Qualico Communities’ parent company, Qualico, is celebrating its 65th Anniversary in 2016. Established in 1951 by David and Katherine Friesen, Qualico is one of the largest fully integrated, privately-owned real estate companies in Western Canada.
Before founding their company as Quality Construction, Katherine was earning $50 a month as a teacher, and David was a practicing lawyer who sometimes brought home chicken or pies in lieu of cash. But the couple had a vision – to build homes and provide shelter for families, creating communities and homes where people could put down roots, raise their families, and pursue their dreams. It was this vision that guided founders David and Katherine when they built their first houses in River Heights in 1950. They built seven houses that first year, and almost doubled their output to 13 houses the next year. Katherine decided to sell the houses herself, an audacious move for a woman in the 1950s.
Today, thousands of Canadian families choose Qualico to build their homes every year, many of which are created in Qualico’s master planned communities. The company’s activities span the entire real estate spectrum and include residential land acquisition and development, single and multi-family home divisions, commercial and industrial development, property management, concrete ready mix, building supply and manufacturing divisions.
The company and its people are honoured to carry on the founders’ vision with pride and with a sense of respect for two people who created a life of passion, purpose and inspiration.
