The Barrett Family Foundation

Collaboration. Values. Synergy. These are the core beliefs of the Barrett Family Foundation and the driving force behind Humber’s Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (CTI). In 2018, the Barrett CTI was made possible by a $10 million donation from the family foundation – the largest private donation in the history of the college. Their seed fund helped catalyze an additional $7 million in funding from the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

On January 24, 2023, The Barrett Family Foundation donated an additional $30 million to Humber College, marking the largest single donation made to an Ontario college. Combined with their donations to Humber’s Unlimited Campaign, the Barrett Family Foundation has given a total of $42 million, making their donation the largest in Canadian college history.

The Foundation’s contribution supports science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs and technology at Humber and fosters a learning environment where students can develop and build digital and innovation skills critical for today and the future world of work.

Their support also provides access to education through more than 100 annual scholarships to students entering and continuing their studies in engineering and technology-related degrees and diplomas.

The Barrett Family Foundation was founded in 2013, by Bob Barrett along with his wife, Francine Rouleau-Barrett, and daughters, Kim and Rebecca. As the CEO of Polytainers, a successful industry-leading packaging company, Mr. Barrett has seen the evolution of technology first-hand and believes that education and collaboration can create new synergies that fuel innovation and success. It is this value that drives the family to give back to the community.

By introducing many new partners to Humber, the family’s vision is rooted by the technology residing within the Barrett CTI where you’ll see students applying their knowledge and skills using leading-edge technology from diverse partners across multiple sectors.

Today, the Barrett CTI stands not only as a building within Humber’s north campus, but a symbol of how a dream can become reality, providing a path for many students and transforming learning by converging industry, community and education to find innovative solutions to real-world problems.

“We chose to partner with Humber because we believed that they had the vision, the power, the energy and more importantly, the dream to make an extraordinary impact in education.”

Bob Barrett, CEO, Polytainers Inc. & Co-founder, The Barrett Family Foundation