MISSISSAUGA,ON, Dec. 1, 2021 /CNW/
- Bird Construction Inc. ("Bird") and Colleges and Institutes
Canada ("CICan"), in partnership with Paul
and Gerri Charette, are pleased to announce the
establishment of the Bird Construction/Paul and Gerri Charette
Endowment Fund ("the Fund"). This will ensure the ongoing financing
of a brand-new bursary offered to Indigenous students across the
country.
The Fund has been established to advance reconciliation and
empower Indigenous individuals and communities by removing barriers
to education for learners, while promoting a culture of respect and
inclusion.
Thanks to the support of Bird and the Charettes, who both
provided $100,000 in funding, CICan
will be able to provide financial support, by way of bursaries, to
Indigenous students attending a college or institute in
Canada. It will help individuals
who demonstrate financial need and who face greater challenges and
barriers to participate in and complete post-secondary
education.
The Fund of $200,000, will be held
in perpetuity with annual disbursements. For the 2021-2022 school
year, the first distribution of the Bird Construction/Paul and
Gerri Charette Fund will include four bursaries of $2,500 each. For future years, the number and the
amount of bursaries will be dependent on the investment income
generated by the Fund.
Students and their institutions can find more information
about the application process for the Bursary at
www.collegesinstitutes.ca.
Quotes:
"We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of
Paul Charette, as well as Bird. This
fund, and the bursaries it will allow us to distribute every year,
will make a real difference in the lives of Indigenous students
across the country. We know that education has a critical role to
play as we work towards reconciliation. That is why partnerships
like these, that help us remove barriers to access, are so
important."
Denise Amyot, President and
CEO, CICan
"Many years ago, I benefitted from a bursary and it changed my
life. I am pleased to be in a position to give back and to support
Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education. The students
of today are our next generation of young leaders, and I am looking
forward to their positive impacts and achievements over the coming
years."
Paul and Gerri
Charette
"Bird strives to be a positive contributor to the overall
well-being of Indigenous peoples across Canada, including being committed to building
an equitable and inclusive future. I am pleased to establish this
Fund as a meaningful way to support Indigenous students. Mr.
Paul Charette has been an integral
part of Bird for many years and has been a tireless supporter and
champion of college and institute education and we are honoured to
support this Fund in his name."
Teri McKibbon, President and
CEO of Bird
This press release contains forward-looking information (as
defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation) that
involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to
materially differ from those expressed or implied by the
forward-looking information.
The Toronto Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information contact:
T.L. McKibbon, President & CEO or
W.R. Gingrich, CFO
Bird Construction Inc.
5700 Explorer Drive, Suite 400
Mississauga, ON L4W 0C6
Phone: (905) 602-4122
About Bird Construction
Bird (TSX:BDT)
is a leading Canadian construction company operating from
coast-to-coast and servicing all of Canada's major markets. Bird provides a
comprehensive range of construction services from new construction
for industrial, commercial, institutional, and civil infrastructure
markets; to industrial maintenance, repair and operations services,
heavy civil construction, and mine support services; as well as
vertical infrastructure including, electrical, mechanical, and
specialty trades. For over 100 years, Bird has been a
people-focused company with an unwavering commitment to safety and
a high level of service that provides long-term value for all
stakeholders. www.bird.ca
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and
Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada's publicly supported colleges,
institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in
education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25
countries. CICan's members add over $190B to Canada's economy each year and contribute to
inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community
partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban,
rural, remote, and northern communities.
About Paul Charette
Paul A. Charette has over 50 years
of experience in construction, having been active involved with
Bird Construction as well as many industry associations. He and his
wife, Gerri, are long-term supporters of student bursaries and
scholarships. Mr. Charette is currently an Independent Director on
Bird's Board of Directors, having previously served as Chair of the
Board for 20 years. Mr. Charette joined Bird in 1976 as a Project
Coordinator and progressed to President and Chief Operating Officer
in 1988 and to President and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. In
September 2008, Mr. Charette retired
from his position as Chief Executive Officer of Bird. He is a past
Director of Colleges and Institutes Canada and the past Chair of
the Canadian Construction Association. In 2004, Mr. Charette was
named Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year in Real Estate/Construction
by Ernst & Young LLP and in 2010, Mr. Charette was chosen as
CCA's Person of the Year. In July
2017, Mr. Charette was appointed to the Board of Governors
of Niagara College Canada. Mr. Charette has a diploma in Civil
Technology from Red River College in
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
SOURCE Bird Construction Inc.