The History and Evolution of Sanivac Since 1961 | Sanivac

Our Evolution

Sanivac Mergers and Acquisitions

Strong Family Values

Sanivac, a Family Business Since 1961

In 1961, John Kelly launched Sanivac, a company specializing in urban infrastructure maintenance and sanitation services. The Sanivac Group, which has spanned 3 generations of Kellys, now comprises: 425 employees, 8 branches, 275 trucks, and 15,000 sanitation units. The company is recognized by its small blue portable toilets, but Sanivac is much more than that! Hydro-excavation, septic tank and grease trap pumping, sewer and urban infrastructure cleaning, steam de-icing, all types of pumping, and rental and services of portable toilets and sanitary blocks are just some of the services offered.

1961
Sanivac - Fondation en 1961

Founding of Sanivac

John Kelly founded Sanivac in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot with the objective of offering reliable sanitary services to his community. The foundations of a sustainable family business were then established.

1982
Famille Kelly - Sanivac - fondation 1961

Transition to the second generation

Sanivac now has about ten employees and officially passes into the hands of the second generation of the Kelly family. The four brothers, Patrick, Marc, Daniel and Dennis Kelly, are now owners.

1995
Sanivac - Famille Kelly - Fondation en 1961

Move to Forest Street

To support the company’s growth, Sanivac moves to Forest Street in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, allowing operations and workspace to be optimized.

2001
100 rue huot - Sanivac - Ile-perrot

New facility at 100 Huot Street

With more than 20 employees, Sanivac undertakes the construction of new facilities and moves its offices and operations to 100 Huot Street in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot.

2006
Garage 2 - Sanivac - 100 rue huot

Expansion of the facilities at 100 Huot Street

Construction of the second garage in order to increase operational capacity and support the growth of the services offered by the company.

2011
Installation Sanivac - Transbordement

Major expansion of facilities and 50th anniversary

Sanivac celebrates its 50th anniversary while expanding its infrastructure. The size of the garage #2 is more than doubled, and a new slab, a liquid transfer system, as well as a fuel tank are added to support the growth of operations.

2012
Location de toilette portative - Sanivac

Acquisition of Cabinet Joe

Sanivac continues its expansion with the acquisition of the portable toilet company Cabinet Joe, strengthening its presence in the portable toilet market.

2016
Toilette Ecosan - Sanivac - Location de toilettes

Acquisition and innovation : Ecosan

Acquisition of the company Toilettes Express and creation of a new product : the Ecosan toilet, designed to meet the requirements of CNESST-compliant job sites.

2017
Acquisition - Sanivac - Famille Kelly

Sanivac, the 3rd generation

The third generation takes over. David, Vincent and Carole-Ann Kelly officially become owners of the family business. Read more...

2017
Bloc sanitaires - Sanivac - Location de toilettes

New service : sanitary blocks

Sanivac expands its offering with the rental of sanitary blocks, a more complete solution for job sites and events.

2018
14 rue huot - Sanivac - Atelier de bloc sanitaire

New specialized workshop

Acquisition of the building located at 14 Huot Street, in Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, which becomes the workshop dedicated to the repair and maintenance of sanitary blocks.

2019
Centre de distribution - Sanivac - 50 rue huot

Distribution center

Acquisition of the building at 50 Huot Street, Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, which will be transformed into a distribution center to support the growth of operations.

2019
Construction garage 3 - Sanivac - 100 rue huot

Construction of garage #3

Sanivac continues the expansion of its facilities with the construction of a third garage to support the increase of the fleet.

2019
Hydro-excavation - Sanivac

Launch of the hydro-excavation service

Sanivac introduces hydro-excavation, a precise and safe method for excavation around underground infrastructure.

2020
Employés - Sanivac

185 employees
The company’s growth continues and Sanivac now reaches a team of 185 employees.
2021
Cowansville - Succursale estrie - Sanivac

Sanivac establishes itself in Estrie
Sanivac acquires major facilities in Cowansville, marking the opening of its first official branch in Estrie and the beginning of its development in the region. Read more...
2022
Acquisition - Toilette Estrie -Sanivac

Provincial expansion
2022
Sherbrooke - Sanivac - Succursale Estrie

305 employees

By the end of the year, the company reaches 305 employees and acquires a new garage in Sherbrooke, confirming its rapid growth across Quebec. Read more...

2022
Location de roulottes sanitaires - Sanivac

New service : restroom trailers

Sanivac adds the rental of restroom trailers to its offering in order to meet the needs of larger-scale events and job sites.

2023
Sanivac Québec - Succursales Lévis

Expansion in the Capitale-Nationale region

Acquisition of a garage and office in Lévis to establish a strategic presence in the Quebec City region. Read more...

2023
Acquisition Solutech - Sanivac

New acquisitions
Sanivac continues its growth with the acquisition of Ottawa Toilet Rental, Cabinet Joseph and Groupe Solutech.
2023
Excavac - Acquisition Sanivac

Acquisition of Excavac
Sanivac acquires Excavac, a company specializing in hydro excavation located in Saint-Hyacinthe, becoming a sister company with which it collaborates closely. Read more...
2023
Employés Sanivac

468 employees
The company ends the year with a team of 468 employees spread across several regions and 6 branches in Île-Perrot, Saint-Jérôme, Gatineau, Cowansville, Sherbrooke and Quebec City.
2025
Location de conteneur - Sanivac

New service : container rental
Sanivac lance son service de location de conteneurs afin d’offrir une solution complète pour les chantiers et les projets de construction. Lire plus.

2025
Acquisition Conteneur Paco - Location de conteneurs - Sanivac

Acquisition of Conteneur Paco
Sanivac acquires Conteneur Paco in the Laurentides to support the growth of its container division. Read more.
2025
Siege social - Sanivac - Groupe Kelly

New headquarters
Acquisition of land and a building at 30 boulevard Don-Quichotte in Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot for the development of the company’s future headquarters. Read more.
2025
Succursale Valleyfield - Sanivac

New garage in Valleyfield
Construction of a new garage at 5270 avenue Pierre-Dansereau in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield to support regional growth. Read more.
2025
Succursale Laval - Sanivac

Expansion in Laval
Acquisition of a garage and a place of business in Laval to strengthen service offerings on the North Shore and in the Laurentides. Read more.
2025
La conception - Succursales hautes-Laurentides - Sanivac

Expansion in the Hautes-Laurentides
Acquisition of a garage and a place of business in La Conception to expand Sanivac’s presence in the Laurentians. Read more.
2026
65 ans D'histoire - Sanivac - Famille Kelly

550 employees and 65 years of history
Sanivac now has more than 550 employees across its various branches, continuing its growth throughout Quebec and Ontario. This year also marks the 65th anniversary of the family business founded in 1961. Read more.
Sanivac - 65 ans - depuis 1961

65 years of history. 65 years of passion. 65 years building the future.

In 1961, in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, John Kelly founded Sanivac with a simple, yet ambitious idea : to offer reliable and accessible sanitary services to his community. ...
Learn more →
Sanivac

Sanivac strengthens its presence in the Laurentians with the acquisition of Paco Transport

Sanivac strengthens its presence in the Laurentians with the acquisition of Paco Transport On October 6, Sanivac reached another significant milestone in its growth by ...
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Sanivac continues its expansion with the construction of a new branch in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield

Sanivac’s growth continues, driven by a clear vision, a rigorous field approach, and a constant desire to improve its facilities to better serve its clientele. ...
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Sanivac continues its growth with the opening of a new branch in La Conception

Last December 9th marked a significant new milestone in Sanivac’s history. To conclude the year 2025, the company acquired land and a garage in La ...
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Sanivac continues its growth with the acquisition of its 9th branch in Laval

On October 24, 2025, Sanivac announces the acquisition of a new industrial property in Laval, which will officially become its 9th branch in Quebec. With ...
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Sanivac

VACFORCE: A dream come true in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot

October 8, 2025, marks an important date for Groupe Sanivac. In front of clients, partners, suppliers, and gathered employees, the company officially inaugurated its brand-new ...
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Sanivac

A new era is beginning for the Sanivac Group: the birth of the future Sanivac Campus

A new era is beginning for the Sanivac Group: the birth of the future Sanivac Campus The Sanivac Group is taking another major step in ...
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Location de conteneurs étanches - Sanivac

Container Rental: Sanivac Launches a New Turnkey Service

Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, April 29, 2025 — Sanivac is proud to announce the launch of its brand-new division specializing in container rentals for construction sites. Whether for ...
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Locabec devient Sanivac

Sanivac expands in Outaouais with the acquisition of Locabec.

Sanivac, a family-owned Quebec-based company, is proud to announce a major milestone: the acquisition of Équipements Locabec’s portable toilet division in Outaouais! Équipements Locabec has ...
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Accordion Content

Sanivac offers a complete solution for the maintenance of urban, sanitary, and environmental infrastructures. Our main services include :

  • Rental and maintenance of portable toilets (including restroom trailers, sanitary blocks, and accessible units)
  • Rental of containers and Frac Tank reservoirs
  • Septic tank pumping
  • Grease trap pumping
  • General pumping and cleaning services
  • Unclogging and cleaning of garage drains, pump stations, and much more.
  • Hydro Excavation
  • On-site de-icing
  • Tanker and agri-food transport
  • Cleaning and unclogging of sewers, catch basins, and other urban infrastructure.

We provide services for construction sites, municipalities, outdoor events, food industries, schools, shopping centers, farms, and private residences.

👉 Discover all our services: sanivac.ca/services

The answer depends on the region you’re in! Thanks to our 8 branches located strategically across Quebec and Ontario, Sanivac serves a very large territory, including :

  • Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Estrie, Lanaudière, the Laurentides, Mauricie, and the Capitale-Nationale region

  • The Outaouais and Ottawa regions through our Gatineau and Ottawa offices

This regional presence allows us to ensure fast service, optimized logistics, and genuine proximity to our clients.

📍 Check out our service map here : sanivac.ca/nos-succursales

Absolutely. Sanivac is known for having the largest inventory in Quebec, with over 15,000 sanitation units, including :

  • standard chemical toilets
  • multi-unit sanitary blocks
  • restroom trailers with showers
  • unités haut de gamme pour mariages et festivals

Our units are available for short- or long-term rental, always delivered clean, inspected, and maintained on a customized schedule.

👉 Explore our sanitary solutions : sanivac.ca/location-toilettes

Yes. We use high-pressure combo trucks for cleaning pipes, unclogging catch basins, garage drains, and even storm and sanitary conduits in underground infrastructure.

This service is essential in spring and fall, especially for commercial buildings, schools, municipalities, and shopping centers that need to prevent backups and flooding.

🚨 Need a rapid response ?
👉 Submit your request here !

Yes. Sanivac offers septic tank pumping and maintenance services, mainly in rural areas or for cottages not connected to municipal sewers. We also service holding tanks, sealed tanks, catch basins, valve chambers, grease traps, and more.

We send maintenance reminders and adjust the frequency based on usage and municipal regulations.

💧 Schedule your maintenance here : sanivac.ca/fosse-septique

Yes. Our team is available for emergency interventions, whether it’s an overflow, a clogged drain, or critical equipment that is no longer functioning. Thanks to our fleet of more than 375 specialized trucks, we can respond quickly based on priority and geographic area.

📞 In case of emergency : 1 888 767-1961

You can request a quote online in just a few clicks on our website. Simply choose the service you’re interested in and fill out the form. A member of our team will contact you shortly to confirm your needs and propose a suitable solution.

📩 Request your quote here : sanivac.ca/demande-de-soumission

Yes! Sanivac is a Quebec family-owned business founded in 1961, now led by the third generation of the Kelly family. Although we now operate through 8 branches and have over 435 employees, we’ve maintained our sense of closeness, strong service values, and local commitment.

👉 Discover our story : sanivac.ca/a-propos

Sanivac offers a complete solution for the maintenance of urban, sanitary, and environmental infrastructures. Our main services include :

  • Rental and maintenance of portable toilets (including restroom trailers, sanitary blocks, and accessible units)
  • Rental of containers and Frac Tank reservoirs
  • Septic tank pumping
  • Grease trap pumping
  • General pumping and cleaning services
  • Unclogging and cleaning of garage drains, pump stations, and much more.
  • Hydro Excavation
  • On-site de-icing
  • Tanker and agri-food transport
  • Cleaning and unclogging of sewers, catch basins, and other urban infrastructure.

We provide services for construction sites, municipalities, outdoor events, food industries, schools, shopping centers, farms, and private residences.

👉 Discover all our services: sanivac.ca/services

The answer depends on the region you’re in! Thanks to our 8 branches located strategically across Quebec and Ontario, Sanivac serves a very large territory, including :

  • Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Estrie, Lanaudière, the Laurentides, Mauricie, and the Capitale-Nationale region

  • The Outaouais and Ottawa regions through our Gatineau and Ottawa offices

This regional presence allows us to ensure fast service, optimized logistics, and genuine proximity to our clients.

📍 Check out our service map here : sanivac.ca/nos-succursales

Absolutely. Sanivac is known for having the largest inventory in Quebec, with over 15,000 sanitation units, including :

  • standard chemical toilets
  • multi-unit sanitary blocks
  • restroom trailers with showers
  • unités haut de gamme pour mariages et festivals

Our units are available for short- or long-term rental, always delivered clean, inspected, and maintained on a customized schedule.

👉 Explore our sanitary solutions : sanivac.ca/location-toilettes

Yes. We use high-pressure combo trucks for cleaning pipes, unclogging catch basins, garage drains, and even storm and sanitary conduits in underground infrastructure.

This service is essential in spring and fall, especially for commercial buildings, schools, municipalities, and shopping centers that need to prevent backups and flooding.

🚨 Need a quick intervention ?
👉 Submit a request here : sanivac.ca/nettoyage-egouts

Yes. Sanivac offers septic tank pumping and maintenance services, mainly in rural areas or for cottages not connected to municipal sewers. We also service holding tanks, sealed tanks, catch basins, valve chambers, grease traps, and more.

We send maintenance reminders and adjust the frequency based on usage and municipal regulations.

💧 Schedule your maintenance here : sanivac.ca/fosse-septique

Yes. Our team is available for emergency interventions, whether it’s an overflow, a clogged drain, or critical equipment that is no longer functioning. Thanks to our fleet of more than 375 specialized trucks, we can respond quickly based on priority and geographic area.

📞 In case of emergency : 1 888 767-1961

You can request a quote online in just a few clicks on our website. Simply choose the service you’re interested in and fill out the form. A member of our team will contact you shortly to confirm your needs and propose a suitable solution.

📩 Request your quote here : sanivac.ca/demande-de-soumission

Yes! Sanivac is a family-owned Quebec company founded in 1961, now led by the third generation of the Kelly family. Even though we now operate through 8 branches and have more than 435 employees, we’ve maintained our sense of closeness, strong service values, and local commitment.

👉 Discover our story : sanivac.ca/a-propos

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Location de conteneurs-Sanivac
New service !
Container rentals

Turnkey service for your job sites. Fast delivery and multiple formats to suit all your needs !