Ottawa Construction News staff writer
Friends, family, and colleagues from Ottawa’s construction industry are gathering tonight (Feb. 6) to honour the memory of Lino Bassi and support the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
The Lino Bassi Gala, hosted by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation, takes place Friday evening as a highlight of the city’s Heart Month celebrations.
Bassi, the founder and president of BGC Construction & Restoration Ltd., died in January 2025 at the age of 54. A respected figure in the local industry, he established BGC in 2014, continuing a family legacy in the trades that began with his father in the 1950s. Colleagues remember him for his integrity and for treating clients and employees like family.
Merkley Supply Ltd., a long-time supporter of the Heart Institute, highlighted the event in a recent statement.
“It’s a fitting way to honour someone who meant a great deal to many of us,” the company said. “He’s someone we remember often and speak about fondly.”
The gala coincides with the foundation’s “Light the Capital Red” campaign, an annual initiative where businesses, landmarks, and homes across Ottawa are illuminated in red to raise awareness for cardiovascular health.
Merkley Supply is marking the month by participating in the lighting campaign and accepting donations for the Heart Institute at its carriage showroom on Carriage Hill Place.
Funds raised from the gala and associated Heart Month initiatives support patient care and research at the institute.
“The Lino Bassi Gala… is a chance to gather, remember Lino, and support the work of the heart institute,” Merkley Supply stated.
February is universally recognized as Heart Month, a time when the institute launches key fundraising and awareness campaigns, including the goal to screen one million Canadians for heart health risks.
