Celebrating 15 Years with Matt Schouten

When Matt Schouten joined Caliber Projects in 2011, the company was still in its early years. Fifteen years later, he's one of Caliber's most experienced Superintendents and has played an important role in the company's growth and the development of the people around him.

Matt is the first Caliber employee to celebrate 15 years with the company, a milestone that reflects his longstanding commitment to his work, his team, and the relationships he's built throughout his career.

“Matt is just a guy who loves construction. He loves smelling the diesel fumes. He loves hearing the nail guns go off. He loves wearing the tool belt.”

Ian Baird, Caliber's Vice President of Construction, has seen that passion firsthand over the years.

Matt enjoys being on site, working alongside the trades, and seeing a project come together. He started with Caliber as a Carpenter Foreman before becoming a Superintendent in 2014. Since then, he's taken on larger developments and greater responsibilities, building his experience across a wide range of residential construction projects.

Ian remembers a conversation over lunch when Matt was preparing to take on his first major multifamily residential project. Having spent much of his career building townhomes, Matt was stepping into new territory. He embraced the opportunity, bringing years of practical experience and a willingness to learn as he took on projects of a different scale. That same curiosity and openness to new challenges have continued to shape his career, building the depth of knowledge and expertise he brings to every project today.

As his career progressed, Matt became increasingly involved in mentoring and developing the people working alongside him.

“Where I've seen Matt grow incredibly is in his leadership, being able to step back from being hands-on and becoming the coach.”

Over the years, Matt has shared his experience with carpenters, foremen, and site teams, helping people develop their skills and confidence on the job. Ian recognizes that same influence in his own experience working with Matt.

“There's a lot of people at Caliber who have benefited from the care and intentionality behind Matt's coaching and mentoring.”

That investment in people has become an important part of Matt's approach to managing a job site. His hands-on experience helps him understand the challenges facing his team, and his leadership encourages people to learn, take ownership, and grow in their roles.

Caliber's Founder and President, Justin Bontkes, has plenty of memories from their early years working together.

Their story started with a game of ladder golf. Justin also remembers Matt arriving with a carefully organized truck, complete with custom-built storage for his tools, boots, jacket, and equipment. Everything had its place, and the attention to detail left an impression.

Over the next 15 years, Matt would work on projects including Southview, Parkside, Heritage, Lynx, Wildwood, Eastridge, Latimer Village, Aldergrove Town Centre, and Matsqui Village.

Through those projects, Justin saw firsthand the impact Matt had on both the work and the people around him.

“There is one thing that I do remember really well, and that's not so much the homes or the projects. It's the people that we've built together.”

Justin reflected on the many employees who have learned from Matt and grown in their careers through working alongside him.

Matt's practical construction knowledge, attention to detail, and willingness to share what he's learned have made him a trusted leader across Caliber's job sites. His experience managing complex projects and coordinating large teams gives him a strong understanding of what it takes to keep work moving, solve problems, and support the people responsible for getting the job done.

Matt has also helped shape Caliber's culture over the years, contributing to early discussions around the company's core values and the principles that continue to guide the team today.

For Justin, Matt's commitment throughout those years has meant a great deal.

“I had some crazy ideas, and I had a vision for what we were going to do. Nothing like what it is today. But Matt was willing to follow me. That means a lot, and I'm grateful for it.”

With nearly two decades of construction experience, Matt's practical knowledge, steady leadership, and commitment to his team have made him someone colleagues and trade partners can depend on. As we celebrate his 15 years with Caliber, we're grateful for the role he's played in our growth and the many people and projects that have benefited from his leadership.