Meet Our Pod

Cory has over 10 years’ experience in the masonry industry. A Certified Chimney Inspector and WETT Inspector, Cory has been on more roofs and in more backyards than he can count.

Cory branched out on his own to fill a need that he saw in the industry: reliable, professional people to complete small to midsize masonry and concrete projects. Orca Masonry was launched and is now a recognized brand in the south Vancouver Island marketplace.

Cory has incorporated the PPP Theory in his approach to business, where the People and Planet should come before Profit; as a result, Orca Masonry has experienced amazing growth, attracting experienced and qualified team members. Or ‘pod members’ if you will!

Originally from the UK, Sid has bricklaying and stonemasonry in his DNA. A Red Seal Journeyman, he can install, and problem solve all day long! What’s more, his son is now working with Orca Masonry as a 2nd-year apprentice. You could say we are growing our own Masons…

After working on his own for several years, Sid fully appreciates the value of a team with a diverse set of skills. He joined Orca Masonry with the vision of leveraging his strength in the field with the front end and operational support to build a successful business.

Sid is well known in the construction industry for his incomparable knowledge and skill. He has built everything from incredible outdoor living spaces to problem-solving technical issues related to the function and/or leaking chimneys, and done commercial installations. Sid has well-rounded construction skills that complement his technical knowledge of bricklaying and masonry – we look to him for guidance on our most challenging installations.

Close to Sid’s heart is work/life balance – he is an avid sailor who can be found sailing the Salish Sea with his wife and dogs in his free time.

Having grown up in Cowichan Valley, Jesse is a fan of the rain! One might say he is the ‘rain-ing’ king of all things waterproofing. But seriously, Jesse’s technical knowledge of waterproofing and drainage solutions is unparalleled on Vancouver Island. Even better, Jesse is unafraid to go where no others have before in order to find the source of the problem.

With almost two decades of experience under his belt, Jesse joined Orca Masonry with the anticipation of participating in a fun team environment that appreciates his work ethic, drive for perfection, and giggly sense of humor.

Orca Masonry is proud to be the chosen employer for candidates seeking a forever home!

Conner started his career in Masonry under the tutelage of Sid Branch more than 15 years ago. Life changes, people grow on and this year, he found himself with the opportunity to work with his mentor once again. A certified WETT Inspector and skilled mason, Conner came to Orca Masonry to continue growing his skill and learning from the best in a fun team environment. A true prankster, Conner loves April Fool's Day - in fact, any day can be April Fool's Day in Conner's world...

As a new father, Conner’s greatest joy is his baby boy! His extended family is on the island, and he enjoys his work and life balance by camping, exploring the island, and golfing.

Orca Masonry is proud to be the chosen employer for candidates seeking a forever home!

Iva Lopes is the Operations & Projects Manager for Orca Masonry. She oversees all aspects of management and operations in the company, including Finance, Human Resources, IT, Procurement and Project strategies.

Iva joined in February of 2021 and has dealt primarily with resource planning and management, designing internal systems and processes, and ensuring the implementation of the internal control framework aimed at the proper functioning of Orca. Her bright personality makes it easy to lead the team and navigate the sea of construction. She is passionate about marketing and communications tools as she fills her time being a social media guru!

Originally from Brazil and fully integrated into Canadian life and culture, Iva brings more than 10 years of work experience in public and private organizations such as the United Nations. She shares with Orca her personal and professional values related to continuously striving for quality, focusing on answering the customers' needs and working towards sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience. Iva has a master’s degree in Project Management and enjoys being creative and spending time with her family and her cat when she is not hard at work supporting the Orca team.