Every month, the Canadian Polyurea & Protective Coatings Association highlights a member whose work exemplifies the highest standards of craftsmanship, innovation, and community impact. This month, we’re proud to spotlight Northern Shield Coatings of Prince George, British Columbia.
From Framing Hammer to Spray Gun
Owner and head applicator Dave Markowski spent 12 years in the construction trades before discovering polyurea at a trade show in Vancouver in 2014. “I saw this guy spray a truck bed liner in 45 seconds and it was rock solid almost immediately,” he recalls. “I thought — if this technology can do that for a truck, what could it do for a bridge deck or a water tank?”
That question led Dave to invest in training, equipment, and eventually found Northern Shield Coatings in 2016. Today, the company employs 11 people and has completed over 340 projects across Northern BC, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.
Specializing Where Others Won’t Go
Northern Shield has carved out a niche in remote and extreme-environment applications — exactly the conditions that make other coatings fail. Their portfolio includes:
- Secondary containment systems for mining operations in the Yukon
- Manhole rehabilitation for 23 municipalities in BC and the territories
- Water cistern lining for remote communities and fly-in First Nations reserves
- Bridge deck waterproofing on structures accessible only by logging road
The remote work brings unique challenges. “On a mine site 400 km from the nearest city, you can’t just drive back for a fitting,” Dave explains. “Everything has to be perfect the first time.” That’s why his team carries a full complement of spare parts, always conducts pre-job equipment checks with a 47-point checklist, and runs trial passes on mock substrates at each job site before touching the real structure.
The Technology Behind the Results
Northern Shield primarily uses 100% solids, fast-set aromatic polyurea systems for infrastructure applications, and aliphatic systems for UV-exposed surfaces like bridge decks. “The chemistry difference matters enormously,” Dave says. “You wouldn’t use an aromatic system on a deck that gets direct sunlight — the colour stability just isn’t there.”
For cistern applications, his team follows a strict protocol: SSPC-SP 13 surface prep, a primed penetrating epoxy sealer, followed by a minimum 80-mil DFT polyurea topcoat. The system has been specified by two BC First Nations communities for their primary drinking water storage — a responsibility Dave doesn’t take lightly.
To learn more about cistern applications, read our comprehensive guide: Sealing Every Drop: Why Polyurea Is Becoming the Go-To Liner for Modern Cisterns.
What CPCA Membership Means to Northern Shield
“The CPCA network is invaluable. I can call any member across the country, and if they’ve dealt with a problem I’m facing, they’ll share what they know. There’s no gatekeeping.” Dave has presented at three CPCA chapter workshops in the past two years and regularly mentors applicators coming into the industry.
He’s also an advocate for the CPCA’s certification program. “Having a Canadian Polyurea Specialist designation means something to our municipal clients. They want to know the person spraying their drinking water tank knows what they’re doing.”
Connect With Northern Shield
Northern Shield Coatings is a Certified Member of the CPCA and holds a Class A contractor license in British Columbia. They are available for project consultations across Western Canada and the territories.
Are you a CPCA member with an exceptional story? Contact us to be considered for a future Member Spotlight feature.