Nan Site Services offers ground preparations for new residential and commercial properties
VICTORIA – The Johal family can proudly state that they have been in business, on Vancouver Island for four generations.
Nirmal Johal says their collective success can be summed up in three words: Desire, Determination, and Dedication.
It all began with Nirmal’s great grandfather, Diwan Singh Johal, whose desire for a better life led him to emigrate to Canada in 1906, specifically Victoria, where his steamship docked. He ended up working in the Butchart Lime Quarry, the site we now know as Butchart Gardens.
Diwan Singh Johal emigrated to Canada in 1906
His son, Sadhu Singh, (Nirmal’s grandfather), succeeded in his determination to run his own business and started Sadhu Singh Trucking after emigrating to Victoria in the 1920s.
The current family patriarch, Paul Johal, emigrated to Victoria at the age of 12. His dedication to creating a better life saw him work in various sawmills, until he started Pacific Tractor Services which would become Paul Johal Trucking, established in 1968. This company has been run by his son Rick Johal since 1994. Paul also established PND Construction Ltd. in 1968, now known as PND Soil and Gravel, which was incorporated in the early 1990s. Both of Paul Johal’s sons Rick and Nirmal run the company with their dad.
Nirmal established NAN Site Servicing Ltd., and the name NAN comes from the three initials of his children: Nicholas, Austin and Nira. Nirmal’s son Nicholas Johal works for NAN Site Servicing, while Austin Johal works for PND. Nirmal’s sister’s son, Rajan Rai, established and runs Raptor Excavating. All the companies run by family are members of the Island Equipment Owners Association.
In 1970, Paul Johal and his wife Jeet bought a 10 acre plot of land in Langford and built the house they still live in today. They together ran a business and raised three children; their sons Rick and Nirmal and daughter Jess. Today, three generations of the family are involved in the running of the collective businesses.
Nirmal says Paul’s “get-er-done” attitude is as strong as ever today at the age of 87 as it was when he came to Canada at the age of 12.
“He was raised with a very strong moral compass, a voracious tenacity for life, and an incredible work ethic,” he says. “All of these things combined helped him establish a business which now through his sons and grandsons has mushroomed into multiple businesses employing more than 20 people. Further, he has passed down his desire to succeed, his determination to build a better life and his lifelong dedication to not only his family but his community, to his own growing family.
Nirmal Johal’s parents seated in their ‘65 Lincoln back from a full restoration
“Paul Johal is the proud father of Rick and his wife Harjit, Nirmal and his wife Janet, as well as his daughter Jess. He is also the proud grandfather of seven grandchildren, (Nicole, Nathan, Nicholas, Austin, Nira and Rajan) and just over a year ago became a proud great grandfather to Amaria.”
Paul Johal has not only created a business, he has given his children and grandchildren opportunities he never had.
As Nirmal says “Everything we have today is because of what he established and handed down to each and every one of us. The company has been around for 50 years. We are hoping to be around for another 50 years.”
