Citizen Design Build
Citizen Design Build is a Victoria, BC-based design and construction firm founded in 2011 that delivers residential and commercial tenant improvement projects, most notably through a flagship partnership with Halalt First Nation that integrates housing construction with a carpenter apprenticeship program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersVictoria, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Citizen Design Build does
Citizen Design Build (operating as Citizen) is a privately held design and construction firm headquartered at 2722 Fifth St, Victoria, BC, serving Vancouver Island and surrounding communities. Founded in 2011, the firm specializes in urban residential construction and commercial tenant improvements, employing between 11 and 50 people (described on the company website as a 25+ person team) under co-owners Matt Thorpe and Ryan Macleod. The company positions itself as a community-led builder, framing construction as a mechanism for transformational change rather than as a pure real-estate play.
The firm's core product is project-based construction services delivered through a partnership-first model. Its flagship engagement is a 2021 partnership with Halalt First Nation to design and build safe, sustainable, culturally-aligned homes, with homeowners participating in design choices at each stage. Citizen has integrated an apprenticeship program with Vancouver Island University and Construction Foundation BC to train and certify Halalt community members as carpenters, combining building services with workforce development. The company also completed a community legacy project with RJC Engineering (a canoe gift supporting a youth program).
Citizen generates revenue through project-based construction contracts and operates with a relationship-driven go-to-market focused on direct community engagement rather than competitive bidding. The model is anchored in long-cycle community partnerships and a small, values-aligned team spanning design, operations, construction, and trades. The firm does not disclose pricing, and there is no evidence of software products, technology platforms, or outside investment.
Citizen Design Build firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Citizen Design Build
- Legal name
- Citizen
- Website
- https://citizenbuilding.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Citizen Design Build is a Victoria, BC-based design and construction firm founded in 2011 that delivers residential and commercial tenant improvement projects, most notably through a flagship partnership with Halalt First Nation that integrates housing construction with a carpenter apprenticeship program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Citizen Design Build industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Construction Services
- NAICS
- Residential Building Construction (23611), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Operative Builders (1531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
Keywords
Where Citizen Design Build is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victoria
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Citizen Design Build business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Construction Services: Custom construction and home building services delivered through collaborative partnership model with communities. Revenue generated through project-based contracts for residential construction, with focus on community housing initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Citizen Design Build product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Citizen Design Build is a Victoria, BC-based design and build construction firm that delivers custom residential construction, commercial tenant improvements, and community-driven housing development. The firm specializes in collaborative partnership-based construction, most notably with the Halalt First Nation, integrating homeowner design choices and an apprenticeship training program into its project delivery model.
Product overview
Citizen Design Build is a construction company that provides residential building services with a focus on community partnership and social impact. Their primary offering is home construction services, delivered through a collaborative approach with Indigenous communities. The company integrates an apprenticeship program into their construction projects, combining building services with workforce development. Their core service offering is centered on the Halalt First Nation housing project, where they provide design, construction, and training services as an integrated package. There is no modular or multi-product software architecture; the company operates as a traditional construction firm with project-based services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Residential Construction
- Commercial Tenant Improvements
- Community Housing Development Partnerships
Companies that use Citizen Design Build
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Citizen Design Build technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Citizen Design Build partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Halalt First NationflagshipFlagship partnership initiated in 2021 focused on community housing development. Citizen works alongside the Halalt community to design and build homes that are safe, sustainable, and reflect the community's vision. The partnership includes homeowner collaboration in design choices and represents the company's core mission of using construction for transformational change.
- Vancouver Island University (VIU)coreEducational partnership for the apprenticeship program with Halalt Nation. VIU provides training and certification support as part of the integrated employment and education model for community members.
- Construction Foundation BCcorePartnership with CFBC and Vancouver Island University to employ, teach, and encourage Halalt community members to become certified carpenters. Jordan Perrault from CFBC noted the unique integration between employer, apprentices, and training provider.
- RJC EngineeringminorCollaborated on a canoe legacy gift to the Halalt community as a contribution to a youth program following in the footsteps of the Nation's Elders.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Citizen Design Build competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Axiom Builders: Vancouver-based design-build construction firm delivering residential, mixed-use and commercial projects in British Columbia—closely comparable in scope, geography, and integrated design-build delivery model to Citizen Design Build.
- Wales McLelland Construction: Vancouver-based general contractor with deep experience in commercial tenant improvements and residential construction in BC—comparable to Citizen's stated mix of residential construction and commercial tenant improvement work.
- M'akola Group of Societies: Indigenous-led housing provider in British Columbia delivering culturally appropriate housing and community development—comparable to Citizen's Indigenous community housing focus and partnership-driven delivery model.
- Townline Group of Companies: BC-based residential and commercial developer/builder with integrated design and construction capabilities operating across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, comparable in scale and design-build orientation.
- ITC Construction Group: British Columbia-headquartered general contractor with residential and commercial building expertise across Western Canada—comparable as a mid-sized BC builder with design-build capabilities.
- Houle Projects: BC-based design-build and general contractor operating across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland with integrated construction services—comparable in regional footprint and design-build capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- EllisDon: Major Canadian construction services company with residential, commercial, and civil capabilities across BC and beyond—a broader incumbent competing for similar construction mandates in the region.
- PCL Construction: One of Canada's largest general contractors with a significant BC presence across commercial, institutional, and residential sectors—a broader incumbent operating in the same regional construction market.
- Bird Construction: National Canadian contractor (formed via merger with Stuart Olson) with diversified commercial, institutional, and residential work in Western Canada—a broader incumbent in the same regional construction space.
Regional players
- Daytona Homes: BC-based residential homebuilder operating in the Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland markets—comparable as a regional residential builder serving the same geographic customer base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Citizen Design Build social profiles
Digital presenceCitizen Design Build financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Citizen Design Build leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Citizen Design Build funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Citizen Design Build 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 Citizen Design Build
What does Citizen Design Build do?
Citizen Design Build is a Victoria, BC-based design and build construction firm that delivers custom residential construction, commercial tenant improvements, and community-driven housing development. The firm specializes in collaborative partnership-based construction, most notably with the Halalt First Nation, integrating homeowner design choices and an apprenticeship training program into its project delivery model.
Is Citizen Design Build a public or private company?
Citizen Design Build is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Citizen Design Build founded?
Citizen Design Build was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Citizen Design Build based?
Citizen Design Build is headquartered in Victoria, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Citizen Design Build make money?
One revenue line is on record: construction Services.
Who are Citizen Design Build's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Axiom Builders, Wales McLelland Construction, M'akola Group of Societies, Townline Group of Companies, ITC Construction Group and Houle Projects. Broad incumbents are EllisDon, PCL Construction and Bird Construction. Daytona Homes is listed as a regional player.
Does Citizen Design Build have an API?
No public API is recorded for Citizen Design Build.
What industry is Citizen Design Build in?
Citizen Design Build's product category is Residential Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders. Its NAICS code is 23611 and its SIC code is 1520.