The Aviva Community Fund finalists are…

November 1, 2017 (Toronto, ON) – More than two million votes were cast for over 500 incredible ideas. Canadians had their say during the 10 day voting period and the results are in!

Aviva congratulates the ideas that have moved forward to the finalist round. The finalists’ ideas are listed below by funding category:

Finalists in the Community Development category

  • Empowering Employment (Victoria, BC)
  • Housing for Hope (Antigonish, NS)
  • Recovery Begins With Shelter #SoulsHarbour (Halifax, NS)
  • Two Rivers Revitalization (Marion Bridge, NS)
  • Brockville Police After School Program (Brockville, ON)
  • Grow FEAT to Support Kids of Incarcerated Parents (Hamilton, ON)
  • Parkdale Community Food Centre: Serving Hope!* (Hamilton, ON)
  • Riversyde 83: Kitchen Renovation (Simcoe, ON)
  • Share the ROM with Kids and New Canadians (Toronto, ON)
  • Teach For Canada: Making Education More Equal (Toronto, ON)
  • Un quartier mobilisé vers une épicerie collective! (Montreal, QC)

 

*Top-Ranked Broker Supported Idea – Morison Insurance

Finalists in the Community Health category

  • Riverstone Public School (K-8) Playground (Grande Prairie, AB)
  • Operation Outdoors: First United's New Van Plan (Vancouver, BC)
  • Together in Harmony: Playground Redevelopment (Victoria, BC)
  • Seaside Park Elementary Community Playground (Saint John, NB)
  • A Splash Pad for Placentia (Placentia, NL)
  • #GrieveNotAlone (Kawartha Lakes, ON)
  • Nipissing Serenity Hospice (North Bay, ON)
  • Paris Central School Playground Revitalization (Paris, ON)
  • Sault Ste. Marie’s Splash Pad Play Destination (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)
  • Un jardin thérapeutique à La Maison Aube-Lumière (Sherbrooke, QC)

 

Finalists in the Community Resilience category

  • SCA Community Garden (Sherwood Park, AB)
  • Emma's Acres: Environmental Sustainability (Mission, BC)
  • Green Dining at the new St. John’s Farmers’ Market (St. John’s, NL)
  • Lasalle's Living Lab - Passive Solar Greenhouse (Sudbury, ON)
  • Replanting School Grown (Toronto, ON)
  • Soper Creek Wildlife Education Centre (Bowmanville, ON)
  • The Farm & Market in Clarenville Phase 2 (Clarenville, NL)
  • Trusted EVisors™ – Improving Community Resilience (Aurora, ON)
  • Wikwemikong Greenhouse for Change (Wikwemikong First Nation, ON)
  • De la semence à l'assiette (Oka, QC)

 

Finalists in the Community Legacy category

  • Circular Center: Plastic Recycling in Remote areas (Vancouver, BC)
  • Sprouts: Students Supporting Sustainable Food (Vancouver, BC)
  • Jump In HFX (Halifax, NS)
  • Indigenous-Led Climate Justice -Toolkit for Action (Ottawa, ON)
  • Polycycle (Ottawa, ON)

 

Aviva Community Fund finalists will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges that will determine the grand prize winning ideas. Non-grand prize winning finalists will receive a $5,000 donation to their charity of choice.

This year’s judges include Bev Gutray (CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division), Debra Shime (Senior Vice President, Community Impact, United Way of Toronto & York Region), Elissa Beckett (Vice President, Development & Strategic Initiatives, Tides Canada), Marina Glogovac (President & CEO, CanadaHelps), Phil Gibson (Chief Underwriting Officer, Aviva Canada), Samina Talat (Senior Director, Community Health & Wellness, Red Cross Canada) and Scott Shields (Director Operations, Cypher Systems Group) and Stephen Savage (Executive Vice President, Cypher Systems Group). Each judge brings a unique perspective and passion to the competition, to ensure the best ideas win funding.

The grand prize winners will be announced on December 5th.


Media Contacts:

Priscilla Wong
Public Relations Specialist
Aviva Canada Inc.
Mobile: 647 208 7523
Email: priscilla.y.wong@aviva.com


Notes to Editors:

More information about the finalist round:

  • The finalists are evaluated by our independent panel of judges who choose the grand prize winners.
  • Grand prize winners receive up to $100,000 (if entered into the large level of funding), up to $50,000 (if entered into the small level of funding) and $150,000 (if entered into the Community Legacy category).
  • Finalists that do not become grand prize winners will receive a $5,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
  • The Top-Ranked Broker Supported Idea is the idea that received the highest number of Aviva broker partner votes and is automatically identified as one of the finalists.
     

About Aviva Canada:

Aviva Canada is one of the leading property and casualty insurance groups in the country, providing home, automobile, leisure/lifestyle and business insurance to 2.9 million customers. A subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, Aviva Canada has more than 4,000 employees focused on creating a bright and sustainable future for our customers and our communities.

Aviva Canada invests in positive change through the Aviva Community Fund, Canada’s longest running online community funding competition, which has awarded $8.5 million to over 280 charities and community groups nationwide since its inception in 2009. Aviva Canada was the first insurer to become a national corporate partner of the Canadian Red Cross’ Ready When the Time Comes program, to be there for Canadians when disaster strikes. With a strong commitment to prevention and protection, the organization has partnered with the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, and launched the Plan & Protect app, to help Canadians prepare for unforeseen weather events and natural disasters. In 2016, it received The Burns & Wilcox Award for Philanthropy & Community Service. At Aviva Canada, protecting the people and things you love, supporting the causes you care about most and strengthening your local community is just good thinking.


For more information visit Aviva Canada’s Corporate Responsibility page, Aviva Canada’s blogTwitterFacebook and LinkedIn pages.