Pomerleau, First Nations partner to deliver infrastructure

Key Takeaways:

• Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation, and Pomerleau have formed Group of 3 Ventures LP (G3V), a majority Indigenous-owned construction partnership.
• G3V is targeting federal defence infrastructure contracts, beginning with environmental remediation for the DND’s A Jetty Project in Esquimalt.
• The venture is designed to establish a permanent platform for the Nations to lead major civil, transport, and commercial projects across Lekwungen Territory.

The Whole Story:

The Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation, and Canadian building giant Pomerleau have announced the formation of Group of 3 Ventures Limited Partnership (G3V) in B.C. This majority Indigenous-owned business is structured to secure, plan, and deliver complex civil and defence infrastructure projects across the South Island region.

“This partnership reflects economic reconciliation in action, grounded in Lekwungen leadership and built to deliver real, lasting impact,” Rob Dick, Corporate Executive Officer of Songhees Development Corporation. “By bringing together local First Nation leadership and industry expertise, G3V creates meaningful economic opportunities, strengthens regional capacity, and supports the delivery of infrastructure that benefits the South Island region as a whole.”

Named in honor of ɫxʷélə—a Lekwungen word meaning “a group of three people”—the venture pairs the Nations’ deep local land stewardship, regional partnerships, and community leadership with Pomerleau’s national civil engineering capabilities. By establishing a permanent corporate structure rather than a fleeting project-by-project partnership, G3V aims to drive long-term economic reconciliation, retaining project revenues and technical trade skills directly within Lekwungen Territory.

G3V will initially target immediate federal defence infrastructure bids, which have increasingly strict requirements for Indigenous economic participation. The venture’s inaugural focus is the environmental remediation scope supporting the Department of National Defence and Defence Construction Canada (DCC) in delivering the “A Jetty” redevelopment project at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. Beyond defence, the partnership will pursue municipal, transport, and energy opportunities across Greater Victoria.

“Through G3V, we have established a partnership that ensures Esquimalt Nation and Songhees Nation have a meaningful role in infrastructure projects taking place in Lekwungen territory,” said Chief Jerome Thomas, Esquimalt Nation. “This partnership creates durable economic opportunities for Esquimalt Nation while enabling the delivery of projects with the expertise, experience, and capability required for complex infrastructure development.”

The new entity integrates distinct local, corporate, and operational strengths:

• The Songhees Nation (via Songhees Development Corp.): Provides local governance, regional relationships, and community-guided talent pools.
• The Esquimalt Nation: Anchors land-use stewardship, cultural resources, and direct geographic continuity with primary harbor projects.
• Pomerleau (The Industrial Partner): Delivers national-scale project management, modern construction technology, and advanced technical execution.

It’s not Pomerleau first play for work out West. Recent years have seen the company strategically expand its presence in Western Canada through key acquisitions, anchored by a major $150 million investment from CDPQ in late 2022. The cornerstone of this expansion was Pomerleau’s late 2022 acquisition of Vancouver-based ITC Construction Group, a leader in multi-unit residential high-rises and the largest acquisition in Pomerleau’s history. Leveraging this new subsidiary, Pomerleau further solidified its regional footprint in August 2025 when ITC Group signed an agreement to acquire Victoria-based Farmer Construction, a local residential and commercial builder with over 70 years of experience in B.C.