After years of working in construction for other people, in 2010, the Squamish Nation’s Michael Chandler made the bold decision to become his own boss. From his home in Squamish, he started Chandler Boys Contracting—a landscaping company that, 15 years later, has expanded into an impressive one-stop shop for all kinds of commercial and residential construction projects. 

“As I grew and my crews grew, we started doing more construction jobs and now we’re a start-to-finish contractor,” Michael said. “We’ll make it happen. We know a lot of skilled people in trades.”

Chandler Boys Contracting has helped build schools, apartments, the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, and most recently, Sen̓áḵw. On each job, he said his priority is to hire, train, and support certification for Indigenous workers.

“Someone gave me a chance in construction when I didn’t know much. My goal in my business is to make sure young men and people with no experience get that experience—just keep people in the workforce. Everyone deserves a chance, and sometimes, everyone deserves a second chance.”

His advice for other aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs?

“Never turn away someone who wants to learn, and just keep going. There are some very tough times in business especially when you work for yourself but if you keep going forward, things tend to work out if your work ethic is there, you’ve got the right mind space, and you mean well.”

Chandler Boys Contracting works all over the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast. For employment or contracting enquiries, contact chandlerboyslandscaping@gmail.com.