social performance
Community Investment
When Yvonne Merchant was
diagnosed with cancer in
May 2002, she was referred
to Dr. Barry Bultz, the head
of Psychosocial Oncology at
the University of Calgary.
“You have doctors to cut the
cancer out of your body but the physical stuff is beside the
point,” says Yvonne. “Emotionally, you need to learn the tools to
centre yourself and calm yourself. Dr. Bultz made me see that
I had no choice about getting cancer, but I can control how
I lead my life.”
Dealing with the emotional side of cancer isn’t just an extra
when treating this disease, which affects one in three Canadians.
It is an essential part of the healing process.
To support the groundbreaking work of Dr. Bultz and
encourage development of this emerging research area, last
year Enbridge made its largest community contribution to date
by donating $1.2 million toward creating a new research chair
in psychosocial oncology. The role of the chair will be to conduct
research into the emotional care of cancer patients and their
families, and build a strong team of researchers.
“We are planning to develop a large-scale program to screen
cancer patients in a routine and systematic way when they
are first diagnosed,” says Dr. Bultz. “We don’t want to wait
until we see people in high levels of distress. We also want to
look at survivorship which considers life-beyond-treatment
given that over 65 per cent of all patients will live beyond
five years of diagnosis.”
Psychosocial oncology uses a variety of mind-body therapies
to ease the emotional distress of living with cancer. These can
include meditation, acupuncture, Reiki, and others.
It’s bad enough to be diagnosed with cancer but thanks to
health professionals in psychosocial oncology, there is now help
for the emotional distress that accompanies it.
Enbridge makes voluntary contributions to charitable and non-profit organizations in our different
geographic regions in Canada and the United States. Our key investment areas include: education,
health, environment, social services, arts and culture, civic leadership and volunteer resources.
We focus on using our dollars, our partnerships and our human capital to support organizations
that contribute to the economic and social development of communities where we live and work.
In 2005, we invested $4.5 million in charitable and non-profit organizations. Our contributions
benefited more than 750 organizations in Canada and the United States, and represented about 0.8
per cent of our average pre-tax earnings. We are committed to increasing our community investment
dollars over time to meet the Imagine Canada annual target of one per cent of pre-tax earnings.
Some community investment highlights include:
 Top of pageEnbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology
In November 2005, Enbridge announced its largest community
investment to date – the Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology
at the University of Calgary, in partnership with the Alberta Cancer
Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta & N.W.T. Division.
This example of pioneering leadership will look at cancer from a holistic
viewpoint – focusing on the emotional toll cancer has on its victims, their
families and friends, and the community at large. (See sidebar story on this page.)
Top of pageHabitat for Humanity Edmonton
In support of our ongoing commitment to our communities, Enbridge
participated and sponsored Habitat for Humanity’s Wood Build – a five-unit
housing complex in north-central Edmonton. And in March 2006, eight
members of the Phillips family received keys to their very first home. Sixty-seven
Enbridge employees donated close to 900 hours to the projects. Enbridge volunteers had their personal
time matched by the company to allow for a full week leave from their job.
Top of pagePolice and Firefighter Tribute Plaza
The Police and Firefighter Tribute Plaza was officially unveiled in January 2006 to pay tribute
to the nine Calgary firefighters and 11 police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty
since the inception of both departments in 1885. The Tribute Plaza also recognizes the courage
and commitment of current firefighters and police officers who put their lives on the line to ensure
a safe community.
Enbridge was a founding donor for Tribute Plaza, and Steve Letwin, Executive Vice President,
Gas Transportation and International, chaired the fundraising committee that raised in excess of
$900,000. Funds raised went directly to the Tribute Plaza’s construction, but will also be used for
educational initiatives.
Top of pageStollery Children's Hospital Foundation
Enbridge continues to take a leadership role in the community by providing funds to help local
charitable and non-profit organizations manage effective volunteer resource programs. We do this
because of our belief in the power of volunteerism to build caring and healthy communities.
As part of an ongoing partnership with the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation in Edmonton,
Enbridge supports the Miracle Workers Volunteer Program. This provides the Foundation with the
resources to effectively recruit, retain and recognize volunteers. In the past two years, the foundation
has doubled their volunteer base to more that 1,500 volunteers.
At Enbridge, we are committed to protecting and
preserving our environment. To support these efforts,
Enbridge partnered with Ducks Unlimited to purchase
key areas of wetland, helping to ensure the future of
North American waterfowl. We were also proud to
support the Bow Habitat Station in Calgary – a centre
for aquatic environmental education. This centre hosts
interpretive components, including a viewing blind,
water quality and aquatic invertebrate stations, along
with providing educational tours for inner-city kids.
Our partnership with Ducks Unlimited is another
example of our unconditional commitment to
environmental stewardship and educational discovery.
Brendan Meyer
Camp Shakespeare Actor
Some scholars may consider the plays of William Shakespeare
too complex for kids to understand, but the Free Will Players
(FWP) of Edmonton beg to differ.
Each year, the FWP, a non-profit professional theatre
company founded in 1989, produces the River City Shakespeare
Festival. And a key element of the festival is a theatre camp –
called Camp Shakespeare – for kids ages eight to 16.
Enbridge has been a festival sponsor for the past year, and
the success of Camp Shakespeare has been overwhelming.
“I have been at the camp for two years,” says nine-year old
Brendan Meyer. “I will be going again next year for sure. We get
to act right on the stage in Hawrelak Park and also played a lot
of fun games. A chipmunk got the teacher’s snack one day. It is
an extremely great time.”
Camp Shakespeare is a one-week program for children held
during the festival. In the summer of 2006, three courses
were offered over two different weeks in July and included
Shakespeare’s Clowns for ages eight to 10 years, Shakespeare’s
Heroes and Villains for kids ages 11 to 13 years; and
Shakespeare’s Players for ages 14 to 16 years.
The kids learn acting techniques including stage fighting and
put on a show every day at 12:30 p.m., right before the matinee
performance by FWP.
This unique summer camp has created more than a few starstruck
kids and Enbridge is there to support them, right on cue.
Houston’s Alley Theatre, founded in 1947, is a
professional resident theatre company that received
the 1996 Special Tony Award. The Alley performs
year-round in its two-theatre complex and has toured
40 American cities and abroad. In 2005, Enbridge
made a three-year commitment to be a lead sponsor for
two Alley productions each season. As a result of the
sponsorship, many Houston office employees receive
free and/or discounted tickets to the venue, building
awareness of the arts.
Top of pageSarah McLachlan Music Outreach Program
Enbridge recognizes the importance of giving
children and youth the opportunity to express themselves
creatively. Enbridge has partnered with Arts
Umbrella’s Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Program to give inner city kids an opportunity to
experience the arts through an amazing musical introduction. This program combines several Enbridge
community investment areas by merging arts and culture with a unique educational component.
Top of pagePacific Salmon Foundation
In 2005, Enbridge partnered with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, based in Vancouver, B.C.
to ensure that Pacific salmon stocks are preserved and restored through B.C.’s streams and rivers.
This commitment to environmental sustainability is very important to Enbridge, and we see the
Pacific Salmon Foundation as taking a leadership role through their research, advocacy, recovery
and prevention work.
Top of pageThe Pembina Institute's Greenlearning.ca
Enbridge has been supporting the Pembina Institute since 2002, and recently began a
three-year agreement to support the organization’s Greenlearning.ca online education program.
As a diversified energy transportation and distribution company with investments in wind energy,
fuel cell technology and solar energy, Enbridge’s focused support of Pembina’s Greenlearning.ca program is aimed at encouraging changes in the way society thinks about issues of energy
consumption and conservation.
Greenlearning.ca is an innovative educational project inspired and designed by teachers to meet
their curriculum needs. It uses a mix of online interactive
and downloadable activities to provide teachers and
students with a flexible new kind of learning resource.
Enbridge’s hope is that this program will become
an indispensable tool for all teachers across Canada
and that we have supported a program that adds
environmental education into the mix of curriculum
in a reliable and steady way.
Top of pageKeystone Center Training Institute
Each summer, Enbridge sponsors teachers
from various communities where we operate at the
Keystone Center’s Key Issues Institute in Colorado.
This program provides hands-on interdisciplinary
education following a non-biased scientific framework
to middle-level teachers who can, in turn, take
environmental issues into the classroom and investigate
these complex issues with their students.
Top of pageEnbridge Energy 9/11 Fund
In September 2002, we established the Enbridge
Energy 9/11 Fund to memorialize the heroes and
victims of the Sept.11, 2001 tragedy and to show
our appreciation for the emergency first responders
who serve their communities. The 9/11 Fund helps
annually underwrite special projects or equipment
acquisitions for local fire departments, emergency
medical services and police and sheriffs departments –
in the areas in which we operate.
In Ontario, Enbridge Gas Distribution is committed
to providing assistance to customers who have a genuine
inability to pay for their energy use in a timely manner.
That is why in late 2004 Enbridge Gas Distribution,
together with Toronto Hydro and the United Way of
Greater Toronto, officially launched the Winter
Warmth Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to help low-income families and individuals
struggling to meet their financial commitments, including heating bills. Last winter, the fund helped
more than 600 families in need. In 2006, with the added participation of local United Ways and
community-based agencies, the Winter Warmth Fund will be expanded to reach Enbridge customers
in other Ontario communities.
Each year, Enbridge employees actively participate in United Way campaigns across Canada and
the United States. In 2005, employees exceeded expectations and, including company matches, raised
more than $1.7 million across Canada and the United States.
- In Calgary, a silent and live auction was held featuring hundreds of donated items and was
attended by 300 employees, clients and customers of Enbridge. This event, along with others,
helped the Calgary office exceed their goal and raise approximately $390,000.
- Enbridge Gas Distribution ran the 28th annual Enbridge CN Tower Stair Climb, with a record
89 climbers scaling the 1,776 steps of the tower to help the United Way of Greater Toronto reach
its goal of $94.5 million for the 2005 campaign. In total, Enbridge Gas Distribution employees
raised more than $772,000 for the United Way and exceeded their campaign goal by 19 per cent.
- In Edmonton, a combination of special events and company matches saw $287,000 raised.
- Employees at Enbridge Gas New Brunswick exceeded their 2005 campaign goal within the
first 24 hours of their kick-off. Employees raised over $27,000 for the campaign. Houston office
employees were heavily involved with the United Way in 2005. During the city-wide Day of
Caring, more than 100 Enbridge volunteers worked 822 man-hours at The Women’s Home,
which has a mission to help women in crisis regain their self-esteem and dignity, empowering
them to return to society as productive, self-sufficient individuals. Overall, the Houston office
raised US$243,645 for the United Way, a 50 per cent increase from the prior year. Employee
giving rose 40 per cent as well.
- In Saskatchewan, employees biked across the border to Minot, North
Dakota in the annual Enbridge Connection Bike Relay. Through this, and
other United Way events, employees raised almost $7,000.
- In the Superior Region, employees participated in a Chili & Dessert
cook-off. Employees at the St. Lawrence Gas office in New York State
raised more than US$5,300 through employee pledges and
a number of events including casino games, bake sales and raffles.
Employee involvement is part of the culture at Enbridge in all areas of
the company. In 2005, our employees were actively involved in numerous
community activities with company support and encouragement.
In Calgary, employee-run volunteer initiatives raised money for the Families
in Transition Program, which helps provide more stable living conditions to
families who are homeless or at extreme risk of becoming homeless.
For 82 years, Houston’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
placed more animals into loving, permanent, responsible homes than all other
area shelters combined. Enbridge sponsors one hour of the SPCA’s annual
telethon, and employees participate in both on- and off-camera duties associated
with the event.
In spring 2006, Enbridge’s Houston office was a house lead for a special
Habitat for Humanity build sponsored by Oprah Winfrey’s private foundation and viewer-supported
Angel Network. More than 30 Enbridge employees spent five days constructing a home for one of
the families displaced by Hurricane Katrina who chose to permanently relocate to Houston.
In March 2006, 67 Liquids Pipelines employees in Edmonton donated nearly 900 hours
to help build a five-unit housing complex in north-central Edmonton with Habitat for Humanity.
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