach ensures that the recovery process honours the unique needs, histories, and aspirations of each affected community. It ensures that, for each new challenge put in front of us, we develop new strategies and communicate the lessons learned from the past so that next time everything goes that much smoother. Whether delivering practical solutions or empowering local voices, the organization commits to a better future where every challenge is met with purpose and compassion.

We believe catastrophe relief is not a one-time intervention, but a continuum of care — a partnership built on trust, expertise, and the determination to help communities rise stronger than before.

Because when disaster strikes, building forward means more than reconstruction – it means renewal.