Following a move to Kamloops from Alberta in 2007, Matt joined the Arrow Transportation Systems Inc. team as Operations Supervisor at their Kamloops Chip location.

The chip operation hauled wood fibre from BC sawmills into various pulp mills all over British Columbia and Washington. After five years of learning the business, Matt took on a safety and compliance role with Arrow in Alberta, where the company was expanding. Working in safety, Matt found a passion for growth in the industry and enjoys the dynamic between running a large, diverse business that employees and stakeholders can have confidence in and rely on for being a safe, well-run family organization. Additionally, Matt takes pride in his leadership in safety within Arrow and strives to ensure that workers are supported on the job, are working in a safe and supported environment, and ultimately go home each night to their families. In 2018, Matt was promoted to Director of HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) for the entire Arrow Group of Companies, which have locations in Canada and the US. Arrow consists of almost 50 different operations, including highway transportation, railway trans-loading operations, forestry operations, environmental reclamation businesses, green waste recycling, civil engineering, and logistics technology, as well as a power plant in Northern British Columbia and a shipyard in Richmond, BC. In 2021, Arrow added to Matt’s portfolio, making him Director of HSE and Operational Risk. With the expanded role, Matt is now also responsible for the insurance needs of the entire company, and his role in compliance has continued to expand. In total, Matt has been with the Arrow for 15 years. 

Matt’s team consists of a skilled group of safety professionals, including HSE coordinators, senior HSE coordinators, an HSE administrator, and a return to work/risk coordinator. One of the key focuses of Matt’s team is the ability to communicate with the workforce in the field. “At Arrow, there is no room for safety cops – we very much believe in working collaboratively with all employees to reach the same end goal,” Matt says. As a result, the successes that Arrow has seen in increased safety performance is directly related to the workers, supervisors, and HSE team working together to meet these end goals. 

Safety has always been of utmost importance within Arrow. “With it being a family-owned company for over 100 years, the Executive has always demanded that safety be a high priority in everything we do at Arrow,” Matt says. “During COVID-19,

Arrow was a leader in the industry in the steps taken to ensure worker safety. Safety procedures continued to evolve during the pandemic and continue to be adapted. In addition, the Executive ensured that everybody remained working through COVID-19; this shows that while Arrow is a relatively large company, it has managed to retain that family feel,” he boasted.

Despite Matt’s relocation to Alberta, he travels back and forth to British Columbia frequently, and he remains actively involved in the BCTA through being a member of the BCTA’s Safety Committee. He’s also working on strategies shared between Alberta and British Columbia and is involved with working groups around harmonizing weights and dimensions in the western provinces. In addition, the BCTA has given Matt the opportunity to network with other transportation/safety professionals, which is especially important when working in safety and compliance roles. “I know that if I have an issue, or if my team doesn’t have a solution, I can reach out to the BCTA or any of the networks I have met through my involvement in the BCTA,” Matt says.

Any achievements that may have come Matt’s way are due, in his belief, to the team as a whole, with each team member playing different but essential roles. Matt strongly believes in the value of teamwork. Matt (and the great Henry Ford) have both said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” One of the team’s achievements includes successfully aiding the company to move into industries that demand higher compliance and quality standards. 

Matt noted that implementing a solid return-to-work program is another of the team’s accomplishments. The program’s first phase helps injured employees recover faster and lowers the time it takes to return to work. The second phase, which focuses on prevention over treatment, has two parts. “The first part is providing resources to all employees, no matter what role they are in, which allows them to carry out their work safely by focusing on the mechanics of the job and implementation of simple stretches that can be done throughout the day,” Matt says. “The second part is implementing early access to a physio program. Arrow is working with a BC-based physiotherapy provider that focuses on occupational injury prevention and treatment. This means that Arrow employees can be seen by a physiotherapist within 24 hours of an ache or pain developing,” he continues. “This early access to treatment has been proven to reduce the chances of a minor injury developing into a major one – which benefits the employee and Arrow.”

One of the things Matt enjoys about working in the transportation industry is the people. Arrow’s truck drivers come from different backgrounds and locations within Canada and around the world. “Truck drivers are down to earth, doing a job that is not easy while earning a paycheck for their families. The work at Arrow is very diverse; they provide trucking services in some of the toughest environments in North America - no day is the same for them,” Matt says. He also noted that he likes being part of an industry that is crucial to people’s everyday lives. “When you look around your home, the trucking industry and trucks have handled every piece you can touch in your home.”

Matt’s advice to someone thinking of joining the industry? “Do the homework, and find the companies you might consider working for through the trucking associations. The trucking associations maintain a list of great member companies. You should investigate and see what member company may be a great fit for you.” He continues, “For those already in the industry, never stop learning. Look for opportunities to continue your growth, no matter how small within the businesses you are already working.”

Outside of work, Matt likes to spend time with his family, particularity spending time with his kids, Dylan (14) and Danica (9), and his wife, Tracy. Travelling, mountain biking, and spending time as a family are his personal favourites.