For 65 years, BMO and UBC have shared a profound partnership, one rooted in a mutual commitment to advancing research, nurturing global citizenship, championing sustainable progress and co-authoring solutions to the world’s most complex challenges.

Now, with a generous $2.5 million gift, BMO is furthering its legacy by supporting the launch of the SME Climate Clinic and the Climate Lab, part of UBC Sauder’s Powerhouse Project.

“BMO is proud to support UBC in establishing a first-of-its-kind experiential learning program in Canada that will make a real impact in the transition to a net-zero world. Through learning programs like the BMO SME Climate Clinic, we can bring businesses, industry, academia and government together to share climate knowledge that will help accelerate solutions for a sustainable future,” said Helen Seibel, Head of BMO Employee and Corporate Giving.

Facing the urgent reality

SMEs represent 98 per cent of Canadian businesses. Studies have found that although SMEs are concerned about the impacts of climate change, few have action plans.

BMO aims to bridge this gap by supporting UBC Sauder’s first Climate Lab, a collaborative space in the school’s planned 10-story building, and the SME Climate Clinic, a new experiential learning program for students. The lab will serve as a hub for student-run clinics, like the SME Climate Clinic, to scale up and support a wide range of businesses annually—further embedding climate action into the school’s curriculum and the wider business community.

UBC Sauder’s new SME Climate Clinic creates double the impact by partnering students with businesses to tackle real world problems, similar to law or tax clinics. Students benefit from hands-on experience in carbon accounting while resource-strapped SMEs receive help calculating and reducing their carbon footprint—a vital step toward net-zero goals and meeting increasing ESG reporting requirements.

This partnership is particularly timely as small and medium businesses contribute up to 30 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, making them integral to achieving national and global climate targets. As climate change accelerates, businesses of all sizes face mounting pressure to disclose their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data. It’s estimated that in 2024, over 90 per cent of major buying organizations will expect suppliers to share their ESG performance, with reporting requirements expected to increase.

“I believe in the power of business as a force for good,” says Darren Dahl, Dean of UBC Sauder. “Our partnership with BMO highlights how industry and academia can join forces to address complex global challenges and help shape a workforce prepared to lead the climate economy.”

So feel free to publish when fixed

The SME Climate Clinic marks the beginning of a transformative initiative at UBC Sauder, with an ambitious goal of involving each student at the school in at least one climate-related activity by 2030—impacting more than 4,000 students each year. BMO’s gift to the Climate Lab is a critical investment in achieving this vision, preparing students with hands-on skills to build a climate-positive future.

“As a top university for climate action globally, UBC is prepared to meet the growing demand for a climate-ready workforce,” says Benoit-Antoine Bacon, UBC President and Vice Chancellor. “BMO’s gift will help develop business leaders who can transform climate challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth and competitive advantage.”

Discussing the role of skills for the climate economy with industry experts

To celebrate this partnership, UBC Sauder’s Centre for Climate and Business Solutions (CCBS) and BMO co-hosted the event, ‘Talent for Transition: Skills for the Climate Economy,’ welcoming students, alumni, business leaders and corporate partners to explore the pivotal role of education and talent in preparing the future workforce.

The evening’s panel discussion, moderated by Kookai Chaimahawong, Executive Director of CCBS, brought together climate and sustainability leaders, including Melissa Fifield, Head of BMO’s Climate Institute; Geoff Pegg, Head of Sustainability and Environment at TELUS and Lori Mathison, President and CEO of CPA BC. They discussed the essential skills required to advance the climate economy and the role of businesses in creating opportunities for climate-savvy professionals.

“Climate action is inherently interdisciplinary and requires bold collaboration between business, science and other critical fields,” says Kookai Chaimahawong, Executive Director of CCBS. “Every job is a climate job. By preparing students with real-world experience in carbon management, we’re building the climate workforce of the future and equipping them with practical skills that prepare them to lead in the climate economy.”

Looking ahead

Together, BMO and UBC Sauder have a shared vision of creating a brighter, more sustainable future aligned with BMO’s purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in Business and Life.

Through BMO’s generous support, the Climate Lab will be a transformative force for climate innovation, empowering students and SMEs alike to make meaningful contributions to the transition to a net-zero world. This is a step toward building a resilient economy, where businesses—big and small—have the tools, resources and commitment to address the climate emergency with the urgency it demands.