The evolution of Prospect comes down to simple math: land access expertise + environmental science professionals + archaeological heritage management specialists + deep community roots = an integrated consulting firm guiding clients throughout their project lifecycle.
That evolution started with a strong relationship. Brock Campbell, a seasoned in-house surface landman in Calgary, found himself at a career crossroads following an acquisition in 2004. Campbell initially set up shop with an existing land services company in Calgary. When that proved a poor fit, Campbell invited John Hagen to strike out with him. Campbell had worked with and mentored Hagen during his days as an in-house landman, and together they established Prospect Land Services in 2006.
“Brock was the guy who really got me started in the business. When we met, I was less than a year into my career. He had a huge influence on me, not just in learning the business but in understanding what it meant to build one,” says John Hagen, current president of Prospect Land + Environmental. “I was one of the founders of Prospect but I certainly wouldn’t have started this on my own.”
That impetus to start Prospect came from Campbell and his wife, Anna Margaret, who handled the finance side of the business. While they didn’t set out with a clear vision for how to grow the company, they just knew Fort St. John needed a reliable land company providing high-quality, high-value service. The rest evolved organically as they added talented professionals to the team and expanded the company’s scope.
In 2017, a chance meeting in the Calgary airport put the wheels in motion for an expansion into environmental services. Hagen bumped into Loni Evans, who had collaborated with Prospect while working as a project manager for an environmental consulting firm. With their flight delayed, they discussed bringing their specialties together under a new banner: Prospect Land + Environmental.
“We started chatting about this concept of an all-in-one service and how that would look. I asked him to give me a couple of days and I came back with a business plan,” says Loni Evans, vice president (Environmental) at Prospect Land + Environmental. “Then John and I met with Brock, and while John had faith in me, I felt Brock was a little harder to win over. Once we worked through that, it was crazy how quickly it took off.”
Prospect Land’s strong existing relationships led to immediate opportunities for this new division. Evans’ expertise in assessments, mapping and reclamation broadened the company’s offerings, providing seamless execution and continuity particularly for smaller companies without in-house land or environmental departments. The more recent addition of archaeology services has further expanded Prospect’s capabilities, positioning it as a one-stop provider of integrated services throughout Alberta and British Columbia.
Whether working in upstream, midstream, utilities, infrastructure, mining, renewable energy or municipal development, Prospect’s experienced land professionals become an extension of their clients’ internal teams. They coordinate with regulators, landowners, indigenous communities and industry stakeholders, handling everything from route planning, regulatory approvals and stakeholder engagement to asset management, community relations and legal filings. In doing so, Prospect acts as its clients’ eyes and ears during this critical stage of development.
While the land side focuses primarily on new activity and putting all the pieces in place leading up to project permits, Evans’ team supports more of the project’s lifecycle. The environmental division utilizes drones, advanced GPS systems, electronic data capture and mapping technology to improve fieldwork and streamline reporting.
“We would be described on the environmental side as cradle-to-grave environmental services: pre-planning and environmental assessment through to the decommissioning assessment, remediation and reclamation, and everything in between, including spill response and operational and drilling services. We also provide archaeology services predominantly in the planning and development end of things,” says Evans.
These archaeology services, while relatively new to Prospect’s repertoire, represent an area with significant growth potential. The team provides cultural resource management support which includes heritage reviews, field assessments and documentation, and it involves identifying seemingly innocuous artifacts that have culture significance. Field teams sift soil in search of stone flakes, chert, arrowheads and scrapers; if significant resources are identified, Prospect helps clients determine appropriate mitigation strategies to protect those areas while keeping the project moving forward with minimal delays.
One of the keys to Prospect’s consistent service is its deep connection to northern B.C. complemented by its strong Calgary presence. The Fort St. John team understands the region, its communities and the relationships underpinning development as several of the company’s approximately 35 professionals have roots in the area, while others bring decades of northern experience.
By knowing the community, Prospect provides continuity and credibility, particularly when projects involve lengthy stakeholder interactions. Rather than a succession of unfamiliar representatives, the company can deploy people who understand what has already been discussed and maintain relationships over time.
“One thing that sets us apart is our truly local knowledge and experience, actually operating and working in this area as opposed to companies that fly in and fly out. It’s so important to have those relationships, that truly local presence,” says Hagen. “When I go in to see somebody for the first time and they’re maybe sort of dubious about the project, I tell them, ‘Hey, I’m born and raised here. I probably know some of your neighbours. This is my background. This is my experience.’ And I think that does help for sure.”
This continuity, paired with the team’s depth of experience, is particularly important in British Columbia, where regulatory processes and land requirements can differ significantly from those in Alberta. And with combined industry experience of well over a century, Prospect is a valuable partner for land, environmental and archaeological services.
It’s those experienced people who have fuelled the company’s success over the past 20 years. Prospect has a stable of long-tenured professionals with decades of experience across both sides of the business. Some of these people have been with the company since it opened its doors and mentor newcomers to help them better understand the business. Prospect also provides work experience opportunities for people looking to build their resumes and enter the workforce.
“Without all of those hard-working, dedicated, motivated individuals, Prospect wouldn’t be what it is today,” says Evans. “We are so grateful for the people that have worked for Prospect over the years, and the clients and vendors who have supported us. Prospect is really built on their hard work.”
The people-first philosophy of Prospect extends to the community as well. The company supports organizations in Fort St. John and Calgary, both financially and as volunteers, with a particular focus on causes centred on helping women, seniors and children. For its leadership, it’s always been important that Prospect be more than a company with projects in the area; it strives to participate in and contribute to the communities where it works.
Prospect continues to invest in the community, its people and sustainable expansion. From the beginning, its founders have emphasized building carefully, cultivating relationships and providing hands-on, personalized service. That foundation of people, relationships and expertise remains the centre of Prospect Land + Environmental as the company enters its next 20 years.