Key Takeaways
- Calgary philanthropist David Bissett gave the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) a $30-million gift for the Bissett Autonomous Aviation Park, plans for which were unveiled on October 8, 2026.
- The gift equals 20 percent of SAIT's $150 million Real Futures campaign.
- Bissett's gifts to SAIT total $65 million across 2014, 2019 and 2026, according to reported figures.
- The release does not state the park's construction cost or start date.
Calgary philanthropist David Bissett has given $30 million to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, SAIT announced on October 8, 2026. The gift pays for the Bissett Autonomous Aviation Park, a facility for the training, testing and certification of remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft. SAIT's release calls the gift a significant contribution to its $150 million Real Futures campaign.
The release quotes Bissett: "A province's prosperity depends on whether its people have the skills the global economy is asking for," he said. He added that he wants young Albertans to build the industry rather than watch it develop elsewhere. SAIT's president and CEO, Dr. David Ross, said: "This gift will cement SAIT's position at the centre of autonomous aviation in western Canada."
What Bissett's gifts add up to at SAIT
The $30 million figure, set against the campaign it supports, gives a clearer size. SAIT's release places the gift inside its $150 million Real Futures campaign, so the gift is 20 percent of that goal.
- Share of the campaign: $30 million divided by $150 million is 20 percent, using the release's two figures.
- Student awards: the release earmarks $6 million of the gift for student awards, which is also 20 percent of the $30 million.
- Bissett's total: $5 million in 2014 for the Bissett Bursary Program, according to Global News, plus $30 million in 2019, plus the $30 million announced this week. That is $65 million.
Global News reported in December 2019 that Bissett's $30 million gift to SAIT was the largest monetary gift the institution had ever received. The 2026 gift matches that amount. SAIT was established in 1916 and served about 50,000 students in 2019, according to the same report.
Where the aviation programs stand
SAIT says it has trained aviation professionals since 1928, and the release calls the park a one-of-a-kind facility. SAIT has built its drone training in stages. It launched Western Canada's first professional RPAS certificate program in 2023, and this fall it launched its first RPAS diploma program, according to BetaKit. RPAS stands for remotely piloted aircraft systems. BetaKit cites a projected Canadian drone market valued at $10-billion by 2030, and a Calgary aerospace ecosystem expected to grow past $4 billion by 2030, citing Calgary Economic Development.
The release describes the $150 million as the goal of the Real Futures campaign, not as the cost of the park. Coverage that calls it a facility budget should be checked against that wording.
What the gift does not yet show
The release does not give the park's total cost, how much of the campaign has been raised, or when construction will start. A share of the campaign is not the same as a share of the park's budget, so the 20 percent figure describes the gift's size against the campaign goal, not the cost of the facility. The next figures to watch are a park budget from SAIT and the campaign's total raised to date.
People Also Ask
Who is David Bissett?
David Bissett is a Calgary philanthropist and a long-time SAIT supporter, according to SAIT's release. Global News reported in 2019 that he is a member of the Order of Canada. He has supported SAIT since at least 2014, when he gave $5 million to help establish the Bissett Bursary Program.
How much has David Bissett given to SAIT?
Bissett's reported gifts to SAIT total $65 million: $5 million in 2014 for the Bissett Bursary Program, $30 million in 2019, and $30 million in 2026. The 2026 gift funds the Bissett Autonomous Aviation Park.
What is the Bissett Autonomous Aviation Park?
The Bissett Autonomous Aviation Park is a planned SAIT facility for the training, testing and certification of remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft, according to SAIT's release.
Sources: SAIT's release on GlobeNewswire, CTV News, BetaKit, and Global News.