John Yurchesyn, Nelson Latimer, and Jim Kehoe purchased the small jobs division from the contracting company where they had been working and set out on their own.

They called it Joneljim — a name built from their own: John, Nelson, and Jim. Starting with residential and commercial work, they built a reputation across Cape Breton for reliability, craftsmanship, and delivering on time.

Over the decades, Joneljim grew into Cape Breton’s largest construction enterprise, with over 200 employees. With growth came diversification — building supplies, millwork, windows and doors, well drilling, seniors housing, and real estate all added along the way.

Today, the Joneljim Group remains rooted in Cape Breton, owned and operated by the same family that started it all.