What Chatwin Engineering does

Chatwin Engineering LTD. is a privately held, BC-owned civil engineering, planning, environmental, and building sciences consultancy headquartered in Nanaimo, British Columbia, with a branch office in Vancouver. Founded in 1982 by Brian Chatwin, P.Eng. — who continues to serve as President and CEO — the firm employs 11-50 staff and has operated continuously for more than four decades. Its service portfolio spans water systems (reservoirs, treatment, distribution), sanitary and storm sewer systems, coastal engineering, highway and transportation engineering, urban planning and land development, forestry engineering, environmental assessment and remediation, hydrology/hydraulics, solid waste management, and economic development planning.

The firm combines in-house civil engineers, technologists, and planners to deliver projects from feasibility through construction administration. Notable technical work includes one of British Columbia's first Green Shore projects (sustainable coastal stabilization with Nanoose First Nations), advanced sanitary sewer treatment for Snaw-naw-as First Nation that produced BOD-5/TSS-5 effluent quality exceeding regulatory requirements, and an innovative pipe-in-pipe pipeline rehabilitation under the Pachena River for Huu-ay-aht First Nation. The firm pioneered climate-action approaches to steep slope development that became templates for Nanaimo-area development, and holds OQM certification from APEGBC.

Chatwin Engineering generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements, quoting fees per scope rather than publishing pricing. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, securing work through direct engagement with First Nations communities, municipalities, regional districts, BC provincial ministries, federal departments (including Fisheries and Oceans Canada), architects/developers, and institutional clients. The firm maintains multi-decade relationships with a roster of First Nations clients (over 25 years with several communities), sustains repeat municipal engagements, and supplements its delivery with strategic partnerships (e.g., D.R. Clough Consulting for environmental/biological expertise on the award-winning Quamichan Creek Culvert project). Marketing is reputation-based, anchored by the firm's website, regional awards, and active community involvement. The firm also runs a 4-year Engineer-in-Training (EIT) program to develop its own P.Eng. talent pipeline.

Name

Chatwin Engineering

Legal name

Chatwin Engineering LTD.

Website

https://chatwinengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chatwin Engineering is a privately held, BC-owned civil engineering, planning, environmental, and building sciences consultancy founded in 1982 and headquartered in Nanaimo with a Vancouver branch. It serves First Nations communities, municipalities, provincial and federal ministries, and private developers across British Columbia through project-based consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD), Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAC), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Civil engineering services
• Water systems design
• Sanitary sewer engineering
• Transportation planning
• Land development engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanaimo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional civil engineering and planning services provided to government, First Nations, and private sector clients. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements including feasibility studies, design work, construction administration, and project management across water systems, sanitary sewer, coastal engineering, and land development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chatwin Engineering is a civil engineering and planning consulting firm that delivers integrated infrastructure solutions across conceptual, design, and construction phases. The firm provides water systems, sanitary and storm sewer engineering, coastal engineering, highway and transportation planning, urban planning and land development, forestry engineering, environmental services, and economic development planning for government agencies, First Nations communities, and private sector clients across British Columbia.

Product overview

Chatwin Engineering is a civil engineering and planning firm offering integrated infrastructure solutions. The company provides a comprehensive suite of engineering services organized around core disciplines: Water Systems (reservoirs, distribution, treatment), Coastal Engineering (sewer, pumping stations, outfalls), Sanitary/Storm Sewer Systems, Highway/Transportation Engineering, Urban Planning/Land Development, Forestry Engineering, Environmental Services, and Economic Development planning. The company operates an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Program for professional certification. Their project portfolio showcases water supply, pipeline rehabilitation, sanitary sewer, and marina infrastructure work primarily for First Nations communities and government clients across Vancouver Island, BC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Systems Engineering Water supply and distribution engineering services including impoundment dams, intake structures, water storage reservoirs, regional supply systems, distribution systems, and water treatment for municipalities, First Nations, and developers.
• Sanitary Sewer System Engineering Sanitary sewer collection, treatment, and disposal infrastructure design and construction for communities and developers.
• Storm Sewer Systems Engineering Storm water management including collection systems, inlet/outlet structures, energy dissipators, open ditch systems, detention ponds, and hydrology studies.
• Highway Engineering Highway and road engineering services including survey and mapping, reconnaissance and corridor studies, route studies, functional design, detailed highway design, construction administration, project management, and parking lots.
• Transportation Planning Transportation planning services including transportation studies, traffic studies, and airport runway planning for municipalities and provincial clients.
• Urban Planning and Land Development Land development planning including site analysis, servicing requirements, downtown redevelopment, land zoning and approvals, shopping centres, site planning, subdivisions, and steep slope planning for developers and municipalities.
• Coastal Engineering Coastal infrastructure engineering including gravity collection, low pressure sewer systems, pumping stations, sewage treatment, sewage forcemains, and ocean outfall for shoreline communities.
• Environmental Services Environmental assessment and remediation services including Green Shore projects, shoreline restoration, fish habitat improvements, and riparian landscape design for communities and government agencies.
• Forestry Engineering Forestry-related engineering including bridge siting and open sizing, erosion protection, road designs, and survey and layout services.
• Hydrology and Hydraulics Water flow analysis including major event flow volume estimates, building storm sewer system sizing, storm water detention design, and drainage planning.
• Solid Waste Management Waste management services including sanitary landfills, collection, incineration, and recycling for municipal and provincial clients.
• Economic Development Planning Economic development planning services including 5-year plans and business plans for First Nations communities and municipalities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced BOD-5 and TSS-5 effluent quality, exceeding requirements of BOD-10 and TSS-10 for sanitary sewer treatment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• D.R. Clough ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Nanaimo environmental engineering company D.R. Clough Consulting (Dave Clough, RPBio and Brad Remillard, RPBio) on the Quamichan Creek Culvert project. DRClough provided environmental expertise for developing salmon spawning channels and habitat design that attracted spawning salmon back to the Quamichan River.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ISL Engineering and Land Services: Western Canadian engineering, planning, and land surveying firm with strong municipal infrastructure and Indigenous community project portfolios, similar in size and service mix to Chatwin.
• Associated Engineering: Canadian employee-owned engineering firm providing planning, design, and project management for infrastructure, with strong water/wastewater and municipal practices across BC and Western Canada.
• McElhanney: BC-based, employee-owned engineering and geomatics firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and planning services across Western Canada. Highly comparable to Chatwin as a multi-discipline BC consultancy serving municipalities, Indigenous communities, and developers.
• Kerr Wood Leidal: Western Canadian engineering consultancy specializing in water, wastewater, hydropower, and environmental engineering. Direct comparable given Chatwin's deep water/sewer and coastal engineering focus.
• True Consulting (TRUE): BC-based civil engineering consulting firm serving municipalities and First Nations communities with water, wastewater, transportation, and land development services — a closely comparable peer in geography, scale, and client mix.
• Urban Systems: Western Canada-based consulting firm delivering civil engineering, planning, and landscape architecture for municipalities and Indigenous communities. Directly comparable in scope, geography, and client mix to Chatwin.

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global engineering and design consultancy with a large Canadian practice covering water, infrastructure, environmental, and community development. Competes with Chatwin on municipal and Indigenous water projects but operates at vastly larger scale.
• WSP Global: Major global engineering consultancy with a sizeable BC presence serving public and Indigenous clients on water, transportation, and environmental projects. Overlaps with Chatwin's services as a broad incumbent.
• Morrison Hershfield: North American engineering and management consulting firm with infrastructure, water, and environmental practices including work in Western Canada. Overlaps with Chatwin in water and municipal engineering.

Regional players

• Hemmera: BC-based environmental and engineering consultancy with strong Indigenous and coastal environmental practices. Comparable to Chatwin's environmental and shoreline restoration services, though with a more environmental-science emphasis.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chatwin-engineering

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chatwin Engineering