Building a Legacy: Ellis Excavating

Rob Ellis, owner of Ellis Excavating, has built his business on hard work, strong relationships, and a commitment to quality. A proud member of the Métis Nation through his mother’s family, Rob was born in Calgary and raised on Vancouver Island, where he learned the excavation trade by working alongside his father, an owner-operator in the industry.

At just 19 years old, Rob connected with NEDC and received financing to purchase his first machine, a Volvo excavator. In the early years, finding work was often more challenging than doing it. Through persistence, competitive pricing, and building trust with local builders, Ellis Excavating steadily grew through word-of-mouth referrals and a reputation for reliable service.

Today, the company specializes in new home excavations, sewer and storm installations, rock breaking, blasting, road building, and custom home projects. What started with a single excavator has expanded into a fleet of 17 excavators and five gravel trucks with pup trailers, with plans to continue growing into civil construction.

Family has played an important role in Rob’s success. He credits his mother with teaching him the business side of operations through her work managing payroll, bookkeeping, and administration, while his father’s reputation for exceptional workmanship set the standard he continues to uphold today.

Rob’s Métis heritage is also an important part of his story. His family lineage includes Peter Fidler, his fifth great-great-grandfather, a renowned surveyor, mapmaker, and fur trader for the Hudson’s Bay Company whose wife, Mary, was Cree. Often referred to as Canada’s forgotten explorer, Peter Fidler played a significant role in mapping Western Canada and the Red River Settlement.

For Rob, entrepreneurship is about more than growing a successful company. It’s about creating opportunities for future generations, honouring his family’s legacy, and preserving the values and culture he hopes to pass on to his children. His journey from a single excavator to a thriving business is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of investing in your future.