Ignat Kaneff

Ignat Kaneff
Native name Игнат Канев
Born Игнат Христов Кънев
(1926-10-06) 6 October 1926
Gorno Ablanovo, Bulgaria
Nationality Bulgarian
Canadian
Occupation Businessman, philanthropist
Net worth Increase US $1.2 billion
(2013)
Website kaneff.com

Ignat Kaneff (Bulgarian: Игнат Христов Кънев; born Ignat Hristov Kanev; 6 October 1926) is a Bulgarian-born Canadian business magnate and philanthropist.

Biography

Ignat Hristov Kanev was born on 6 October 1926 in Gorno Ablanovo, Bulgaria. He was one of six children in the family of Hristo and Mita Kanevi.[1]

He could not afford to complete school, and left Bulgaria at the age of 14, moving to Austria to look for employment. Starting in March 1941, he and a few friends worked for a Bulgarian company that traded in agricultural products.[2]

In 1951 he quit work in Austria, and emigrated to Canada with almost no money, no knowledge of English, and no ties or friends there. He settled in Toronto and started working in the construction business. Originally, he built small houses for newly arrived immigrants. Five years later, in 1956, he founded his first construction company. The next year, his company constructed its first large building – three floors with nine apartments. Ten years later, the company built its first high-rise building, with 262 apartments.[3] Subsequently, the company's annual revenue reached more than 250 million dollars.[4][5][6] During his career as a building contractor, he built thousands of houses, many public buildings, and high-end golf facilities.[7]

He is also involved in the car trade. He became a General Motors dealer, becoming successful enough to be invited by the president of the company to dinner in Detroit.[8]

He is the owner of six golf courses and a large construction company in Canada. He is the managing director of a charitable foundation bearing his name.[9] His wealth is estimated at over $1 billion.[10]

He is the Honorary Consul of Bulgaria in Canada.[11]

Philanthropy

Kaneff makes grants primarily for health and educational purposes and to promote the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.[12] He made his first major donation in 1955 for a hospital in Toronto.[13] He donated land and over $1 million for construction of the St. Dimitar Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Brampton.[14]

In 2009, Kaneff gave $2.5 million toward the reconstruction of the building of the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto; the building is now named for him. In 2012,he gave $1.5 million, about half the total amount necessary, for the construction of a modern conference complex named after him, the Kaneff Centre, at Ruse University in Bulgaria.[15][16] The Kaneff Centre was officially opened on 10 October 2013.[17][18]

Honours

In 2002, Kaneff was awarded the Bulgarian Order "Stara Planina first degree".[19]

In 2010 Ignat Kaneff was awarded the Order of Ontario.[20] For the generous sponsorship and building renovations of Osgoode Hall Law School in 2010, York University awarded him the honorary Doctor of Juridical Science.[21]

For the sponsorship of Kaneff Centre in Bulgaria in 2013, Ruse University awarded him the honorary Doctor of Science.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  2. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  3. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  4. ↑ Игнат Канев ... си дойде в Абланово след 10 г., в. Стандарт, 10.10.1012
  5. ↑ Игнат Канев развежда канадци по крепости, в. Стандарт, 08.10.2013
  6. ↑ Русенец вдигна църква в Торонто, в. Стандарт, 05.06.2006
  7. ↑ York University: Harvest what has been sown, philanthropist tells grads, 2010
  8. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  9. ↑ Тържествено откриха "Канев Център", News.Ruse24.bg, 10.10.2013
  10. ↑ Българин е милиардер №1 в Канада, VsekiDen, 05.06.2013
  11. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  12. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  13. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  14. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  15. ↑ Русенският университет с дарен от българина Игнат Канев комплекс, Mediapool, 10.10.2013
  16. ↑ Откриха "Канев център" в Русенския университет
  17. ↑ Двама президенти откриха "Канев център" в Русенския университет
  18. ↑ Милиардерът Канев: Извън България съм като дърво без корен, БГНЕС, 10.10.2013
  19. ↑ Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  20. ↑ "30 Appointees Named To Ontario's Highest Honour". 2011-01-21. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  21. ↑ York University: Harvest what has been sown, philanthropist tells grads, 2010
  22. ↑ Русенският университет с дарен от българина Игнат Канев комплекс, Mediapool, 10.10.2013
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