Faculty of Engineering

IDEA Project Sponsors

The $64-million transformation of Dal’s downtown campus would not have been possible without the support of the Government of Canada and our many dedicated donors and volunteers. The IDEA Project is a testament to what is possible when likeminded organizations and individuals rally around a shared vision that benefits all. 

Partnerships

The Government of Canada’s $32-million investment in Sexton renewal through its Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Infrastructure Fund was crucial in building momentum for Dal’s long-planned renewal of Sexton Campus.

Contributions from industry partners were crucial to raising the other half of the $64 million capital investment:

  • Emera’s $10-million donation to the project funded the development of ideaHUB, a cutting-edge incubation space designed to equip students and faculty with entrepreneurial skills and better link them to industry and entrepreneurs.
  • Irving Oil’s generous $1.5-million support for the project has helped to fund the 450-seat Iriving Oil auditorium in the Design Building.
  • Additional donations from companies such as Michelin Canada, Shaw Brick, Johnson Controls; capital groups such as Innovacorp and Build Ventures; and entrepreneurial groups such as Volta Labs and Propel ICT were crucial to the success of the project.

Philanthropy

A fundraising drive chaired by Marjorie Lindsay brought in substantial contributions from alumni, philanthropists, and other supporters. Not only did Marjorie devote her time and talent to soliciting donations to the IDEA Project, she also spearheaded the fundraising with a $1-million gift in honour of her late-husband, Dal Engineering alumnus John Lindsay Sr.

Further small donations were made by alumni, faculty, and community members as part of the We Saved You a Seat fundraising campaign, which gave donors the opportunity to have a dedication inscribed on a seat in the new Irving Oil Auditorium.

If you are interested in locating your sponsored seat in the Irving Oil Auditorium or you are interested in perusing the dedications, a seat map of the auditorium is available [PDF - 624kb].

Student Contributions

Any list of contributors to the IDEA Project would be remiss without mentioning one of the project's key constituencies: Dalhousie's engineering student body.

As the key users of the existing Sexton Campus space, students recognized the need for renewal on Dal’s downtown campus and generously committed early on to support the initiative through a student fee. Following a vote by the student body, it was agreed that each student would pay a $170 tuition surcharge, beginning in Fall 2018.