The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and Teck Resources (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) announced that Teck is contributing C$5 million ($3.6m) to the BCIT INSPIRE Campaign. The donation, which represents the second-largest total contribution to the campaign to date, will support campus redevelopment and new teaching and learning innovations as well as expand the use of antimicrobial copper across BCIT’s campuses.
Of Teck’s contribution, C$1.4 million ($1m) was provided in capital funding to the recently completed Health Sciences Centre (HSC) which will also be home to the Teck Copper Café. The new building will be instrumental in training new healthcare professionals in British Columbia each year.
The remainder of Teck’s donation will support the new $220 million BCIT Trades and Technology Complex. Once completed, the new complex will build capacity for 700 new full-time student spots annually which will help meet the growing demand for skilled trades professionals in British Columbia over the next 10 years. The complex will feature leading-edge learning tools and revitalized spaces to foster integrated learning and simulate real-world environments.
Additionally, through Teck’s ongoing Copper and Health program partnership with BCIT, Teck has now installed 1,595 antimicrobial copper surfaces on high-touch surfaces across 11 buildings at the BCIT Burnaby campus with plans to install at the Downtown, Annacis Island, and Aerospace Technology campuses.
Copper has unique antimicrobial properties and is proven effective in eliminating up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria within two hours of contact. When installed in high-touch, high-traffic locations, antimicrobial copper can help reduce the spread of infection.