"CCI is a part of the community, and we see our employees and the people in the community as part of the CCI family. Health and well- being are always a primary concern. For where we live, Royal Columbian provides a huge proportion of the critical care we need and offers health services that no other hospital in the province can deliver. Their focus on mental health aligns closely with our passions and the goal of our own mental health entity, CCI Group Mental Health Society."-Garry Sangha, CEO of the Family Group
CCI Group of Family Companies is a well-known and well-regarded construction concern with its business roots in Surrey, BC. CCI is a significant contributor to the industry across the province. The group includes Crystal Consulting Drywall, which began when Ajit Singh Sangha, the patriarch of the family company, along with his son, Garry Sangha, and his son-in-law, Kuldeep Singh Chohan, initiated their first independent construction project in 2005.
In the last 17 years, the family has significantly increased their scope and influence across BC. Today, the founders, extended family, and the thousands employed in the family companies, can boast of their achievements in helping to construct millions of square feet of commercial and residential developments for the most iconic developers in the province. CCI includes the corporate entities of Crystal Consulting Drywall (Division 9 services), Crystal Consulting Masonry, Crystal Consulting Waterproofing, and Kanin Construction Management.
Garry Sangha, CEO of the Family Group, is mindful of the importance of community in the success of any endeavor and takes the opportunity to highlight their recent pledge to the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. Garry states, “CCI is a part of the community, and we see our employees and the people in the community as part of the CCI family. Health and well- being are always a primary concern. For where we live, Royal Columbian provides a huge proportion of the critical care we need and offers health services that no other hospital in the province can deliver. Their focus on mental health aligns closely with our passions and the goal of our own mental health entity, CCI Group Mental Health Society.”
The CCI pledge is for $500,000 targeted to the South Asian Health initiative. Honouring this commitment, Crystal Consulting Inc. will be able to name the waiting room in the Acute Care Tower of the hospital. “We are so glad that a company with such a strong emphasis on philanthropy like CCI is joining our fundraising and is making this fantastic pledge. When people like the Sanghas and Chohans step forward, it provides an example for others to follow suit and make similar pledges. We thank them for their gracious support” emphasizes, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation President and CEO Jeff Norris.
Indeed, the family has long been a community contributor with a history of giving to the Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Canucks for Kids Fund, The Food Bank, and the City of Backpacks for Kids Program. Garry emphasizes, “Our father, Ajit, has always been a person who believed in being a part of the community and he was supported by our mom. As a family, my parents, my brother-in-law, and his wife (my sister, Sandeep), as well as my wife, Kiran, and all our wonderful children make a real effort to give back. We spend our own time to purchase and fill the kids’ school backpacks. Really close to our hearts is our foundation for mental health. We give a lot of time to that endeavour as we want to emphasize that health is more than just our bodies, but also finding peace for our mind and soul. Issues of mental health are like a silent epidemic, so we formed the foundation to help give it a voice”.
Jack Froese, the Mayor of the Township of Langley, shares, “Ajit, Garry, and Chohan have always done so much to support our city. They are important employers, and they are examples of a family that makes giving back to the community part of their everyday lives.”
The CCI Group Mental Health Society fund raises for mental health causes. After a COVID-19 delay, they will be holding their Second Annual Golf Tournament. Like that of 2019, this event being held on June 21 at Northview Country Golf and Country Club will raise monies to support various mental health causes in the province. The Foundation is committed to raising $1,000,000 for mental health initiatives by 2025.
Ajit comments, “This Foundation is important to my family. My wife and children are invested in mental health, and we want to show the people that it is okay to talk about mental health as we share love and support for those who are suffering in any way we can. When people respect you, they will be more open to listening to your views and accepting your help.”
Kuldeep echoes the sentiments of his father-in-law, “We are all family. We must support each other, and we must also support those people that work for us or who live in our community. We are obligated to help, and it does not matter if we are fathers or sons, mothers or daughters, brothers or sisters; we all have a role to play in serving each other. I am proud that CCI makes giving an active part of our business.”
Ruby Ng, CEO of Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Vancouver-Fraser Branch relays, “Needless to say, the CMHA is immensely grateful for the amazing support we receive from CCI. It speaks strongly of the leadership of the company and its commitment to mental health awareness. These funds will support our children and youth programs. Our heartfelt thanks to the family.”
Undoubtedly, CCI is a role-model company that genuinely seeks to extend the conventional bottom line, which measures profit, by adding a second bottom line of positive social impact.
Ajit reminisces about the past, “In India, I was always involved in the community and worked hard to provide for my family. We did well. But when I came to Canada, I had to become a laborer and worked with my hands, drywalling to provide for my family. My son, Garry, and my son-in-law, Kuldeep, approached me to start our own company in 2005. I trusted them, and together with family support, we have built something. I could never have imagined. I am so proud of my family, all three generations working hard to help each other and build a community here in Canada.”
Garry gets emotional talking about the family and says, “I appreciated what my dad did for us, and I wanted all of us to succeed together as a family. Today, we are involved in so much of the major construction across BC. Our large footprint in the industry is due to the work ethic my father instilled in us and our huge sense of community. I love what we do and obviously love the people I work with. It is all a labor of passion.”
Like his brother-in-law, Kuldeep is deeply invested in the community as well, “When I drive around the province and I see all that we have built, like these glass towers that reach to the sky, I am thankful for the blessings we receive every day and the hard work our people do to build these wonderful structures. I truly believe our success comes because we act together as one family with thousands of hands.”
Truly, the Sangha and Chohan families are made of leaders who strive to be the best they can be as individuals and as a family unit. CCI believes in delivering quality and high value services in close adherence to promised schedules. They live the motto of Family Company, Family Values and instill that mindset into every project they undertake. In ways more than one, CCI Group of Family Companies are really the builder’s builder, and people who stand up for their community.
Photo courtesy of Facebook/Instagram (Jeff Noris, RCH, & CMHA).