Elevating the Lift Industry is All in a Day’s Work for Jason Brown

In search of adventure, Jason Brown once planned a career in law enforcement while studying criminology in college. Little did he know he’d find more than enough excitement in the world of crane inspection.

His detour from criminology to cranes began after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said he needed a few more years of life experience before joining their ranks. So, Jason took a job at Commercial Truck Equipment, a Vancouver-based manufacturer of lift equipment. As a lifelong “gearhead,” he enjoyed the chance to build and test lift devices ranging from truck mounted cranes to bucket trucks.

“My dad built houses, so I grew up around construction. I was always a very hands-on, mechanical person,” he says. “As a teenager, I loved wrenchin’ on cars with my buddies, so the job at the trucking company was a natural fit.”

One of his co-workers at the trucking company — an engineer —noticed Jason’s mechanical aptitude and encouraged him to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. Seeing the wisdom in this advice, Jason enrolled at British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver.

While a student, he began doing drafting work in the evenings for Kova Engineering in Surrey, and joined the company full time after graduating. (Today, Kova is a subsidiary of Industrial Inspection & Analysis.) Soon, Jason found ways to blend his engineering design role with hands-on work in the field.

“Early in my career, I started getting an itch to get my hands on equipment, so I began going out and doing inspections,” says Jason. “I did a lot of hybrid jobs that required both engineering and inspection — I would design spreader bars or man baskets, then inspect them and report my findings.”

To support his field work, Jason became Canadian Welding Bureau Level 3 Certified Welding Inspector, as well as Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) certified in Level 1 Ultrasonic Testing and Level 2 Magnetic Particle Testing.

His time in the field brought Jason the adventure he craved through encounters with fascinating people, projects, and places across Canada — from ice roads to wind mills to run-of-the-river (ROR) projects to remote mining operations.

One of his most memorable job assignments took him to a gold mine in northern British Columbia, located hundreds of kilometers into the bush. With a large 400-person base camp at the foot of a glacier, the heavily secured mine sat amidst 5 majestic mountains known as the Valley of Kings.  

“I had to drive over a glacier with an escort to get to the mine site. You can’t get out of your vehicle because of the risk of ice cavities underneath the road,” recalls Jason. “They had a full gold smelting plant right on site and were pouring bars and flying them out in helicopters. It’s one of those places you would never know existed unless you’d been there. It was really cool.”

After several years of heavy travel, Jason shifted focus to engineering work in the Surrey office so he could spend more time with his young family. Today, he is father to an active young son and daughter and “hockey is life right now,” he says with a laugh. When he’s not at the rink, Jason enjoys camping and salmon fishing.

Always ready with a smile, Jason has proven himself a highly versatile team member, in the office and in the field.

“I used to joke that I was Kova’s Swiss army knife because I moved from department to department, learning as much as I could,” he says. “I could jump into any role or position they needed at time.”  

That wealth of experience serves him well in his current role as Principal Technical & Regulatory Lead, where Jason provides expertise and insight to help shape Canada’s crane industry and keep customers in compliance.

As a member of the technical committee for the Canadian Crane Rental Association (CCRA), Jason works with manufacturers around the world to create best practice guidelines for crane operation. He also serves on several Canadian Standard Association (CSA) committees addressing mobile crane safety (CSA Z150 & Z150.3); vehicle-mounted aerial lift safety (CSA C225); and is vice chair of the committee for tower crane safety (CSA Z248).

“It’s important for us to have a seat at the table when regulations are being developed or revised. It helps us prepare for what’s coming and offer practical, in-field experience around what can realistically be achieved,” says Jason, who has become a leading voice in the crane industry. “Every province in Canada has different regulations, and some are taking very drastic steps to completely change the way crane inspections are handled. Keeping on top of it is more important than ever.”

In recognition of his contributions to the industry, the CCRA selected Jason as one of their Top 10 under 40 in 2026.

From the majesty of the Canadian wilderness to manmade marvels that inspire his mechanical mind, Jason has found unexpected adventure in his 15-year career in the crane industry. He remains passionate about the profession he never planned on.

“I never thought that cranes could lead to the adventure that I’ve had in my career,” says Jason, who works tirelessly to elevate the industry. “What we do in the crane industry is safety critical, and that has never weighed lightly on me.”