Blue Heron Environmental.

• Author: Gregorini, Laura
• Position: TOP 5 BEST PLACES TO WORK

Blue Heron Environmental began in a Timmins basement office in 2004 with the aim to provide resourcebased companies with practical environmental consultation.

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The brainchild of environmental scientist Linda Byron-Fortin, who previously worked in the mining sector for nearly two decades, Blue Heron has expanded to include 15 employees and today offers a dynamic list of services including field monitoring assistance, spill product supplies, mapping assistance, signage design as well as training and auditing services.

Blue Heron works with clients predominantly in the mining industry across Northern Ontario; however, it's looking to expand into the pulp and paper industry.

The company has opened satellite offices in Ottawa and Calgary and most recently in Thunder Bay with the intent to expand its reach and explore new markets.

Collaborative environment

Employees begin the work week with a Monday morning meeting in the Timmins office, while off-site employees join in via Skype or WebEx, to not only update projects but to provide opportunity for collaborative discussions on business matters in an open and respectful environment.

"This is my management style but I'm also trying to retain employees," said Byron-Fortin. "I want the staff to feel included in decisions that are made and I want them to help me grow the company so I want them to feel some sense of ownership."

For more in-depth consideration, monthly meetings are held to review the status of various projects, upcoming bids, safety considerations, training opportunities and growth strategies.

Youth internship and cooperative placements

Hiring and providing opportunities for Northern Ontario young professionals is a priority for the company that has also launched the careers of some talented interns.

With the assistance of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, Blue Heron has established a successful youth internship program as well as provided co-operative placements that have led to fulltime careers with the company or client sites.

Expansion and diversification

Blue Heron is housed in a warehouse-type space, but renovations are underway to transform the building into an office space.

"Over the last few years we've revamped the inside and I've got a new training centre and a gym," said Byron-Fortin.

Despite the downturn in the mining industry, Byron-Fortin has managed to retain her staff. And she's optimistic. In the next few years if the outlook improves...