Aviva Community Fund reveals the winners of its 2018 competition

November 20, 2018 (Toronto, ON)– Today, the Aviva Community Fund announces the winners of the small and big ideas categories in the 2018 competition. Since 2009, Aviva Canada has funded over $9.5 million in local projects and supported over 400 charities and community groups across Canada.

For its 10^th anniversary, the Aviva Community Fund earmarked $1 million to support ideas that bring people together and create meaningful change in local communities. Aviva Canada chose to focus on bringing people together because building strong communities create a more welcoming place to live, and builds resilience and trust amongst community members.

“Congratulations to all our Aviva Community Fund winners,” says Colm Holmes, President and CEO of Aviva Canada. “As we celebrate our 10^th anniversary, under the theme of bringing people together, we couldn’t be more proud to support ideas – big and small – that will have a lasting impact in their local communities.”

Of the top ten finalists for big ideas, qualified based on the highest number of votes received during the voting period in the competition, three winners were selected by a panel of appointed judges to each receive $100,000, and seven winners were selected to each receive $15,000 towards bringing their ideas to life. 

Additionally, fifty small ideas category winners qualified to each receive $10,000 based on the highest number of votes received during the competition. A $5,000 prize will go to the Top Ranked Broker-Supported Idea winner, based on the highest number of Aviva Canada broker votes.

Watch our video announcement here, and see all the Big and Small Ideas category winners listed below.

The three big ideas category winners each to receive $100,000 are:

• Essex High School Sports Complex Grandstand (Essex, ON)
• Hampton Elementary School Accessible Playground (Hampton, NB)
• ‘The 92’ A Community Centre in Mackenzie, BC (Mackenzie, BC)

The seven big ideas category winners each to receive $15,000 are:

• Community Legacy-Multi-Purpose Court for All Ages (Kitchener, ON)

• Eastern Charlotte County Splash Pad Park (Saint George, NB)

• Max Aitken Academy Playground (Miramichi, NB)

• Parc sans barrière à HAMMOND barrier-free park (Clarence-Rockland, ON)

• Pine Grove's New Nature Inspired Playground (St. Catharines, ON)

• Stratford Elementary School Playground (Stratford, PE)

• The Field of Ability (Belleville, ON)

The 50 small ideas category winners each to receive $10,000 are:

• « Aux Fougères » – Le café culturel des jeunes (Saint-Jérôme, QC)

• 20,000 Healthy, Eco-conscious, Cruelty-free Meals (Toronto, ON)

• Accessible playground needed for inclusive play (Westport, ON)

• Aire de rassemblement extérieure (Embrun, ON)

• An Edible Forest Garden in Downtown Sudbury (Sudbury, ON)

• Atelier communautaire Vélorution Saint-Michel (Montréal, QC)

• BC Wildlife Federation Youth Program 2018-2019 (Surrey, BC)

• Beating Cancer is In Our Blood (Toronto, ON)

• BEEA Honey with Heart (Halifax, NS)

• Building Connections for Newcomers Through Science (Pickering, ON)

• Canada’s Cat Sanctuary Visitor Experience Project (Richmond, BC)

• Children, Youth  & Families Helping Animals (Smiths Falls, ON)

• Combat des livres NDG Reads - V2 (Montreal, QC)

• Community Space @ New Hope Bikes (Hamilton, ON)

• C-Vert -les jeunes en action pour l'environnement! (Montréal, QC)

• Eastbrook-New Playground Project (Brooks, AB)

• Eden Care Communities Making Our Mark (Regina, SK)

• Families First Grief Support Program (Fort Saskatchewan, AB)

• Field of Dreams (Lanark Highlands, ON)

• Fort Langley Elementary School Playground (Langley, BC)

• Harvest Community Park (Millbrook, ON)

• Ignatius Farm: Greenhouse Retrofit (Guelph/Eramosa, ON)

• Journées Boutiques 2019 (Montréal, QC)

• Kawartha Wildlife Coexistence Initiative (Kawartha Lakes, ON)

• Ken Reid Community Christmas (Lindsay, ON)

• Opening New Doors: Interactive Play Zone (Orillia, ON)

• Paradise Hill Community Playground Project (Paradise Hill, SK)

• Plastic crisis: Developing a zero waste Montréal (Montreal, QC)

• Project 364 Abbotsford (Abbotsford, BC)

• Providing accessibility to our community (Oshawa, ON)

• Purple Butterfly Project (Richmond Hill, ON)

• Refugee students' integration: Kids Helping Kids (Toronto, ON)

• Safe and Accessible Community Hub at UPC (Unionville, ON)

• Say Ça! (Montreal, QC)

• Sensory Room for the Perlin Centre (St. John's, NL)

• So All Kids Can Play Project (Fort Saskatchewan, AB)

• SPEC's 50th Birthday Community Celebrations! (Vancouver, BC)

• St. Peter's Elementary Playground (Upper Island Cove, NL)

• Strengthening Families Project (Toronto, ON)

• Surfrider Stitch 'N' Beach (Tofino, BC)

• Theatre Centre Community Meals (Toronto, ON)

• Tomorrow's Leaders Speak Out (St. John's, NL)

• Toronto Community Juicing Project (Toronto, ON)

• Warm the "SOLE" of dialysis patients and homeless (Burnaby, BC)

• We Grow Food (Oshawa, ON)

• Welcome to Drumheller! (Drumheller, AB)

• Whitmore School and Community Play Structure (Dauphin, MB)

• Windsong Heights Community Mural (Airdrie, AB)

• Wolfville School Activity Park (Wolfville, NS)

• Youth Nights in the "Hub" (Fergus, ON)

The Top Ranked Broker-Supported Idea winner to receive $5,000 is:

• ASC Connect: Bringing Community Together (Toronto, Canada)

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Media Contact:
Priscilla Wong
Mobile: 647-208-7523
Email: priscilla.y.wong@aviva.com