A long-standing construction company that’s forged a reputation for working in remote areas with unforgiving terrain is diversifying with the launch of a modular homes division.
Sigfusson Northern Ltd., which has offices in Lundar and Winnipeg, saw a unique opportunity to help address Manitoba’s housing crisis. It built a new manufacturing facility at its Lundar site and is constructing modular housing.
The new facility is about 32,000 square feet and can be expanded to 64,000 square feet to accommodate additional production capacity. Sigfusson plans to build a 3,000-square-foot office that will be attached to the facility.
The company built an Elders complex and two five-plexes for Pikangikum First Nation in Ontario. And last month the SNL team travelled there to attend a grand opening ceremony. The project was funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation under the Rapid Housing Initiative.
“The project was constructed from 66 modules, which was designed and built in our own modular factory. The modules were then shipped to the site on the winter road, and the building interconnections, roof and decks were completed onsite. Combined, these three buildings total nearly 30,000 square feet with 27 separate suites and a number of medical programming areas,” said Sigfusson’s business development manager Sean Campbell. “I was fortunate to be involved in this project from the inception, working with numerous individuals from Pikangikum First Nation Chief and Council, Pikangikum Heath Authority, IFNA, MCM Architects Inc (Winnipeg/Brandon), and the rest of our design team. Internally many Sigfusson employees were involved, who ensured the successful completion of this project both on and offsite. It was a true collaboration between all parties and the results speak for themselves with this spectacular facility.”
Modular housing is prefabricated housing that’s built in a factory in a number of different pieces then transported to a destination site and put together by trades people. The buildings can be placed on basement foundations or crawl spaces. The advantage to modular homes includes cost and a quicker turnaround time as in-factory construction isn’t affected by weather delays.
Sigfusson already has a track record of building multi-unit residential complexes, and its modular housing will range in size from 420 square feet to 800 square feet. The company can also build custom modules, skidded construction offices of various sizes, single-family homes in various configurations including 3 bed 1 bath, 3 bed 2 bath, and 4 bed 2 bath, multi-family configurations (duplexes to five-plexes) and daycares.
Tyler Bennett, CEO and president of Sigfusson, said the company’s vision for its new modular division is to provide high quality, long lasting buildings that can be rapidly constructed for remote and rural locations throughout Manitoba, northwestern Ontario and First Nations communities, all of which face challenges in accessing affordable housing because of transportation and logistical issues.
“This vision ultimately aligns itself with SNL’s own mission statement of Building Infrastructure and Improving Lives,” said Bennett. “Our investment in this new modular fabrication plant continues our extensive investment in the Interlake region as well as our commitment to create quality employment opportunities for people from the region.”
Building homes offsite and delivering the homes to communities reduces total home production costs and enables Sigfusson staff to engage with community leaders and stakeholders to understand their housing needs, according to the company. It can tailor its modular designs to meet functional and cultural preferences.
Modular housing is said to be more affordable because mass production occurs in a factory where costs can be better controlled.
And there is a growing demand for modular housing from cities and governments looking to alleviate the homelessness crisis. The city of Toronto, for instance, has committed to creating 1,000 new modular homes as part of its initiative to provide small-scale infill housing to unsheltered people. Abbotsford, B.C., had a 44-unit modular apartment built, and Iqaluit, Nunavut, had a 102-room modular hotel built to provide more hotel capacity and also provide temporary housing to locals.
“Housing is a huge issue right now in Manitoba and Canada,” said Cheryl Buhler, who is working as a contract consultant for Sigfusson. “Modular housing is being built in other places and Sigfusson is right on the cusp of what’s happening in the industry.”
The Sigfusson family legacy started in the 1920s as a commercial fishing and hauling operation before expanding to winter road construction for isolated northern communities. It diversified its operations over the decades and is now engaged in heavy civil construction and general contracting.
The company undertakes excavation jobs, crushing and screening, drilling and blasting, mine construction, road construction, including winter roads, transmission line right of way clearing and foundation installation, sewer and water projects and dam projects, among other projects. Some notable projects include the Lundar Memorial Arena, the Shoal Lake Access Road, Shoal Lake First Nation water treatment plant, Norway House Cree Nation Health Centre of Excellence, Rainy River tailings management area and bridge construction over Pine Creek on PR 373.
The company offers its workforce challenging projects, competitive salaries, benefits, a positive workplace culture, training and professional development programs.
In addition to Lundar, Sigfusson employees come from across the Interlake, including Arborg, Ashern, Camp Morton, Eriksdale, Fisher Branch, Gimli, Inwood, Oak Point, Riverton, St. Laurent and Warren.
For more information about modular housing or career opportunities, contact Sigfusson Northern at (204) 594-1132 (Winnipeg office) or (204) 762-5500 (Lundar office) or visit the company online at sigfusson.ca
