Valuing and investing in people—both internally and externally—is the foundation we work from.
Our real success is deeply rooted in people—the employees we work with, the communities we serve, and the stakeholders we engage.
Our people drive operations with their skills, dedication, and values that directly influence our trajectory.
They embody our mission, and their growth and wellbeing directly impact our progress. In parallel, the communities we work with bring insight, feedback and support that guide our organization’s purpose and ensure alignment with local needs.
Our Approach
Our Mission
Betterment
Betterment reflects our commitment to shared gains through the creation of community, economic, and environmental value.
Our mission is to reimagine, repurpose, and revitalize the built environment as an investment in people and place.
Our Vision
Mobilization
Our vision is to accelerate the transition of linear economies to circular economies that advance community and environmental well-being.
Mobilization represents our active efforts to reimagine legacy infrastructure and real estate.
Our Values
Impact
Impact emphasizes the positive outcomes and lasting change that we create through the values we hold.
- Rebuild
- Revitalize
- Create jobs
- Connect communities
- Environmental stewardship
Leadership
Justus Veldman
Partner, Market Development
Born in Holland and growing up in South Africa, the United States and Canada, Justus is an award-winning restorative development leader specializing in the revitalization of end-of-use properties.
As a recognized public, private, NGO, and First Nation partnership developer with the ability to mobilize and align multivariate interests, his efforts have enabled partnered acquisition and transformation of properties ranging from the Fort Frances International Bridge to the development of Niagara Ports in Thorold, Ontario.
John Veldman
Partner, COO
Starting his career in the landscape design, building and maintenance business, John founded the award-winning Courtland Landscaping and Grounds in 2008 and has successfully grown the 200 plus employee company to become one of the largest property management companies in Southwestern Ontario.
John is also a Partner at Velox, a WISP company and actively applies his technological fluency, business leadership and systems management approach to BMI’s development framework.
Paul Veldman
Partner, CEO
As a serial entrepreneur with over twenty years of business and partnership development experience, Paul brings a unique sense of community-centered solutions to regional challenges.
Working since the age of 15, Paul’s portfolio ranges from the co-founding of TodayTomorrow Ventures, an Ethiopian-focused hands-on Impact Investment Fund to the development of the James Anderson award-winning Bradshaw Lofts, a landmark revitalization project in Stratford, Ontario.
Our Background
It started with three brothers and a truck.
Based in Tillsonburg Ontario, The BMI Group grew out of the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market with a truck, two wheelbarrows and three brothers growing and selling potted plants. This small 2001 enterprise grew into Courtland Professional Property Management (CPPM), now one of the largest property management companies in Southwestern Ontario.
It was through a CPPM contract with Toyota to manage the recycling of scrap metals that the Veldman brothers entered the resource recovery market and subsequent purchase of their first retired paper mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Today the BMI Group is the largest holder of end-of-use paper mills in Ontario with industrial infrastructure properties in Iroquois Falls, Fort Frances, the Niagara region, Sault Ste. Marie, and Red Rock Ontario.
History
Where to Find Us
Red Rock
- Critical Mineral and Materials Corridor Initiative, Multimodal
- The Lodge at Red Rock Hospitality
- Red Rock Mill Development Industrial, Infrastructure
- Building for Better Red Rock Residential
Tillsonburg
- BMI Industrial Venture
- Station District Commercial, Residential
- Samen Investeren & Business EQ Partnership
- O'Clay Foods Venture
- Courtland Landscaping Venture
- Courtland Logistics Venture
- Velox Wireless Venture
- Royal Bull Mint Venture
Stratford
- Queens Cue & Boarshead Pub Hospitality
- Building for Better Stratford Commercial, Residential, Hospitality
- Hillside Homes Residential
- Builders Block Residential
- Bradshaw Towns Residential
- The Bradshaw Lofts Hospitality, Residential
- Mornington Flats Residential
- Lot 44 Commercial, Residential, Hospitality
- Copperlight Venture
Port Huron, Michigan
- Port Huron Multimodal Hub Multimodal, Industrial
Fort Frances
- Aazhogan Partnership, Venture, Infrastructure
- The Fort Industrial, Residential, Commercial
Thorold-Niagara
- Niagara Port Services Venture, Multimodal
- Niagara Ports Partnership, Venture
- Bioveld Energy Ventures Venture
- Bioveld Industrial, Multimodal, Infrastructure
Iroquois Falls
- Abitibi Trestle Bridge Infrastructure
- Abitibi Connex Infrastructure, Industrial, Multimodal
Sault Ste. Marie
- Mill One Hospitality
Port Colborne
- 140 Industrial Lands Industrial