Community spirit.
Our passion for improving quality of life in the communities where we live and work pushes us to find new and creative ways of strengthening the community.
For communities across North America – United Way
Employee generosity and company-matched contributions have raised nearly $1.5 million for United Way over the past four years. Our fourth annual United Way campaign saw an increase in employee participation over the previous year, with employee contributions reaching more than $160,000 through personal pledges, which were matched dollar-for-dollar by the company.
Employee-led fundraising events boosted the amount of money raised, bringing the 2013 campaign total to more than $345,000.
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region nominated Capital Power for two Awards of Distinction: Outstanding Campaign Committee; and Employee Campaign Chair of the Year, Private Sector. Capital Power won the award for the Employee Campaign Chair of the Year, Private Sector.
In appreciation of our military
For the third consecutive year, we sponsored Military Appreciation Night at an Edmonton Eskimos’ home game. In 2013, funds raised were donated to the Edmonton Garrison Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) in support of mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder programs.
Our employees and their families, together with volunteers from the MFRC, accepted donations from Eskimos’ fans in exchange for limited-edition “Support Our Troops” T-shirts. Almost 3,500 T-shirts were distributed by game time, and nearly $40,000 was raised. Capital Power matched these funds, resulting in a total contribution of $80,000 to the MFRC.
Over the past three years, Capital Power and Edmonton Eskimos' fans have collectively raised more than $191,000 for military charities in Edmonton. In 2011 and 2012, Valour Place received over $111,000 through this partnership. Employees who volunteered for this event were able to use their time towards the EmPowering Communities Employee Volunteer Grant
“As a non-profit society, we rely a great deal on the support of local businesses and members of our community in order to continue to provide the best quality and standard of support and resources to our military members and their families. We are grateful for this opportunity to work together with Capital Power.”
- MFRC Executive Director, Roza Parlin
Our sponsorships
Arts and Culture
For the love of art – Art Gallery of Alberta
The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), the National Gallery of Canada, and Capital Power have been working together since 2009 to bring important works of art to Alberta. The partnership was renewed for an additional three years in 2013 and will continue to bring exhibits from the National Gallery of Canada to the Edmonton community until 2015. The Capital Powered Art Program has helped to bring 12 exhibits to the AGA between 2009 and 2013.
A new program, the Capital Powered Art Acquisition Program, was created in 2013. It provides the opportunity for art lovers, enthusiasts, and visitors to the AGA to help build the gallery’s own permanent collection. People can donate funds to the program through the collection boxes at the Gallery or as tax-deductible donations. Each year, Capital Power will match the donations up to $25,000. The funds are used to purchase works primarily from living Albertan and Canadian artists.
Capital Power received the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts Award (Edmonton) for Innovative Support by a Business in the Arts at the 27th Annual Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts for our Capital Powered Art series.
The power of performance – Citadel Theatre
We were thrilled to sponsor the Citadel Theatre’s production of the Monty Python comedy “Spamalot” when it debuted to Edmonton audiences in 2013. As the best-selling performance of the 2012/13 season, it played to 95% capacity and entertained close to 20,000 patrons during its four-week run.
In 2013, Capital Power enhanced its partnership with the Citadel by committing to a three-year agreement as the Citadel’s Season Sponsor. The commitment began with the 2013/14 season and will include the Citadel’s 50th Anniversary Season starting in the fall of 2015.
“We’re very excited about our new season sponsor, Capital Power,” said Citadel Theatre Artistic Director, Bob Baker. “Capital Power has been an invaluable sponsor for a number of blockbuster productions during seasons past. They have shown true leadership and dedication to the arts and culture in our vibrant city by stepping up their commitment and investment with the Citadel Theatre.”
Generating new ways of thinking – Festival of Ideas
The University of Alberta’s Festival of Ideas is an interactive and inclusive forum that facilitates creative thinking. As the festival’s founding sponsor, Capital Power helps sustain this biennial festival with a commitment to multi-year funding through 2014.
In 2013, our partnership presented Alanis Morissette and Margaret Atwood on stage at the Winspear Centre to discuss and debate “Life, Love, Art”. The evening included dialogue and the opportunity for the audience to participate through a question and answer session. The two women had never before shared a stage, and Edmonton had the first chance to witness their dynamic chemistry.
Connecting people, places, and community – Pecha Kucha Nights
Edmonton’s NextGen is a group of young, passionate, community-minded citizens working together to connect people, places, community, and ideas. We supported NextGen’s three Pecha Kucha Nights in 2013. Each event attracted more than 500 people. The concept originated in Tokyo as a platform for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas, and show their work in public. Pecha Kucha Nights are helping the next generation of leaders contribute to the growth of Edmonton’s vibrant community.
Lighting the Bridge
In 2013, Capital Power supported Edmonton's grassroots civic campaign to light the iconic High Level Bridge. The vision of the committee is to string thousands of smart, programmable LED lights across the bridge. When the community was called on to help fund the project, Capital Power stepped up. With a contribution that represented the purchase of a bulb for every Edmonton and area Capital Power employee, we challenged other corporations to do the same. Together with over 300 businesses and nearly 11,000 individual contributions, Capital Power is part of the team that helped to achieve the goal of $2.5 million. The Bridge was lit up on Canada Day, July 1, 2014.
Health and safety
Saving lives with critical emergency response – STARS
“Capital Power believes in the value of STARS’ life-saving capabilities and its ability to provide critical emergency medical transportation and care to communities — including those locations where Capital Power has operations and where our employees and their families live.”
- Brian Vaasjo, Capital Power President & CEO
We continued our three-year partnership with STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society) to support the Critical Care and Transport Medicine Academy. STARS is an integral part of our emergency response plan at the Genesee Generating Station in Alberta.
Vital health-care education is delivered to rural and urban medical professionals through this innovative education and training opportunity. Between 2009 and 2013, the Academy graduated 111 emergency-care professionals who now have a unique and highly-specialized skill set.
Saving children’s lives – Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation
For the second year in a row, we supported the Stollery Children’s Hospital Snowflake Gala, Edmonton's only kid-friendly holiday gala offering entertainment for the whole family. The 2013 event raised $590,000, which will be used toward the purchase of the newest and best technologies toward educating children's health professionals and supporting leading-edge research in pediatrics.
In addition to our sponsorship, Capital Power employees volunteered their time in the months leading up to the event by assisting in the development of the Gala décor and set construction. Several employees also volunteered at the event by helping to execute the many different components that made the event a success.
Supporting rescue programs in North Carolina
The Roxboro Fire Department in North Carolina has a Confined Space Rescue Initiative program that benefits the local industry, which includes the Capital Power facility in Roxboro. The program is staffed exclusively by the fire department and provides training to all personnel on an ongoing basis. Capital Power supported this program in 2013 by helping to fund the purchase of equipment necessary for the training as well as the actual emergency situations. It is an essential program ensuring the safety of the community and its workforce.
Flood Recovery and Relief – Canadian Red Cross
In June 2013, Calgary experienced their largest flood in modern history. Large portions of the city were damaged and thousands of citizens were evacuated. In addition to matching employee contributions for flood relief, Capital Power contributed $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to assist in their essential recovery efforts.
Suspension bridge and trail development in Campbell River
As a major sponsor of the Campbell River Rotary Club’s TV auction, Capital Power supported the organization’s success in raising over $90,000 for the completion of a suspension bridge over Elk Falls, located in a provincial park just outside Campbell River, BC. The Elk Falls project also includes the development of two new viewing platforms and expansion to the trail system around the falls. The project will showcase one of Campbell River’s most spectacular natural wonders by providing a clear, unobstructed view of the falls and canyon.
Learning and Development
Growing careers – Young Professionals in Energy
“There is tremendous value to be had in young professionals coming together to develop, grow, share information, and gain greater understanding of the energy industry, and we are proud to support the Edmonton Chapter.”
- Brian Vaasjo, Capital Power President & CEO
Capital Power is proud to be a Founding Partner of the Edmonton Chapter of Young Professionals in Energy (YPE). Since its inception in 2012, YPE Edmonton has put on nine events with over 300 total attendees. YPE Edmonton has also sent six guest judge volunteers to support the Alberta Energy Challenge case competition hosted by the University of Alberta. YPE membership has grown to include 350 industry professionals in Edmonton during its first year. YPE has more than 20,000 members worldwide and provides networking and career development for energy-industry professionals.
Educating on local marine life in Campbell River
Opening its doors for the first time in June 2013, the Discovery Passage Sea Life Aquarium, located in the downtown core of Campbell River, B.C., contains over 30 different display tanks of marine specimens collected from the local waters of Discovery Passage. Capital Power’s support helped fund the necessary facilities, equipment, and educational programming.
Over 12,000 visitors, including 1,000 people on opening day, visited the Aquarium in 2013. The sea creatures at the aquarium are collected in the spring and released back into the ocean in the fall. During operation, salt water is pumped in from the ocean and run through the tanks to keep the temperature consistent and to provide oxygen and nutrients to the sea creatures. During the summer, the aquarium employs post-secondary students studying in a related field to act as interpreters and assist in maintaining the tanks.
A career in Trades – Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Trades Scholarship
We funded two Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Trades Scholarships in 2013:
- The Capital Power Aboriginal Scholarship
- The Capital Power Genesee-Keephills Scholarship-Instrument Technician