Greg Toth, senior director for Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project, announces a memorandum of understanding with TRU on April 7, 2015.
TRU and Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project have entered into a memorandum of understanding for a Community Benefit Agreement that will see a $550,000 contribution over 20-years toward funding annual awards for students in Trades and Social Work and Applied Research programs and the Environmental Science graduate program. The annual gift will support the growing need for education in BC’s Interior.
As part of the Community Benefits Program, Trans Mountain has been pursuing agreements with municipalities along the pipeline corridor to provide direct benefits to communities if the proposed expansion project is approved and constructed. To date, 15 agreements in 12 communities been signed along the pipeline route. Today’s MOU with TRU is the first agreement with a post-secondary institution. Additional agreements with educational institutions along the pipeline corridor are being considered as project planning continues.
“TRU is pleased to continue its longstanding relationship with Kinder Morgan,” said Christopher Seguin, TRU Vice-President Advancement. “For 21 years this company has provided bursaries to students in the area of science, engineering or technology. This agreement will expand that support to include students in trades, social work and applied research programs.”
“We believe today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders,” said Ian Anderson, President of Kinder Morgan Canada. “We are proud to support education and training programs that promote the academic interest in Trades, Environmental Stewardship, Social Work and Research, providing more opportunity for students to study in BC’s Interior.”
All agreements take effect with approval of the Expansion Project, which is in the midst of a National Energy Board review scheduled to conclude in October 2015, with possible approval in spring 2016. Upon initiating the award in 2016, Trans Mountain will receive naming rights to a classroom in the Trades and Technology Building.
About TRU
TRU now educates 13,170 learners on campus and 11,794 by distance and online, providing a total of 24,125 students with access to excellence. Our diverse student body is 11 percent Aboriginal, and includes 2,589 international students from more than 85 countries, enriching the campus culturally and academically.
Students can choose from 140 on-campus programs and 57 Open Learning programs, from trades to traditional academics, certificates to bachelor and graduate degrees, academic as well as professional career paths, plus a growing number of interdisciplinary choices.
TRU proactively supports students in achieving their individual academic and career aspirations, and offers opportunities beyond the classroom such as coop, service learning, and undergraduate research to enrich the learning experience.
Media inquiries
Christopher Sequin
Vice-President Advancement, Thompson Rivers University
Phone: 250-574-0474
Email: cseguin@tru.ca
Twitter: @MyTRU
Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project
Media Relations
Phone: 604-908-9734
or 855-908-9734
Email: media@transmountain.com
Twitter: @TransMtn
