As founder of Bousfields, John practiced for more than 50 years as a planning consultant. He was involved in a full range of planning and development projects, including; the preparation and processing to approve official plans and amendments, zoning by-laws and amendments, site plan approvals, urban renewal studies and schemes, municipal boundary changes and development plans for new communities, brownfield sites, new business parks and wind farms covering more than 30,000 acres for both private and public sector clients, all based mainly in Southern Ontario. He had extensive experience as an expert witness before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, formerly known as the Ontario Municipal Board and was an inspirational colleague as well as an influential leader, for planning in Ontario.