You could say Javier Pardo is always looking on the bright side. It’s his attitude, but it’s also his job. 

Pardo is a senior project manager for PCL’s Solar Division. Primarily focused on business in the United States, he provides support for solar operations across North America. Over the past two decades, he has moved 16 times, bringing his expertise, his experience, and that sunny outlook to new projects across the continent. 

“I don't regret the number of moves I made, because I have met so many people,” says Pardo. “I met my wife on one of those moves, so it's been a great experience altogether.”  

A civil engineer, Pardo’s journey exemplifies PCL’s culture of flexibility and maneuverability. After starting with PCL in 2005, working as a field engineer on a power plant in New Mexico, he spent time in Denver, Louisville, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and other cities, finally ending up in the Houston area.  As he moved geographically, he also moved up in his career trajectory, taking on more prominent roles with each project.  

“It definitely helped me in my career,” says Pardo. “If you work hard and put everything into a project, the opportunities will arrive.”  

Clients gain tangible benefits when PCL assigns the right people to each solar project.   Rather than hiring and training an entirely new team, PCL relocates leaders with proven track records of getting solar projects done on time and on budget.  Those leaders go on to train the local teams, growing PCL’s corps of solar experts.  

“I go into every project fully confident that we’ve got the right people and the right team members for the job,” says Andrew Moles, who oversees PCL’s solar operations across North America. 

The ability to move people to locations where they can best contribute to clients’ projects has made PCL shine as a major player in the solar industry.  PCL’s solar teams have installed more than eight million photovoltaic solar panels in facilities across the United States, Canada and Australia, powering the equivalent of more than 700,000 homes.  

In 2023, PCL completed the largest solar project in Canada. Travers Solar, in Vulcan County, Alberta (southeast of Calgary) is the size of about 1,600 football fields. The project includes 1.3 million photovoltaic panels that automatically tilt throughout the day so they’re always facing the sun, maximizing performance. The installation keeps the lights on in 160,000 homes.  

PCL has also begun work on the recently awarded $124 million Barrett Solar project in Rains County, Texas. The area lives up to its name, with annual precipitation about 6 inches higher than average for the United States – but it also gets about 27 more sunny days compared to the rest of the country. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract is PCL’s fifth solar project in Texas. It will involve the installation of more than 300,000 ground-mounted modules, generating 172 megawatts of sun-kissed electricity. Construction is expected to wrap up in early 2026.  

“It's a really exciting place to be right now,” says Moles. “The market’s growing rapidly, the energy transformation is happening globally, and we've continued to strengthen our reputation in the industry as being a best-in-class value provider to our clients.”  

That growth, along with PCL’s proven ability to move people provides a huge benefit to clients. It’s also a unique opportunity for employees, making PCL an attractive place to work for those seeking job mobility.  

Eric Morell started as an estimator in PCL’s Toronto District in 2019. More than five years later, he relocated to Denver, then back to Toronto. He and the team he works with have already earned their reputation as solar solutions experts and thought leaders who are redefining industry standards. With each new project, PCL solar is enhancing that distinction. 

“We have a chance to build lasting relationships with clients and really build that trust across multiple projects,” says Morell. 

And he has recently finalized an even bigger move – to Sydney, Australia, as a construction and preconstruction risk manager, leading Australia’s preconstruction group. 

“Every time I get to move, it's usually into a cool new opportunity that you wouldn't get otherwise from not being mobile,” he says.   

It’s no secret, moving is not easy. Whether it’s to a new city, a new state or province, or even a new country, there’s often a lot of stress involved. 

That’s where PCL’s Centralized Relocation Services (CRS) team sheds some light. 

“Relocating is the second most stressful thing you can do in a lifetime,” says Hollyanne Healey, Relocation Services Manager for PCL. “After the death of a close family member, number two is relocating.”  

Healey and her team provide comprehensive support to employees who are relocating, from coordinating the move itself and helping with the sale and purchase of real estate, to sorting out new tax regimes, customs logistics, plus visa and immigration paperwork. The team helps move employees across the vast regions where PCL operates – to new states and provinces, and even between the U.S., Canada and Australia. They have even helped move pets: dogs and cats – and at least once – alpacas. 

“We do temporary accommodations, job searches for spouses and partners, new city orientations, moving services – pretty much everything,” says Healey. “We work with realtors, appraisers, home inspectors, rental search companies – the full scope of everything you might need.” 

Healey believes PCL’s flexibility in this area is what sets the company ahead of others. Ensuring the right team is assigned to each project is a tangible demonstration of the company’s willingness to go above and beyond to ensure clients are taken care of, she says.  

“So, if something comes up, we tend to shift quite quickly to help make sure team members feel supported,” she says. “It's a large company, but everybody really cares for one another.” 

Eric Morell is feeling that right now, as he and his fiancée get used to their new life “down under.” 

“PCL does a really good job of making it easy to move,” he says. “It’s really a seamless process. They'll take you around and show you the good grocery stores, they’ll help you find the good neighborhoods where you want to look for places.”   

During Javier Pardo’s last move in January of 2024, he had trouble selling his home. With a wife who was seven months pregnant, it was extra stress the family did not need. 

“PCL ended up buying it from me,” says Pardo. “I'm very happy, because many other companies could have very well told you, ‘it's your home, you do whatever you want,’ right?”   

PCL’s solar success comes down to a company going above and beyond to take care of employees and providing an exceptional product to clients by mobilizing the brightest minds when and where they’re needed. 

With shifting government policies around the world and a growing emphasis on prioritizing alternative, green energy sources, the demand for clean, solar electricity is only expected to grow. What could be more readily available than free photons from the only star in our little galactic neighborhood?   

When project owners are looking to harness that energy, PCL has the experience to take on the job, and the mobility to go wherever the sun shines.