“We came for the office space and stayed for the town’s character—Milton has become a special place for us.”

MGM Consulting Inc. began in 1996 providing planning and engineering support of major industrial development in Milton. Their hands on approach and commitment to strong client relationships guided the firm’s early success—and in 2009, that connection to local projects inspired them to move the corporate office to Milton, the community that had quickly become the heart of their work.

We recently caught up with partners Matt Stairs and John Bishop to chat about the business, their journey and what’s next for MGM Consulting.

Tell us about MGM Consulting.
MGM Consulting Inc. was incorporated in 1996 by Matt Stairs, Grahame Rice and Mike Welch, with its corporate office initially in Mississauga. The firm was created to provide planning and consulting engineering services for a long standing industrial developer in Milton with a large land portfolio north of Highway 401. 

John Bishop joined the firm in 2003 and became a full partner with Matt when Grahame and Mike retired in 2007. Because a significant portion of our work was in Milton, we relocated our corporate office here in 2009. During the 2008 economic downturn we broadened our client base to strengthen MGM’s financial position, taking on projects across the Greater Golden Horseshoe and expanding our team to 15–20 engineers and technical staff. Our primary services include consulting engineering, site servicing and grading, stormwater management, site plan and subdivision design, municipal infrastructure design, contract administration, construction inspection, topographic surveying, development feasibility studies and expert witness testimony.

Tell us a little about your journey to opening an engineering firm and why you chose to move and grow your business in Milton?

Both Matt and John were strongly influenced by early mentors. Matt spent several years at F.J. Reinders and Associates working under Frederick Reinders whose consulting and construction expertise—and strong entrepreneurial drive—inspired Matt to eventually start his own firm. Joining the firm in 1981 as a project engineer on large industrial projects, Matt later became Manager of the Municipal Engineering Department before leaving the firm in 1996 to launch MGM Consulting.
John began his career at KMK Consultants Limited, where he learned a strong work ethic and a firm but fair leadership style from company president Robert Fleeton.

Relocating to Milton was an easy decision given its central location for staff and convenient highway access. 

In the early years, when work was based in Milton, the move made strong financial sense. We came for the office space and stayed for the town’s character—Milton has become a special place for us. We’ve rooted ourselves in the community, from working with local print shops to seeing familiar faces at lunch, and the town continues to provide the ideal corporate base for a company our size while offering its small town charm.

Is there a project you worked on in Milton that you are particularly proud of?
As we drive around Milton—whether passing the Derry Green Business Park on the way to lunch or glancing at the large industrial buildings in the Escarpment Business Community on the way to the office—there’s a quiet pride in knowing we each played a small part in shaping the town’s landscape. Even if our contribution is modest, it’s gratifying to know the buildings, roads, and infrastructure we helped create will serve future generations long after we’re gone.

What is the best business advice you ever received?
Always endeavour to manage your emotional responses regardless of the obstacles you face; listen before you speak; treat everyone with equal respect; value your employees as your greatest asset; and remember that humility fosters quietly trustworthy leadership.

What’s next for MGM Consulting?
As Matt transitions toward winding down his career over the next few years, he is partnering with John to mentor and inspire MGM’s next generation of engineers, sharpening their business acumen and cultivating character-driven leadership to carry the MGM name forward.
While we will continue to grow our client base, expansion will be guided by MGM’s core values and principles. We remain committed to maintaining our corporate office in Milton, as the town’s character closely reflects what MGM represents.

MGM Consulting is located at 555 Industrial Drive | mgm.on.ca