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Excellence in Sustainable Development Award

For excellence in sustainable development

Origins & Conditions

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The Excellence in Sustainable Development Award (formerly the Syncrude Award for Excellence in Sustainable Development) promotes the Canadian minerals industry as an active seeker of sustainability solutions that engage and affect the Canadian public. Sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development includes the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of economic development, social development and environmental protection. This award recognizes extraordinary systems, programs or processes that have far-reaching and positive sustainability effects in all industry sectors across Canada. It recognizes those individuals, communities, organizations, corporations or academics that are working to create economic wealth while mitigating environmental impacts and acting inclusively towards all segments of society.

  1. The award shall be made to an individual, community, organization, corporation, or academic, not necessarily a CIM national member, and whose contribution:
    (a) Adds value to the minerals industry's sustainable management practices
    (b) Has an effect on a number of corporations and organizations in more than one isolated circumstance;
    features people or tangible qualities that the public can relate to;
    (c) Has a positive impact in one or more area of the three pillars of sustainability: environment, economy, and social
  2. The award may be presented from time to time as circumstances warrant, but normally, not more than one award may be made in any given year. In the event of extraordinary nominations, consideration may be given for more than one award.
  3. All nominations must be accompanied by a complete description of the meritorious contribution and its value to the minerals and petroleum industry as well as its potential impact on the vision of sustainability in all resource sectors.
  4. The award shall be presented by the sponsor at the annual CIM Convention. In the event that the sponsor is not available the award shall be presented by the current CIM President.
  5. All nominations properly presented, and not selected as award recipients for that particular year, shall be carried forward for the next two years unless formally withdrawn over the signatures of a majority of members responsible for the nomination.

Winners

2019

Bruce Armitage

Bruce Armitage was born and raised in South Porcupine, Ontario. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Lakehead University with specialization in advanced controls and power systems. He also holds an electronics engineering diploma from the Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology and a mine hoist plant certification from Cambrian College. 

Armitage enjoys over 15 years’ experience between the mining, oil and gas, paper and consulting industries.  One of his successes involves taking an energy program from its infancy to industry leading in less than one year. He is a licensed electrical engineer with Professional Engineers Ontario. He has certified energy manager and green building engineer designations from the Association of Energy Engineers in Atlanta, Georgia.

2016

Dr. David Lynch

Dr. David Lynch was born in the coal mining village of Minto, New Brunswick. He received his BSc in Chemical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick, and completed a PhD in 1982 from the University of Alberta. Under Dr. Lynch’s leadership as Dean of Engineering at the University of Alberta from 1994 to 2015, the total engineering undergraduate and graduate student enrolments more than doubled to over 6,000 students. More than 280 professors were hired, over 50 endowed and industrial chair positions were established, research funding increased from $6 million/year to over $65 million/year and five new buildings were constructed. Dr. Lynch led the establishment of major initiatives including the National Institute for Nanotechnology, the Imperial Oil Institute for Oil Sands Innovation, and the Canadian Centre for Clean Coal/Carbon and Mineral Processing Technologies. Dr. Lynch has received awards for his teaching, research and leadership, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Alberta Chamber of Resources “Resource Person of the Year”.