OTTAWA (Monday, April 7, 2025) – The Ottawa Construction Association (OCA) and the General Contractors Association of Ottawa (GCAO) have donated $15,000 to Algonquin College to establish the Don Chutter Construction Bursary. This endowed bursary will support learners experiencing financial need in one of over 20 construction-related programs in the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE).
Chutter, the bursary’s honouree, is a 100-year-old veteran of Ottawa’s construction industry. His many decades of service to our community have been recognized by lifetime memberships in both the OCA and the GCAO and many other accolades.
“Don Chutter represents the best values in our industry,” said John DeVries, OCA’s President and General Manager. “His leadership, his unwavering commitment to excellence and integrity, his service to the community—these are the values we want the Don Chutter Construction Bursary to inspire in the next generation of construction professionals.”
“The OCA and the GCAO are valuable partners in our shared responsibility to support the construction industry in our region,” said Mark Savenkoff, Vice President, Advancement and Strategy at Algonquin College. “Many of our ACCE alumni join the companies these associations represent, and we’re so thankful for this new bursary and the positive impact it will have for our learners.”
For more information about the Don Chutter Construction Bursary, please contact advancement@algonquincollege.com.
– 30 –
About Algonquin College
The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success. Algonquin College, an Ontario public sector community college, does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected, experiential learning in more than 250 programs. Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario, with campuses in Ottawa, Perth, Pembroke and AC Online.
About the Ottawa Construction Association (OCA)
Founded in 1889, the Ottawa Construction Association (OCA) is one of the largest regional construction associations in Canada with more than 1,100 firms active in all sectors of the region’s $5-billion construction market. The OCA represents the interests of its members to all levels of government and promotes industry best practices that respect the principles of fairness, ethics, teamwork, and service.
About the General Contractors Association of Ottawa (GCAO)
The General Contractors Association of Ottawa (GCAO) was founded in 1971 and was granted Letters of Patent by the Government of Ontario in 1982. Some of the principal objectives of the GCAO include fostering the business interests of General Contractors, promoting fair and equitable tendering and contract administration procedures, and advocating for desirable legislation affecting their membership at all levels of government