Owner of Almaquin Enterprises
Mike Hewitt, B.Sc., CWP
Owner of Almaquin Enterprises Limited, Mike, combines 20 years of global operations management, specializing in water treatment and large-scale contract management.
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Business development consultant with 20 years of experience in operations management, water treatment, environment, and emergency response. Mike leverages this experience in technical writing and commercial pricing for Government of Canada RFPs, including multi-year contracts worth $100M or more.
- 7 years of business development experience
- Expert in technical writing and pricing
- Experience in multimillion-dollar contracts
- Certified Level IV Water Treatment Operator
- NATO Secret clearance
- Project management and maintenance
- Experience in major water treatment installations
- Field experience in northern Alberta
- Skilled in data analysis and consulting
- Proficient in CMMS and program communication
Operating under Almaquin Enterprises Limited, Mike offers a range of services such as business development, technical writing, data analysis, and water treatment consulting. Mike serves clients from various industries, including military, aviation, oil & gas, mining, environmental, and facility operations and maintenance. He recently collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop technical and financial responses for the 20-year RCAF Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program RFP. Previously, Mike participated in successful bids for CFS Alert Commercial Support (Oct 2022), North Warning System Operations & Maintenance (Feb 2022), CFB Goose Bay Site Support Services (Mar 2021) and Kandahar Airfield Utilities Services (Nov 2010).
International experience includes commissioning a water treatment system at the Pascua-Lama gold mine site in Chile (2013), establishing three interim structures in Haiti under the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) response to the January 2010 earthquake, managing site remediation and incident command responses to chemical spills in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (2008-09), overseeing camp utilities during the transition of the Kandahar Airfield from U.S. to NATO control (2007-08) and supervising water treatment and bottling activities at Camp Julien (2003-05) in Kabul. Mike received the Canadian General Service Medal with ISAF Bar for his service supporting the Canadian Forces as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
Domestically, Mike was the deputy project manager for operational and facilities services at the NATO Flight Training Center (NFTC) in Moose Jaw (2013), assisted with the transfer of responsibilities for the Ontario Facilities Maintenance Contract of Canadian Forces Armories (2013), and Maintenance Manager at two camps north of Fort McMurray (2012-13).
Within the water industry, Mike's municipal experience includes ten years at two major water treatment installations servicing, each servicing over a million people (Metro Vancouver's Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant and Region of Peel's Lakeview and Lorne Park WTPs). Smaller systems include Lake Cowichan and CFS Alert on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic.
Field experience in northern Alberta includes 2-1/2 years as a camp facilities coordinator at seven conventional oil camps overseeing water and wastewater contractor compliance with site approval and provincial legislation. Mike audited contractors through Service Level Agreements (SLAs), communicated technical programs, procedures, safety-related issues, reviewed preventive maintenance plans, and monitored service providers through a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
I was the engineering manager at Camp Julien in Kabul, Afghanistan, and had the pleasure of working with Mike Hewitt when he served as the water supply & shop supervisor at the Camp. Under his leadership, we produced nearly 2 million 1L bottles of water from the on-site nanofiltration plant that drew from two deep wells. This secure source of water supplied 2000-person Canadian Armed Forces personnel and service contractors while saving millions in transport costs, especially during the early stages of the armed conflict when land transport was not feasible.
Mike's dedication and expertise in managing the water supply and bottling process were instrumental in ensuring the safety and well-being of our troops, and I would highly recommend him for any water-related project. It was Mike's personal character and example that made him stand out amongst his peers. He is a mature and steady man, especially when under extreme stress such as you would find in a conflict zone, and I further recommend him for any leadership position.
Lawrence Fogwill P. Eng.
Featured Projects
Region of Peel
Water Treatment Operator at the Lakeview and Lorne Park Water Treatment Plants in Mississauga, Ontario for three years.
NATO Flight Training Center (NFTC)
Deputy project manager at Moose Jaw NATO Flight Training Center responsible as point-of-contact and accountable to client for performance.
Goose Bay Bid Response
Government of Canada awards $694M ten-year contract for site support services and facilities maintenance contract at 5 Wing Goose Bay.
North Warning System O&M Bid Response
Technical writer for a $592M, Operations and Maintenance services seven-year contract at 47 radar sites stretching from Labrador to the Yukon under the NWS.
SkyAlyne's FAcT Bid Response
SkyAlyne was announced as Canada's preferred bidder for providing RCAF aircrew training over the next 20 years.
Aviation Bid Responses to Government of Canada RFPs
Assisted with client’s technical portion of the SkyAlyne and PAEPSS bid responses.
SkyAlyne Bid Response Support CHL
Assisted with client’s technical portion of the SkyAlyne bid response.
Fly-in / Fly-Out Program
Bid preparation for a fly-in / fly out program.
Southport Data Management
KPI Reporting and analysis through FlightPRO database revamp and custom reporting solutions.
Elkford Valley Lodge
Analysis of camp services provider accommodation and catering costs.
Camp Facility Maintenance
Managed a Repairs and Maintenance multi-trade group established in 2010 providing regular preventive maintenance service and minor construction projects to six camps north of Fort McMurray.
2010 Haiti Earthquake Response
In the aftermath of the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, Almaquin assisted the Canadian International Development Agency in setting up Temporary Administrative Bases for key Haitian government departments.
Business Technical Services Consultant
Consult on an as-required basis writing technical proposals for industrial wastewater treatment and dewatering opportunities.
Facilities Maintenance Plan
Comprehensive approach to facilities maintenance, combining operational excellence, environmental responsibility, and customer service to maintain the lodge's functionality, safety, and comfort through open feedback and continuous improvement, ensuring the lodge remains a premier facility for its residents and visitors.
Camp Water and Wastewater Facilities Coordination and Compliance
Oversaw water and wastewater management projects across multiple camps, focusing on regulatory compliance, safety enhancements, and operational efficiency, while managing contractor performance and infrastructure upgrades.
Menelik II Secondary School
Project 12 launched at Menelik II School, Ethiopia’s first modern school, collecting WASH data to improve hygiene, water, and sanitation for over 2,260 students.
Kokebe Tsibah Secondary and Preparatory School
At Kokebe Tsibah School, Needs4Water gathered student insights and tested water quality to guide scalable WASH solutions as part of Ethiopia’s nationwide Project 12 survey.
Yeka Kindergarten and Elementary School
Empowering students at Yeka School, Addis Ababa, through English tutoring and WASH education, with community collaboration and survey integration during the Ethiopia 2025 WASH Survey.
Eyerusalem Primary School
Eyerusalem Primary School supported Project 12 with WASH data collection and water testing, guiding improvements for nearly 1,500 students and contributing to national school sanitation insights.
Etege Menen Girls Boarding Middle & Secondary School
At Etege Menen Girls Boarding School, Project 12 evaluated WASH conditions in a unique boarding setting with on-site garden and livestock, serving 617 students and 73 staff since its founding in 1931.
Jijiga Community Scondary School
At Jijiga Community Secondary School, Project 12 surveyed 1,111 students with help from Somali-speaking university volunteers and documented progress at a newly constructed school facility.
Ahmed Guray Secondary School
Without piped water, Ahmed Guray School relies on a rain-fed cistern and trucking. Project 12 found contamination, poor sanitation, and disruptions to learning due to inadequate water supply.
WASH Survey at the Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa Primary School
As the pilot for a 25-school WASH initiative, Project 11 exposed unsafe water, failing toilets, and hygiene gaps at Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa School—prompting urgent upgrades and student-led solutions.
Time's Choice Academy
Frequent pump outages limit water access at Time’s Choice Academy, affecting meals and attendance. Project 12 found hygiene efforts in place but critical gaps in sanitation and reliability.
Sheikh Abdisalan Secondary School
At Sheikh Abdisalan, Project 12 found unsafe latrines and poor waste practices impacting 3,990 students, with girls pairing up for safety and water stored in jerry cans from the city supply.