This PTO wasn’t just time off — it was time to shop local.
At Engineering by Houghton, we’re proudly Canadian, and even prouder to call Atlantic Canada home. As a municipal engineering firm based in Saint John, New Brunswick, we believe that building resilient communities involves more than just resilient infrastructure design. It means investing in the people and places that make our region vibrant, strong, and full of character.
Our commitment to community isn’t new; it’s been built into our foundation since we opened our doors in 2021. This year, our CEO and founder, Daniel Houghton, wanted to do something a little different to emphasize just how much that commitment means to us.
A bonus with a local twist
To celebrate our roots and support the region we love, our team was given a half-day off and a $100 gift with only one catch: spend the time and money at locally owned and operated businesses.
We were more than happy to accept the challenge and are excited to share some of the local gems we discovered – or rediscovered – along the way.
Our Lead Civil Engineer and his wife spent their half-day downtown exploring the iconic Saint John City Market. They grabbed their favourite lunch—pizza and donuts—from Charlotte Street Bakery, then browsed the aisles for one-of-a-kind gifts where they picked up:
- A kids book and print by local author and artist Natasha Pilotte.
- A necklace from Montreal-based jeweller ‘Femme Mecanique Designs’ at Handworks Gallery.
Our Director of Marketing, went shopping for some birthday gifts for friends and family – and treated herself to some local food along the way:
- A virigin margarita with lunch at Casa Latina in Saint John West.
- New Brunswick woods scented candles from Emporia in uptown Saint John
- Artwork, tea, and cards from Rising Tide Gifts – home of the NB Box
- Dinner at Mimimi in Millidgeville (the Braised Pork Belly was so good that she forgot to take the photo).
- Finally, on Saturday, she got her morning coffee at the Purrfect Cup Cat Cafe in Fredericton.
Recycled & refurbished
More than a perk — a purpose
This initiative wasn’t just about time off. It was about putting our values into action—supporting local, giving back, and being intentional about the impact we have in our everyday choices.
At Engineering by Houghton, we don’t just believe in building good designs, we believe in creating positive impact for our community – for our clients, for the public, and for our fellow local businesses.