In short order, Michael Carriere has grown his family business from just one backhoe to a fleet of over 100 pieces of equipment and 25 full-time employees in its peak with service to the entire region including northeastern B.C., Alberta and the NWT.

With his wife Jane (Cookie) and their three sons, Carriere started his operation mainly digging basements and completing water and sewer tie-ins.

Slowly, he built a reputation as an innovator, introducing the newest, most environmentally friendly sewage-treatment technology for both residential and industrial systems across the region.

Ivanhoe was the first in the region to utilize the technology of processing and treating raw sewage on site and discharging a stabilized effluent back to the environment.

Michael Carriere, pictured with wife Jane, (clockwise from left) with sons Sean and Billy, and Michael Scott, has turned Ivanhoe into an industry leader.

Ivanhoe was able to adapt the technology to the diverse conditions in the Peace Country.

"The first systems installed were actually very basic - we put tanks in the ground and away we went - but the oil and gas industry came back and said that's too costly.

"So we started building our own portable units that we rent out to our clients in the oilpatch."

Ivanhoe now has all of its portable units manufactured locally, helping to build upon the region's new secondary industry of research and development.



"We now get the majority built here using different local suppliers and manufacturers.

"Grande Prairie has been very good to my family and me, and in turn, we like to help support the local community.

"When Ivanhoe is doing work in Alberta, B.C. or the Northwest Territories, we always use local contractors so we can support the local economy in which we're working."

Ivanhoe's systems have become mainstays in the forestry industry as well as residential, and have been as easily adapted to meet the needs of the region's prolific agriculture industry.



In the forestry industry, for instance, Ivanhoe is quickly responding to the increasing demands of on-site sewage disposal with its environmentally responsible systems.

Carriere says Ivanhoe can remedy even the most unsanitary lagoons, bringing sewage systems up to speed quickly and efficiently to meet industry standards with package treatment systems he says you'd have to see to believe.

"I've been in this business for many years and I started introducing these systems after being educated about them myself.

"At first, I was completely skeptical. I couldn't believe you could take an effluent and produce a clear, odourless product in 24 hours."

The effectiveness of the package sewer systems not only has Carriere sold, but has also captured the attention of the health authorities.

"Regulators started looking at this as an alternative to the mound system and, today, the systems are part of Alberta's standard practice in meeting the government's stringent requirements.

"We've developed our package-treatment systems to be industry friendly. Our camp systems are designed to overcome health environmental issues like open sewage pits, which in the forestry and oil and gas industry are now becoming a thing of the past.

"Again, we've been involved in that from the start, providing a solid environmental alternative and, in this case, one that is good to 50 below, and is low maintenance and effective.

"For 30 years, Grande Prairie has been a great place to live and raise my family, the community has been very supportive.

"Ivanhoe is committed to giving back to the community for many more years to come."

Ivanhoe remains a strong family-oriented business, with Michael's oldest son, Michael Scott, now in charge of dispatching.

For more information call 780.538.3904, or toll free 1.866.IVANHOE (482-6463).

You can also visit the website at www.ivanhoecontracting.com