25+ Years of Elevator Service, Design & Maintenance - Elevator Systems Professionals

Our History

ESP provides elevator safety & repair training in Manitoba and Ontario and is in the certification process to provide enhanced training in Ontario. ESP is registered and licensed as Elevator Consultants in the Province of Ontario. Ontario’s licensing requirements are the most stringent in North America.

ESP works extensively with Manitoba Labour to update maintenance and safety procedures. ESP has been instrumental in Manitoba Labour’s implementation of “ Elevator Notices”. To this end, ESP also assists Manitoba Labour with discover and resolution of Code and Unsafe conditions.

Studying trade publications and Manufactures New Equipment releases insures up to date knowledge base. As well, numerous third party component suppliers continuously forward the latest in technical designs.

Performing more than 200 inspections annually on all maintenance contractor’s equipment of varying design insure a up to the date baseline of the quality of work the industry is providing.

When required by contractual commitments, ESP will employs the necessary Mechanical or Electrical Engineers as needed.

Actively designated elevator Q.A. consultant for the Manitoba Health Organization. ESP has entered into support agreements with:

  • Concordia Hospital
  • Grace General Hospital
  • Health Sciences Centre
  • St. Boniface General Hospital
  • Brandon General Hospital
  • Dauphin General Hospital

We are also designated elevator modernization consultants for:

  • Brandon General Hospital. ($350,000 active project)
  • L M Architects. ($120,000 active project)
  • Manitoba Housing Authority. ($85,000 active project)
  • Ten Ten Sinclaire. ($40,000 active project)
  • Manitoba Health, Transport Canada
  • City of Winnipeg
  • Manitoba Hydro


Stephen Burdy - President of ESP

42 years of elevator industry experience started with training in Industrial Electronics at RRCC(Winnipeg) in 1969-70 and Electronics Engineering Technology at DeVry Institute of Technology (Toronto) in 1971-73.

1973-75 Elevator Industry Apprenticeship process started with Otis Elevator on new construction of Gearless, Geared, Hydraulic Elevators and Escalators. As well, I worked as a maintenance helper in training for a maintenance route.

1976-77 As a Mechanic in Training at Winnipeg Elevator on new construction and then as Maintenance Mechanic working on all equipment types, Otis, Horn, Dover, Montgomery, Northern, Turnbull, Armor, Elevators and Escalators.

1977-79 Vice President of Brandon Elevator an 8 year old independent elevator installation and maintenance company. Designed the maintenance program which resulted in the companies 90% market share.

1979 Completed apprenticeship program and passed 4 hour exam to become a Journeyman Elevator Mechanic.

1979-81 Returned to work for Winnipeg Elevator as Construction & Service Repair Mechanic also help start in house education program.

1981-82 Employed by Montgomery Elevator as Construction, Service Repair & Maintenance Mechanic.

1982 Completed Provincial Licensing testing for electrical work on elevating devices.

1982-83 Sabbatical to design and build one of the first R2000 houses in the province. Developed construction methods that allowed custom architectural energy efficient designs previously not possible using standard construction methods.

1983-89 Employed by Otis Elevator for 2 1/2 years on highly technical Modernization designing custom elevator circuits. Then as a Maintenance Mechanic of state of the art technology and often performed custom circuit designing required to correct original equipment design flaws. During this time I attended numerous technical training seminars in other cities and often conducted training classes at Otis.

1989-92 Employed by Otis in sales which started with a 3 month, 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, training in Farmington, Connecticut ($13,000 cost) which included Quality Assurance Training, working in the Test Tower, New Equipment Factory and Modernization Assembly Plant. This program is recognized as the most intense industry training available. Once completed, I worked in Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario and received achievement rewards.

On April 14, 1992, I started operation of Elevator Systems Professionals (ESP) Inc. with low profile client contacts.

On May 8, 1992, ESP signed up its first client, Great West Life, under the Quality Assurance Package.