BMO Financial Group Announces Largest Donation in its History in Lethbridge
Higher learning and environmental sustainability supported with Lethbridge College gift from BMO
BMO Financial Group today announced a major donation of $400,000 to Lethbridge College. The gift, the largest in the Bank’s history in Lethbridge, makes BMO an establishing partnerin the Green Careers Strategy within the College’s International Wind Energy Academy (IWEA).
“Companies like ours have a responsibility to take a leadership role in environmental sustainability - to go where our customers are going,” said Robert Hayes, Senior Vice-President, Prairies Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. “This means that we must adopt environmental best practices into everything we do as well as support those organizations such as Lethbridge College who are leading the way in green careers education.”
This gift is also in keeping with BMO’s corporate core values and commitment to education and lifelong learning.
“Lethbridge College is looking towards a future of sustainable partnerships within our community in order to continue building a green, global and socially responsible workforce,” said Dr. Tracy Edwards, president and CEO of Lethbridge College. “We’re proud to partner with BMO Financial Group to give these opportunities to our students.”
About Lethbridge College’s Green Careers Strategy
The Green Careers Strategy will create an atmosphere of innovation in the development of sustainable energy and focus on preparing a workforce for the next generation of employment in wind energy. In addition to its Wind Turbine Technician program, Lethbridge College is currently developing a small wind turbine technician program which focuses on the use of small turbines (60kW or less) for residential and small business applications. Both programs will help build the regional capacity to attract and develop new industry in southern Alberta that supports the wind energy generation.
About BMO Financial Group
Since its founding in 1817 as Bank of Montreal – Canada’s first bank - BMO Financial Group has been committed to corporate and social responsibility and the principles of sustainable development. In 2009, BMO contributed $55 million in corporate donations, sponsorships and events, to thousands of charities and not-for-profit organizations across Canada and the United States.
BMO has been making great strides on the environmental sustainability front – and in certain areas is leading the pack among Canadian Financial Institutions. In August 2010 BMO Financial Group announced that it had achieved carbon neutrality relative to its energy and transportation footprint for its worldwide operations.