About Us
W.G. Jackett & Sons Construction Ltd. began hand-digging municipal trenches in the late 1800’s. It has evolved into a modern heavy‑equipment and aggregate operation. Key milestones in the company's history include post‑WWII equipment upgrades and the major Fenelon Falls Lock reconstruction in the 1960’s. Today, the Jackett Family continues operate the business that provides services and materials that are an important backbone component of Kawartha Lakes infrastructure and development.
Just Another Job
Founded by Robert Jackett in the late 19th century, the firm started by working on the Fenelon village’s first water system – with manual labour. By 1945, W.G. Jackett & Sons made a significant investment in motor equipment including a hydraulic loader, that enabled the company to work more efficiently on larger and more challenging projects. By the early 1950s, a cable excavator was added to the equipment fleet and allowed more diverse service capabilities to be provided to the community.
In 1962, W.G. Jackett & Sons Construction Ltd. was contracted by the Canadian Department of Transport, (then operator of the Trent-Severn Canal,) to reconstruct and reconfigure the Fenelon Falls Locks. This intensive project involved replacing the original wood-and-stone flight locks with a modern, single concrete lock with steel doors. Wilf Jackett and his crew (including a young George Jackett) worked with cable‑operated excavators over the course of two winters to complete the project.
Material removed from the site was repurposed at their pit utilizing their crushing and screening plants for local infrastructure projects such as the development of Industrial Park Drive. The new lock opened in 1963, followed by the construction of a fixed concrete bridge two years later, replacing the previous swing bridge and dramatically improving traffic flow. Today, the Trent-Severn Waterway, operated by Parks Canada, provides a valuable tourist attraction as well as an important infrastructure link for boaters.
Today, the company is run by the fifth generation of the Jackett family, and is headquartered at 5065 Highway 35 in Fenelon Falls. They offer a full suite of transportation infrastructure and construction services including excavation, grading, septic systems, shoreline stabilization, road and subdivision development, aggregates, landscaping, and much more. As a family-run business, they continue to embody the strong community commitment that has been built on by each generation, operating where they live and offering aggregates from their own quarry.
Articles:
Maryboro Lodge - George Jackett Remembers Digging the Fenelon Lock (June 2, 2022)
