‘We’re just getting started’

Rcs construction celebrates 25 years of exceptional results

For its first 15 years in business, rcs construction was so busy dominating the retail construction industry that president and CEO Doug Doucet could hardly catch his breath.

It was at that point he realized he had a decision to make. Did he want to expand rcs construction across Canada, replicating its formula for success in every province and territory? While he had a binder of proven strategies and best practices, the decision ultimately came down to something dynamo entrepreneur (and friend) Pete Luckett had told him years earlier.

“Pete used to say ‘Doug, I don’t care if you’re selling vegetables or working at the bank. You’re selling customer service,’” recalls Doug. “That really shaped what we do today.”

He decided to keep rcs construction focused on Atlantic Canada, but branch out beyond individual retail builds. Since then, showcase projects have included $25M in renovations on Avalon Mall in St. John’s, a multi-storey build in

Fredericton that required the

use of a tower crane, the first Moxie’s in Atlantic Canada, the new concept Mcdonalds and Tim Horton’s restaurants, and the Margaret Norrie Mccain Centre at Mount Saint Vincent University.

Not every project goes perfectly, but Doug says the team always finds a lesson in the speedbumps. They were the only non-national firm bidding for a $14M job turning a 100-year-old building into the Halifax Seaport Market, and they designed and built a LEED Platinum facility complete with green roof and washroom countertops made from old flooring. But when the client ran out of money and the trickle-down effect hurt rcs construction, Doug says at least the situation was “a huge eye-opener,” and they learned a lot, adding “we certainly never shy away from a gutsy, gory renovation or a challenging new build.”

‘ONWARD AND UPWARD’

In 2019, they broke $100M in sales for the first time, and from then on, Doug says it’s

been “onward and upward.”

“We’re going onward and upward,” he says. “Construction and real estate are closely tied, and we have a dozen developments underway now where I’m a part owner or investor.”

rcs construction was recently named as the construction managers for the Truro Mall — where Doug plans to gut the food court, renovate the aging structure, and bring in new tenants — and they currently have three hotel projects in process.

Moving forward, he has defined four key pillars for rcs construction: Mental Wellness, Digital Platform Strategy, Diversification and Engagement in a Postcovid World. So far, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Doug says the team has been “swinging for the fences,” and they created more opportunities in the last 18 months than in the history of the company.

“While other people were turtles and waiting to see what would happen, we were buying up property no one else saw the value in,” says Doug. “We’re just getting started.”

‘AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TEAM’

Everyone has their own unique abilities, and Doug says his talent is fostering relationships. Whether it’s a sub-trade who needs to be paid earlier, an employee who needs encouragement, or a client who needs to be heard, he believes in going the extra mile for them.

“My most exciting day of the week is when I get great feedback from a client, and my most devastating day is when I get a disappointing email from a client,” says Doug. “I’m giddy when I get

emails that say ‘Your team is amazing,’ because happy clients are big wins, and unhappy clients are big losses. We’re a team, and we like to win the game.”

A plaque on the wall of his office reads “Good things happen to those who do good things, so why not do something good?” It’s a mantra Doug lives by, especially when it comes to rcs construction.

He’s served on the boards of the IWK Health Centre, the IWK Foundation and numerous universities, and supported charities like Feed Nova Scotia and Make-awish Canada, believing strongly that “people should give ’til it hurts” — through volunteering, donating, or both. He also was the inaugural chair of the Great Big Dig fundraiser for the IWK Health Centre, which has raised more than $4M over the last nine years and become the biggest event in the construction industry.

He hires and rewards according to rcs construction’s core values — accountability, communication, and teamwork — and they also choose partners and suppliers who align with those values, which Doug feels is the best way to ensure each client is treated well.

“We have an absolutely amazing team, and we’re so lucky to have them,” says Doug. “People always ask ‘Did you have a plan?’ and for me, I’ve always wanted to be the best at what I do — and I want this to be the best place to work, and the best place for our clients to engage.”