Six times a year, the latest issue of Piling Canada lands on the desks of some 3,000 readers across the country. More than just a magazine, it’s an essential link connecting Canada’s deep foundations industry with the people, products and services it needs to be successful.
This year, Piling Canada is celebrating 20 years of bringing the industry together, digging deep to share ideas and information that contractors, suppliers and engineers can apply in a uniquely Canadian way.
The magazine’s roots can be traced to Winnipeg-based Lester Communications Inc. and its relationship with the Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA), a U.S.-based association. As the publisher of PDCA’s PileDriver magazine, Lester sales representatives heard that advertisers wanted to reach the Canadian market. The team saw an opportunity. “Piling Canada was advertiser-driven,” said senior sales executive Louise Peterson, who has been working on the magazine since day one. “They were interested in connecting with companies here. We did some research, and started selling advertising for a new magazine.”
From the beginning, Piling Canada was designed as a platform for information sharing. Publisher Jill Harris points out that since there is no single Canadian association representing the deep foundations sector, companies tended to work within silos. “Without a unifying force for these companies, they’d never hear from each other,” said Harris, who started selling advertising for the magazine before becoming editor and now publisher. “The magazine really serves to support Canadian industry in a way that can’t be done without something that ties it all together.”
Indeed, since its first issue came out two decades ago, Piling Canada has united the industry. Harris has heard many stories of companies finding each other through its editorial or advertising content. She specifically recalls a U.S. company who took out a full-page ad that led directly to a multimillion-dollar equipment deal with a Canadian firm.
Aside from fostering connections, the magazine’s current editor, Ligia Braidotti, is proud of the publication’s role in chronicling Canada’s infrastructure history. “These construction projects that we’re writing articles on, they are part of our history,” she said. “It brings me a lot of joy and pride to think that we make the connections, talk to people and get them into the magazine.”
Harris agreed. “A lot of the work people are doing is covered up underground, but I like telling the stories of the people who put it there, building our infrastructure and keeping us safe every day.” Editorial ideas come from all sides – advertisers, readers and Lester team members, who often hear about potential topics at trade shows and other industry events. However, Harris says that editorial content is ultimately selected for its value to readers, who range from two-person operations to multinational corporations. In the last couple of years, she says the team has prioritized including more stories about people in the industry, in addition to project profiles.
Peterson says jobsite safety is a topic that never grows old. “I get feedback on our safety articles; people are reading them, and I am proud that they make a difference,” she said.
Packaging the final product that becomes Piling Canada are sales and art director Myles O’Reilly and senior graphic designer John Lyttle. They both recognize the magazine’s growth over the years and appreciate its value for both readers and advertisers.
“We want to make sure it’s the best possible product we put out there, and we learn as we go,” said O’Reilly. “We’ve grown to six issues a year and have much more content than in the beginning. Our advertisers really support us. They will maintain a presence in Piling Canada even when they are cutting budgets; they consider it important.”
“We put a lot of work and time into making sure this magazine is doing what it’s supposed to do. It was launched to be valuable to the people who receive it, and I want people to know that we publish it for them.”
Jill Harris, Piling Canada
Lyttle enjoys the challenge of combining copy and images into engaging layouts. In the past, he’s co-ordinated total publication rebrands and gradually introduced new elements, like more French copy. His favourite cover from a design perspective was Issue 5 of 2023, which featured custom illustration by artist Scott Carmichael. That investment in illustration is par for the course for Piling Canada.
Harris credits the quality of the publication to the unwavering support from its loyal advertisers and to the stories shared by industry. “We have the articles written by real people, not AI,” she continued. “The costs are considerable to produce the magazine, but we have such a great group of advertisers who trust us.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many magazines chose to go digital only, Piling Canada kept printing. At the same time, the publication worked to broaden its reach. “I am proud we still print,” said Braidotti. “We are mindful that we cater to a broad audience, including all the people working in the industry for years, as well as newcomers. We know that to target other audiences we have to increase our presence on social media.”
The Piling Canada team maintains a full range of targeted digital touchpoints, including a website, an e-newsletter and social media channels.
While there are many important ingredients that make Piling Canada a success, trust is perhaps the most important. “[Our] advertisers are comfortable with us; they trust us,” said Peterson. “We do a lot of research to make sure the companies we are calling are a fit for the publication. I want people to be in our magazine; to open it and see what we’re offering is legitimate hard work with quality and that our articles are amazing.”
Readers trust the publication, too. It’s not unusual for libraries and archives to ask for copies of technical articles as reference material. Often, Piling Canada is the only Canadian magazine invited on press tours – another sign of industry trust. From editorial to sales to design, Piling Canada is the result of a collaboration among people who care.
“We put a lot of work and time into making sure this magazine is doing what it’s supposed to do,” concluded Harris. “It was launched to be valuable to the people who receive it, and I want people to know that we publish it for them.
“I think the magazine gets a lot of humble people to talk about the work they do – salt-of-the-earth people who are proud of what they do in a quiet way. I like telling those stories.”