Taking action in support of our vital natural resource sector

Canada's natural resources sector benefits Canadians in many different ways. Some examples include economic contributions to government revenues and jobs but also through donations to communities that often go unnoticed. As well, volunteer commitments and other community supports should all be brought into the limelight to truly appreciate the world-class natural resources sector we have here at home.

In this episode of Resources for Good, we are showcasing just how much Canada's natural resource sector and its employees contribute to the well-being of communities across the country.

Here are three more recent examples of Canadian energy companies giving back to local communities. Also see:

• Resources for Good: 17,720 lbs of Food Donated to Families
• Resources for Good: Coastal GasLink & LNG Canada
• Resources for Good: From Coast-to-Coast
• Canadian Resource Companies Donate to STARS Ambulance

Birchcliff Energy donates $1.5 million toward a new STARS helicopter

(March 2022) - Birchcliff Energy has provided STARS, the non-profit helicopter air ambulance organization serving multiple western provinces, with a donation of $1.5 million. The funding will help pay for a new H145 helicopter to support Grande Prairie and other surrounding areas.

Birchcliff Energy has said that with this donation, the company has now donated an astonishing $3.6 million to STARS over the last 15 years.

"Birchcliff is proud to be a long-term supporter of STARS," said Jeff Tonken, CEO of Birchcliff Energy. "The health and safety of our employees, our contractors and the communities where we operate is of paramount importance to Birchcliff, and STARS is a critical service that provides a vital health link to communities throughout northern Alberta. Our ability to make this gift to STARS is a direct result of the hard work and successful execution of our business plan by Birchcliff's employees," Tonken continued.

STARS relies on donations like this to remain operating and provide this essential service to people across Alberta and B.C. To learn more about what other natural resource companies have done to support STARS, click here!

ARC Resources donates $1 million to Northwestern Polytechnic

(March 2022) - ARC Resources announced a $1-million-dollar partnership with Northwestern Polytechnic to support the start-up of a Bachelor of Engineering university transfer program in Grand Prairie. The program provides students the opportunity to begin their educational journey closer to home and then eventually transfer to the University of Alberta.

"This program allows students to start their engineering degree with all the support and comforts of their community," said Bridget Hennigar, Chair of the NWP Board of Governors.

"It's good news because we know that when the education journey starts at home, it helps to foster good habits and often delivers better outcomes for those who eventually transfer to a university."

The program offers a pragmatic approach to issues seen in the community, as the surrounding areas has faced skilled labour shortages in recent years. The university transfer program supports local educational programs, with a direct link to future job opportunities ARC can offer.

Coastal GasLink donates $97,000 to non-profit agencies

(January 2022) - Eleven non-profit agencies in northern B.C. will receive a portion of $97,000 through the Coastal GasLink Legacy Fund. The Coastal GasLink Legacy Fund was created in collaboration with United Way Northern British Columbia to support the 16 communities along pipelines' route. The funding has been allocated to agencies that support food security, poverty assistance, social aid, and mental health and addictions.

The backing was made available through Coastal GasLink and prime contractors for the project. Thus includes Surerus Murphy Joint Venture, SA Energy Group, Pacific Atlantic Pipeline Construction (PAPC), Macro Spiecapag Joint Venture, Ledcor-Haisla Limited Partnership, and Aecon Group Inc.

"Due to the generosity of Coastal GasLink and its prime contractors, as well as their parent company, TC Energy, we have been able to make a real impact in communities across Northern BC with this fund! With this contribution reaching people who need support with food security services, family literacy, youth mental health, domestic violence, rehabilitative services, and more, we know it's going to make a positive difference for so many who are in need," said Trista Spencer, Executive Director, United Way of Northern BC.

Supporting Canadian Families

The above donations are just a small part of a much larger picture of what Canada's natural resource sector does for our communities here at home. We should all be proud of the industry’s commitment to producing our raw resources to the highest environmental standards on the planet while contributing immensely to our local families.

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!