TORONTO, March 2, 2023 /CNW/ - Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas) is proud to support nine Ontario secondary school teams who are preparing to compete in the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) though the Enbridge Fueling Futures program.
As a STEM-based company, Enbridge Gas is committed to providing meaningful opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for young people across the province. Continuing the company's legacy of community giving, it's delighted to provide this unique competition and student-led teams with a $70,000 Platinum-Level sponsorship.
FIRST Robotics Competition is an annual high-intensity competition where high-school students team up to raise funds, create a brand and design robots that perform specific tasks, known as "robo-sports," with the help of professional mentors who volunteer their time and experience. After a six-week build, teams compete in regional events held across several Canadian provinces. Winners progress to district events and then to the World Championship in Houston, TX.
This year's theme, "FIRST Energize" is extra meaningful to Enbridge Gas. Students will be tasked with leveraging innovation to support new ideas in energy generation, efficiency and use to see how we can minimize the impact of an increasing demand for energy on our global climate.
It's a tall order, and Enbridge Gas is pleased to champion these brilliant young Canadian minds to reimagine the future of energy and help to provide a platform where they can power their ideas forward.
"It's exciting to see students take interest in STEM-based fields," said Wes Armstrong, Director of Storage and Transmission Operations, Enbridge Gas. "This year's theme aligns perfectly with real-world challenges faced by the energy industry today. Energy fuels our lives and has the ability to lift people out of poverty, and its advancement must be balanced with environmental stewardship. We look forward to seeing how the students approach this complex issue while promoting the values shared by us here at Enbridge – safety, integrity, respect and inclusion."
This year's sponsorship will also support the FIRST Canada STEMathon, which provides an engaging, interactive, virtual opportunity for young women and their allies to gain skills in problem-solving with support from industry mentors.
"Energy plays an essential role in keeping our world running. We are delighted to have the continued support of Enbridge Gas which has been a pivotal contributor to the success of thousands of students for many years and in 2023. The financial and volunteer support from Enbridge Gas has helped FIRST Canada to continue with its mission to build leaders of tomorrow and give them the skills they need for a bright future. We are excited to see how our teams will reimagine the future of sustainable energy and power their ideas forward," said Dave Ellis, President FIRST Robotics Canada.
"Supporting Ontario's students as they explore opportunities in STEM is a powerful way to ensure our young people can continue to build Ontario as they enter the workforce with the jobs of tomorrow," said Stephen Lecce, Ontario's Education Minister. "Thank you to Enbridge Gas for helping to support Ontario's students as they explore the countless opportunities created with the hands-on experiential learning through events like the FIRST robotics competition."
FIRST Robotics Canada, a registered charity is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges. FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. FIRST's programs reach 300,000 students in 70 countries. FIRST Robotics Canada, a Canadian non-profit, started in 2002 and has reached 20,000 Canadian students. Alumni of FIRST programs gain access to exclusive scholarships, internships, and other opportunities that create connections and open pathways to a wide variety of careers. Learn more at firstroboticscanada.org
Enbridge Gas is Canada's largest natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario, with 2023 marking its 175th anniversary of serving customers. The distribution business provides safe, affordable, reliable energy to about 3.9 million homes, businesses and industries and is leading the transition to a clean energy future through net-zero emissions targets and investments in innovative low-carbon energy solutions. The storage and transmission business offers a variety of storage and transportation services to customers at the Dawn Hub, the largest integrated underground storage facility in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Enbridge Gas is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution. Learn more at enbridgegas.com.
SOURCE Enbridge Gas Inc.
