Saturday, September 28, 2024 
Saturday, September 28, 2024
June 7, 2020
Ludba Construction has played a significant role in Canora for the majority of the town’s history, both before and after the business was incorporated.
Ludba Construction began as a dray business run by George Ludba in the early 1930s. With his horses and dray cart, Ludba hauled heavy freight loads for CN and other businesses in town, stated information provided by the Ludba family.
His sons later joined the business and the horses were replaced with trucks and loaders. About 1953, Ludba’s business became Canora Cartage and the Ludbas distributed products such as flour, oats and sugar, as well as delivering coal to businesses and homes for heat. The business grew in the 50s and 60s as the Ludbas got into construction and purchased more equipment, continued the information.
George’s son Bob, and his wife Ollie eventually took over the construction business. In 1970 they purchased the concrete plant and became incorporated as Ludba Construction Ltd, and are celebrating 50 years since incorporation, servicing Canora and surrounding area.
Bob’s son Robin, who took over the business in the 1980’s, recalls his first job at Ludba Construction at age 13.
“I was loading 50 lb fertilizer bags for grandpa at age 13,” said Ludba. “I worked for him delivering freight when I was about 14, then shortly after I would run a loader feeding the screener. My brother Geno and I would screen cement gravel for the Redi-mix plant on weekends. In the fall time I would run our large loader on a ditching project and then Geno would trim the slopes with the Cat and scraper.”
Ludba said he started working fulltime at Ludba Construction in May/1979 and has worked in many aspects of the business over the years. He continues to manage all operations and specializes in bin pads, site excavation and clearing, as well as developing lake lots for retirement homes.
Keep reading in The Canora Courier
Check out the video gallery here
