“In 25 or 50 years from now, our children and grandchildren may have to confront different issues that we have never considered.”
For Bill Fisher, Executive Director of the Banff Canmore Community Foundation, these thoughts of the future are ever-present. Bill’s team spends their days building up the foundations for a sustainable Canadian Rockies community. The Banff Canmore Community Foundation recently launched two endowment campaigns, and got a huge boost when Pursuit became the first corporate donor to make a $10,000 contribution to the fund.
Here are five reasons why Pursuit is supporting the Banff Canmore Community Foundation and joining the commitment to our shared future.
Our Pursuit team doesn’t take for granted that we live and work in some of the most remarkable places in the world. Our Promise to Place is how we honour our commitment to these places. This three-part pledge is about managing our impact on the environment, fostering respect for all people who share this place and championing our communities. These three pillars are just as important to the Banff Canmore Community Foundation as they are to us. It's a good match.
Like community foundations across the country, the Banff Canmore Community Foundation delivers grants, scholarships and hosts events to a broad cross-section of Bow Valley causes. “The purpose of the funds is to meet the highest priority issues raised by community residents,” says Fisher. “Today those issues are: responding to the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, tackling environmental challenges, addressing affordability issues and diversifying the economy.”
This full spectrum of support services means that the more than 1,000 Pursuit team members who call the Bow Valley home can both benefit from and be involved in the Foundation’s work. “It comes down to respect—one of our core values,” says Dave McKenna, President of Pursuit’s Banff Jasper Collection. “Respect for the people who come here to visit us, but also for our colleagues who deliver incredible experiences every day.”
In addition to being a community and a world-class tourism destination, the Bow Valley is also a wildlife corridor for thousands of mountain wildlife. The ecological health of this place is more important than ever, and the community strives to find a delicate balance with the growth of our communities. “Simply put, we’re accountable to make decisions now that will allow wildlife and people to continue to thrive and coexist into the future,” says McKenna.
Fisher quotes a Foundation colleague who described the new endowment campaigns as “a big, bold and audacious idea.” But it’s clear he believes in the long-term benefits of the funds, and for good reason. “These new funds have permanent endowments that will provide annual distributions to address new and emerging challenges,” he says. That's long-term thinking.
McKenna believes that the Pursuit team holds a shared responsibility with community businesses to build a future for the community. He is proud that Pursuit was able to step up as the initial donor to the Foundation’s fund. And the BCCF team is grateful.
“Having Pursuit commit to being the first corporate donor to our 'Funding the Future' campaign reinforces the company’s commitment to the Bow Valley community,” says Fisher. “It demonstrates continued leadership in ensuring our community is vibrant, healthy and resilient.”
And that's exactly what honouring place is all about.
We are building a team of passionate people determined to make a difference in the places we love. Every effort counts. Meet more of them here and discover how Promise to Place is the real deal.
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