About Alastair Ross
Alastair H. Ross’ vision and leadership were instrumental in the growth of Calgary’s advanced technology sector.
Although the economy was booming in the late 70s and early 80s, Alastair saw a need to diversify Calgary’s economy. A successful oil and gas businessman, Alastair became committed to growing the city’s R&D sector, and in 1981 he became the founding Chairman of the Calgary Research & Development Authority (now Innovate Calgary).
A true visionary, Alastair was Chairman from 1981 to 1995 and remained a Director until 1998. Alastair Ross passed away in 2002.
Today, Calgary is home to one of the largest number of technology startups per capita in Canada, and the Alastair Ross Technology Centre (ARTC) is key in supporting companies in the high-tech sector. Since its completion in July 2000, the ARTC has served more than 600 tenants and corporate ID clients.