In a landmark contribution to post-secondary education in Alberta, Imperial Oil Limited has donated a $37 million research facility to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), marking the largest corporate gift of its kind in the province’s history.
The 40,000-square-foot building, located in Calgary’s Quarry Park and newly named the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre, will officially transfer to SAIT’s management in mid-2025. The state-of-the-art lab will be used to expand SAIT’s applied research programs in energy innovation and foster deeper collaboration between industry professionals and students.
“Imperial established the first petroleum research facility in Canada more than a century ago,” said Brad Corson, Chairman and CEO of Imperial. “We are excited that this space will create new opportunities for collaborations within Alberta’s innovation ecosystem and expand SAIT’s programs to support the next generation of STEM professionals.”
The facility donation will serve as a major asset for SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) division, ranked among the top five research colleges in Canada. The centre will bring together industry and academia to tackle real-world challenges in energy development, particularly in oil sands recovery technology.
SAIT President and CEO Dr. David Ross called the gift a testament to the institution’s strong industry ties and leadership in applied research. “This donation will create meaningful opportunities for students to engage directly with experts from this vital sector,” said Ross. “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.”
Imperial plans to continue using the facility, now under SAIT’s operation, as part of its upstream research program focused on boosting efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.
The donation not only enhances SAIT’s research capabilities but also reinforces Calgary’s role as a hub for energy innovation in Canada.
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