Ollon and Sutherland Corporation: Built for Smarter Growth

At Ollon, we believe that growth does not have to mean slowing down to build everything from scratch. It means being intentional about who you bring into your orbit and why. That philosophy is what led us to formalize a consulting relationship with Sutherland Corporation, a Markham-based public affairs firm with deep roots in Canadian government at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.

This is not a traditional partnership in the conventional sense. There is no joint brand, no shared service offering, and no merged team. What it is is more practical: a strategic consulting arrangement designed to open doors, sharpen our municipal- market approach, and help Ollon move quickly and credibly into territory we are actively prioritizing.

Why Consulting Relationships Are a Growth Strategy

For companies looking to scale, especially into new sectors or geographies, the instinct is often to hire. Bring the expertise in-house. Build the team. Create the capacity. But this approach takes time and capital that growth-phase companies often cannot afford to spend slowly.

Strategic consulting relationships offer a different model. You engage specialists who already have the networks, the credibility, and the on-the-ground knowledge you need. You move faster. You access rooms you would otherwise spend years trying to enter. And you do it without the overhead of a full internal build-out.

This is the approach we have championed at Ollon. Our focus is on identifying consulting and collaboration relationships that position us to scale efficiently and with purpose. The relationship with Sutherland Corporation began with an introduction from Susan Campbell, Director of Partnerships, who pursued to assess fit, and what started as an exploratory conversation with Managing Partner Daniel Bordonali has grown into a consulting engagement that the broader Ollon team is now actively building on.

Introducing Sutherland Corporation

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Sutherland Corporation is a full-service public affairs firm specializing in communications and government relations across all three levels of government in Canada. With representation across the country and direct experience inside government at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels levels, their team knows how to develop the right strategy and message, and how to effect meaningful policy change.

Led by Managing Partner Dan Bordonali, whose government-side experience gives the firm a perspective that is difficult to replicate, the Sutherland team includes former elected officials and City Hall and Queen's Park staff. That background provides genuine insight into how decisions are made, who holds influence, and what it takes for a technology company to be taken seriously in public sector conversations.

"As a technology company, we know how to build the right solutions. What Sutherland gives us is the ability to put those solutions in front of the right people, at the right time, within environments that require trust and relationships to navigate. That combination is what makes this consulting relationship genuinely exciting for where Ollon is headed."

— Chris Ellefson, Founder and CTO, Ollon

What This Consulting Relationship Looks Like in Practice

Sutherland is supporting Ollon in navigating municipal government environments across Ontario, specifically by helping us promote our AI and ERP solutions to cities and towns seeking to create operational efficiencies and improve constituent-facing services.

In practical terms, that means introductions to public officeholders, guidance on the policy and procurement landscape, and advice on positioning our technology solutions to resonate with municipal decision-makers.

Sutherland brings a ground-level understanding of how municipal governments think, what they prioritize, and where technology fits into their planning cycles. That context has strengthened how we approach and serve clients operating in that space.

Why This Approach Makes Sense for Companies Looking to Grow

What makes this arrangement work is the clarity of roles. Sutherland does not build software. Ollon does not navigate government affairs. Each party brings a defined strength, and that clarity is what makes the collaboration productive.

Sutherland brings credibility with the government, communications expertise, and a cross-referral opportunity that benefits both firms. Their clients, many of whom operate in government-adjacent spaces, increasingly need technology advisory and software solutions. Ollon clients pursuing digital transformation with a public sector dimension benefit from Sutherland's ability to manage stakeholder communications and navigate regulatory pathways.

Both organizations are small- to mid-size, privately held, GTA-based firms. That alignment in scale and culture means we move at a similar pace and communicate directly.

A Model Worth Considering

We share this not just as an announcement but as a perspective on how growth-minded companies can approach scaling. Building everything internally is one path. The consulting relationship model, where each party brings a defined strength and creates genuine value for the other's clients, is often a faster and more practical way to break into new territory.

At Ollon, we are committed to that kind of intentional growth. We are glad to be working with Dan Bordonali and the Sutherland team, and we look forward to the client conversations this relationship will support.

Susan Campbell, Director of Business Marketing & Strategic Partnerships, Ollon.

To learn more about Sutherland Corporation, visit www.sutherlandcorp.ca