IREN awards $500,000 in community grants to 49 projects in Mackenzie and Prince George

Local organizations in each community were celebrated in recognition events on October 6 and October 8.

October 9, 2026 – IREN awarded $500,000 to 49 community projects in Mackenzie and Prince George through its annual Community Grants Program. The company celebrated the non-profit recipient organizations at local receptions on October 6 and 8.

“Our community grantees help make Prince George and Mackenzie great places to live for our neighbours, partners and employees,” said David Shaw, Chief Operating Officer at IREN. “As we continue to invest in our data centre campuses, we’re proud to also invest in the local initiatives and programs that make these communities stronger. We can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the coming year.”

This year's funding for the program more than doubled, with $250,000 awarded in each community. The grants support locally identified priorities, including food security and community services, youth programs, arts, recreation, STEM participation and education, health, safety and seniors' programs, access and inclusion, and local economic development.

In British Columbia, IREN owns and operates data centre campuses in Prince George, Mackenzie and Canal Flats, along with a corporate office in Vancouver. The company employs around 275 people in the province, including about 90 in Prince George and 70 in Mackenzie.

Grantee Comments

Joanne Dally, White Spruce City Chorus, Prince George:

“When we perform in venues, quite often, people can’t really hear us or see us properly. So the risers will improve that immensely, improve visibility. It’ll improve the sound. And it will just make a big difference in our performances.”

Simon Lamarche, Engage Sport North, Prince George:

“These programs have generated a lot of gold medals at the Olympics. But in the past, they weren’t accessible to Northern BC. And so this is allowing us to do more of these and to find more talent in Northern BC.”

Danielle House, Powder King Ski Club, Mackenzie:

“The grant is really helpful, because we’re trying to connect the Mackenzie community to the Powder King community and get more of our youth from town out to Powder King. It’s about 45 minutes from town. So it is a little bit of a barrier sometimes getting kids out there, especially if their parents aren’t already avid skiers or snowboarders.”

Event Details

Mackenzie, Tuesday, October 6 -- Venue: The Purple Bicycle

Prince George, Thursday, October 8 -- Venue: Northern Lights Estate Winery

About IREN

IREN is a vertically integrated AI Cloud platform, delivering data centers, compute and software for AI training and inference. IREN’s platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of land and grid-connected power in renewable-rich regions across North America, Europe and APAC.

Grant Recipients

Grantee name, funding amount and intended partner use of funds

PRINCE GEORGE

Prince George Public Library  |  CAD $10,000

Create a dedicated Indigenous Community Hub in the library with expanded Indigenous-authored collections, programming with Lheidli T’enneh partners, and staff cultural training.

UNBC Northern Undergraduate Student Society  |  CAD $4,000

Two free community pancake breakfasts serving 400+ people each, with on-site tables connecting attendees to campus and community supports.

Scouts Canada, Camp Hughes  |  CAD $10,000

Replace the failing roof on the 1967 kitchen and dining hall at Camp Hughes on West Lake, protecting the camp’s ability to host youth programs.

Scouts Canada, Camp Hughes  |  CAD $10,000

Build the IREN Pavilion, a permanent 12 x 20-foot wooden shelter at Camp Hughes, giving all camp users a covered outdoor gathering space for inclusive programming.

Shad Canada  |  CAD $10,000

Support Prince George-area high school students attending Shad’s month-long STEM and entrepreneurship immersion program at UNBC.

Huble Homestead/Giscome Portage Heritage Society  |  CAD $10,000

Digitize, transcribe and annotate eleven historic Huble diaries into a free public website, using UNBC’s book scanner and Prince George Citizen archives.

Blackburn Community Association  |  CAD $10,000

Install energy-efficient LED lighting, replace the failing east roof section, and upgrade kitchen and janitorial flooring at the community hall.

White Spruce City Chorus  |  CAD $6,000

Purchase a portable choral riser system with safety rails for singers performing at seniors’ homes, festivals, schools and civic events.

Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon  |  CAD $10,000

Deliver approximately 2,400 meals to families of hospitalized children using the Prince George Family Room inside UHNBC.

College of New Caledonia  |  CAD $10,000

Replace outdated desktops in the Web & Graphic Design lab with industry-standard hardware, plus drawing tablets and laptop hot-desk stations.

Association of Caledonia Trailbuilders  |  CAD $10,000

Fix drainage failures on the Daydream adaptive trail at Tabor Mountain and host a 2027 Adaptive Mountain Bike Day with Adaptive Adventures.

Prince George Council of Seniors  |  CAD $10,000

Establish a technology learning space at the Senior Resource Centre with a 12-module digital literacy curriculum, 150+ one-on-one coaching sessions and a large-print Digital Safety Guide.

Prince George Tennis and Pickleball Club  |  CAD $10,000

Add six new pickleball courts at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club site to meet rapid membership growth, enabling more league play, lessons, and tournaments; the balance of the $75,000 project is funded from club savings.

Prince George Regional Art Gallery Association  |  CAD $10,000

Publish a 120-page book (approximately 750 copies) documenting the Too Beh Ts’ughuna – Water is Life exhibition of Lheidli T’enneh artists, distributed throughout the community.

Pineview Recreation Commission  |  CAD $10,000

Build a permanent outhouse with a holding tank beside the Bendixon Road skating rink to support winter family skates and hockey.

YMCA BC  |  CAD $4,000

Purchase a portable accessible changing tent for Camp Kanannaq day camp, giving campers privacy for waterfront activities.

Prince George Recycling & Environmental Action Planning Society (REAPS)  |  CAD $10,000

Install an accessible standalone washroom at the Growing Knowledge Community Compost Garden education site to remove a barrier to school and community programming.

Fraser-Fort George Museum Society (The Exploration Place)  |  CAD $10,000

Continue free barrier-free STEAM school programs (coding, robotics, micro: bits) for K–12 students across Northern BC; served approximately 4,000 students in 2025–26.

Prince George CRC Community Gardens  |  CAD $2,000

Replace garden bed lumber and add soil for 34 neighbourhood plots plus fruit trees and berry bushes.

Community Arts Council of Prince George and District  |  CAD $5,000

Deliver 56 instructor-led painting classes for seniors at Studio 2880, reducing isolation and building artistic skills.

Prince George Urban Aboriginal Justice Society  |  CAD $10,000

Run eight AI, digital literacy and online safety workshops for 40+ Indigenous youth in SD57, producing a culturally grounded AI and digital-safety toolkit.

Pacific Autism Family Network  |  CAD $10,000

Host three free sensory-friendly seasonal events (Halloween, holiday, spring) for 200–300 neurodivergent individuals and families each.

NatureKids BC  |  CAD $9,000

Weekly hands-on after-school nature-science program for ages 5–12 at a Prince George elementary school, plus monthly family Explorer Days.

Northern BC Maker Collective Association  |  CAD $10,000

Six technical workshops and classroom sessions turning plastic waste into functional and artistic products through micro-recycling, moulding and laser engraving.

Engage Sport North  |  CAD $10,000

Host ten community sport-science testing events and two STEM sessions using force plates, speed, and jump analysis to introduce youth to sport-science careers.

Prince George Regional Highway Rescue Society  |  CAD $10,000

Maintain rescue equipment and vehicles and fund training and certification for volunteers serving 24,000 km² of rural highway around Prince George.

Theatre NorthWest  |  CAD $10,000

Install an automatic door opener on the accessible washroom and replace lobby tables with wheelchair-accessible furniture.

Central BC Railway & Forest Industry Museum Society  |  CAD $10,000

Complete a scoped, one-year conservation-readiness and stabilization phase for the heritage Penny Station, preparing it for larger restoration funding.

MACKENZIE

Morfee Elementary / Parent Advisory Committee | CAD $30,000 

Three projects: Developmental Intervention, Digital Learning and Bike Safety. These initiatives support local elementary students through early developmental assistance, access to modern learning tools and practical safety education. This broad investment in children addresses several areas of learning, well-being, and development. 

St. Peter’s Pantry | CAD $20,900 

Two projects: Milk Voucher Program and Protein Program + Freezer Storage. The pantry supports residents and families experiencing food insecurity. Funding provides immediate access to nutritious food while also purchasing permanent freezer capacity that will strengthen the program for years. 

Mackenzie Men’s Shed Society | CAD $17,100 

Two Projects: Mobile Work Shed and Facility Improvements: Supports a community organization that creates social connection, purposeful activity and practical learning opportunities. Funding provides a mobile workspace, tools, security and site improvements, creating lasting assets that can support programming well beyond the grant year. 

Williston Lake Elders Society | CAD $17,000 

Two Projects: Concept Drawings and Senior Housing Capacity Building: Supports early planning for a local senior-housing initiative. While this does not fund construction, it helps the organization advance the project, build capacity and move closer to being ready for future funding and development. 

Mackenzie Public Library | CAD $13,000 

Two projects: Technology Upgrade and STEM for Everyone. The library provides free and accessible educational resources to residents of all ages. Funding modernizes public technology and expands hands-on STEM learning, creating educational benefits that can be shared across the community for several years. 

Mackenzie Community Arts Council | CAD $12,500 

Two projects: Biking is Better and We Caribou Art. Funding supports secure bike infrastructure and community artwork at the Arts Centre. The projects create visible, lasting improvements while encouraging active transportation, community participation and pride in Mackenzie’s local identity. 

Mackenzie Community Services | CAD $10,000 

Life or Limb Fund: Provides emergency support to residents facing urgent needs involving food, shelter, heating and critical home repairs. Funding strengthens an established local safety net and allows assistance to reach vulnerable residents quickly when other resources are unavailable. 

Mackenzie Fire Rescue Department | CAD $10,000 

Wildland PPE: Replaces aging protective equipment used during wildfire response. This direct public-safety investment protects frontline responders and strengthens the community’s ability to prepare for and respond to wildfire emergencies. 

Mackenzie Volunteer Firefighters Association | CAD $10,000 

Rope Rescue Equipment: Replaces specialized equipment used in technical rescue situations. The equipment is reusable, has a long service life and provides a clear safety benefit for firefighters and residents during high-risk emergencies. 

Mackenzie Counselling Services Society | CAD $10,000 

Accessibility Ramp and Handrail: Improves physical access to counselling and community services. This permanent improvement removes barriers for seniors, people with disabilities and residents experiencing mobility challenges. 

Mackenzie Nature Observatory | CAD $10,000 

Migration Monitoring: Supports bird and owl monitoring, environmental education and community science. The program creates educational opportunities for residents, produces valuable local environmental data, and encourages stewardship of the surrounding area. 

Mackenzie Minor Hockey Association | CAD $10,000 

Volunteer and Player Appreciation: Recognizes the players and volunteers who sustain minor hockey in Mackenzie. Funding supports continued participation, volunteer retention and a strong local recreation program for children and families. 

Mackenzie Chamber of Commerce | CAD $10,000 

Tent Infrastructure Initiative: Purchase durable event tents that multiple businesses and community organizations can use. The investment supports local events, increases business visibility, and creates shared infrastructure that can be reused throughout the community. 

Mackenzie Community Garden | CAD $10,000 

Growing Together Expansion: Expands growing capacity and improves access for seniors and other community members. Funding creates permanent garden infrastructure that supports food access, social connection and community participation across multiple growing seasons. 

McLeod Lake Indian Band | CAD $10,000 

Our Stories, Our Future: Supports Indigenous storytelling, cultural preservation and educational programming. Funding contributes to intergenerational knowledge sharing. 

Mackenzie Secondary PAC | CAD $10,000 

MSS Sports Fund: Helps students participate in school athletics by supporting program and participation needs. The investment promotes physical activity, teamwork, school engagement and more equitable access to sports for local youth. 

Home-Based Makers | CAD $9,950 

Expanded Retail Space: Creates improved space where local home-based businesses can display and sell their products. The project supports multiple entrepreneurs, encourages local spending and establishes reusable economic-development infrastructure. 

Powder King Ski Club | CAD $8,000 

Youth Ski Club Connect: Expands access to organized skiing for local youth. Funding reduces participation barriers and gives children opportunities to develop outdoor recreation skills, confidence and healthy lifelong habits. 

Mackenzie Youth Baseball | CAD $8,000 

Equipment and Inclusion Program: Provides registration and equipment assistance for families while upgrading shared league equipment. Funding reduces financial barriers and invests in reusable equipment that will benefit players over multiple seasons. 

Mackenzie Autumn Lodge Society | CAD $7,000 

Friends Helping Friends: Subsidizes prepared meals for residents with limited incomes. Funding helps an established community program continue providing affordable meals, nutrition and social connection to residents who may otherwise go without. 

Mackenzie Figure Skating Club | CAD $6,550 

CanSkate Equipment and Seminar: Provides equipment and development programming for young skaters. Funding supports youth participation, recreation, skill development and the continued strength of a local volunteer-led program.