EllisDon is celebrating 70 years since it was established in 1951, in London, Ontario by brothers Don and David Ellis Smith. With more than 5,000 salaried employees today, EllisDon has grown to become a leading construction, technology and building services company.
From the beginning, EllisDon has been an industry innovator. In 1956, EllisDon brought the first tower cranes to Canada. In 1986, EllisDon was awarded the design-and-build contract for Toronto’s SkyDome, making history by building the world’s first retractable-rooftop stadium.
“I encourage everyone to take a moment on April 1st, to remember a very, very many really terrific people who, over seven decades, accomplished great things, and gave us all an opportunity to accomplish even greater things,” said Geoff Smith, president and CEO, EllisDon.
In 70 years of business, EllisDon has expanded beyond construction to deliver on any aspect of a project, leading projects all the way from the initial concept phase to long-term asset management, operations and smart buildings technology. These services, called “Cradle-to-Grave,” continue to grow and challenge traditional views of what it means to be a company in the construction industry. EllisDon is constantly looking for ways to make its projects more sustainable, resilient, reliable and efficient, while leveraging technology in every aspect of its business, to drive change while striving to eliminate clients’ risk.
EllisDon’s heart lies with its employees, following the core values of: Freedom, Trust, Complete Openness, Mutual Accountability, Entrepreneurial Enthusiasm, and Mutual Respect. Inclusive diversity is also important for the company with the creation of multiple new employee groups including: ABEEL (Alliance of Black Employee Experience and Leadership) which educates employees and sub-trades on anti-Black systemic racism and the Gender Equality Group.
In 2020, EllisDon announced a final agreement was executed under which 100 per cent of the company’s equity will be transferred to the company’s employees. From March 1, 2020 onward, EllisDon will gradually buy out the Smith family stake, enabling the employees’ equity ownership to increase to 100 per cent over several years.
