News

G. Douglas Vallee Limited is proud to be providing structural engineering services for the ongoing renovation project at Campfire Circle Rainbow Lake, located just outside Waterford, a special getaway that offers children affected by cancer and other serious illnesses, along with their families, a place to heal, connect, and simply be kids.

Campfire Circle, formed through the merger of Camp Oochigeas and Camp Trillium, offers year-round community, in-hospital, and overnight camp programs for children facing serious health challenges, all at no cost to families. The renovations at Rainbow Lake are designed to improve accessibility and reconfigure the existing buildings, allowing the camp to grow from serving 1,000 campers each year to 2,000.

The Simcoe Reformer recently shared the story of Campfire Circle Rainbow Lake’s expansion, a project we’re honoured to support as structural engineers.

This project holds special meaning for our team. Many of our staff members have personal ties to Waterford, Rainbow Lake, and Campfire Circle, making the opportunity to contribute our structural engineering expertise even more rewarding. We are honoured to help twice as many families experience all this remarkable place has to offer, and we look forward to seeing the project through alongside the Campfire Circle team.

We are pleased to announce that G. Douglas Vallee Limited has been selected for the City of Brantford’s Structural Engineering Services Roster following the City’s competitive Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ 2026-2).

Through this prequalification, Vallee joins a select group of engineering firms eligible to provide structural engineering services for the rehabilitation and renewal of municipal structures across Brantford, including bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and noise attenuation walls. The roster supports the City’s structural inspection and capital program and may also extend to emergency repairs and new capital structural assets during its three-year term.

Selection to the roster reflects the strength of our multidisciplinary team and the depth of our experience in structural design, contract administration, and inspection. We look forward to supporting the City of Brantford in maintaining safe, resilient infrastructure for its community.

Our thanks to the City of Brantford for the opportunity, and to the Vallee team whose work made this qualification possible.

We are pleased to congratulate Andrew Vallee, P.Eng., on achieving his Project Management Professional (PMP)® designation.

The PMP is a globally recognized standard in project management, reflecting a rigorous understanding of leading and directing projects from initiation through completion. For Andrew, whose work focuses on structural engineering for buildings and coordination across our architectural and consultant teams, the designation strengthens an already valuable skill set and reinforces Vallee’s commitment to delivering well-managed projects for our clients.

Please join us in congratulating Andrew on this well-earned achievement.

G. Douglas Vallee Limited is pleased to celebrate the March 23rd groundbreaking ceremony for a new affordable housing development in Delhi by Haldimand Norfolk Housing Corporation (HNHC).

Vallee is proudly serving as the planning, architectural, structural, and civil consultant on for this project as part of PK Construction Incorporated’s Design-Build team, alongside Integrated Engineering and Coolearth Architecture Inc. The Design-Build team is working collaboratively with the teams at HNHC, Norfolk Association for Community Living (NACL) and Flourish to deliver a development that meaningfully serves the community of Delhi.

The building will feature 25 affordable rental units, including one, two and three-bedroom suites over three storeys, arranged in a traditional double-loaded corridor design. Seven of the suites are designated as accessible units, meeting the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and the project’s accessibility standards. Notably, two of the three-bedroom accessible suites will be offered as inclusive housing through a partnership with NACL, providing supported living options for community members.

From the outset, the design goal was to create a building that harmonizes with the existing low-rise residential character of the surrounding neighbourhood, while employing cost-effective design and construction techniques to maximize value for the client and future residents. Sustainability and energy performance optimization are also key aspects of the building’s design, reflecting Vallee’s ongoing commitment to responsible, future-oriented development.

We congratulate HNHC and all project partners on this important milestone and look forward to seeing this much-needed affordable housing come to life in Norfolk County!

G. Douglas Vallee Limited is pleased to announce that it has been awarded engineering services contracts by Norfolk County for two municipal infrastructure projects: the Delhi Streets Reconstruction project (Waverly, Brock, Gage and Peel) and the Metcalfe and Head Street Reconstruction project in Simcoe.

These awards include a variety of professional services such as pre-engineering, detailed design, contract document preparation, and comprehensive support throughout the construction phase. Vallee’s role will involve providing on-site supervision and contract management to ensure projects meet the highest standards of quality and safety.

In Delhi, the reconstruction will focus on upgrading key roadways, including Waverly Street, Brock Avenue, Peel Street, and Gage Street. The Simcoe project will reconstruct two roadways, Metcalfe Street and Head Street.

These new contracts build upon Vallee’s strong, ongoing working relationship with Norfolk County. The awards reflect the County’s continued confidence in Vallee’s expertise and underscore the company’s steadfast commitment to supporting the delivery of reliable, high-quality municipal infrastructure that benefits the community.

We are honoured to once again partner with Norfolk County on these essential infrastructure improvements. These projects will enhance the safety, accessibility, and long-term durability of key roadways in Delhi and Simcoe. We look forward to working collaboratively with County staff and stakeholders to deliver successful outcomes for residents.

Work on the design phases for both projects will commence immediately.

Our office will be closing at 12:00 PM on December 24th as we head home to celebrate the Christmas season with our families.
We will be taking a holiday break and will reopen on January 5th.

During this time, feel free to leave us a voicemail or send an email, and we’ll get back to you once we return.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

G. Douglas Vallee Limited extends heartfelt congratulations to the Corporation of Haldimand County on the official opening of the Caledonia Fire and Paramedic Station!

The station was proudly unveiled on Saturday, October 18, 2025, with a ceremonial ribbon cutting attended by nearly 200 community members. It was inspiring to see such strong public support for this vital addition to the community’s emergency services infrastructure.

On behalf of G. Douglas Vallee Ltd. and our consulting partners — ARC Engineering Inc., Seguin Engineering Inc., and adesso design inc. — we congratulate Haldimand County on this important milestone.

It has been an honour to design and help deliver a project that will serve residents for generations to come. We thank the County for their continued trust and look forward to collaborating on future community development and improvement initiatives

2177545 Ontario Inc. is hosting a public information session for the proposed Woodway Trails subdivision in Simcoe. The session is scheduled for October 29, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Fanshawe College (Room B115) on 634 Ireland Road. A dedicated question and answer period will begin at 6:30 PM, offering community members an opportunity to engage directly with the project representatives.

The proposed development is a large, phased plan that includes a significant number of new dwellings and community features. Phase 1 consists of 61 single detached homes, 109 townhouses, and a large community park. Phase 2 will add another 51 single detached homes, 60 townhouses, and three future condominium blocks totaling approximately 214 units. A key feature of the plan is the preservation of an existing significant woodlot. For further information, the public can contact Scott Puillandre at the provided details.

Built in 1915, the clock tower at the Brantford City Hall has become an iconic landmark for the City of Brantford, its residents and visitors from all around. Originally constructed as the Federal Building in Brantford, it is located on the prominent corner of Dalhousie Street and Queen Street in the downtown core. It is a monumental, reinforced concrete structure with a variety of stone facings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts style, it features a tall clock tower and a row of engaged Ionic columns along the principal elevations and is designated as a historical building.

Since becoming the new city hall for Brantford in 2021, the restoration of the clock and bell within the tower became a priority. The clock was restored first and has been operating since the fall of the 2022 and the existing bell rang out for the first time in over 40 years after a new striker was installed in 2024. As the final piece of the restoration project, the bell was restored and raised within the tower so that it could be visible from the streets below for the first time in its history. To facilitate the raising of the bell, Vallee was retained to design a structural steel frame to support the bell within this existing heritage structure. At Vallee we are proud to be able to combine our structural engineering and heritage skills and experience to enhance the presence of this structure within the downtown core and add to the civic pride throughout the city.

hashtag#Vallee hashtag#StructuralEngineering hashtag#HeritageStructure hashtag#Restoration

City of Brantford
Benjamin Buchwald P.Eng., M.Eng.
Ryan Elliott, P.Eng., BDS, CAHP, Consulting Engineer
Canadian Assoc. of Heritage Professionals | Assoc. canadienne d’experts-conseils en patrimonie

G. Douglas Vallee Limited is proud to have served as Prime Consultant for the new Fire Station 2 in St. Catharines—the first building in the Niagara Region to meet the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Standard. Officially opened on July 8, the station is a major achievement in sustainable municipal design and reflects a bold step forward in climate-resilient infrastructure.

Our team led the planning, Architectural and Engineering design, and contract administration of this energy-efficient facility. With high-performance materials, solar energy generation, and carbon-conscious systems, the building aligns with the City’s sustainability goals while enhancing public service delivery.

The new station also focuses on modern fire service needs. Key design features include a large apparatus space, accessible and inclusive amenities, and a dedicated gear decontamination area—important upgrades from the 1950s-era facility it replaces.

Team members John Vallee (President), Melissa Stickl (Architect), and Andrew Vallee attended the grand opening alongside City leaders, including Mayor Mat Siscoe and Fire Chief Dave Upper. We commend the City’s vision and leadership and are proud to have played a key role in this transformative community project.