Our Projects

Better Projects was founded to leverage a unique perspective and a unique set of skills that have added value to some of the top engineering and construction companies in Canada, and to municipal and industrial water treatment operations in Canada and the United States. We know that our Better Projects skills and advice are unique because of the abundant feedback we have received from across Canada in this regard. We have the answers to the project questions and process plant operations questions which the Big Box management consultants have difficulty answering. We are idea generators and problem solvers as we look outside the box. We do not ask Why, we ask Why Not?

Representative Project Experience

We have worked on the projects listed below, among others. Our roles have ranged from front end project development (Business Case, Facility Definition, Site Selection, Technology Selection, Feasibility / Conceptual Design, Contracting Strategy, Permitting, etc.), Preliminary Design / FEED, detailed design, project procurement, and construction / execution. We also have experience collaborating with Owner staff (engineering, operations, and maintenance staff) in facility commissioning, process optimization, de-bottleneck, maintenance, turn-arounds, sustaining capital, and asset management.

A Global Perspective to Improve Canadian Projects

The largest expansion program in Canada of a municipality’s potable water treatment plants, over 1 billion litres per day.
One of the largest greenfield SAGD project in the oil sands, 120,000 barrels per day.
One of the largest mechanical vapour compression water projects in the world, 600 million litres per day.
One of the largest water vacuum de-aeration projects in the world, 720 million litres per day.
A unique optimization of a produced water treatment system in the SAGD industry, improving a hot lime treatment process using advanced aqueous chemistry modelling techniques and establishing a new analytical standard in the industry.
The commercialization and patenting of new technologies including a gas-to-liquids process for synthetic aviation fuel in Alberta, ceramic membrane de-oiling of hot SAGD produced water, and sonic cavitation reactors for the treatment of coal-bed methane produced water in Wyoming.

One of the most successful P3 transportation mega-projects in Canadian history, and one of the most unsuccessful P3 transportation mega-projects in Canada.
The pivoting of some Provincial departments in Canada to different forms of collaborative contract models.
The off-shoring of engineering design, procurement, and construction services for a mineable oil sands mega-project on a major oil sands program.
The first LNG project development on Canada’s west coast in 2009, when it was first conceived as an LNG import facility, and later changed to a major LNG export facility.
The initial FEED contract with an EPCM execution option (and off-shore modules fabrication option) for Canada’s first LNG project under construction, and the formation of a global Joint Venture of engineering and construction companies for this project, prior to the Owner switching to a lump sum EPC arrangement.
The conversion of a large gas play in NE BC from a construction project to a manufacturing project using a design one / build many catalog design approach.
The first “design one, build many” (digital twin) industrial mega-projects in Canada at a major oil sands facility.
Expansion of the first carbon sequestration project in the world (currently operating in Saskatchewan).
The re-start and de-bottleneck of the largest gas to liquids methanol production facility in North America (located in Alberta).
The expansion of oil refineries in Montreal, Edmonton, and Denver.
A natural gas to liquids synthetic diesel mega-project in Edmonton (held at feasibility stage).
The first mega-project in the oilsands which finished ahead of schedule and on budget.

The second oilsands project (with a different Owner / program) which finished ahead of schedule and under budget.
Unique highway, bridge, and visitor turn-out projects in several Canadian mountain parks, including those first large wildlife crossing structures on Highway 1 and the highway twinning projects from Banff to Lake Louise.
Social procurement initiatives on seven different major Canadian Infrastructure projects which sought the involvement of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis shareholders in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and The Yukon, in terms of capacity development, direct employment, sub-contracting, and social, environmental, and financial benefits.
Collaborative contract best practices for transportation projects in England, Australia, and New Zealand.
Design, procurement, fabrication, and construction of large Canadian industrial projects with teams based in Spain, South Korea, Japan, the Middle East, Mexico, and the United States.
The optimization of Design Build (Finance) Operate Maintain contracting strategies across the Western Canadian provinces for transportation, waste management, and water treatment.

Numerous greenfield and brownfield municipal and industrial water / wastewater treatment plant projects across North America.
Specialized evaluation and design of residual waste stream treatment systems for several municipal, mining, and heavy industrial applications.
Large oil and gas pipeline projects to the West Coast.
Gas processing projects in Alberta and British Columbia, including a key shift in contracting strategies.
Light Rail Transit and Heavy Rail (commuter and freight) projects in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.
Coal bed methane production in the Green River and Powder River basins of Wyoming.
The evaluation, piloting, and selection of a wide range of technologies for industrial process plants at various locations in North America.
The export of Canadian know-how and technology to thermal oil enhanced recovery projects in Kuwait and Oman.
The development, design, and construction of industrial water treatment projects led from Mexico City.