shareholders was diagnosed.
“Community is really important to us in terms
of giving something back,” said Ouellet.
One of the founders of the company, Jean
Lapointe, has also cycled across Canada (over
8000Km) recently to raise funds to fight Parkin-
son’s disease.
Among the company’s achievements, chal-
lenges continue in terms of acquiring skilled
labour.
“It’s the same in Quebec as most other prov-
inces; the labour is getting older. But we have
a great reputation and recommendations here
going to the young carpenters who want to
work with us. We try to keep them as long as
possible,” said Ouellet.
B&L works with a technology school for engi-
neers and a professional school for carpenters
and labourers in the region to do its recruit-
ing. But it is in competition with many other
contracting companies waiting for them just
outside the door. Ouellet admits the biggest of
B&L’s challenges, however, is in the documen-
tation process necessary to obtain a lease un-
der LEED certification. Accordingly he asserts
34 business elite canada
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AUGUST 2014
