Investing $150,000 to inspire more youth to lead climate solutions across Canada
HAMILTON, Ontario, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2), in partnership with Wawanesa Insurance, has renewed its support for young climate action innovators by announcing the continuation of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants for a second consecutive year.
The initiative empowers young people between 18 and 30 to lead the advancement of climate solutions in Canada.
“The project saw great success in its first year with innovative new youth-led research,” said Dr. Cebert Adamson, Vice President Academic at Mohawk College and C2R2 Co-Chair. “Students had the opportunity to present their research at national conferences, work with leading experts across sectors, and develop new innovative solutions in their sector. We are excited to continue the program after witnessing the enthusiasm and creativity the participants contributed to climate mitigation and adaptation. We are grateful for Wawanesa’s ongoing support of this important project.”
“We’re proud to invest in the next generation of climate champions as part of our commitment to building resiliency across the country,” said Jackie De Pape Hornick, Director of Communications & Community Impact at Wawanesa. “These grants will empower Canada’s youth to turn their inspiring ideas into action, enabling them to lead impactful change within their communities. We can’t wait to see how they plan to take on the challenges posed by climate change and help create a stronger, more sustainable future.”
In the first year of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants, a total of $150,000 were awarded to five students to help them bring their climate-focused solutions to life between April 2024 and April 2025:
- Maxim Bergeron at CNETE (Shawinigan, QC) is producing two microbial enzymes with the capacity to degrade environmental pollutants such as plastics and hydrocarbons;
- Muhammad Abdullah at Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Saskatoon, SK) is mapping flood zones at various levels around Foam Lake to support disaster management and urban planning;
- Navdeep Singh at Seneca Polytechnic (Toronto, ON) is uncovering best practices to reduce carbon emissions in agriculture through variable rate technology by working with farming communities;
- Pal Patel at Mohawk College (Hamilton, ON) is building a platform that supports Indigenous communities in tracking and analyzing energy usage to support asset management and energy planning; and
- Sophie Walker at Red River College Polytechnic (Winnipeg, MB) is facilitating climate resilience in nursing curricula through workshops and a resource guide for students and faculty.
Each recipient has shared that the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants program has unlocked exciting new opportunities for them, with some describing the experience as transformational.
“Receiving the funding has enabled me to tackle real-world problems, like flood zone mapping using cutting-edge tools,” said Abdullah. “It encouraged me to connect with communities and help them address their problems. I would recommend applying for this grant to youth eager to make a meaningful impact through innovation and technology along with helping communities.”
The second year of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants will offer young innovators a similar grant of $30,000 each to develop, deploy, and advance their unique project ideas.
Youth currently enrolled in or who have recently graduated from a C2R2 partner institution will have the opportunity to present their climate-focused idea and complete an application in partnership with their institution between January 16 and March 13, 2025. The selected projects will be announced on April 22, 2025—Earth Day.
C2R2 is proud to continue its partnership with Wawanesa, underscoring their shared dedication to fostering positive change and resilience in the face of climate-related challenges.
About Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2)
Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) is a coalition of 15 highly aligned colleges, cégeps, institutes, and polytechnics across Canada with an established commitment to sustainability. The coalition members have come together as a driving force, providing the skills required to transition to a clean economy in Canada. C2R2’s administration and secretariat are located at Mohawk College in Hamilton.
For more information, visit www.resilientcolleges.ca.
About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $3.5 billion in annual revenue and assets of $10 billion. Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.7 million members in Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at wawanesa.com.
For more information:
Sean Coffey
Director, Communications
Mohawk College
905-575-2127
sean.coffey@mohawkcollege.ca
Michel Rosset
Manager, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
media@wawanesa.com...
Read the full news release here
