Who we are

We are a company of over 200 strong comprised of multisector teams spanning real estate investment, environmental remediation, design, construction, and business development.

Valuing and investing in people—both internally and externally—is the foundation we work from.

Our real success is deeply rooted in people—the employees we work with, the communities we serve, and the stakeholders we engage.

Our people drive operations with their skills, dedication, and values that directly influence our trajectory.

They embody our mission, and their growth and wellbeing directly impact our progress. In parallel, the communities we work with bring insight, feedback and support that guide our organization’s purpose and ensure alignment with local needs.

Team Snapshots

Paul Veldman - CEO, BMI. As a serial entrepreneur with over twenty years of business and partnership development experience, Paul brings a unique sense of community-centered solutions to regional challenges.

John Veldman - Chief Operating Officer, BMI. Starting his career in the landscape design, building and maintenance business, John founded the award-winning Courtland Landscaping and Grounds in 2008, which has since grown to over 200 employees.

Justus Veldman - Partner, Market Development, BMI. Born in Holland and growing up in South Africa, the United States and Canada, Justus is an award-winning restorative development leader specializing in the revitalization of end-of-use properties.

BMI Group 2023 Brownie Award winner group photo — 2023 Brownie Award Winning Project Team, BMI Group, HOPA Ports, GIO Rail. MTE, City of Thorold

From left: Richard King - General Manager, BMI Industrial, Gurinder Girn - Executive Project Adviser, Niagara Group

From left: Faith Heide - Finance Manager, BMI, Harlene Veldman - Accounting Manager, BMI

Jesse Oatman - Site Supervisor, Red Rock

Peter Dey - Construction Manager, Red Rock

Darrin Spence - Director, First Nations Relations, BMI

Erica Patenaude - Real Estate Project Coordinator, BMI

Donato Risi - Site Supervisor, Niagara Group

From left: Jason Collins - Corporate Development Officer, BMI, James Van Den Brink - Director of Finance, Niagara Group, Martti Lemieux - Director of Design and Communications, BMI

From Left: Brayden Frey: Site Supervisor - Stratford, Hanna Domagala: Director of Land Development - BMI, Sarah Reynolds: Project Manager - Stratford, Corey Durst: Site Superintendent - Stratford

Mitch Lepage - Director of Operations, Northern Group

From left: Peter Whitby - Special Projects, BMI, Mike Koteles - Project Lead, Iroquois Falls, Kaitlin Koteles - Operations Manager, Iroquois Falls

David De Leeuw - Director of Operations, Niagara Group

From left: Emmanuel Polman - Vice President, Port Growth, BMI, Jason Collins - Corporate Development Officer, BMI

Unforgettable ACDC performance by Dean Koski - Site supervisor, Northern Operations, AGM 2024

From left: Lee Lawrence - Director of Health & Safety and HR, BMI, Giancarlo Bortolon - Environmental Coordinator, BMI

Our Team

Leadership

Paul Veldman
Partner, Chief Executive Officer

John Veldman
Partner, Chief Operating Officer

Justus Veldman
Partner, Market Development

Corporate Development

Jason Collins
Corporate Development Officer

Sarina Ryan
Executive Administrator

Finance & Admin

Faith Heide
Finance Manager

Harlene Veldman
Accounting Manager

Sheri Philp
Senior Accountant

James van den Brink
Director of Finance, Niagara Group

Jan Mol
Financial Administrator

Mary Braun
Financial Administrator

Nico Thiessen
Financial Administrator

Joshua Beavers
Financial Administrator

Franca Herbert
Financial Administrator

Sean Lindsay
Accountant

Mo Mouneimne
Analyst

Emma Zekveld
Administrative Assistant

Mergers & Acquisitions

Tom Waters
Director of Mergers and Acquisitions

Al Goodman
Asset Acquisition Advisor

Health & Safety and HR

Lee Lawrence
Director of Health & Safety and HR

Systems & I.T.

Mike West
I.T. and Networking

Marketing & Communications

Martti Lemieux
Director of Design & Communications

Olga Patronik
Executive Project Coordinator

Melissa Theoret
Integrated Design Lead

Mona Clements
Graphic Designer

Aaron McFerran
Media Production

Brent Swance
Media Production & Coordination

Environmental

Giancarlo Bortolon
Environmental Coordinator

Hospitality

Gillian Fraser
Hospitality Manager

Special Projects

Gurinder Girn
Executive Project Advisor

Emmanuel Polman
Vice President, Port Growth

Darrin Spence
Director, First Nations Relations

Peter Whitby
JV General Manager

Residential & Commercial Construction

Sarah Reynolds
Project Manager

Corey Durst
Sites Superintendent

Brayden Frey
Site Supervisor

Land Development & Design

Hanna Domagala
Director of Land Development & Design

Residential Rentals

Erica Patenaude
Project Coordinator & Customer Relations

Sandra Warner
Site Supervisor

BMI Industrial

Richard King
General Manager

Jeremy Bullen
Engineering Manager

Casey Baker
Operations Manager

Mark Schmidt
Project Manager

Steve Gallan
Site Superintendent

Samantha Cameron
Special Projects Coordinator

Ed Veldman
Civil Foreman

Blake Stubbs
Civil Lead Hand

Sydney Thomasen
Assistant Operations Coordinator

Nathaniel LaFontaine
Civil Labourer

Nick Jones
Mechanical Labourer

Adam Bell
Mechanical Labourer

U.S. Operations

Justin Thomson
Construction Manager

Mark Bessette
Operations, Sales & Marketing Consultant

Ken Wood
Team & Sales Leader

David K. Horr
Site Security

Jamis Wolfe
ETP and Mechanical

Joe Helton
Electrical

Northern Operations

Mitch Lepage
Director of Operations

Kaitlin Koteles
Operations Manager

Jesse Oatman
Site Supervisor

Mike Koteles
Project Lead (Grounds)

Dave Boutin
Project Lead (Buildings)

Chris Greenstead
Project Manager

Jennifer Cadeau
Bridge Administrator

Shelley Jessup
Bridge Supervisor

Dean Koski
Site Supervisor

Warren Thompson
Crew Leader

Dirk Crans
Labourer

Joe Maki
Labourer

Tony Hohmeyer
Labourer

Niagara Operations

David Deleeuw
Director of Operations

Donato Risi
Site Supervisor

Joost van Campen
Project Manager

Fred Parsons
I.T. Manager

Diego Bannos
Labour Supervisor

Red Rock Developments

Peter Dey
Construction Manager

Emily Crack
Office Administrator

South-Western Operations

Bert van Ittersum
Labourer

Our Approach

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Our Mission

Betterment

Betterment reflects our commitment to shared gains through the creation of community, economic, and environmental value.

Our mission is to reimagine, repurpose, and revitalize the built environment as an investment in people and place.

Our Vision

Mobilization

Our vision is to accelerate the transition of linear economies to circular economies that advance community and environmental well-being.

Mobilization represents our active efforts to reimagine legacy infrastructure and real estate.

Our Values

Impact

Impact emphasizes the positive outcomes and lasting change that we create through the values we hold.

Rebuild
Revitalize
Create jobs
Connect communities
Environmental stewardship

Our Background

It started with three brothers and a truck.

Based in Tillsonburg Ontario, The BMI Group grew out of the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market with a truck, two wheelbarrows and three brothers growing and selling potted plants. This small 2001 enterprise grew into Courtland Professional Property Management (CPPM), now one of the largest property management companies in Southwestern Ontario.

It was through a CPPM contract with Toyota to manage the recycling of scrap metals that the Veldman brothers entered the resource recovery market and subsequent purchase of their first retired paper mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Today the BMI Group is the largest holder of end-of-use paper mills in Ontario with industrial infrastructure properties in Iroquois Falls, Fort Frances, the Niagara region, Sault Ste. Marie, and Red Rock Ontario.

History

2001

BMI Beginnings

John, Justus, and Paul Veldman begin a small business at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market near Waterloo, ON.

2012

St. Mary’s Paper, Sault Ste. Marie

BMI acquires St. Mary’s Paper, their first mill, in Sault Ste. Marie, ON.

2014

Norampac Mill, Red Rock

BMI acquires their second mill, Norampac in Red Rock, ON.

2014

Entrepreneur of the Year

Justus Veldman wins the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his revitalization efforts and vision for Sault Ste. Marie.

2015

Premier's Award

Justus Veldman wins Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence, for the Mill Market farmers market in Sault Ste. Marie.

2016

Resolute Paper Mill, Iroquois Falls

BMI acquires their third mill. Resolute Paper in Iroquois Falls, ON.

2017

Bradshaw Lofts, Stratford

BMI acquires Bradshaw Lofts from the Bradshaw family in Stratford, ON.

2017

Perth County Inn

BMI launches their first hospitality project at the Perth County Inn, Stratford, ON.

2018

Resolute Paper Mill, Fort Frances

BMI acquires their fourth mill, Resolute Paper in Fort Frances, ON.

2021

James Anderson Award

Paul Veldman wins the James Anderson Award for preserving Stratford’s Built Heritage with the Bradshaw Lofts.

2021

Bioveld 1

BMI acquires their fifth mill in Thorold, ON and opens as Bioveld, a cleantech industrial hub.

2021

International Bridge, Fort Frances

BMI acquires their first bridge in Fort Frances, ON.

2022

Lot 44

BMI acquires and renovates Lot 44, a mixed commercial/residential space in Stratford, ON.

2022

Knox Church

BMI acquires Knox Church in Stratford and launches it as Copperlight, an event and performance venue.

2023

Builders Block

BMI closes on the historic Krug Furniture Factory in Stratford with plans to convert it into residential neighbourhood, Builders Block.

2024

Queens Inn & Boarshead Pub

BMI acquires the historic Queens Inn and adjacent Boarshead Pub in Stratford, ON.

2024

Brownie Award

BMI wins Brownie Award for its work at the Thorold Multimodal Hub, recognized for its successful reimagining of a legacy industrial site for modern industrial uses.