Canada’s natural resources sector provides support to communities through donations and other contributions that make a huge difference in the lives of many Canadian families. These acts of generosity often go without the recognition they deserve.
In part four of our Resources for Good series, we feature three more recent examples of how the natural resources sector is doing its part to contribute to the well-being of families and communities across the country. Also see:
(May 2021) – To celebrate two decades of non-emission nuclear power generation in Ontario, Bruce Power donated a total of $75,000 to three organizations: Habitat for Humanity Grey Bruce, the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce and the Blyth Festival.
“We owe our success to our employees and partners, past and present, and to our surrounding communities, which have been so supportive,” explained Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power’s President and CEO. “Bruce Power and our employees are proud to support local causes and invest in the betterment of our communities.”
This generous donation will go towards building stability and self-reliance by providing shelter, protecting and promoting mental health, and supporting local performing acts in Canadian communities.
Bruce Power is no stranger to making contributions to local charities and organizations, with more than $2 million in total donations being made by the energy producer to various groups each year.
(May 2021) – Three youth groups in Kamloops set up a lemonade stand to fundraise for the Walk for Alzheimer’s, an initiative by the Alzheimer Society of B.C. to support those with the disease, their caregivers, and families.
To the fundraisers’ surprise, Derek Pickford and the Surerus Murphy Joint Venture crew - subcontractors currently working on the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion - stopped by to purchase more than $5,200 worth of lemonade!
This story is just one example of how resource workers in Canada support their communities by giving back to important causes such as the Walk for Alzheimer’s.
If you’d also like to donate to the fundraising team, you can do so on their page.
(May 2021) – Rio Tinto donated $60,000 towards a study performed by the BC Children’s Hospital to better understand how the pandemic has affected children’s mental health.
Dr. Quynh Doan, Director of Clinical Research at BC Children’s Hospital and lead researcher, developed an online survey and an electronic assessment tool to help gauge results from participants in the study.
“The pandemic has triggered concerns around the resources available to respond to the anticipated surge of mental health needs in our kids,” said Quynh.
Researchers are recruiting families in the Northern Health and Interior B.C. regions with a goal of reaching 500 or more people to participate in the study. Initial findings suggest that two-thirds of youth interviewees have had their mental health affected in some way or another by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Affonso Bizon, General Manager of Rio Tinto BC Works – albeit not a Canadian home-grown mining company – elaborated on the importance of the well-being of communities and their youth.
“When we think of health, we often think of our physical health over our mental health. Mental health and well-being is a priority for Rio Tinto and we are proud to be supporting a project that is seeking to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of youth in BC. Our support of BC Children’s Hospital, the only hospital devoted exclusively to the care of children, will benefit youth and families across BC, including communities within the Northern Health region where Rio Tinto operates,” he said.
If you or someone you know is struggling during these difficult times, know that you’re not alone and help is available through these mental health resources.
Anti-development activists will tell you that Canada’s natural resources sector is harmful to our communities, when in reality these industries contribute to the well-being of families across the country and are good for the global environment.
Canada’s natural resources sector enjoys world-leading performance on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) metrics and our country should be a global supplier of choice for oil, gas, minerals, metals, agriculture and forestry products, and everything in between!
Join us to learn more about Canada's world-class natural resource sectors on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook today! Hope to see you there!
If you have an example of how a natural resource company is giving to your local community in Canada, we would love to hear about it! Tag us @CanadaAction or #CanadaAction on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter, or send an email to [email protected] – we appreciate it!