There are moments as President and CEO of Humber College where I am humbled and amazed by the incredible generosity of our donors. Today is one of those moments.  

The Barrett Family Foundation’s support of Humber College and its role as a leader in polytechnic education has continued with a transformative gift that will support science, technology, engineering and mathematics at Humber. As a result, we will be able to strengthen our learning environment where students can develop and build digital and innovation skills critical for today and the future world of work.

The Foundation has gifted Humber $30 million, which is the largest single donation ever made to an Ontario college. Combined with their previous 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. 

I am inspired by the Barrett family and their foundation’s generosity. To Bob Barrett, his wife Francine Rouleau-Barrett, and daughters, Kim and Rebecca, who founded the Barrett Family Foundation, I say thank you. Your gift is truly appreciated and will be so impactful for the College and its learners.

Our students will benefit directly from the more than 100 annual scholarships that the gift will fund. There will be student grants for experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities as well as skills training and mentoring.

This donation will also help support the innovation happening at the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (CTI) into the future. The Barrett CTI has become a living lab for mechatronics, automation, and advanced manufacturing with our students learning alongside representatives from leading companies in robotics, 3D printing, and collaborative digital technologies. This technology and training has prepared students to be world-class leaders in STEM fields.

The Foundation's investment and commitment to Humber’s polytechnic model will also support new industry training and upskilling opportunities that will propel Ontario’s economy forward by developing the in-demand skills the labour market needs. The capacity for innovation that Humber brings to the Ontario economy is invaluable and we must continue to nurture industry partnerships.

These are just a few of the many ways the Foundation’s gift will help keep Humber at the forefront of polytechnic education in the country.  

Thank you to the Barrett Family Foundation – your support of Humber throughout the years has made an enormous impact. I, and the wider Humber community, look forward to seeing the unlimited opportunities this will provide to Humber and our learners.

AMV