WINNIPEG, MB – Pat Broe, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Broe Group, an affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc., today announced a contribution of $100,000 to The University of Winnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies (IUS) to develop a Sustainable Development Plan for the Town of Churchill through the Broe/OmniTRAX Quest Series.
“The future of the Town of Churchill will depend on an appropriate balance between three main factors: economic viability, social well being and environmental sustainability,” said Mr. Broe, “As the community continues to develop, the need for a comprehensive sustainable development plan has never been stronger. We are therefore pleased to support The University of Winnipeg as it works with the Town to make this plan a reality.”
The University of Winnipeg, through its Institute of Urban Studies, will work together with municipal officials and residents of the Town of Churchill to develop a plan that will aim to enhance the quality of life by including key social, economic and environmental elements, as well as serve as a model for other northern communities. A working group will be assembled – including UWinnipeg faculty, researchers and students, as well as Town staff and residents – to prepare a concept paper and begin consultations with stakeholders.
UWinnipeg President and Vice-Chancellor Lloyd Axworthy thanked Broe and OmniTRAX for their latest contribution to The University of Winnipeg and their continuing support for the development of the Churchill region.
“Pat Broe and OmniTRAX have an impressive record of supporting academic research and dialogue at The University of Winnipeg through past support for the Quest series of conferences,” said Axworthy. “Today’s announcement adds to that record by enabling the development of a plan to make Churchill one of the first ‘sustainable’ northern communities in the world.”
Since 1969, UWinnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies has been both an academic and an applied research centre, committed to examining urban development issues in a broad, non-partisan manner. The Institute examines inner city, environmental, Aboriginal and community development issues.
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The University of Winnipeg is one of Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions. Consistently ranked in the Top-10 in the country on an annual basis by both Maclean’s Magazine and The Globe & Mail newspaper, the University of Winnipeg is a leader in academic excellence, Aboriginal education, environmental studies & sustainability, and theatre & the arts. The University of Winnipeg is committed to improving access to post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those people from non-traditional communities. Find out more by visiting www.uwinnipeg.ca.
The Broe Group, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, provides management services to a group of affiliated companies that have over 30 years of international investment, acquisition, and operational experience. These companies are involved in an expanding and diverse array of businesses and industries including: Transportation, featuring OmniTRAX, one of the largest private rail-related operations in North America; Real Estate, incorporating the ownership and operation of premier office and industrial properties throughout North America; and Energy, including Century Coal.
OmniTRAX, Inc. is one of North America’s leading transportation services companies offering a broad range of customized solutions to the industrial and transportation sectors. Based in Denver, Colorado, it is the private owner/operator of the Port of Churchill as well as the railway line that serves it, the Hudson Bay Railway Company. For more information, visit www.omnitrax.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Shawn Coates, Director of Marketing & Communications, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7126, C: 204.230.0202, E: s.coates@uwinnipeg.ca
