Sun Life’s Kevin Strain Donates $250K to Canada’s Most Influential Think Tank

July 28, 2026 – The C.D. Howe Institute is pleased to announce that it has received a generous $250,000 donation from Sun Life President and CEO Kevin Strain to support the Institute’s William Robson Chair in Public Sector Governance and Accountability.

Mr. Strain’s contribution marks the latest gift to support the William Robson Chair, established in 2025 in recognition of President Emeritus William B.P. Robson and his decades of public policy leadership.

Mr. Strain has served as a leader at Sun Life for 24 years, assuming the role of President and CEO of the leading financial services organization in 2021.

A member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s Board of Directors since 2025, Mr. Strain also sits on the board of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and is a member of the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council.

“A strong economy depends on effective, accountable public institutions,” says C.D. Howe Institute President and CEO Jeremy M. Kronick. “Kevin’s donation reflects a shared commitment to advancing rigorous, independent research that strengthens public policy and governance in Canada. We are deeply grateful for his generosity and leadership.”

For more information contact: Lauren Malyk, Manager of Communications, C.D. Howe Institute, lmalyk@cdhowe.org

The C.D. Howe Institute is an independent not-for-profit research institute whose mission is to raise living standards by fostering economically sound public policies. Widely considered to be Canada's most influential think tank, the Institute is a trusted source of essential policy intelligence, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review.