Brad Fauteux is a Vice-President with Colliers Project Leaders, an Canadian company specializing in partnering with firms or individuals to bring visionary projects to fruition. He has built a long career in providing strategic business guidance and leadership for a variety of public and private sector companies. His current work focuses on delivering value to clients across multiple sectors. Mr. Fauteux has received awards from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. He speaks with us today about his experiences working collaboratively to implement public and private sector projects.
Q: As an Executive with Colliers Project Leaders, how do you facilitate the partnerships being formed with your company and its clients?
BRAD FAUTEUX: While each client is different, with their own unique culture and mode of operating, there are some fundamental commonalities in how we approach building those partnerships. The first two bedrock principles are transparency and open communication. There’s no better way to build trust and that’s key, no matter what project you’re working on. Beyond that, setting clear and measurable objectives and employing proactive problem-solving techniques are the major ways we create good relationships.
Q: What are some of the success stories you’ve seen at Colliers Project Leaders?
BRAD FAUTEUX: I have only recently arrived at Colliers in January 2024, but in that sort time I have seen all sorts of fantastic work that we have collaborated on. One example of this is at Centennial College which recently celebrated the opening of its new A-Building – a more than 130,000-square-foot, six-storey expansion at its Scarborough, Ontario campus incorporating administrative offices, collaborative meeting areas and study spaces, food services and classroom space.
In addition to being Canada’s first ever LEED Gold, zero carbon, mass timber higher education building, A-Building’s design expressly reflects Indigenous values and principles, in keeping with Centennial’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
Q: Tell us about your role as a Managing Director with Ontario Parks and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
BRAD FAUTEUX: In that position, I formed agreements and maintained relationships between the Ministry and more than 300 separate intergovernmental, community, Indigenous, and private sector organizations. It was a very tricky balance at times, but I had fantastic team members helping me, along with the resources of the provincial government. I learned a great deal from that position, managing over 2,500 employees with a $90 million operating budget.
Q: Based on your experience, what would be a policy change, law, or planning initiative that could be implemented today to ensure the long-term integrity of Canada’s infrastructure?
BRAD FAUTEUX: Without advocating any specific legislation or policy changes, I’m of the opinion that continuing the nationwide campaign to convert our existing infrastructure to a more environmentally friendly model is about the most important thing Canada can do to ensure its long-term future. This could include Net Zero Carbon buildings, Green House Gas emissions reductions and a focus on the use and generation of renewable energy.
Q: Do you have any advice for someone pursuing a career as a project leader?
BRAD FAUTEUX: Absolutely! Outside of studying the right subjects at school and earning the proper credentials, being an effective project leader is more than just project management. If you are coming to work for us, we expect you to bring your technical expertise and so much more. In fact, we’re not just project managers. We go well beyond costs, schedules and project plans. We act for owners to drive value and performance in capital projects. We share their vision and protect their interests so that they can be confident of success.
