Client Spotlight: Porcupine Mechanical

The Porcupine Mechanical team enjoys a bite to eat.

Heat pumps are growing in popularity in Canada, but still only represent a small fraction of the heating and cooling systems used in Canadian homes. Yet Porcupine Mechanical, a Squamish-based business, is bringing heat pumps – and efficient HVAC systems – to the Sea to Sky.  

They focus on the design, installation, and maintenance of high-performance heat pump systems and offer an emphasis on comfort, efficiency, and long-term reliability. Their goal is to see more smart, sustainable choices in homes throughout the region for year-round climate control. 

We recently chatted to Jessica Miller of Porcupine Mechanical to learn more.  

How did Porcupine Mechanical get started? 

Porcupine Mechanical started from a mix of experience, frustration, and timing. Simon spent decades working in commercial and industrial mechanical work and saw firsthand how inefficient and disconnected the business side of the industry could be. He knew there was a better way to run a company.  At the same time, we wanted to build something local and values driven while raising our kids here. We decided to take the leap together and create a business where we could do things differently, build strong relationships in our community, and stand behind every system we put into a home. 

Why are heat pumps the better choice for home heating and cooling? 

Heat pumps check a lot of boxes at once. They are a big step forward for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and decarbonizing how our homes are heated and cooled. They are also where things are headed as government policy continues to push in this direction. We would rather help homeowners get ahead of that shift with good design and clear information than scramble later. On a practical level, heat pumps work very well for our climate and can handle both heating and cooling as weather becomes more extreme. 

What do you love most about living and working in the Sea to Sky? 

We love how connected everything feels here. This is a place where relationships matter and reputation carries weight. We wanted to build a business that stays intentionally local, where you serve the same community you live in. Being able to work locally, support other small businesses, and raise our kids in the same place makes the work feel personal and meaningful. 

What advice do you wish someone gave you when you got started? 

You are never going to know everything. Instead of waiting until you feel ready, get curious. Talk to different people. Learn from others who are a few steps ahead. Take what is useful and leave the rest. You also have to accept a bit of blissful ignorance at the enormity of responsibility and keep moving forward anyway. Showing up consistently matters more than having all the answers. 

What has been your biggest challenge so far, and how have you overcome it? 

Cash flow has been the biggest challenge in the early stages. Mechanical businesses have high upfront costs and the revenue often comes later. We have worked through this by being very intentional with spending, improving our systems, and asking for help when we needed it.  

How has Community Futures Howe Sound helped your business? 

Starting a mechanical business comes with significant overhead. You do not just need an idea and a laptop. You need commercial space, specialized tools, vehicles, inventory, and people, and all of that has to be in place early. Community Futures helped us bridge that gap during the startup phase. The loan allowed us to invest properly in the foundation of the business instead of constantly patching things together. It gave us confidence to build things the right way from the start, knowing we had real support behind us.