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Air Canada Foundation’s 13th Annual Golf Tournament Nets 1.3 Million USD to Support Youth Across Canada
Friday, July 11, 2025
The Air Canada Foundation’s 13th annual golf tournament was held on July 8, 2025, at the prestigious Club de golf Le Mirage in Terrebonne, Quebec.
The golf event was successful in raising $1.3 million to fund initiatives encouraging the health and wellness of youths in Canada. This is yet another milestone in the strides of the Foundation to improve the lives of young Canadians and provide them with the means to achieve their full potential.
The tournament brought 296 guests, including business executives, industry supporters, and volunteers, all of whom came together to positively impact the children’s lives.
The event was also graced by the generous donations of over 90 sponsors, including corporate supporters, suppliers, and vendors, all of whom were indispensable to the success of the fundraiser.
The funds will be distributed through the Foundation’s annual grants program, the latter supporting various causes, specifically those serving equity-worthy communities, and helping to empower children and youth to overcome life’s hurdles.
It’s Support and Unity Day!
Michael Rousseau, Air Canada’s President and Chief Executive Officer, took pride in the successful event and the positive impact it has created.
“I look forward to this day once a year. It’s more than the time to play some golf, catch up with longstanding friends, make some new friends; it’s the time we all come together to make a positive impact for children and youth from coast to coast in Canada.
The tournament is evidence of the combined power of coming together and how by doing so, we’re able to create concrete positive impacts and spread joy to deserving communities and families,” added Rousseau.
The event also featured the behind-the-scenes work of Air Canada employees who volunteered time and talents to ensure the tournament was a success. An illustration of these efforts is the donation by Yoko Sawai, Air Canada’s Customer Experience Specialist, who entertained guests by playing the piano during the cocktail reception, in what was one of the highlights of the event.
Partnership with Non-Profit Organizations
Another key part of the event was the presence of long-standing partner organizations, such as the Dr. Clown Foundation, whose goal is to make children in hospitals and in Indigenous communities happier and more relaxed.
The presence of the Dr. Clown Foundation at the tournament enabled guests to greet therapeutic clowns, learn more about the activities of the Foundation, and how its activities help children with challenging health conditions to smile.
In addition, Tye, Chloe, and Mohamed, members of the volunteer group HEROS Hockey, whose goal is to teach life skills to children at risk by playing hockey, created one of the busiest booths selling lemonade at the event. The booth raised over $12,000, symbolizing the commitment to empowering kids and helping them break down barriers by utilizing sport and community mobilization.
The year witnessed the creation of the new interactive fundraising game, “The Plinko of Generosity” in support of Autism Aviation Days, with the participants being more than enthusiastic. The game from Autism Aviation Days helped to support local autism societies in Canada and assisted in generating nearly $15,000. The creative idea incorporated the newest and pleasant way in which the participants were able to donate in the direction of the mission of the Foundation to sponsor children and youth from diverse backgrounds.
Impact of the Money Raised The funds raised during the event will have a direct positive impact on the lives of children and youths from the entire nation. During 2024, the Air Canada Foundation contributed $1.8 million to various charities for important children’s causes. The charities used the contributions to provide approximately 900,000 meals to children in hunger to help overcome the challenge of hunger, an important community issue.
The donations from the Foundation also aided Indigenous community schools to offer the children access to quality nutrition during the summer vacations when the schools were closed. The donations from the Foundation were also directed to the field of health and wellness, e.g., to the social pediatrics program of the Dr. Clown Foundation in the Indigenous community of Manawan in the province of Quebec. The program supported the mental and emotional well-being of the children, helping them cope with the adversity of dwelling in remote areas.
In addition, the Air Canada Foundation funding has been extended to support various initiatives to promote education, sporting activities, and the general welfare of children. This has varied from helping children cross educational barriers to access to mental health services and taking part in activities intended to promote children’s creativity and leadership.
Looking Ahead: Carrying on the Mission of Impact
The 13th-Annual Golf Tournament is just one more chapter in the Air Canada Foundation’s many years of improving the lives of children in Canada. The Air Canada Foundation has raised in excess of $19 million in the past 13 years, and the next 40 years hold even more potential to positively affect communities in Canada.
“Once again, we acknowledge the remarkable generosity of Air Canada’s friends and partners,” said Priscille LeBlanc, Chair of the Air Canada Foundation. “A heartfelt thank you to them all and to our volunteers for the inspiration they have given us in helping to build lasting differences in the lives of children and families. Their renewed commitment is evidence of the kind of difference we can make by pulling together for the same purpose of helping the next generation.”
In the future, the Air Canada Foundation will continue to support children in need, forge partnerships to make positive contributions, and provide opportunities for young individuals to reach their full potential. The future direction of the Foundation is to expand its grants program, make its impact in many more communities, and collaborate with like-minded organizations to speak out on behalf of at-risk children and families.
Also in place is the strong commitment of the Air Canada employees, who play the key role in driving the efforts of the Foundation further. By volunteering, by fundraising, and by participating in community action directly, Air Canada employees continue to make commitments to the goals of the Foundation.
Conclusion:
Shared Mission for the Future The 13th Annual Golf Tournament’s success once again validates the powerful impact possible when individuals and organizations collaborate for the greater good.
Raising $1.3 million in support of the health and wellness of children and adolescents, the Air Canada Foundation has once again proven its commitment to improving lives in Canada.
Through the generosity of its partners, employees, and supporters, the Foundation will continue to positively and measurably affect the communities in its service, making possible the creation of a brighter future for the children of Canada.
