Ignat Kaneff

Ignat Kaneff CM OOnt (Bulgarian: Игнат Христов Кънев; 6 October 1926 – 12 July 2020) was a Bulgarian-born Canadian business magnate and philanthropist.

Ignat Kaneff
Игнат Канев
Born
Игнат Христов Кънев

(1926-10-06)6 October 1926
Gorno Ablanovo, Bulgaria
Died12 July 2020(2020-07-12) (aged 93)
NationalityBulgarian
Canadian
OccupationBusinessman
Net worth US$1.2bn (2013)
Spouse(s)Dimitrina Kaneff
ChildrenAnna-Maria and Kristina Kaneff and two children from previous marriage Heidi and Daniel Kaneff (Daniel is deceased).
Websitekaneff.com

Biography

Ignat Hristov Kaneff 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 his wife, Dimitrina Kaneff. 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 was 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 was the owner of six golf courses and a large construction company in Canada. He was the managing director of a charitable foundation bearing his name.[9] His wealth at the time of his death was estimated to be over $1 billion. He owned 7 Apartment Buildings, over 5 Golf Clubs and had an empire of real estate properties across North America from condos to houses, to strip malls and plazas.[10]

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

Ignat Kaneff died on 12 July 2020.[12]

Philanthropy

Kaneff made grants primarily for health and educational purposes and to promote the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.[13] He made his first major donation in 1955 for a hospital in Toronto.[14] He donated land and over $1 million for construction of the St. Dimitar Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Brampton.[15]

In 2009, Kaneff donated $2.5 million towards the reconstruction of the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto; the building was named after 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.[16][17] The Kaneff Centre was officially opened on 10 October 2013.[18][19]

Kaneff Tower and the Ignat Kaneff Building at York University are named in his honour.[20]

Honours

In 2002, Kaneff was awarded the Bulgarian Order "Stara Planina first degree".[21]

In 2010 Kaneff was awarded the Order of Ontario.[22] For the generous sponsorship and building renovations of Osgoode Hall Law School in 2010, York University awarded him the honorary Doctor of Juridical Science.[23]

For the sponsorship of Kaneff Centre in Bulgaria in 2013, Ruse University awarded him the honorary Doctor of Science.[24]

In December 2016, Kaneff was named a Member of the Order of Canada.[25]

  • Kaneff Centre at Ruse University
  • Opening of Kaneff Centre
  • Bas-relief of the donor Ignat Kaneff at Kaneff Centre
gollark: It's like having everyone's phone number - entirely useless.
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gollark: It's true. The government don't want you to know this, but you can actually take over a company through trial by combat.
gollark: You could just crop it instead of screenshotting it.

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". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  11. Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  12. Canadian billionaire of Bulgarian origin Ignat Kanev has died Society News from Bulgaria and the World, MBS News, 13.07.2020
  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. Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  16. Русенският университет с дарен от българина Игнат Канев комплекс, Mediapool, 10.10.2013
  17. Откриха "Канев център" в Русенския университет
  18. Двама президенти откриха "Канев център" в Русенския университет
  19. "Милиардерът Канев: Извън България съм като дърво без корен, БГНЕС, 10.10.2013". Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  20. "President Rhonda L. Lenton and Vice-President Advancement Jeff O'Hagan issue statement on passing of Ignat Kaneff". 15 July 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  21. Игнат Канев: Дарих 2000 долара за болница и изведнъж станах "някой", в-к "24 часа", 15.10.2012
  22. "30 Appointees Named To Ontario's Highest Honour". 21 January 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  23. York University: Harvest what has been sown, philanthropist tells grads, 2010
  24. Русенският университет с дарен от българина Игнат Канев комплекс, Mediapool, 10.10.2013
  25. "Order of Canada's newest appointees include Paralympian, Supreme Court judge and astrophysicist". CBC News, 30 December 2016.
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