Allard Family Bursary
The Allard family connection with Brentwood College dates back to the early 1970s and continues to this day. As a testament to their commitment to supporting the education of young people and their belief in the Brentwood experience, the family has established the Allard Family Bursary, which is sponsored jointly by The Allard Foundation in Edmonton and the Highbury Foundation in Vancouver.
The Allard Foundation was established in 1978 by the late Dr. Charles Allard of Edmonton. Dr. Allard grew up in Alberta during the depression and learned quickly that he would have to persevere to get ahead. As a result, he put himself through medical school primarily through hard work and scholarships. Dr. Allard was a surgeon at the Edmonton General for almost 20 years and, in 1956, he was appointed Chief of Staff. He retired from medicine to pursue his many business interests including real estate, the gas and petrochemical industry and his true love in broadcasting. In 1974, he launched CITV in Edmonton, the first independent television station in Western Canada. Through the years he received many distinguished awards including Broadcaster of the Year. In 2005, he was named one of the Edmontonians of the Century and Physicians of the Century. He was inducted into the Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Business Hall of Fame. Dr. Allard died in 1991 leaving behind his six children - Cam, Judy, twins Chuck and Peter, Tony and Cathy. He also had 12 grandchildren.
Dr. Allard believed in giving back to the community in which he lived, and so, in addition to his impressive business accomplishments over the years, his final legacy was the establishment of the Allard Foundation, which has had a significant impact within Alberta since its inception and will continue its influence in the future. The Allard Foundation has provided financial assistance to many organizations in Alberta and Canada, primarily focusing on the health sector and medical research, with education also an important priority. Today the Foundation is run by his daughter, Cathy Roozen, his son, Chuck Allard, a close business associate, Robert Manning, and his granddaughter, Beth Allard-Clough.
The Highbury Foundation was established in 1993 by Dr. Allard’s son, Peter, who has spent most of his life in Vancouver. The Highbury Foundation has made significant donations to hospitals in British Columbia and Alberta for both research and equipment purchases to meet the needs of the local medical communities. It has also made donations to Western Canadian universities and colleges for scholarship and building needs. Personally, Peter Allard has focused his philanthropy on biomedical research and the development of vaccines for cancer, hepatitis B and C, HIV/AIDS as well as islet-cell technology research and development at the University of Alberta.
The Allard family has demonstrated a profound commitment to Brentwood College and its students over the years. In 2006, lead gifts from the Allard Foundation and Highbury Foundation facilitated the building of Allard House, Brentwood's third girls' residence, and established the Allard Family Bursary, which provides financial assistance to deserving students, preferably from Alberta, who would otherwise be unable to attend Brentwood College. The school has been home to many Allard family members over the years and representatives of both the Allard Foundation and the Highbury Foundation are pleased about their ongoing partnership with Brentwood.
