Imperial’s $37M donation expands to students and STEM

Imperial and SAIT celebrated Imperial’s historic $37M donation of a 40,000 sq. foot lab space to SAIT — the largest corporate gift ever to an Alberta post-secondary institution — called the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre.
Imperial announced an expansion of its partnership with SAIT through the newly named Imperial Innovative Student Project Fund, investing $300,000 to support student-led research solving real-world problems.
These partnerships build on Imperial’s long-standing legacy of research and innovation in the energy industry, with more than $2B invested in technology development over the last two decades.

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On September 4, company representatives, academia, government and media gathered at the celebration of Imperial’s $37M donation of the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre to SAIT, announced in May.

The Imperial Energy Innovation Centre is a 40,000 sq. ft. facility dedicated to applied energy research and industry collaboration. It will serve as a hub for advancing upstream technologies, improving efficiencies and driving sustainability in Canada’s energy sector.

The donation marks the largest corporate gift to any post-secondary institution in Alberta and on September 4, Imperial announced an expansion of its partnership with SAIT via a new donation that supports student research and STEM.

Imperial Innovative Student Project Fund

Imperial is proud to announce a new $300,000 investment in student innovation through the newly named Imperial Innovative Student Project Fund — a fund designed to empower SAIT students to transform bold ideas into practical solutions.

"Following on our $37M donation of the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre – the single largest corporate gift to a post-secondary institution in Alberta – we are pleased to extend the positive impact for students through the new Imperial Innovative Student Project Fund," says John Whelan, Chairman, President and CEO, Imperial. "This new fund extends our partnership with SAIT and its students, expands student research opportunities and supports the next generation of STEM leaders.”

This fund will support hands-on research across a range of disciplines, helping students apply classroom learning to real-world challenges. From developing new water filtration techniques to enhancing building materials, past student projects have already demonstrated the power of applied research to drive meaningful change.

What the fund supports:

Student-led capstone projects focused on innovation and problem-solving
Opportunities for students to collaborate with industry and academia
Research that benefits society and strengthens Canada’s energy and technology sectors

A shared vision for the future

Imperial has a long-standing legacy of research and innovation, with more than $2 billion invested in technology development over the past two decades. From pioneering Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage to drilling Canada’s first horizontal well, the company continues to push boundaries in energy innovation.

Together with partners like SAIT, we’re building a future powered by curiosity, capability and collaboration.