James MacRae

James is president and founding partner of verTerra Corp., an Ottawa-based real estate and infrastructure development management consultancy. Since incorporation in 2009, verTerra has successfully managed more than $800 million of capital real estate projects across Canada. 

James’ career in the real estate development, design, and construction industry spans 25 years and has included many significant, large-scale local and national projects. It has provided James a diverse knowledge range and management capability in all aspects of real estate and infrastructure delivery. Prior to establishing verTerra in 2009, James held senior management positions with major national and international corporations, including Brookfield GIS, HOK Canada, PCL Constructors Canada, and Peter Kiewit and Sons.

James has a diploma in architectural technology, is a Project Management Professional, LEED Accredited and a Certified Risk Management Analyst. James is active in the industry with memberships in the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships, Canadian Design Build Institute, Project Management Institute, Canadian Green Building Council, Canadian Construction Association, and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. 

James is an Ottawa native and an ardent advocate for mental health care in Ottawa. He has been a board member for The Royal’s Volunteers for 8 years and is in his second term as their president. James (and his firm verTerra) is also the founding sponsor of Cracking Up the Capital, an annual comedy festival that supports mental health care organizations in Ottawa. Recently, James and his wife Anastasia committed to a multi-year donation to the Ottawa Art Gallery to fund the creation of an art therapy program for mental illness recovery.