Experts in the North
Northern and Remote Engineering
Northern projects face conditions most engineering teams rarely encounter: permafrost, remote access, short construction seasons, extreme weather, sensitive ecosystems, and complex community needs. TREK helps owners, communities, contractors, and consultants manage those risks with practical, field-tested engineering solutions built for northern realities.
Why Northern Work Needs Specialized Expertise
In northern Canada, the ground, water, climate, and logistics all shape project success. TREK’s multidisciplinary team brings geotechnical, hydrotechnical, environmental, materials testing, and construction monitoring expertise together to help projects move forward safely, efficiently, and with long-term performance in mind.
This section should reinforce TREK’s positioning as a team with strong technical capacity, practical field experience, and the agility to respond quickly when northern site conditions change.
Northern Services
Cold Regions and Permafrost Engineering
Site assessments, permafrost investigations, ground temperature monitoring, thermistor installation, thermal modelling, climate change impact assessment, and foundation design using northern-specific approaches such as thermosyphons and adfreeze piles.
Remote Geotechnical Investigations
Subsurface investigations, soil and groundwater classification, bedrock core logging, terrain analysis, instrumentation, GIS-based subsurface mapping, and permafrost assessment.
Northern Foundations and Infrastructure Design
Foundation systems for buildings, bridges, embankments, roads, utilities, energy infrastructure, and industrial sites where frost, thaw settlement, soft soils, muskeg, bedrock, and groundwater conditions affect design.
Water, Drainage and Flood Protection
Hydrologic assessments, hydraulic modelling, bridge and culvert design, flood protection, drainage assessments, erosion protection, and environmental protection for water-sensitive infrastructure.
Environmental and Community Protection
Environmental site assessments, remediation planning, hazardous materials, environmental impact assessments, solid waste management, and hydrogeologic investigations for community, building, transportation, and industrial projects.
Materials Testing and Remote Construction Support
In-house testing, mobile operations, on-site laboratories for long-term projects, pile inspection, construction monitoring, instrumentation, and real-time data acquisition.
Project Examples
Cape Dorset High School
Owner:
Government of Nunavut
Client:
Accutech Engineering Inc.
Key Services Provided:
Engineering support during construction
TREK acted as the geotechnical engineer during construction of the Cape Dorset High School in 2017. A new 3,160 m2 high school was built to replace the original school building that had burned down. TREK provided Engineering support and field observation services during construction of the foundation system for the new building which consisted of shallow spread footings dowelled into bedrock. TREK performed bearing surface condition assessments and the suitability to support the footings and foundation loads. TREK supervised drilling of proof holes to evaluate the competency of the rock below the bearing surfaces and identify the presence and degree of sub-bearing surface fracturing. TREK provided construction recommendations to improve footing performance to meet the design intent by addressing deficiencies identified in the bearing surfaces based on our assessment findings and proof hole drilling.
East Side Road Project 7A Bridge and Roadway Works Little Grand Rapids to Pauingassi FN
Owner:
Manitoba Infrastructure (East Side Road Authority)
Client/Structural Consultant:
Dillion Consulting Limited
Key Services Provided:
Geotechnical investigations, quarry/borrow assessment, embankment design on soft soils and peat, bridge foundations, constructability.
The proposed All Season Road (ASR) extends for a distance of approximately 40 km and includes a spur route to the Little Grand Rapids Airport. The ASR will provide year round vehicle access to the Airport from Little Grand Rapids and Pauingassi FN.
TREK Geotechnical was responsible to provide geotechnical design services for 39.5 km of all-season road and associated structures (two bridges, numerous culverts). Our project services included sub-surface investigations along roadways and at bridges, compiling sub-surface investigation and geophysical survey information, slope stability analysis, settlement assessment on soft ground, in particular, peat bogs.
EFFN Housing
O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation Elders Complex
TREK was responsible for the subsurface investigation and design for a new, multi-unit housing complex in the First Nation. The project involved complex surficial geology consisting of sand and gravels, clays and surficial bedrock. Further, the site lies in the area of discontinuous permafrost, requiring specialized design considerations for foundations. The foundation design consisted of shallow strip footings and thickened edge slabs on grade.
Riding Mountain Estates Development
TREK completed a sub-surface investigation and provided recommendations for the new development which includes multiple, single family houses, roadways, sewer and water utilities. The sub-surface stratigraphy consisted largely of sand and the site was well suited for shallow foundation options such as square or strip footings and grade supported slabs. Recommendations for excavations, basements, concrete types, foundation insulation and materials testing during construction were also provided.
Keeyask Construction Camp
TREK was responsible for the subsurface investigation, design and resident inspection services for various foundation types including helical piles,, grade supported slabs and shallow footings for the 1,000 person camp and associated infrastructure. The subsurface stratigraphy was highly variable consisting of sands, tills, organics and bedrock all within permafrost affected areas. TREK provided on-site quality control materials testing for the foundation installation, compaction and lab testing of backfill soils and concrete placement.
Keeyask Construction Camp
Owner:
Manitoba Hydro
Client:
Britco
Key Services Provided:
Geotechnical Design & Construction Inspection Services
TREK acted as the geotechnical design lead for construction of a 2000 person construction camp located in Northern Manitoba. The camp is required to support construction of the Keeyask Generating Station which is located approximately 50 km west of Gillam, Manitoba. TREK completed geotechnical exploration for the greenfield site and provided geotechnical design for the design-build team for construction of the camp. Design support included recommendations for general site preparation and foundations. Geological conditions at the site were complicated by the known presence of discontinuous permafrost, surficial peat soils, and highly variable depths to bedrock. Based on TREK’s geotechnical recommendations helical pile foundations were ultimately selected for the site. TREK has provided geotechnical inspection services for site development and installation of the helical piles.
Sectors Served in the North
Community Infrastructure
Roads, water and wastewater systems, flood protection, utilities, treatment facilities, and essential public infrastructure.
Transportation Infrastructure
All-season roads, bridges, culverts, embankments, rail, airports, and access routes.
Buildings & Housing
Schools, housing, community buildings, industrial facilities, additions, and foundations in cold-region conditions.
Energy & Utilities
Hydroelectric, transmission, distribution, power line foundations, and remote energy infrastructure.
Mining & Industrial
Tailings, containment, heavy equipment foundations, industrial pads, process water, site runoff, and closure planning.
Built on relationships, not just reports
Northern engineering requires more than technical calculations. It requires listening, adapting, and working closely with communities, owners, contractors, and regulators. TREK’s approach combines technical depth with practical field judgment, community awareness, and responsive decision-making when site conditions change.