Why invest so heavily on UBC? In fact mining companies not only invest in UBC buildings and programs but also in several other academic, health, cultural and artistic institutions such as: Arts Umbrella, The Playhouse Theatre Company, The Vancouver Opera, The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Big Brother Association, Dress for Success, Alzheimer’s BC, BC Children’s hospital, university of Ottawa, among many others!

WHY DO THIS?

• Philanthropy : The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.

• Counter balance environmental and social damage through academia, health and the arts (things that are inherently seen as “good” in our society).

• Recruitment of labour force: The Start an Evolution campaign is a government and alumni fundraising campaign through which many of the investments that we mentioned in our presentation take place. The government admits that they expect over 10,000 job opening for skilled workers in BCs mining, oil, gas, and mineral exploration industries by 2020. They are confident that UBC Earth and Science students will fill these spots and help industries grow! So, this is a major motivation for funding science and resource programs and facilities.

• Popularity and reputation: it is a common trend that buildings and programs adopt the name of their funding companies. By having the name “Beaty” in a biodiversity museum, we immediately associate Ross Beaty with culture, science, education—not with the mining industry or the Pan American Silver scandals. Similarly, the “Goldcorps inc. learning and teaching wing” in the ESB, makes it clear that Goldcorp is engaging in philanthropy and somehow intends to counterbalance the environmental and social damage that it is causing elsewhere.