Whelan Construction is a general contracting and construction management organization that specializes in end-to-end construction services for all stages of your project. We serve Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and Squamish-Lillooet regions and specialize in Institutional, Healthcare, Light Rail, Airport, Renewable Energy and Building Performance Upgrade projects in the region of $1,000,000 to $25,000,000.
Based in Vancouver, B.C., Whelan Construction has Irish roots. Founder, Brian Whelan, emigrated to Canada in 2013 and—from one west coast to another—Brian has successfully led the construction of $400,000,000 worth of projects including airport, healthcare, residential, institutional, marine, pharmaceutical, light industrial, retail, and commercial projects. ‘Whelan’, meaning ‘Wolf’ in Gaelic symbolizes loyalty and guardianship which is what you can expect from Whelan Construction.
Our Values
Safety
To educate, coach, model the way, and strive for zero incidents.
Integrity
To make our mothers proud! Be transparent, honest, ethical, and treat others with respect.
Quality
Build with care, control and diligence.
Sustainability and Environment
To maintain governance of environmental controls and to contribute to the decarbonization of the industry.
Community
To empathize and treat others with kindness and dignity.
Client Success
Success is a result shared with the full project team.
Risk Management
Effective risk management to protect the client and the full project team.
Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc. is a Proud Member Of:
Whelan Construction advocates for renewable energy and offsite construction, which will differentiate us from local competition.
Whelan Construction regularly donates to Future for Nature Foundation which supports nature conservationists committed to protecting species of wild animals and plants, the World Land Trust conservation charity that protects habitat and wildlife, and Pacific Wild, a BC wildlife conservationist.
Meet the Team
Brian Whelan B.S.c (Hons), B.Tech (con), MIEI, ICIOB
Construction Manager, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
Brian founded Whelan Construction in 2021 and is responsible for overseeing all operations within the company including business development, construction management, and safety. With over 22 years of construction industry experience, Brian has honed his expertise in a range of specialties. Today, Whelan Construction is focused on small to medium-sized institutional, healthcare, light rail, airport, renewable energy, and building performance upgrade projects in the range of $50k-$25M.
Prior to founding Whelan Construction, Brian spent eight years at PCL Constructors Westcoast, where he led several successful major construction projects at Vancouver International Airport. His flagship project was the $230 million Pier D International Expansion project, successfully handed over in January 2021. Brian also spent seven years at ABM Design and Build in Dublin, where he ran projects at Dublin International Airport as well as several successful education, healthcare, and commercial projects. Brian also gained valuable mechanical and electrical systems experience at Jones Engineering. He credits his well-rounded experience to the valuable mentorship he received at PCL, ABM, and Jones Engineering.
Brian holds two bachelor’s degrees in construction from the Dublin Institute of Technology. He is also a member of Engineers Ireland, and Whelan Construction Westcoast is a member of Worksafe BC, and Vancouver Regional Construction Association.
Ciaran Quilligan B.Sc.
Superintendent, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
Ciaran is a superintendent at Whelan and is responsible for overseeing our key projects from start to finish. Before joining Whelan, Ciaran spent five years with Flynn, an international construction business headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, where he gained valuable experience across civil and commercial projects worth up to $27 million. Ciaran earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and Engineering from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 2022.
Joshua Byrne B.Sc.
Project Coordinator, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
Joshua is a field coordinator at Whelan and spends his time between YVR Airport projects and our Gastown office. Before joining the Whelan family, Joshua worked as a site engineer for Ireland’s leading builder and contractor, John Sisk & Son. Joshua earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Ireland, and has since gained valuable experience on many key projects valued at $10-$100 million.
Majid Rahimi M.Sc.
Field Coordinator, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
Majid joined Whelan as a construction student while working toward his Master of Science in Construction Engineering at the École de Technologie Supérieure in Quebec. Once he graduated, Majid joined the team full-time as a field coordinator. He brings his impeccable organizational skills to the Whelan team and plays a critical role in supporting several commercial projects at YVR.
Alex O’Donnell B.A.
Assistant Project Superintendent, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
As Assistant Project Superintendent at Whelan, Alex is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations on site at various projects at YVR International Airport. Before joining the Whelan team, Alex spent several years working as a site engineer for a leading construction company, JJ Rhatigan & Company, in Dublin, Ireland. There, Alex gained valuable experience in various aspects of construction management, including quality assurance, concrete quality control, civil and structural pre-construction, and people and site management. Originally from Durban, South Africa, Alex studied at Thomas More College and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Project Management from Dublin Business School in Ireland. He moved to Vancouver in 2023, bringing his international experience to Whelan Construction.
Catherine Daly M.Sc. B.Sc. Dip.
Head of Marketing, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
Catherine joined Whelan Construction in 2020, bringing 15 years of international marketing experience. At Whelan, Catherine heads up all corporate marketing efforts from communications and demand generation to content management and proposal development.
Dan Sadler B. Eng.
Pre-Construction Manager, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
Dan is an accomplished construction leader with over 30 years of experience with some of the biggest contractors in North America, including PCL and Clark Construction. During his career, Dan has planned and managed major construction projects at airports across Canada, including the Vancouver International Airport (YVR East Chevron Expansion and YVR ETF4 Expansion at gates 50, 51, 52), Ottawa International Airport, Winnipeg Airport, Kelowna Airport, and the Vancouver Convention Center. Prior to joining Whelan, Dan’s most recent experience was as a construction manager on the USD $2 Billion expansion of the Seattle Convention Center. At Whelan, Dan manages pre-construction planning and strategy and works closely with the team and the client to ensure each project is planned with risk mitigation, schedule, and cost efficiencies in mind.
John Coombes
Field Operations Advisor, Whelan Construction Westcoast Inc.
John spent 20 years working with one of the top construction companies in North America on several projects, including Surrey Memorial Hospital’s underground support link, BCIT’s underground infrastructure upgrade, BCIT’s theater upgrade, and the BC Hydro program. He also assisted with the pre-construction of BC Women’s and Children Ambulatory Care Center and the McLoughlin Point Wastewater Sewage Treatment Plant. At Whelan, John provides mentorship and coaching to our field staff, sharing his extensive 25+ years of experience with them and consulting on all aspects of the construction field, from planning and scheduling to safety and quality assurance. His knowledge-sharing is instrumental in accelerating the development of Whelan’s field leaders and instilling best practices to reduce risk and improve project outcomes.