Imperial Oil Donates $37-million Lab To Sait For Energy Research

Imperial Oil has donated a $37-million lab at Calgary’s Quarry Park to the city’s Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), a local college, to help expand applied research in the energy sector.

SAIT is expected to take control of the 40,000-sq. ft. facility, named the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre, later this year. Imperial, majority owned by American oil giant ExxonMobil, will continue to use the lab for “increasing efficiencies” and lowering the environmental impact of its business. Its work includes recovering lands used for oil sands.

“The new Imperial Energy Innovation Centre will help drive the next generation of energy research—fostering innovation and bringing together leading industry professionals with top researchers in their fields.”

David Ross
President,
SAIT

In addition to spurring research, the gift is meant to widen opportunities for collaboration between industry and academics. It also intends to provide more chances for student training. Imperial claims this is the largest corporate post-secondary gift ever given in Alberta.

“The new Imperial Energy Innovation Centre will help drive the next generation of energy research — fostering innovation and bringing together leading industry professionals with top researchers in their fields,”  SAIT president David Ross said.

SAIT was established in 1916 and was Canada’s first publicly funded technical institute. It has played a growing role in Alberta’s bid to become a technology hub, receiving funding from Alberta’s Innovation and Growth Strategy (IGS) as well as benefactors like investment mogul David Bissett.

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The donation comes over a year after Alberta pledged $55 million for a science and technology hub at the University of Calgary, and just days after the XPrize Foundation designated that same university as its first international hub.

Calgary has grown its reputation as a Canadian technology centre in recent years.The city’s Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF) recently greenlit a $60 million, four-year plan to invest in area businesses. It has also drawn interest from major international companies looking to establish Canadian offices, including Fortinet and IBM.

Feature image courtesy of Igor Kyryliuk on Unsplash.

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