Billionaire Arthur Irving, one of Canada's richest men, dies at age 93
SAINT JOHN, News Brunswick (AP) — Arthur L. Irving, one of Canada’s richest people and the son of Canadian industrialist K.C. Irving, has died at the age of 93 after a life spent growing the oil business his father founded.
Irving Oil announced his death in a statement, saying he died Monday surrounded by his wife, Sandra, and daughter, Sarah.
Forbes Magazine listed Arthur Irving as being among the top 10 richest Canadians in 2023. At the time of his death, he had an estimated net worth of US$6.4 billion, which includes a refinery in New Brunswick that is Canada’s largest, along with the Whitegate refinery in Ireland.
Born in 1930, Irving attended Nova Scotia’s Acadia University before leaving to join Irving Oil in 1951, where he worked with his father and his two brothers.
“I had the choice to go on at Acadia or learn about business from the best teacher available anywhere — my father,” he told author Donald Savoie in his 2020 book about Irving Oil. “I went with the best teacher.”