Enerplus Named SAIT's 2007 President’s Partnership Award Recipient

We are honoured to have been selected as the recipient of the 2007 President’s Partnership Award presented by SAIT. This award is presented annually to a SAIT partner to recognize and celebrate an outstanding advocate who significantly contributes to advanced technology training and epitomizes the spirit and power of partnerships in building a strong community.

Enerplus has partnered with SAIT since 2002 providing three Enerplus Entrance Awards on an annual basis to students in the Bachelor of Applied Petroleum Engineering Technology Program, Computer Technology Program, and the Petroleum Engineering Technology Program. Enerplus has also been a proud supporter and enthusiastic participant of the Friends of SAIT Chuckwagon which competes annually in the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede and other rodeos and raises scholarship funds for deserving students. Most recently Enerplus celebrated its 20th anniversary by donating $5 million to help fund SAIT’s new Trades and Technology Complex which will feature the Enerplus Innovation Centre. This Centre will advance applied research and help ensure a steady supply of highly-skilled employees for the energy industry. In fact, more than 100 SAIT graduates have moved on to become Enerplus employees.

“Enerplus demonstrates their firm belief in the value of post-secondary education by sharing their successes with SAIT students,” stated the institution on its website.

Previous award recipients have included Jayman MasterBuilt, Nexen Inc. and Encana Corporation.

For additional information please click here.

Enerplus Community Involvement Strategy

We believe community involvement helps us build and strengthen relationships to achieve healthy, sustainable communities in which to live and work. Over the past 22 years, we have participated in fundraising campaigns, volunteer activities, event sponsorships, and created significant long-term partnerships with various national organizations and local charities. During 2007, we invested over $1.6 million and hundreds of man hours with various organizations throughout our areas of operation. Our efforts are focused in four key areas - health and research, education, environment, health and safety, and community living.

In 2006, Enerplus established three new long-term partnerships within our focus areas. The first and largest was the establishment of a partnership with SAIT Polytechnic to create the Enerplus Innovation Centre, a new centre in the Trades and Technology Complex that will specialize in applied research and innovation. One of the greatest challenges we face in the energy industry is a shortage of skilled personnel and we believe it is our responsibility to work to find solutions to this issue. We have made a commitment of $5 million, payable over five years, toward the development of this Centre which is expected to be completed by the spring of 2009. We believe this commitment will help alleviate a shortage of skilled personnel in the energy industry as well as advance applied research and innovation in a variety of industries inclusive of energy.

In the area of Health and Research, we continued our support in two ways of the new Alberta Children's Hospital, which opened in September of this year. First, we renewed our long-term commitment by providing $150,000 payable over a further five-year period. Secondly, as part of our 20th anniversary celebration, we held our inaugural "Legends of the Oil Patch Texas Hold'Em Charity Poker Tournament", raising $158,700 for the new hospital that year.  The event was so successful, we have made it an annual fundraiser.

Our third partnership is in the area of cancer research. In 2006, Enerplus became the first organization in Canada to fund a specific research program through a five-year $125,000 donation to the Canadian Cancer Society. Our donation will provide funding for the research work of Dr. Michael Hendzel on the causes of cancer and how to more effectively treat the disease. We continue to support the treatment of cancer through contributions to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

The health and safety of our employees and the care of our environment remain key concerns for Enerplus. We have increased our support of Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, an organization which funds and supports effective community-based environmental projects, builds capacity and sustainability in the voluntary sector and promotes the environment as the foundation of a healthy community. We have also supported Ducks Unlimited, STARS Air Ambulance and participated in Energy in Action, a Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers initiative focused on stewardship. The program teaches youth about natural resources and encourages students to become good environmental stewards through both classroom instruction and hands-on activities. Enerplus led the program in Bashaw, Alberta where 12 employees from four local oil and gas companies joined 29 students to plant more than 25 trees on the school grounds.

Enerplus regards our support of community programs as a way to help build strong communities which benefit all our staff and their friends and families. The Enerplus United Way campaign was a great success in 2007 with over $330,000 raised by employees throughout the company, field and office, including corporate matching funds of $150,000.

2007 was also our sixth year supporting Habitat for Humanity. With our partners CIBC World Markets and Nexen Inc., our employees helped to build our sixth house in Calgary.

Through volunteer involvement and contributions to non-profit and community-based organizations we are helping to improve the communities in our areas of operation. In 2008, we will continue to embrace these responsibilities.