The University of Calgary has announced the appointment of John S. Osler as the school’s new chancellor.
Described by the university as a distinguished lawyer and philanthropic leader, the Calgary-born Osler spent 36 years as a corporate lawyer at the law firm McCarthy Tetrault LLP and has served on the board of Calgary Economic Development.
He is also the former campaign chair of OWN.CANCER, a $250 million fundraising campaign in support of the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Calgary, currently serves on the board of the Canadian Cancer Society and is co-chair of “The Next Chapter” campaign for the Bethany Care Foundation.
“We have to leave our communities better than we found them,” said Osler, who grew up in the northwest Calgary community of University Heights where many of his neighbours taught or worked at the university.
“I’ve had a life of community service along with my working life, and it was another opportunity to give back to my community, and really the ultimate opportunity to give that back to the community. Our university is such an important institution in our city, and the opportunity to tell its story to the communities is just too compelling.”
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While the position of chancellor is a volunteer role with the university, Osler claims it’s his job to share the university’s story.
(It) “stands at the apex, in the centre of the relationship the university has with its stakeholders, external stakeholders, the community, also its internal stakeholders, and that includes the students,” Osler said.
“I want to take the story of the university, the great institution that they are attending, tell them about it, and empower them as well to take story of their great university wherever they go.”
Osler, who will become the university’s 16th chancellor, will officially begin his four-year term on July 1, 2026.
He will succeed outgoing chancellor Jon Cornish, a legendary member of the Calgary Stampeders football team who became a well-known investment adviser and leader with various non-profit organizations and charities following his football career.
Cornish was appointed as the university’s 15th chancellor on July 1, 2022.
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