Brian Fawcett

My professional career started when I built my first business while still in College, which grew successfully to the point where I led a number of employees focused on working for large commercial clients. This early foray into leadership and management continues to shape the new adventures I am involved in.

In 2013, after moving to the Peterborough Area, I took a change of employment and left the private sector to work as a Building Official for the City of Peterborough. This position enhanced my skills in applying and interpreting the Building Code, while also giving direct insight into the inner workings of a municipality and building/planning departments. 

In mid 2015, I was recruited to work with Ashburnham Realty, a private developer that focuses on rejuvenating the Peterborough Downtown.  I provided operational support and design services as well as overseeing construction of new construction projects. I was responsible for leading construction projects and ensuring they advanced on time and on budget.

In the spring of 2016, I was scouted to a short contract to work as a Deputy Chief Building Official for the Township of North Kawartha. Following that experience, I then returned back to the private sector and pursued Fawcett Architectural as a full-time business to better meet the needs and demands of my growing client base.

In the summer of 2017, I undertook a temporary position as the Chief Building Official for the Municipality of Trent Lakes. I was retained to assist in recruitment for a permanent position as I had turned down that offering due to the commute distance. However, it was this experience of management that guided me towards my next endeavour, which was the position of Chief Building Official for the Township of Douro-Dummer.

I started working for Douro-Dummer in early 2018 and revolutionized the department, resulting in a dramatic overhaul of customer satisfaction, as well as a significant increase in net revenue. I had numerous successful initiatives, such as becoming the first municipality in under 10,000 population to digitize building permit delivery through a custom built e-permit website.

Just prior to COVID, I successfully launched the Sustainable Development Program, which at the time land-marked the municipality as the first in Canada to provide development assistance for projects that included embodied carbon construction reductions.

Through 2021/2022 I continued to encourage strong development connections in Public-Private Partnerships and curated my management experience with additional staff and policy management. I effectively managed corporate risk applied in excess of 1000 active projects; reducing project numbers by finalizing stale projects with a risk based approach using high quality management practices.

Though guided by legislated timelines under the Building Code Act, I personally drafted a framework for revolutionizing the building permit process with transparent policies for service standards.

■  Entrepreneurial Spirit

■  Imaginative

■  Creative

■  Smart

■  Detail Oriented

In 2006 I enrolled in a dual major Civil/Software Engineering at McMaster University, where I attended for two years. Upon realizing that my passions laid in Architecture and Construction rather than Civil work, I transferred to Mohawk College in 2008 for the Architectural Technology program.

During this program I started my first business doing design work. In order to accomplish this, I studied the Building Code and proceeded to challenge the Ontario BCIN exams, prior to any formal training. At the time, I was the youngest independent designer registered in the Province.

I have continued my path of self learning and am recognized as an educator in the Building Industry. I am often called upon to teach new topics as I am quick to learn new material, which is a frequent occurrence in the ever changing world of Building Code matters. I have a knack for breaking down complex subjects into easier to digest components through a variety of teaching methods.

In 2018 I also successfully completed my NFPA 1001 Level 2 Firefighter course and currently serve my home Township Fire Department.

In 2021 I completed an Executive Diploma in Municipal Management. I have also gained certification in Lean Six Sigma amongst a variety of other small credentials.

I was born in Sundridge, Ontario, but my childhood was spent growing up in Petawawa, Kirkland Lake and Orillia. Through my education and life endeavours, I have spent time in many other parts of the Province and I currently reside in Douro-Dummer, just east of Peterborough. My father retired from the Ontario Provincial Police, and I believe that growing up as the son of a Police Officer has instilled strong moral ethics and integrity in my personality. I always hold myself to a higher standard, which I believe has excelled my career in project management and governance.

At home, I am kept busy by three wonderful kids under the age of 10. I enjoy spending time with them outdoors and with our dog, either at the new family farm or cottage.

I enjoy a variety of hobbies and interests, including cooking, construction, and hiking. Together with my wife, we operate our farm, www.fawcettfarm.ca, on a full-time basis and we enjoy working the land to teach our kids the importance of eating healthy and about sustainability. Our goal is to continue our farm growth to produce over 100,000 pounds of produce annually, including an autonomous, indoor aquaponics farm.