Imperial donation

October 30, 2009

Imperial Oil Foundation gives $1 million to The School of Public Policy

Donation to support analysis on energy and the environment, and new lecture series

Bruce March, chairman, president and CEO of Imperial Oil Ltd. presents $1 million cheque to Gary Durbeniuk, U of C vice-president (development) to support the new Energy for Life program within The School of Public Policy.

Calgary-based Imperial Oil Foundation will donate $1 million to The School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary to support Energy for Life—an innovative, new program that will enhance policy development and public dialogue on energy, economy and the environment.

In addition to supporting public policy research and education programs focused on energy, economy and the environment, this gift establishes the Imperial Oil Foundation Distinguished Lecture Series. This quarterly series will bring notable figures in energy and related fields to Calgary to present perspectives and contribute to the dialogue and research on energy policy issues.

“Our School of Public Policy depends on support from both the private and public sectors,” said University of Calgary President Harvey Weingarten. “Imperial Oil Foundation’s generous gift will help further our goal of making The School of Public Policy a major contributor to and influencer of public policy in this country. This new lecture series will be an excellent fit at the University of Calgary where studying energy and environmental issues is already a key priority.”

Bruce March, chairman, president and CEO of Imperial Oil Ltd., said his company is committed to supporting the dialogue and analysis that will help create effective energy-related public policy in Canada. “It’s important to all of us that we have policies that strike the right balance between the economy, the environment, and the world’s need for energy.”

Jack Mintz, director of The School of Public Policy, said the Imperial Oil Foundation’s gift would be invaluable for elevating thinking around practical policy to drive an intelligent and sustainable energy industry in Canada. “This level of community leadership helps us bridge the gap between government and business in terms of public policy and that’s what our school is all about.”

The donation and launch of the Imperial Oil Distinguished Lecture Series was kicked-off Friday, Oct. 30 with a speech by Andrew Swiger, senior vice-president and member of the management committee of Exxon Mobil Corporation on “The Outlook for Energy: The Importance of Innovation and International Cooperation in Meeting the World’s Energy Needs.”

The Imperial Oil Foundation has been a long-time supporter of the University of Calgary, contributing to various engineering disciplines, education initiatives and geology, geophysics and health care projects.

The mission of The School of Public Policy is to get public policy right in this country. This means providing a practical, global and focused approach to public policy research and education that builds policy capacity in government; enhances public policy discourse outside of government and brings a global perspective to bear on Canadian public policy theory and practice.

With a goal to being an active member of the community and to building a life-long learning system in Canada that ranks among the best in the world, Imperial Oil has been contributing to communities across Canada since 1880. In 2008, Imperial Oil contributed about $12.1 million to various programs across Canada. Supporting organizations where we live and work, the company emphasizes investment in education of math and sciences, environment, and civic and community programs where we have employees or business operations.