SASKATOON — Rachel LaFleur’s whirlwind entrepreneurial story in Saskatchewan began four years ago on a little house in Carmel, near Humboldt, where she and her then-partner settled at the historic Bunko homestead.
They tried to spruce up the rent-to-own farm, while they also accepted roofing projects, from building from scratch to repairs in houses in Humboldt.
However, her plan for a quiet farming life, featuring pasture-raised animals and a large garden on an acreage, took an unexpected turn when she parted ways with her partner, ending up in Saskatoon, which she now calls home.
In Saskatoon, she used her experience and work ethic to establish her own company, Crown Roofing, which she considers more of a craft in the trades industry than a business.
It's far from her original plan, as she was going to pursue accounting back in Ontario after finishing her office administration degree. But fate had other plans, as there were no more spots in the class, so she continued working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
LaFleur told SaskToday that when she met her then-partner in Ontario, they decided to move to Saskatchewan at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, hoping to grow their roofing business. She has been installing and repairing roofs for eight years.
Crown Roofing has been in operation for over a year, using the same skills she learned from her former partner, picking up and passing shingles as an apprentice to mastering the craft of installing and repairing roofs.
LaFleur, who also does construction work, had a friend from Ontario join her on her journey, and then hired two more people. She still accepts subcontracting jobs, since some companies either lack the personnel or are unable to provide enough roofers.
She said that she chose Saskatchewan for its affordability and agricultural roots. Something she is still looking forward to doing in the future is buying a little land with the money she saves from her roofing business.
“Crown Roofing is the fuel for it all. Roofing is what funds my dreams of getting back on the land someday. It meant a lot to me. Farming took my heart. There’s something beautiful about raising animals and providing good, healthy food,” LaFleur said.
“I'd like to buy a parcel, 140 acres or so, and do the whole farm fields for some, cultivating so that it provides for the animals I have. I was aiming to start from scratch. If I could find a little acreage too, that'd be super cool. It's just the dream.”
She added that she plans to raise animals and grow crops to provide healthy food for the community, while also keeping her roofing company going, after seeing that it inspired younger girls to believe that women can also excel in trades.
“I find that the more we get into trades, we're being recognized for being better workers, attention to detail, and reliability because we show up and we're on time. It's a good thing that more women are getting into trades,” said LaFleur, who also plans to teach roofing to the youth.
“Passing it down would be good and bring other people into the industry to carry on after me, especially, and have something set up. We all need a backup. We all need something to fill the pockets of our other dreams so that we can establish them,” she said.
