The MCW Group celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024. The timeline of our dynamic, multi-faceted firm is anchored by decades of consecutive growth and expansion into an increasingly diverse array of services that build on our core Mechanical and Electrical engineering disciplines.
Today, we pride ourselves in our unique ability to join our clients at any point during their journey to create innovative, sustainable environments where millions of Canadians thrive.
1964 – 1974
Establishing our expertise in existing building HVAC systems.
Our Work
MCW Consultants Ltd. (then Mechanical Consultants Western Ltd.) is founded in 1964 in Winnipeg and begins its first assignment: an HVAC retrofit and modernization of Hotel Saskatchewan (pictured). Our team later builds on this experience in solving existing building retrofit design challenges with a similar modernization of the Royal York Hotel in 1966 – our firm’s first project in Toronto. In 1970, MCW applies lessons learned on those early modernization projects to new construction projects such as the award-winning Pan-Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, further solidifying our team’s expertise in innovative, high-performing building HVAC design solutions.
Our Operations
1966 – MCW Toronto opened
1970 – MCW Vancouver opened
1974 – 1984
Building our reputation on marquis designs within and beyond Canada.
Our Work
MCW begins to bring its building systems mechanical and electrical design engineering capabilities to international design teams and marquis projects. Our firm plays vital roles on consortiums comprising architectural and engineering design leaders from across the world, leading to the completion of work that exemplifies mid-20th century design principles. One such example was our role on CCCL, which led the master-planning effort for the King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia (physical site plan model pictured). MCW teams support similar work across Europe, Asia and the Middle East throughout this time, further solidifying our firm’s reputation at home and abroad.
Our Operations
1976 – MCW Calgary opened
1978 – MCW Edmonton opened
Expanding the MCW Group
1979 – Oden Consulting Engineers (Calgary) joins MCW
1984 – 1994
Offering new performance-based retrofit and redesign solutions.
Our Work
MCW enters the Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) industry in 1991 with the formation of MCW Custom Energy Solutions Ltd. The EPC delivery model provides guaranteed energy savings outcomes for owners to retrofit their existing buildings’ mechanical and electrical systems.
Early adopters of the EPC contracting model included the public sector: institutions such as municipalities, Provincial and Federal government agencies (pictured: Place du Portage Phase III) and post-secondary schools. MCW’s existing building HVAC redesign and retrofit experience provides a strong foundation for success with EPCs by taking an ideas-based, product-agnostic approach to project solutions development.
Our Operations
1991 – MCW Custom Energy Solutions Ltd. formed
1994 – MCW Ottawa opened
1994 – 2004
Expanding our design expertise to include utility and large-scale infrastructure.
Our Work
The newly-formed MCW AGE Power Consultants division expands MCW’s electrical engineering capabilities to include Generation, Transmission and Distribution infrastructure across Canada’s electrical grids (pictured: Lambert Substation, circa 2004).
Establishing MCW AGE Power exemplifies our firm’s growing experience in design applications that extend beyond individual buildings. Such applications include energy performance projects on large post-secondary campuses such as University of Manitoba and UBC Vancouver, district energy utilities such as Toronto’s district Steam Heating and Deep Lake Water Cooling networks, and large interconnected airport systems at Vancouver International Airport.
Expanding the MCW Group
1996 – SMB Consultants Ltd. joins MCW
1999 – AGE Engineering joins MCW
2004 – 2014
Embracing new markets, sustainable design tools, technologies and services.
Our Work
The early 2000s sees a residential boom in several Canadian cities. MCW embraces this new market while becoming champions of advanced design production tools, technologies, and emerging sustainable design imperatives. Our offices across Canada form Centres of Excellence for value-adding services and capabilities such as BIM and Revit-based 3D design (example mixed-use high-rise project pictured), Energy Modelling, and Sustainability Consulting tailored to local design standards and certification programs. These services complement our firm’s growing experience with emerging building systems technologies, including LED lighting, building automation controls, geo-exchange, ice storage, renewable energy generation, and more.
Our Operations
2008 – MCW Cayman Islands opened
2009 – MCW Halifax opened
Expanding the MCW Group
2007 – The Maricor Group joins MCW
2011 – Thompson Engineering Consultants joins MCW
2011 – MCW Custom Energy Solutions acquires Breathe Energy (U.K.)
2013 – R.E. LeBlanc Consultants joins MCW
2013 – Perez Engineering joins MCW
2014 – 2024
Serving Canada’s new equitable, diverse and low-carbon economy.
Our Work
As Canada sets its sights on a more equitable, diverse, and low-carbon future, MCW is ready to play its part by putting principles into practice through our service offerings, corporate culture, and ongoing work. MCW teams are taking meaningful steps towards Reconciliation through participation in Indigenous-led projects and projects that engage Indigenous Peoples. MCW is responding to our clients’ increasing calls for their new and existing buildings to align with their climate change commitments. Our design solutions are creating lower emissions outcomes that will lead to real climate change mitigation in the built environment (pictured: University of Toronto St. George Campus).
Our Operations
2019 – MCW Connect Ltd. is formed to provide Smart Building Monitoring-based Commissioning services.
Expanding the MCW Group
2014 – Schenke/Bawol joins MCW
2015 – Hemisphere Engineering joins MCW
2022 – Maskell Plenzik & Partners Engineering joins MCW