Calling all young social entrepreneurs – do you have an innovative idea to tackle climate change?

June 29, 2017 (Toronto, ON) – 2017 marks the ninth year of the $1 million Aviva Community Fund – Canada’s longest running online community funding competition. In honour of Canada’s 150th, Aviva Canada is proud to introduce a new Aviva Community Fund category: Community Legacy.

The $150,000 prize for the Community Legacy category is in addition to the usual $1 million from Aviva Community Fund. Community Legacy is open to current or aspiring social entrepreneurs, aged 18 to 25, to submit an original solution to tackle the consequences of climate change.

“We’ve awarded $7.5 million to over 250 charities since 2009, and we intend to continue our commitment to communities across Canada. This is a special year for Canada, so we’re encouraging young social entrepreneurs to present their innovative idea that benefits the environment and help leave a positive legacy for the next 150 years,” says Debora Hendrickson, Senior Vice President, Customer & Marketing at Aviva Canada.  “We can’t wait to see the ideas for this year’s competition.”

Aviva globally has maintained a global carbon neutral status worldwide since 2006 and is committed to creating a bright and sustainable future by addressing climate change globally and reducing the environmental impact of its business.

“This new Community Legacy category is a great way for you to be innovative, to be really creative and to think boldly about what you can do,” says Tessica Truong, a social entrepreneur named 2016 Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25. “To tackle an issue like climate change is so critical to our country and to the world.  Why not go for it?”  

See below for a video about the Community Legacy category and hear young social entrepreneurs Tikvah Mindorff and Tessica Truong, inspire others to create positive change.

The Aviva Community Fund opens for submissions on September 13th. 

About Aviva Canada
Aviva Canada Inc. 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 wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, the company 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 $7.5 million to over 250 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 company 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, the company was announced as a winner of 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, or blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

Media Contact:
Priscilla Wong
Public Relations Specialist
Aviva Canada Inc.
Desk: 416 288 6780
Mobile: 647 208 7523
Email: priscilla.y.wong@aviva.com