Bourque has been involved in many charitable endeavours both in Calgary and Lac La Biche. He says this lifestyle was tough growing up, which is why he started the Bourque Buddies charity to help Metis children have something to look forward to and work towards. “You see the effects of stuff that goes on in small towns or even in reserves and it’s a tough life for a lot of those kids,” Bourque says. He started the Rene Bourque Hockey Fund with the goal of providing hockey equipment to underprivileged kids, and has appeared as a spokesman for Native Americans in sport at youth symposiums. His fund led to the donation of 50 sets of equipment to underprivileged children in Northern Alberta during the 2008–09 season, and over 100 sets in 2010–11. Also in 2010–11, he started a program called "Bourque's Buddies" that rewards kids from the Tsuu T'ina Nation who have made positive contributions in their schools with tickets to Flames games.
