It’s been four decades of “utter chaos” at the helm of one of the County’s busiest construction firms, but Gary Burtch told The Highlander recently he wouldn’t have it any other way.
G.J. Burtch Construction Enterprises recently celebrated its 40th anniversary in the community. Whether managing highend custom cottage builds, fixing decks, or replacing a long-time customer’s door, Burtch said he’s approached every job the same way, embracing his “nothing is too much, or impossible” mantra.
“Respect is always top of mind – any time we’re doing a job for someone, it doesn’t matter if it’s a year-long multi-million-dollar project or a quick afternoon fix, people receive high-quality service with a smile,” Burtch said.
It’s the first thing he learned from his mentor, Grant Rae, when Burtch arrived in the County in 1977. An import from Long Branch, a neighbourhood in Etobicoke, he connected with Rae after dropping out of university and moving north. Rae, who had a hardware store in town, introduced Burtch to John Beachli, who took him on as a labourer.
Burtch started “at the end of a shovel” while working with Beachli, learning from various tradespeople in the area. Within a few years, Burtch had gotten to the point where Rae thought he was better off going on his own – so he did.
“I was 30 when I started the company – Grant basically told me ‘it’s time’. I was scared out of my mind, I had a wife and a three-year-old son and here I was giving up a stable job to start fresh,” Burtch said.
Rae helped him – offering a stable supply of jobs while Burtch got on his feet. He expanded quickly, earning his carpenters license in 1984. By the late 80s, the operation had grown to about 14 employees. It was tough going – Burtch sacrificed a lot to get his business off the ground, but looking back on the fruits of his labour, he says it was all worth it.
Today, the company is a turnkey home builder – managing projects from beginning to end. Burtch’s crew typically deals with framing new builds and dealing with all woodworking detail, hiring in specialists elsewhere. He regularly partners with many other County-based tradespeople – including on a custom chalet-style home Burtch built in 2023. The team was recently recognized by the Ontario Home Builders Association for a best-in-province custom 3,000 sq. ft. home completed south of Minden.
“The perfect way to celebrate 40 years – that is such a prestigious award. To beat out other bigger builders from the big cities is really meaningful. It shows me what I’ve been preaching for decades, that we have incredible talent here in Haliburton County,” Burtch said.
He’s done his best to spread that expertise across the province – Burtch was instrumental in updating guidelines in the Ontario Building Code for SG-7, improving safety practices for guardrail installations for housing and small buildings.
He served on Ontario’s Building Code Commission for 17 years, was on the board of directors for the Ontario Home Builders Association for 30 years, and was one of the founding members of the Haliburton County Home Builder Association when it launched in 1991. Burtch has also taught carpentry at Haliburton School of Art + Design.
Reflecting on some of the major jobs he’s been involved in, Burtch recalls constructing the Dysart fire hall some 30 years ago, and working alongside fellow contractor Shane Sisson to rebuild Sir Sam’s Inn following a fire in 1994. He remembers spending an entire summer cutting down trees and fixing roofs after a tornado touched down near Kennisis Lake in the late 90s.
That was a particularly challenging time – Burtch needed to be in constant contact with his office to find out where he was heading next, but cell phone service was non-existent in the County.
“I had to keep driving from the job site to Kennisis Lake Marina so I could use the pay phone to see where I was headed next. I’d do that multiple times a day,” Burtch said.
He’s seen a lot of change.
“My first cottage was 800 sq. ft. and built on piers. Indoor plumbing was an option back then, so was insulation. Now, we’re building 3,000 sq. ft. plus mega homes fitted with interior automation. We did one place recently where the owner can control everything in his property from his home office – that’s much, much different from when I started,” Burtch said.
While he doesn’t ever see himself completely retiring, Burtch has started to scale back. He sold the business to his son, Andrew, last December though retains a position as a director. He still gets to the office at 6:30 a.m. most days.
“It’s been one hell of a ride – my success is because of my employees. I’ve had lots who have worked with me for 15, 25, 35 years. We went through three recessions together, two of them brutal, but we always found a way to make it work. I’ve always felt we were a close-knit family,” Burtch said.
“The greatest joy I have is that I’m able to pass this on to my son. The company started at my kitchen table, transferred down to my basement, and now we’re on Mallard Road with 1,200 sq. ft. of office space and the biggest woodworking shop in the County,” Burtch said.
