John Westland

John Westland Email and Phone Number

Independent, objective and clear peer review, dispute resolution and expert witness services for underground projects. @ Ground Truth Engineering Ltd.
John Westland's Location
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Canada
John Westland's Contact Details
About John Westland

Managing subsurface risk is critical for successful construction and natural hazard mitigation. Failure to mitigate such risks can doom a project to significant cost overruns, schedule delays and protracted disputes. While it’s an industry cliché that “everything will go fine once we are out of the ground”, it’s a cliché rooted in the reality of underground construction.I began my career with a specialist consulting firm whose founders were pioneers in geotechnical engineering. Before obtaining my Master’s degree, I got my hands dirty conducting subsurface investigations in the field. The key to managing subsurface risk is understanding the reality of the ground and its inherent variability—in contrast to the idealized academic models that underpin geotechnical theory. My immersion in projects like Toronto’s Sheppard Subway gave me experience in the full project cycle, from investigation to design, construction and dispute resolution. That project was completed on budget and illustrated the value of comprehensive site investigation and unambiguous geotechnical baselines in mitigating risk. My 30 years’ experience has given me the intuition necessary to temper geotechnical analysis with art and judgement that I have brought to peer reviews of projects such as Vancouver’s Canada Line, York Region’s YDSS tunnelling projects and Waterfront Toronto’s flood protection works. Sound understanding of geotechnical theory, experience and communication skills are essential to provide thorough, understandable expert opinion. I’ve been retained to give expert opinion on more than 50 forensic investigations of geotechnical failures and on contractual disputes arising from ground conditions and behaviour. I have been recognized as an expert for purposes of formal court testimony and in arbitration proceedings. Also, I have participated in alternative dispute resolution proceedings, am a member of the Disputes Review Board Foundation, am a qualified DRB member and currently serve on the Dispute Boards for four tunnelling projects.

John Westland's Current Company Details
Ground Truth Engineering Ltd.

Ground Truth Engineering Ltd.

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Independent, objective and clear peer review, dispute resolution and expert witness services for underground projects.
John Westland Work Experience Details
  • Ground Truth Engineering Ltd.
    President, Principal Consultant
    Ground Truth Engineering Ltd. Sep 2018 - Present
    Toronto, Canada Area
    I am the founder and president of Ground Truth Engineering Ltd. I focus exclusively on bringing my underground expertise and experience to advise clients through peer review and expert witness services. Ground Truth Engineering serves project owners, designers, consultants and contractors through all phases of underground projects: investigation, design and construction. We believe that thoughtful and inquisitive peer review helps to identify and mitigate the subsurface risks that are inherent in underground construction.Ground Truth also undertakes forensic review and provides advice on construction claims in support of dispute resolution and we have experience in providing testimony to disputes review boards, mediators, independent arbitrators and civil court judges. In this capacity we have served legal counsel, insurers, project owners, constructors and consultants.
  • Ghd
    Principal, Vice President
    Ghd Oct 2015 - Aug 2018
    Mississauga, Ontario
    At GHD I served on the North American Executive Committee where I was esponsible for business services including health and safety, the ISO-certified quality system, legal, service lines, the business school and IT/IS.That executive experience helps me to understand the cost, disruption and emotional toll of legal disputes. Prompt, pragmatic resolution is often the desired outcome, but when brand and reputations are at risk, the need to stand on firm technical grounds, with a clearly articulated, sound and court-ready argument is sometimes necessary. While at GHD I continued to provide geotechnical expertise and peer review for projects with significant subsurface risk. My project experience included tunnels, trenchless technologies, deep excavation, foundations on poor ground, slopes and embankments. I guided clients in making judgments that balanced upfront costs and time against construction uncertainty, answering questions such as: how much investigation is sufficient to mitigate against construction risk; how should such risks be allocated between owner and constructor; the extent to which the contract documents prescribe or constrain construction methodology; and, the extent to which construction impacts are monitored to quantify potential third-party effects.I also supported clients in forensic investigation of geotechnical failures and review of construction disputes, utilizing my experience in prov siding testimony in court, at arbitration proceedings, disputes review board hearings and at formal and informal mediation sessions. I believe that technical experts give the greatest value at the beginning of a dispute. I seek to lead my clients to a pragmatic strategy for dispute resolution, by providing thorough technical and contractual review, combined with blunt, unbiased opinion of the strengths and weaknesses of each party’s position.
  • Thurber Engineering Ltd.
    Senior Geotechnical Engineer
    Thurber Engineering Ltd. Feb 2015 - Sep 2015
    Toronto, Canada
    I worked at Thurber Engineering for eight months where I focused on infrastructure projects (tunnels, excavations, foundations); natural hazards and forensic engineering investigations.
  • Golder Associates
    Principal, Director
    Golder Associates Sep 1985 - Feb 2015
    Toronto, Canada
    I joined Golder Associates straight out of university and learned my craft as a geotechnical engineer through contributions on dozens of challenging projects that included major infrastructure projects concentrated in southern Ontario, but which also included locations across Canada, into the United States and the Carribean. The infrastructure experience included work with many owners who adopted the use of Geotechnical Baseline Reports as part of their subsurface risk management programs. Through work with owners and contractors I gained experience in review and resolution of construction claims. That exposure to the legal side of geotechnical practice has been supplemented by work as a peer reviewer and expert witness on many forensic engineering assignments.My responsibilities at Golder grew to include management of its office in Mississauga, Ontario; responsibility for its global knowledge management and technical communities program; and a nine year term as a Director of the holding company for the global group of companies. As a Director I served on the Audit Committee, was Chair of the Finance Committee and then Chair of the Investments Committee of the Board.
  • Gulf Canada Resources
    Engineering Intern
    Gulf Canada Resources May 1984 - Aug 1984
    Undertook research studies into the effectiveness of oil spill sorbents, the effectiveness and efficiency of deep well disposal of drilling fluids and the use of bioremediation techniques to handle oil saturated drill cuttings.

John Westland Skills

Geotechnical Engineering Civil Engineering Soil Tunnels Foundation Design Water Remediation Forensic Engineering Project Management Tunnelling Environmental Awareness Mining Construction Engineering Innovation Management Slope Stability Analysis Tunneling

John Westland Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about John Westland

What company does John Westland work for?

John Westland works for Ground Truth Engineering Ltd.

What is John Westland's role at the current company?

John Westland's current role is Independent, objective and clear peer review, dispute resolution and expert witness services for underground projects..

What is John Westland's email address?

John Westland's email address is jw****@****der.com

What is John Westland's direct phone number?

John Westland's direct phone number is +141642*****

What schools did John Westland attend?

John Westland attended University Of Toronto, University Of Toronto.

What are some of John Westland's interests?

John Westland has interest in Innovation, Knowledge Management, Geotechnical Engineering, Environment, Audit, Facilitation, Finance, Adult Educaton, Science And Technology, Technical Communities.

What skills is John Westland known for?

John Westland has skills like Geotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Soil, Tunnels, Foundation Design, Water, Remediation, Forensic Engineering, Project Management, Tunnelling, Environmental Awareness, Mining.

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