In this spin-off of our ‘day in the life’ blog series, we sat down with the Directors behind BRS to chat about their careers to date, from the milestones that have brought them the most pride, to the valuable lessons they’ve learned along the way. This month, we were joined by Ian Stewart to discuss his role as a Director.
What is your profession, and what do you love about what you do?
I’m a Director at Barker Ryan Stewart, where I help guide the strategic direction of the company and work with the planning team to help deliver complex projects. What I love most is contributing to the growth of BRS, the growth of our team members and helping our clients deliver quality projects. It is great seeing tangible outcomes and knowing that our talented team has helped transform plans into real communities and infrastructure that supports growth and improves quality of life.
What are you most proud of / what stands out for you as a major milestone of the company?
What stands out for me is the growth and continual improvement of BRS. Starting out in 2009, Glenn, Garry and I aimed to provide complementary planning and engineering services with the humble objective of being able to take an occasional holiday. Roll forward 16 years and we have a company of 80+ professionals across the fields of planning, civil engineering, subdivision certification, surveying, digital engineering, traffic engineering and project management. We have acquired 3 consultancies along the way, and we have seen our staff grow and become leaders in their respective fields. We have worked with fantastic clients over the years and it is great seeing their projects help create thousands of jobs, much needed housing and quality infrastructure.
Where do you feel the industry is headed? What are some of the challenges you’re preparing BRS to face?
I am optimistically hoping that we have reached peak red tape and the planning process will be simplified. Too many projects have stalled, or never started, because of layer upon layer of government regulations, NIMBYism, a lack of coordination amongst government agencies and poorly planned infrastructure. As an industry, we have to work collectively to simplify regulatory frameworks, addressing infrastructure funding gaps, and meeting community expectations for environmental responsibility. At BRS, we’re preparing by investing in digital tools, fostering strong partnerships, and advocating for coordinated government strategies to unlock critical projects.
If you could offer yourself a piece of advice as you were just starting your career, what would it be and why?
I’d tell myself to have a crack and never give up. Persistence and hard work always win out in the end.
