BUILDING BURKE: FROM WESTWOOD PLATEAU TO A NEW VISION

When Ray joined Wesbild, Westwood Plateau — one of the company’s signature developments — had run its course. The big team that had brought it to life had dwindled to a handful of senior people. But the next challenge was already waiting: a new project on Burke Mountain in Coquitlam.

This wasn’t just another subdivision. It was a fresh start, with a new team, new rules, and new expectations.

RAY: “When I joined Wesbild, Westwood Plateau had really stopped. Burke was the start again… they built a brand-new team. We still had the strong senior core from Westwood, but now a younger group was coming in to take on all the challenges.”

A Small but Mighty Team

From the outside, you might assume a large master-planned community like Burke Mountain required an army of planners, engineers, and managers. Theo remembers it differently.

THEO: “It’s not 100 people working on these projects. It’s like five people running Burke Mountain, which is kind of amazing. How important is that culture piece?”

Ray explains that it was more than just numbers — it was about how the team worked together.

RAY: “It was a dynamic group of some pretty wacky people. In our weekly meetings there was a lot of yelling — but it was all because everyone was chasing the right answer. You didn’t sit back and be a yes person. That dialogue was encouraged.”

The Hassan Khosrowshahi Factor

At the head of it all was Wesbild’s owner, Hassan Khosrowshahi, the man who built Future Shop, Canada’s Best Buy. He set the tone for decision-making — a process that valued hearing from everyone in the room before the final call was made.

RAY: “The decision always stopped at the chairman, Hassan. Sometimes he was at the table, other times we’d just report to him and get that answer. But the quick decision-making was a huge benefit.”

In an industry where weeks or months can be lost to bureaucracy, Ray appreciated that speed.

RAY: “I’d have a meeting at city hall in the afternoon, come back to the office, and by 8 a.m. the next morning I could call the city and say, ‘We have the decision.’ You never want to be the party slowing things down.”

Beyond Spreadsheets

Paul asks the inevitable question — how does a private company weigh making money against doing what’s right for the community?

RAY: “The public good actually weighed heavier on the spreadsheet. The company knew they were going to be in the community for a long time. When you’ve got thousands of acres to build out over decades, you don’t make short-term decisions.”

The move from Westwood Plateau to Burke Mountain wasn’t just a change in location — it was a cultural reset. With a lean, passionate team and a leadership style that encouraged debate and quick decisions, Wesbild was set up to do more than build houses. They were aiming to build “place”.