Underhill Geomatics
Underhill Geomatics is a Canadian professional land surveying and geomatics engineering firm, founded in 1913, delivering cadastral, construction, mining, infrastructure, and First Nations surveying services across BC, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, and Canada from offices in Vancouver, Kamloops, Courtenay, and Whitehorse.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1913
- HeadquartersBurnaby, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Underhill Geomatics does
Underhill Geomatics Ltd., together with its partnership entity Underhill & Underhill (collectively the Underhill Group), is a Canadian professional land surveying and geomatics engineering firm founded in 1913 and headquartered in Burnaby, BC. The firm delivers a full-service geospatial practice spanning twelve core service lines: cadastral and legal surveys, topographic surveys, hydrographic surveys, railway surveys, construction and engineering surveys, deformation monitoring, aerial (UAV) surveys, reality capture and 3D laser scanning, 3D modeling and BIM, First Nations land-claim surveys, BOMA/lease surveys, and visual documentation. Underlying technical components include high-precision total stations, GPS-equipped field data collectors, UAV photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanners, and two proprietary software products — Copan FM-Electric (a field computer system for electrical utility GIS data collection) and the Distribution Circuit Builder — developed in partnership with BC Hydro.
Underhill operates from four offices across British Columbia and Yukon (Vancouver, Kamloops, Courtenay/Vancouver Island, Whitehorse) and serves clients throughout BC, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the rest of Canada. Its revenue model is professional services on a project-by-project basis, with consulting fees tied to scope and complexity across cadastral, construction, mining, infrastructure, utility, and First Nations engagements. The firm pursues work through enterprise field sales, relying on long-standing relationships, professional reputation, and direct engagement rather than broad marketing — its 110-year history, multi-decade partnerships with BC Hydro (since 1958, 1,000+ projects) and Victoria Gold (since exploration, now operating mine phase), and multiple national-level industry awards (David Thompson Geomatics Awards 2017 and 2018) function as the primary demand-generation assets. The customer base is concentrated in government and public-sector agencies (BC Hydro, Port Metro Vancouver, School District 44, City of Coquitlam, multiple First Nations), mining and resources (Victoria Gold, Minto Mine), and infrastructure/construction (Westshore Terminals, Neptune Bulk Terminals, BC Place Stadium, Pattullo Bridge replacement).
Underhill Geomatics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Underhill Geomatics
- Legal name
- Underhill Geomatics Ltd.
- Website
- https://underhill.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1913
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Underhill Geomatics is a Canadian professional land surveying and geomatics engineering firm, founded in 1913, delivering cadastral, construction, mining, infrastructure, and First Nations surveying services across BC, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, and Canada from offices in Vancouver, Kamloops, Courtenay, and Whitehorse.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Underhill Geomatics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Land Surveying & Geomatics Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Support Activities for Mining (2131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Geotechnical & Subsurface Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA), Geotechnical Investigation & Site Characterization (Boreholes, In-situ Testing, Lab Testing) (IMAFAOAG), Remote Sensing & GIS Timber Measurement Services (AFAMAIAI)
Keywords
Where Underhill Geomatics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burnaby
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Underhill Geomatics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Surveying Services: Professional land surveying and geomatics consulting services provided to government, construction, mining, and infrastructure clients on a project-by-project basis. Revenue generated through consulting fees for cadastral surveys, legal surveys, construction surveys, and technical geomatics services.
- Geomatics Engineering Consulting: Technical consulting services including GIS mapping, data conversion, and specialized engineering surveys for infrastructure projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Underhill Geomatics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Underhill Geomatics provides full-service professional land surveying and geomatics engineering consulting to government, construction, mining, infrastructure, utility, and First Nations clients across British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and all of Canada. Core offerings include cadastral and legal surveys, topographic and hydrographic surveys, 3D laser scanning and reality capture, construction and engineering surveys, deformation monitoring, UAV/aerial surveys, 3D modeling/BIM, First Nations land claim surveys, and BOMA/lease surveys, supported by proprietary field software developed for utility GIS data collection.
Product overview
Underhill Geomatics is a full-service professional land surveying and geomatics engineering firm organized as a two-company structure: Underhill & Underhill (partnership of professional land surveyors) and Underhill Geomatics Ltd. (surveying engineering services arm). The company provides technologically advanced geospatial solutions through twelve core service offerings: Cadastral and Legal Surveys, Reality Capture & 3D Laser Scanning, Topographic Surveys, Hydrographic Surveys, Railway Surveys, Construction & Engineering Surveys, Deformation Monitoring, Aerial Surveys (UAV), 3D Modeling & BIM, First Nations Surveys, BOMA and Lease Surveys, and Visual Documentation. Additionally, Underhill has developed proprietary software products including Copan FM–Electric (a field computer system for electrical utility data collection) and the Distribution Circuit Builder technology. Services are delivered throughout British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and across Canada from offices in Vancouver, Kamloops, Vancouver Island, and Whitehorse.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cadastral and Legal Surveys
Quantifiable outcome
- Completed over 1,000 BC Hydro projects since 1958
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Underhill Geomatics
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Underhill Geomatics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Underhill Geomatics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Victoria GoldcoreLong-standing partnership with Victoria Gold for the Eagle Gold Mine project at Dublin Gulch, Yukon. Underhill has worked at the property for 50 years from exploration through development to construction and operations. Carl Friesen noted the history as very rewarding with the team pleased to be part of the mine's journey.
- BC HydrocoreDevelopment and deployment of Copan FM-Electric field computer system for BC Hydro to reconcile GIS and customer services databases prior to SmallWorld migration. System integrated GPS sensors and IBM DB2 data management.
- Joint Use Administration (BC Hydro & BC Tel)minorPartnership for joint management of approximately 800,000 power poles throughout BC. Developed automated data collection system using Covalis MC-V handheld data collectors.
- BC HydrocoreLong-term partnership since 1958 with BC Hydro and its predecessor BC Electric Co. Completed over 1,000 projects in engineering, surveying, mapping, GIS, software development, and facilities management. Major projects include GFIS conversion, field inventory systems, and Site C Clean Energy Project.
- Tk'emlups te Secwepemc (formerly Kamloops Indian Band)corePartnership providing topographic, legal, and house layout services for First Nations housing development project. Supported Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development initiative for family home construction.
- Kilborn Engineering Ltd.minorPartner on BC Hydro GFIS conversion project, responsible for land feature digitization in Intergraph MicroStation PC, with data merged with electrical data by Underhill.
- Various Yukon First NationscorePartnerships with multiple Yukon First Nations for land claims surveys including Carcross/Tagish, Champagne and Aishihik, Dawson, Kluane, Kwanlin Dun, Liard, Little Salmon/Carmacks, Nacho Nyak Dun, Selkirk, Teslin Tlingit, Tr'ondek Hwech'in, and Vuntut Gwitchin. Projects include legal surveys of settlement lands and comprehensive land claim agreements.
- Various NWT and Nunavut First NationscorePartnerships with Inuvialuit, Gwich'in, Sahtu Dene and Metis, and Nunavut First Nations for land claims agreement surveys. Projects span the Western Arctic and Mackenzie River regions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Underhill Geomatics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GeoVerra: Canadian surveying and geomatics firm formed from the combination of multiple regional surveyors, offering cadastral, construction, and geospatial services across Western Canada. Direct competitor for mining, infrastructure, and government surveying engagements.
- Aplin Martin: BC-based engineering, surveying, and planning firm serving municipal, residential, and infrastructure clients across Western Canada. Comparable in offering cadastral and construction surveying with regional depth.
- McElhanney: BC-headquartered engineering, surveying, and geomatics firm with comparable service lines including cadastral, topographic, hydrographic, and construction surveys. Most direct Canadian peer given overlapping Western Canadian footprint and similar service mix.
- TULLOCH: Ontario-based Canadian engineering, surveying, and geomatics firm with mining and infrastructure focus. Comparable in offering full-service land surveying and engineering services to resource and government clients.
- Thurber Engineering: Canadian geotechnical and materials engineering firm with survey-adjacent site investigation services. Comparable for infrastructure, transportation, and resource-sector site characterization work.
- BGC Engineering: Canadian geotechnical and engineering consulting firm serving mining, infrastructure, and pipeline sectors. Comparable for engineering surveying and site characterization work on resource and infrastructure projects.
Broad incumbents
- WSP Global: Global professional services firm with a large Canadian surveying and geomatics practice. Competes for major infrastructure and government surveying mandates but operates as a broad incumbent rather than a surveying specialist.
- Stantec: Global engineering, architecture, and geomatics firm with significant surveying capability in Canada. Competes in infrastructure and government surveying but as part of a much broader portfolio.
- Klohn Crippen Berger: Canadian engineering consultancy with mining, infrastructure, and environmental practices. Competes for large mining-site and infrastructure surveying engagements, especially in Western and Northern Canada.
- SLR Consulting: Global environmental and advisory consultancy with strong Canadian presence (including legacy Hemmera). Competes for environmental monitoring, hydrographic, and infrastructure-related surveying engagements.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Underhill Geomatics social profiles
Digital presenceUnderhill Geomatics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Underhill Geomatics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Underhill Geomatics subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Underhill Geomatics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Underhill Geomatics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Underhill Geomatics
What does Underhill Geomatics do?
Underhill Geomatics provides full-service professional land surveying and geomatics engineering consulting to government, construction, mining, infrastructure, utility, and First Nations clients across British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and all of Canada. Core offerings include cadastral and legal surveys, topographic and hydrographic surveys, 3D laser scanning and reality capture, construction and engineering surveys, deformation monitoring, UAV/aerial surveys, 3D modeling/BIM, First Nations land claim surveys, and BOMA/lease surveys, supported by proprietary field software developed for utility GIS data collection.
Is Underhill Geomatics a public or private company?
Underhill Geomatics is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Underhill Geomatics founded?
Underhill Geomatics was founded in 1913. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Underhill Geomatics based?
Underhill Geomatics is headquartered in Burnaby, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Underhill Geomatics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Surveying Services are the primary driver. The others are geomatics Engineering Consulting.
Who are Underhill Geomatics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GeoVerra, Aplin Martin, McElhanney, TULLOCH, Thurber Engineering and BGC Engineering. Broad incumbents are WSP Global, Stantec, Klohn Crippen Berger and SLR Consulting.
Does Underhill Geomatics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Underhill Geomatics.
What industry is Underhill Geomatics in?
Underhill Geomatics's product category is Land Surveying & Geomatics Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAB, Geotechnical & Subsurface Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of IMAKAKAA, Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling). Its NAICS code is 54137.