Island Grown Business Celebrates
Business Examiner Submitted
John Knappett, P. Eng.
VICTORIA – The company Knappett Projects Inc celebrates its 40 years in business serving the construction industry. The crews on 21 job sites from North Island down to Victoria will be celebrating this day simply, with a traditional site lunch pizza! Looking forward to the next 10 years as the company continues to grow and be the best construction company they can be.
The founder
John Knappett is the founder and CEO of Knappett Group of Companies and a leader in the construction industry. On Sept 13th1983, he founded Knappett Construction which soon became Knappett Project Inc. as it is most known for. John is a Professional Engineer and has served on many boards over his career including, the South Island Prosperity Group, Chamber of Commerce, Civic Heritage Trust, BC Hydro, Shaw Ocean Discovery, Infinite Source, Construction Safety Network, Vancouver Island Construction Association and the Canadian Construction Association.
The Company
Knappett has constructed over 700 projects in the past 40 years across a wide range of project types. These include public institutional buildings, civil works, major industrial buildings, multi-family, and social housing, commercial, heritage building renewals, building additions & upgrades, and building envelope repairs.
The largest project to date was the 443 Helicopter Squadron which can be seen as you take off from YYJ. A few of our most recent projects include the Camosun College Health and Wellness Centre, CRD pipework and 4 pump stations that serve the McLoughlin Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, and two new community centres: the Craigflower Scottish Hall and the Gorge Park Pavilion. Over their time they can proudly point to many iconic buildings throughout the island, including the Victoria Police Station and Nanaimo RCMP Headquarters, UVIC’s First Peoples House, the Salt Spring Library, Nanaimo and Langford Fire Stations, 5 Brentwood College Campus facilities and 20 new public schools including Mark Isfield Jr. High School in Courtenay to Ecole Victor Brodeur School in Victoria.
In 2019 Knappett, the British Columbia Construction Authority recognized Knappett with an award for being a Construction Leader in British Columbia and in 2021 won the Employer of the Year, they are immensely proud of these accomplishments.
Our people
Building structures is not the only focus, building careers for people to have a lifelong, well paid, satisfying workplace is at the heart of the company. The project management team is led by Roger Yager, Vice President. Roger has been with Knappett for 30 years. The management team includes a project support team and many experienced professional civil engineers. Knappett boasts of having the longest serving workforce members, with many of the 200 plus staff working with Knappett for well over 20 years.
Back-to-Back, two workers have won the Vancouver Island Construction Associations Employee of the Year award, this speaks to the level of people who work at Knappett. Over time Knappett has supported workers of all diversity, women, youth, and other persons with barriers to the construction industry. They fully support personal growth and leadership training for all field staff including those wanting to enter the apprenticeship program. Yes, they are hiring!
Serving communities in which we work and live
Knappett Projects is a company built on the shared values of integrity and innovation.
Known for their commitment to excellence and an abiding dedication to improving the lives of the communities they serve. The focus is to help those who most need it, the company support the United Way, Our Place Society, Cool Aid Society and many others whose focus is to support the efforts to help the homeless society.
