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“I always wanted to be a nurse but a previous Groh Avenue office in July of 2025. bring value to the table and are vocal about
guidance counsellor at my high school The new office at 500 Jamieson Parkway it. That is empowering.” She refers to the
told me I was crazy to choose that encompasses 14,000 square feet and collaboration she has witnessed between
profession because there would be no features three large classrooms and an male and female pre-apprenticeship
jobs, but I honestly gravitated towards it expensive bay in the back for equipment program students from Conestoga College
and ended up in that industry in just a training. Previously, the company had while training at BuildSafe.
different capacity.” to provide that training at a secondary “They’re all just learning together as one
Her work in records led to a bigger location. As well, BuildSafe opened a group and very much as equals while
opportunity at a 400-bed hospital in satellite facility in Stoney Creek at the completing their training,” says Susan.
Newmarket where she managed the staff same time, a move Susan says had been “Ideally, we don’t want to be known as
that oversaw admissions and discharges, in the plans for months, explaining both ‘women in construction’. We just want to
as well as bed placements. properties came available simultaneously. be people in construction. I believe we will
“Every career transition that Kevin made “We thought, ‘Do we do this?’. Then see it change but it’s going to take time.”
actually worked well for my career as well, we thought we can’t afford not to do In terms of time, she believes
which I kept building and building,” says it because we had been searching for trying to obtain the perfect work-
Susan, noting the couple moved to Alberta months,” she says, adding the moves have life balance as an entrepreneur
in 2016 when the company Kevin was not been the only changes. BuildSafe is basically impossible recalling
working for at the time put him in charge has now expanded its reach by offering a piece of advice from a mentor
of starting its western operations. ‘pop-up’ training sessions in other during her time in healthcare.
“I discovered early that the specific role I communities, including Owen Sound,
performed in Ontario did not translate in London, and Clinton, providing companies “She said, ‘There’s time that your work
Alberta healthcare, so I really had trouble the opportunity to educate employees is going to take priority and you must
finding footing,” she says, adding a new closer to home without having them make let it. And then there’s times your family
needs to go first, and you must let it.
opportunity did present itself when the the trek to Cambridge. And in the end, you get balance’,” recalls
provincial government hired her to work “We find that these sessions have been Susan, adding there is a certain amount
on its initiative surrounding working with working really well,” says Susan, who of freedom that comes with running your
family physicians on safer methods to has been utilizing her experience in own business, but stresses the importance
prescribe opioids. “But when COVID hit the industry by serving on the board as of being able to adapt quickly to sudden
they disbanded the program and with President-Elect of the CAWIC (Canadian changes. “You’ve always needed grit to be
Kevin’s contract ending we headed back to Association of Women in Construction). a business owner and must also be able
Ontario.”
The not-for-profit association has been to pivot and have to be able trust other
Susan credits the LeBlancs for giving working hard to drive change across the people because you don’t know it all and
her and Kevin a solid foundation in the construction industry as it pertains to be able to know when you need the help.”
transition of BuildSafe’s ownership, women by promoting mentorship and Facing those unforeseen changes is what
describing how she would spend those creating partnerships. Susan says has kept her work interesting.
early days learning about health and “Construction is still a very heavily male
safety from Lou, and bookkeeping from dominated industry, but progress is being “I love the fact this industry changes so
Cindy. made as long-standing perspectives fast because I don’t have the chance to get

“Lou always wanted to grow BuildSafe, so gradually evolve,” says Susan. “There’s bored,” she says. “If you’re getting bored
then something is wrong.”
we’re happy to carry on that dream,” says movement right now on male allyship and
Susan, describing how the company – that movement is going to be a huge game Visit www.buildsafe.ca to learn more.
which now employs 10 people – has grown changer as far as there now being men in
and moved to its current location from its our industry who recognize that women

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