The Canadian Business Journal April 2026

47 MIKISEW GROUP OF COMPANIES APRIL 2026 « The Canadian Business Journal 46 I n Canada’s oil sands, success is rarely accidental. The sector demands operational depth, technical credibility, and the ability to perform consistently through market cycles. For companies operating at scale, longevity depends on building systems and capabilities that endure beyond short-term swings in the commodity cycle. OPERATING FOR OVER 35 years, the Mikisew Group of Companies has evolved into a diversified industrial services enterprise supporting some of Western Canada’s most complex energy assets. In an exclusive interview with The Canadian Business Journal, Jeff Epp, Interim CEO of the Mikisew Group, describes how the organization has built an energy services platform designed not for short-term volatility, but for long-term relevance. Owned by the Mikisew Cree First Nation, the Group occupies a distinctive position in the market— competing at industrial scale while advancing a mandate rooted in community prosperity. “Plants still have to run. Even when prices move, that work doesn’t stop.” — Jeff Epp, Interim CEO A Platform Built for Continuity Maintenance work forms the backbone of the Mikisew Group’s oil sands portfolio, providing operational consistency in an otherwise cyclical environment. While construction activity rises and falls with commodity prices, steady-state operations continue regardless of market conditions. “We focus on long-term work that isn’t as volatile,” Epp explains. “It’s lower margin than construction, but it’s steady—and that stability matters.” That stability extends beyond the balance sheet. For the Mikisew Cree First Nation, it translates directly into sustained employment, workforce continuity, and predictable career pathways for community members. Jeff Epp, Interim CEO, Mikisew Group