Western Financial Group Awards 40 Infrastructure Grants

Infrastructure grants are donated through the Western Communities Foundation annually

High River, AB: Western Financial Group (Western) through its charitable arm, the Western Communities Foundation made $200,000 in donations to local communities in Western Canada. This year, 40 Infrastructure Grants have been given out with funds supporting local projects aimed at strengthening western Canadian communities. In its 14-year history, the Western Communities Foundation has donated Infrastructure Grants for numerous projects, totaling more than $800,000.

These funds are raised through the participation of Western employees in an annual Support the Cause Day walk, and support the Western Communities Foundation’s three core programs: Matching Grants, Infrastructure Grants and Student Bursaries. Since its inception, the Western Communities Foundation has raised over $2 million for local communities.

Western Communities Foundation Infrastructure Grants are handed out each year to local community infrastructure projects selected by Western’s branches. Such projects include: playground refurbishment, contributing to the building of day cares or recreation centres or skate parks and new score clocks.

“It means so much for Western and our employees to be able to give back to the communities where we live and work,” said James Bond, Western Communities Foundation Executive Director. “Infrastructure grants are intended to help improve the communities in Western Canada where Western operates, and the employees in all of our locations value being able to contribute to projects that matter.”

Founded in 2002, the Western Communities Foundation serves to give back to the communities where Western employees live and work, and foster employee pride and engagement.

This year’s infrastructure grants are:

Alberta

Alix & Clive, AB - Updating Tees for Community Hall
Camrose, AB - New delivery room in St. Mary's Hospital
Coleman, AB - New playground for West Coleman
Edson, AB - Playground at A.H Dakin Elementary School
Grande Cache, AB - Replacement of Summitview Middle School Playground
High River, AB - Renovations to Highwood High School
Lethbridge, AB - Coaldale playground expansion
Mayerthorpe, AB - Mayerthorpe Public Library
Nanton, AB - Restoration of North American Harvard WW2 aircraft
Peace River, AB - Construction of temporary medical accommodations
Strathmore, AB - Lions Regional outdoor rink construction
Turner Valley, AB - New playground at Turner Valley School
Vegreville, AB - Upgrade of public library
Vermilion, AB - Roofing on 10 dugouts at Vermilion ball diamonds

British Columbia

100 Mile House, BC - New water/spray park
Aulds Road, BC - LPS Technology Enhancement Project at Lady Smith School
Beverly Corners, BC - Alexander School kitchen improvement
Cloverdale, BC - Upgrade of Community facility to accommodate wheelchairs
Elkford, BC- Replacing shale on four ball diamonds
Estevan, SK - Renovation of facility to house and treat females in harm's way
Fort St. John FJ1, BC - Repairs at Fort St John Women's Resource Society
Fort St John FJ2, BC - Physical education equipment at North Peace school
Fort St John FJ3, BC - Renovation of woodshop roof at North Peace Secondary School
Fort St. John FJ4, BC - Repair tarmac at Alwin Holland School
Golden, BC - Installation of solar LED lights for walking path
Kimberley , BC - Children's splash park at Rotary Park
Nanaimo, BC - Expansion of women's emergency shelter
Prince George PG1, BC - Renovation to playground at local Montessori school
Salmo, BC - Upgrades to BMX park
Semiahmoo, BC - New playground at Pacific Heights Elementary School
Shelbourne, BC - Construction of Summit Residential and Dementia Care Project
Sparwood, BC - Repair/renovate Sparwood Search & Rescue Facility
Tillicum, BC - Playground at Ecole Marigold Elementary School
West Broadway/Georgia, BC - Sir Matthew Begbie Elementary School, library update

Saskatchewan

Estevan, SK - Renovation of facility to house and treat females in harm's way
Prince Albert, SK - Upgrades to Prime Minister's Park softball facility
Shaunavon, SK - Bandstand in Shaunavon's Central Park

Manitoba

Gilbert Plains, MB - Refurbish the town statue "Gilbert the Golf ball"
Western Financial Group Insurance Solutions, Winnipeg, MB - Starbuck Arena ice plant
Western Life Assurance - Renovations to new facility for Big brothers and Big Sisters
Winnipeg, MB - Improvement of classroom for At Risk Program

About Western Financial Group

Western Financial Group is a diversified insurance company that serves more than 800,000 customers across western Canada. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western provides personal and business insurance services through more than 160 office locations and affiliates and online. With a skilled team of approximately 1,800 employees, Western is committed to building the strongest insurance brokerage network in Western Canada.

Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada.

The Western Communities Foundation was founded by Western Financial Group in 2001 as a non-profit organization under the Income Tax Act of Canada (Registration #87030 2619 RR0001).