About Us
Together, we thrive!
Mainstay Engineering & Owner Reps is a professional engineering company that has distinguished itself by successfully overseeing mining projects valued at over $1B dollars.
We are committed to shared excellence and community prosperity. Our majority owner — Buffalo River Development LP, a wholly-owned entity of Buffalo River Dene Nation (BRDN) — anchors these values and provides strategic direction.
Together, BRDN and Mainstay are playing an important role in Saskatchewan’s thriving mining and industrial sector. We are fostering meaningful opportunities for Indigenous communities through strategic partnerships, workforce development, education, business development, and community relations.
Vision: Together, we will create meaningful opportunities and a brighter future for tomorrow’s Indigenous leaders and working professionals.
Mission: We make it easier for Canadian mining and industrial companies to find qualified construction management professionals and engineering services for their teams.
Jeff Spence
President
For over two decades, Mainstay’s founder and president Jeff Spence has applied his engineering and project management expertise while working in the oil & gas, manufacturing, hydroelectric power, and mining industries.
Jeff’s practical and approachable style, and strong work ethic make him a natural leader and an asset on any project. He is outcome-focused, with a passion for mentoring and developing the potential of successful project teams.
chris o’neill
vp operations
“Before merging his business with Mainstay, Chris was President of O'Neill Project Management Inc. for nearly 10 years and has over 16 years of experience in industrial construction and mining as an owner’s representative. He has a solid background in business, construction trades, and project management, having operated in various project, construction, and management roles. His expertise includes new construction, facility decommissioning, and Brownfield maintenance. Chris is dedicated to exceptional service and client satisfaction, making him a trusted industry partner. He focuses on building people, relationships, and projects, adding significant value during a project’s development and execution. His management experience and versatile skills drive success for his clients, projects, and teams.”
tyler thies
senior mechanical specialist
“Tyler Thies is a Mechanical Engineer with 17+ years of experience across manufacturing, power generation, potash, mining, and oil & gas sectors. He has led major projects such as the K+S Potash Legacy project and Nutrien's Coarse Tailing Pumping System Upgrade.
Tyler manages projects from concept to detailed design, handling scope development, proposals, mechanical design, tank and piping design, pump selection, conveyor design, P&ID/PFD development, and finite element analysis (FEA). He has held leadership roles, including Project Manager, Mechanical Engineering Lead, and Engineering Manager, and takes pride in delivering high-quality results.
brad pederson
business development manager
“A member of the Buffalo River Dene Nation, Mainstay’s Business Development Manager Brad Pederson is passionate about creating opportunities for economic reconciliation and building an Indigenous company that benefits Indigenous peoples and communities for many generations.
Born with an entrepreneurial spirit, Brad started his first paper route at the age of eight and hasn’t slowed down since! He kicked off his professional career in Saskatchewan’s mining sector after completing his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. Since then, Brad has gained a wealth of experience managing a range of complex commercial and industrial construction projects across the province.”
neil malott
engineering manager
“Neil Malott is a senior mechanical specialist with over 28 years of experience in the mining sector; specializing in potash and uranium. Neil has solid engineering management experience including project management, cost estimating, 3D modeling, finite element analysis, CAD/CAM, machining, and welding.”