Did you know that Canadian companies rank number two in the world in generosity, with 67% reporting giving?

This noble trend continues with two Canadian companies, innovative in business and in giving as they drive innovation through generous philanthropy.

“We chose to invest in health care innovation to create significant change and give back to the community,” explains Peter van der Velden, Managing General Partner at Lumira Capital, which has pledged a portion of their partners’ profits to health care innovation. VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation is one of 11 Canadian hospital foundations to which Lumira has made this commitment. “As a firm, we are very focused on supporting the development and commercialization of biomedical innovations that address unmet clinical needs and that have the potential to have a transformational impact on the lives of patients.”

And create significant change it will. This gift will harness existing BC strengths in technology and health care delivery, and advance innovation. This means getting more needed treatments to citizens, faster and more efficiently, and bringing innovations to the people who need them the most.

Like Lumira, Teck Resources Limited looks for ways to contribute to health care and the community.

Teck is funding a study to consider the use of special antimicrobial copper-bearing surfaces at VGH as well as three other hospital sites in Canada. Mostly used for pennies or wire, copper is known to inhibit microbial growth. It can combat health care associated infections, which continue to be a major burden on patients and health care systems worldwide.

“Finding new and innovative ways to reduce health care acquired infections will not only help save patients’ lives. It will keep visitors, nurses, doctors and others from getting sick when visiting a loved one or doing their job,” says Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck. “This has the potential to improve overall health for thousands of people. It’s a pretty incredible opportunity and something we are very excited to be part of.”