For Immediate Release

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Health Foundation receives $400k gift from the General Presidents’ Maintenance Committee for Canada

Fort McMurray, Alberta – The Northern Lights Health Foundation is receiving a generous donation of
$400,000 from the General Presidents’ Maintenance Committee for Canada (GPMC) to aid in funding
priority health care needs in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. The Health Foundation will host a cheque presentation during a GPMC meeting held in the Tamarack Room at the Sawridge Inn &
Conference Centre at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24.

The GPMC is a committee of International Building Trades Unions that negotiates and administers labour agreements tailored for maintenance work at industrial plants in Canada. The committee currently operates collective agreements in eight out 10 provinces, including Alberta. Thousands of building trades union members execute maintenance work under their collective agreements for companies such as Syncrude, Shell Canada, Suncor, Nexen, CRNL and ConocoPhillips. Their generous gift will greatly impact the health and wellness of the entire community, including their members who live and work in the  region. This is the committee’s first gift to the Health Foundation.

“The Health Foundation is thrilled to be receiving this generous gift of $400,000 from the General  President’s Maintenance Committee for Canada,” says Susanne Chaffey, Executive Director of the
Health Foundation. “We sincerely thank the committee for their incredible support. Their gift will have a remarkable impact on health care in this region. This will be the first phase of providing Continuing Care residents with a space that is warm, welcoming and conducive to a positive living environment.”

"Fort McMurray attracts thousands of people from across Canada because of its employment  opportunities. We wanted to give something back to the community which has given so much to our members,” says Jack White, Vice Chair of the General President’s Maintenance Committee for Canada.
“We’re particularly pleased to make this donation to the Northern Lights Health Foundation, which will benefit both the community and the people from all over Canada who travel to work in Fort McMurray."

Established in 1952, the GPMC’s agreements deliver the skilled workers that industry needs for critical maintenance projects, while ensuring stable labour relations. Today, the organization negotiates and administers agreements with more than 120 maintenance employers, and employs more than 16,000 skilled tradespeople across Canada.

About the Northern Lights Health Foundation
Established in 1985, the Northern Lights Health Foundation exists to provide funds to support health care priorities within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. For more information, visit www.northernlightshealthfoundation.ca

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For more information, please contact:
Amelia Schofield
Northern Lights Health Foundation
Tel: 780-788-1324 Email: amelia.schofield@albertahealthservices.ca