Lorena Niemi, P.Eng.

My Role and Responsibilities

My name is Lorena, and I am Burnside’s Executive Vice President, Land Development, responsible for the growth and development of our Institutional, Commercial, Industrial, Residential and Mixed-Use client groups, as well as our private sector teams.

I joined Burnside in 1999, following receipt of my degree in water resources engineering. With my extensive knowledge of several hydrologic and hydraulic computer modeling programs, as well as broad experience with AutoCAD and desktop design models, I quickly became a significant contributor to many land development projects. Experience with infrastructure design of municipal services and site grading design followed to round out the foundation of my technical knowledge, which has enabled me to develop design strategies for such clients as Woodbine Entertainment Group, Great Gulf Homes, Sorbara Group, Tribute Communities, and Mattamy Homes.

As my career has naturally progressed into project management, client management and senior management roles, my ability to develop unique technical solutions to challenging problems is regularly sought out by both clients and project team members alike. Mitigating stormwater impacts on the habitats of endangered species is an area of particular expertise, and I have also served as a Group and Cost Share Engineer for a significant development block in West Brampton.

My Interests and Hobbies

I am passionate about both the development of junior staff and enhancing project management skills at Burnside, and I am at the forefront of our current Project Management Training initiative. I regularly work closely with many junior staff, sharing the knowledge I have gained over a career in the land development industry.

Outside of work, I have a passion for sports and sharing experiences with my family. I was a competitive baseball player growing up, and my passion for the sport is now channeled through involvement in minor league baseball with my sons, playing for the Mississauga office team with my eldest son, as well as supporting my beloved Blue Jays! I am also an avid skier and I enjoy spending winters on the slopes with my family whenever possible. I also have a passion for experiencing the ever-growing world of craft beer, trying new local beers when the opportunity arises on my travels around Ontario and beyond.