INFILL

How often have you watched truckload after truckload of old houses departing the city, headed for the landfill?  

Hi, my name is Jay Sanderson and with Backroads Reclamation, we are saving the lumber that built Canada in collaboration with the people that are rebuilding it.  

My calling to this profession was in September of 2020 when I was presented with a mid century grain building that was about to be pushed over and burned.After a very quick inspection, I made plans to dismantle and salvage it by hand rather than allow it to go to waste. 

I spent the following two months pulling nails, sorting lumber and hauling old wood back to my acreage near Ardrossan. The following two years were spent designing the process’, acquiring and/or building the right equipment for cleaning, drying and milling reclaimed lumber and finding the best possible solutions for reuse for each type of material recovered. 

I was in love with the idea and the business of saving wood and in a world full of negativity, it gave me purpose and passion.  It was that purpose and passion that led me to a group of Edmontonians passionate for their purpose. IDEA (Infill Development Edmonton Association).

After developing Backroads Reclamation mostly in isolation under Covid Lockdown – working TOGETHER to drive change towards people centred communities sounds GREAT!!   

Our reclaiming roots are in the country but we have shifted our focus to work in the city because we love the people, the connection and the community. Working here allows us to make a far greater impact on the environment than imagined. 

What we are harvesting from these older homes prior to demolition is not just lumber. We are salvaging Canadian history and using yesterday’s carbon footprint to reduce tomorrow’s. 

We are conscious and respectful of the current industry balance. Our business model allows us to be involved in a way that works within that balance. It also allows us to evolve and improve our methods to better serve the building and design community with our end use products while reducing the impact of redevelopment on mature neighbourhoods.

Our involvement reduces the quantity of bins heading for the landfill meaning less heavy traffic and reduced disposal fees.

Our involvement makes the demolition activity more efficient. With most of the main floor already gone, equipment operators can push the remaining structure directly into the basement for crushing and loading out; spending less time on site with heavy equipment and reducing noise pollution for local residents.

Our involvement doesn’t end with just the wood. We collaborate with Architectural Clearing House in order to salvage much more.

We have a common sense approach to environmental stewardship and know that by working together, we can affect change for a greener tomorrow. We are very excited to be a part of this community moving forward and cannot wait to work with you!