4 minute read

Curtis Thomas: Coming full circle

from Mechanical Business March/April 2023

from Mechanical Business March/April 2023, page 60

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Asowner of North Vancouver, BC’s Warrior Plumbing, Curtis Thomas is using his talents to build and improve homes in his Tsleil-Waututh Nation community, while encouraging a new generation of skilled tradespeople.

Thomas recalls that it was his uncle who suggested he try his hand in the skilled trades. “The Nation is a successful land developer and has been for quite some time, and it was my late uncle Leonard George’s dream and vision of managing poverty and finding some economic sovereignty for people. He had this idea to develop some of our reserve land that was away from our core community and try to make some money,” he says. “A few years out of high school he approached me and said, you know, everything we do in economic development is about creating opportunities for our people. We’re building these construction projects and we work with every trade in the book, and are there any trades you think you’d like to try?” Not long after, a chance encounter with a friend who had just completed his Red Seal persuaded Thomas to pursue plumbing.

Thomas began his career with Ocean Park Mechanical, working throughout the Lower Mainland on large multi-family, high rise projects. As a second-year apprentice he had the opportunity to work on a project in his community, and again it was his uncle who encouraged him to consider one day establishing his own company. “He told me, ‘You might not know this yet, but one day you’re going to have your own company. One day you’re going to be running these projects over here, and one day you’re going to be hiring people from the community.’ I was

Name: Curtis Thomas

Company: Warrior Plumbing Ltd.

Job title: Owner and president

Lives in: Tsleil-Waututh Nation, North Vancouver, BC

Age: 41 young and didn’t have his vision and strength, and I kind of found it hard to believe, but it actually has come full circle for me. We’re just breaking ground here on a new 220-unit condo project being built from the ground up. We’re the full mechanical contractor here, and we’re hiring and training and mentoring people from our community, the greater Indigenous community around us, and non-Indigenous peoples, so it is happening.”

Thomas founded Warrior Plumbing in 2010, and within a year had so much work he began to hire employees. Today he employs nine tradespeople, including five apprentices. “Manpower is always an issue,” he says, as the company continues to grow. While he doesn’t intentionally hire people just from his community, he’s happy when the company is able to inspire others to consider the trades as a career. “Not all of our crew are from Tsleil-Waututh Nation, we have some other urban Indigenous peoples and some non-Indigenous people. We want good people and it doesn’t matter where they’re from. At the end of the day, we’re trying to create this family-like culture, and we do have that.”

As well as the condo project, which Thomas says is a commercial residential building, the company is busy with residential service calls, gas work, and renovations. Warrior Plumbing was recently recognized for its efforts with the Business of the Year award in the 11+ person enterprise category at BC Achievement Foundation’s 2022 Indigenous Business Gala and Award Dinner.

“The Nation opened doors to me and gave me opportunities, and it took a lot of hard work on my end but now I’m in a position to also give opportunities to my people,” says Thomas. “I find it hard to call myself a role model, but I am. If I can do my duty and pass the torch on and create new role models, we can build a healthy community. We can help people provide for their families and provide a sense of responsibility that actually can change the next generations too.”

In the mechanical industry since: 2002

Schools and programs: BCIT Red Seal Plumbing and B level gasfitter

Favourite teacher: Miss Cullen, kindergarten

Favourite class: PE

Best advice you’ve ever received: Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something

Advice for young people considering entering the trades: The trades are a great path to a well paying career. Once you have gained a certification or a Red Seal the opportunities are endless, whether it is becoming a lead hand, foreman, superintendant, project manager, working abroad, or starting your own company.

Service area: North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, Vancouver