The McLean Foundation

The McLean Foundation was established in 1945 by the late Mr. James Stanley (J.S.) McLean, president of Canada Packers, with an initial gift of $505,400. J.S. McLean made additional gifts from time to time until his death on September 1st, 1954. These gifts, augmented by a bequest under his will, totalled $1,301,000.

J.S. and Edith McLean were avid supporters of numerous charitable causes, particularly in the areas of social welfare, education, environmental conservation and the arts.  They were avid art collectors, most notably works of the Group of Seven and other Canadian artists, such as Tom Thomson, David Milne and Emily Carr.   The directors of the Foundation have chosen to feature on the website an Emily Carr painting, Red Tree, c. 1938, which was a gift to the Art Gallery of Ontario from the J.S. McLean Collection, by Canada Packers Inc., in 1990.  This highlights J.S. and Edith McLeans’ passion for both the Canadian wilderness and the arts.

Edith McLean also made gifts and bequests to the Foundation, to a total value of approximately $450,000.  Mr. William F. McLean and Mrs. Mary F. Stewart, made bequests to the Foundation in their wills in 2001 and 2009 respectively.

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