History

Terrapex’s journey began with Mike Osborne, a passionate and experienced environmental engineer who had a vision of creating an environmental consulting firm that was focused on providing practical and efficient services, delivered by exceptional staff. Mike aimed to build a company that added value to clients operations, minimized bureaucracy and delivered technically strong work while maintaining integrity, and was confident that success and employee engagement would follow.

In 1995, Mike founded Terrapex in Toronto, Ontario. Terrapex Environnement Ltée was founded simultaneously in Montreal, Quebec by two of Mike’s friends and former colleagues as a separate but parallel company. The initial focus was on contaminated site assessment and remediation, particularly in the petroleum industry. The petroleum industry continues to be one of our largest client sectors and through this work Terrapex has developed unparalleled expertise in the assessment, remediation and management of risks associated with petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants in the environment.

Other early clients included the former City of Etobicoke, which recognized the value of Terrapex’s expertise in managing contaminated sites for development and land conveyances. This collaboration with Etobicoke and then the City of Toronto helped shape protocols and guidelines for many municipalities.

Over the years, Terrapex established additional offices in Ottawa, Burlington/Hamilton, and most recently Durham, providing full coverage for the Greater Toronto Area, southern and eastern Ontario. We are currently able to execute projects in western and eastern Canada through our network of satellite offices and sub-consultants.

In 2010, Terrapex purchased Alston Associates Inc., a niche geotechnical firm with similar values and an excellent reputation. Since then our geotechnical and materials inspection and testing practice areas have grown to include a variety of specialized services and clientele ranging from individual homeowners to major infrastructure projects.

Terrapex’s first employee share distribution occurred in 2013, and today more than 30 percent of employees are proud shareholders. They are passionate about maintaining the open and friendly environment of a smaller company while growing the business and enabling the career development of all staff.

In 2015, Terrapex was invited to join the Inogen Environmental Alliance, a global network of environmental, health, safety (EHS), and sustainability consulting firms. This partnership provides Terrapex with access to a vast knowledge resource, opportunities for collaboration on diverse projects, potential staff exchanges, exposure to different service offerings, and connections to multinational clients. These collaborations further solidify Terrapex’s reputation as a trusted environmental consulting firm capable of delivering innovative and sustainable solutions.

Between 2015 and 2022, Terrapex added environmental risk assessment, hydrogeology, biology/ecology, building condition assessments and EHS to our roster of services, allowing us to address more of the challenges associated with land acquisition, divestment and development.

In 2021, Terrapex underwent a management buyout, ensuring its continued growth and commitment to its mission and values. Under the leadership of President Jennifer O’Grady, Terrapex looks forward to a future where it continues to add value to its clients’ businesses and to provide an enviable working environment where our staff grow and thrive while enjoying their work.