Employer Login
Job Seeker Login

BoQ Business Spotlight: Tobey Developments

Anyone familiar with the industrious crew at Tobey Developments in Brighton knows that when they’re not busy building homes for the real estate market, you’re apt to find them hard at work building for charity.  A fixture in the Bay of Quinte area since 1976, when engineer Gordon Tobey first founded the business, the entire team certainly come across as people who care. 

A large group, including Bay of Quinte entrepreneurs, poses in front of construction equipment and a sign at a building site. Some wear hard hats and safety vests, while two people in the center hold a “Thank You” sign under sunny blue skies.

Locals, perhaps especially newcomers who’ve recently shopped around for a new home, might also know Tobey Developments from their neighbourhood creation, Hamilton Woods in Brighton, Ontario. Conveniently located along an easy commute between the larger centres of Kingston and Toronto, this development also lies within walking distance of Brighton’s downtown, gorgeous Brighton Bay, and the fantastic amenities of Presqu’ile Provincial Park.  And, anyone familiar with Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation’s (TMHF) fundraising efforts certainly knows about Tobey Developments’ ability to get the job done, no matter how great the task.

Modern open-concept living space with a marble kitchen island, dark cabinetry, pendant lights, and large windows—perfect for Bay of Quinte entrepreneurs seeking a cozy living area with a stone fireplace and stylish built-in shelving.

Maybe when you love a place so much, contributing to its development and well-being simply comes naturally. With her now adult children moving on to live independent lives of their own, Heather suddenly found herself with a little more time on her hands. Eager to branch out beyond her duties at work and home, she volunteered to become an active member of the TMHF Board. And when Wendy Warner, outgoing board executive director, asked for input on an ambitious fundraising idea, Heather and the entire Tobey team stepped up to the plate without hesitation.

The plan? Build an entire house, one of Tobey Development’s Grey Birch models, a no-basement style home, offering level front entry, making it perfect for people with mobility issues. Now completed, this 2250-plus-square-foot, 3-bedroom, two-bathroom, multi-patio dwelling, with attached garage and loft, hit the real estate market at just under a million dollars. The best part? One-hundred per cent of the profits from the sale will go towards expanding Trenton Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department.

“It’s been a challenge with the time commitment involved in reaching out to people”, Heather acknowledges, passing along credit to all the incredible subcontractors and suppliers, including Brighton’s Vanderland Building Products, who participated in the build. “But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and there are just so many generous people here in Brighton and the surrounding area.”

Just ask Heather Tobey, who stepped in to help manage the office when her father-in-law Gordon retired, and her husband Steven, already fully immersed in the business, took over the reins. She marvels at the great relationships developed over time with various local subcontractors and the family’s attachment to the community in general.

“Steven has lived here his entire life, and I grew up right next door in Colborne,” she chuckles, noting any time spent away revolved around university, but the duo happily returned to reside in an area that she claims offers everything, from excellent boating, to nearby wineries, great restaurants and excellent accessibility to bigger centres. “It’s a small-town feel, but with the best of all worlds.”

Two construction workers from Tobey Developments install a large window into the frame of a snow-covered house wrapped in Tyvek sheeting, with a green ladder propped nearby.

Interested in sharing your story with Work in Quinte? Click here to talk to Garrett!

Work in Quinte as a division of The Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board is committed to acknowledging, appreciating and understanding the Indigenous peoples’ historic connection to this land and to raising awareness by building relationships in collaboration with Indigenous partners and communities. 

We recognize and acknowledge that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Mississauga, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee which includes the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte) with whom we work in direct partnership with. 

This partnership focuses on the common goal of celebrating the region with the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka who are equal partners within the organization and at the Board of Directors table contributing to the mandate and operations.

This mandate includes listening to, learning from, and collaborating with the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka and actively incorporating their culture and heritage into the practice of responsible destination marketing and management of the region.

We understand that this land acknowledgement is only a small step towards the larger process of reparations and reconciliation.