Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery and Wawanesa Award $150,000 to Five Youth-Led Climate Projects

/EIN News/ -- HAMILTON, Ontario, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovative climate solutions require bold ideas, and young leaders are stepping up to the challenge. Wawanesa Insurance and Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) are thrilled to announce the latest recipients of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants. The $150,000 in available funding will support youth-led projects focused on tackling climate change and building more resilient communities across Canada.

Through a competitive selection process, five outstanding projects have been chosen to each receive a $30,000 grant to develop and implement their climate-focused initiative with support from C2R2 partner institutions. These projects represent the creativity and commitment of young Canadians striving for meaningful environmental impact.

“The level of innovation and dedication from young leaders across Canada is truly inspiring,” said Has Malik, Saskatchewan Polytechnic Provost & Vice President Academic and C2R2 Co-Chair. “By investing in these projects, we are not only supporting youth-led ideas, but also empowering the next generation to take an active role in shaping a more sustainable future.”

Recognizing the critical role youth play in driving climate adaptation and mitigation solutions, Wawanesa first awarded the grant last year in partnership with C2R2. The initiative is part of the Wawanesa Climate Champions program, which reinforces the insurer’s annual $2 million commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities.

“Canada’s youth are instrumental in building more climate-resilient communities,” said Jackie De Pape Hornick, Director, Communications & Community Impact at Wawanesa. “These grants are designed to empower young climate champions to transform their innovative ideas into action. We’re proud to once again partner with C2R2 to support another group of changemakers as they create a meaningful, lasting impact in our communities.”

The Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants received over 10 outstanding submissions from youth across seven of C2R2’s institution partners. Of the projects, the following have been selected to receive funding:

• Anamika Gupta at Saskatchewan Polytechnic for her project; Prairie EcoWatt: Energy Champions of Saskatchewan.
• Clarissa Getigan at New Brunswick Community College for her project; Sustainable Greenhouse Farming: Securing Food with Resource Efficiency.
• Dexter Guino at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for his project; Enhancing the Durability Performance of Low-Carbon Concrete using Carbon-Sequestered SCM.
• Jeshuah Gilroy at Holland College for his project; Novel bioremediation approach to neutralize nitrous oxide precursors from water.
• Maninder Kailay and Nga Phan at the British Columbia Institute of Technology for their project; Supercritical CO₂ Techniques for Lithium-Ion Battery Metal Recovery.
  

These projects will be implemented over the next year, with recipients working alongside industry experts, academic mentors, and community partners to maximize their impact.

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