{"id":578785,"date":"2026-04-03T03:54:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/578785\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T03:54:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:54:35","slug":"ucalgary-business-school-drives-billions-in-economic-impact-report-finds-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/578785\/","title":{"rendered":"UCalgary business school drives billions in economic impact, report finds | News"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the lead up to its 60th anniversary in 2027, the Haskayne School of Business<\/a> at the University of Calgary has released an Economic and Social Impact Report<\/a> highlighting the school\u2019s role as a catalyst of economic prosperity, academic excellence and social progress in Alberta and beyond.<\/p>\n

Conducted in collaboration with independent insights firm Hanover Research<\/a>, the one\u2011year impact analysis was led by findings that the business school generates $2.42 billion in economic activity annually, based on 2024 data. Of this, $298 million came from direct school spending, and $2.12 billion in broader contributions driven by alumni wage premiums, event activity and ventures launched through school programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom billions of dollars in annual economic impact to pro bono consulting for non-profits, and a thriving alumni network, the numbers tell a compelling story,\u201d says Dr. Gina Grandy<\/a>, PhD, dean of the Haskayne School.<\/p>\n

The report found that Haskayne alumni generate $1.17 billion in annual wage premiums, highlighted by elevated earning power in sectors such as finance, energy, technology and consulting.<\/p>\n

Overall, the report estimates the school\u2019s annual activities support more than 1,000 jobs across Alberta.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Standing out among the school’s signature initiatives is the Creative Destruction Lab \u2013 Rockies (CDL-Rockies), a global mentorship program supporting initiatives at the seed-stage and one of only five such sites in Canada. In 2024 alone, CDL-Rockies firms raised $286 million in capital, generated more than $1.4 billion in equity value and created more than 231 jobs.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in event activity, the school hosted more than 120 events in 2024, contributing $17.5 million in visitor spending to Calgary\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

A \u2018duty to equip\u2019<\/p>\n

Beyond its economic impact, Grandy notes that Haskayne\u2019s role extends further, with a duty to equip leaders who are prepared to take complex challenges and actively shape the future of business.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To this end, the report highlights a range of distinctive academic offerings designed to meet this mandate. The Haskayne Adventure Leadership program, led by the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business,\u00a0<\/a>includes wilderness retreats and a leadership expedition \u2013 the latter of which is delivered in partnership with Outward Bound Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not take such an obligation lightly, and that deep sense of responsibility is evident in the people and programs at Haskayne,\u201d says Grandy.<\/p>\n

A cornerstone in the community<\/p>\n

Haskayne\u2019s social impact is equally profound. The report notes the school acts as a \u201ccornerstone\u201d of the business community, facilitating leaders, mentors and partners to deliver more than 5,000 volunteer hours through programs such as the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation<\/a>, the Jarislowsky Fellowship in Business Management<\/a> and the BMO Mentorship Program.<\/a><\/p>\n

Students also made a meaningful contribution through the Propel Business Project<\/a>, delivering 4,500 pro bono consulting hours to 74 organizations \u2014 representing an estimated $322,000 in value across sectors including non-profit, health care and technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a mentor is incredibly rewarding,\u201d said Max Chan in the report. The senior vice-president of operations and engineering at Enbridge <\/a>was among the more than 280 mentorship pairings hosted through the BMO Mentorship program in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupporting students as they shape their career goals and navigate such a formative stage of their lives is both exciting and deeply fulfilling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Access the full Haskayne Economic and Community Impact Report<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the lead up to its 60th anniversary in 2027, the Haskayne School of Business at the University…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":578786,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194293],"tags":[49,2798,48],"class_list":{"0":"post-578785","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-calgary","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-calgary","10":"tag-canada"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/578785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=578785"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/578785\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/578786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=578785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=578785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=578785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}