A story about immigration, craftsmanship, and a tree that means home.
Mario Keedy arrived in Canada from Lebanon carrying little more than a set of tools and a trade passed down through his family. He started out doing finishing carpentry and small renovation jobs around Ottawa, earning a reputation one homeowner at a time for work that was honest, careful, and built to outlast the warranty.
Years later, that reputation became Cedrus Construction. The name comes from Cedrus libani, the cedar of Lebanon — the tree at the centre of the Lebanese flag, and the same wood his grandfather worked with back home. For Mario, the cedar tree is more than a symbol of where he's from. It's the standard he holds every project to: strong roots, a straight grain, and the patience to grow slowly instead of cutting corners.
Cedar is famous for two things: it resists rot and warping better than almost any other wood, and it takes its time to grow strong. Mario built the company around those same values.
Every project starts with the fundamentals done right — proper permits, sound structure, and materials suited to our climate.
What you're quoted is what you pay. No hidden change orders, no shortcuts hidden behind drywall.
We'd rather take the extra day to get a detail right than rush a job that will need redoing in five years.
Mario's family has worked with wood and stone for generations, in a country where the cedar forests have been protected and replanted for thousands of years. When he immigrated to Canada, he brought that same respect for materials and craftsmanship with him — along with the belief that a builder's word should be worth as much as his blueprint.
Today, Cedrus Construction is a small, owner-run crew serving homeowners across Ottawa. Mario is still on site for every project, from the first walk-through to the final coat of paint.
Book a free consultation and see the cedar standard for yourself.
