Ottawa – June 8, 2016 – Pollution Probe is proud to celebrate a successful first year of the Healthy Communities Campaign at the Sandbox Project’s 5th annual World’s Largest Sandbox, highlighting the important link between the environment and human health.
Launched in 2015, the Healthy Communities Campaign is a national, year-round initiative that supports communities as they drive positive, tangible change in environmental health at the local level. Sponsored by Great-West Life, the campaign offers teams and individuals opportunities to engage in a wide range of activities that contribute to improving the health of their communities.
The World’s Largest Sandbox invites Parliamentarians, media personalities, not-for-profits and industry professionals to gather in a giant sandbox with local families where they will take part in a sandcastle-building competition, raising awareness about the need for collaboration on children’s health issues. This year, celebrating the Healthy Communities Campaign at the event will help bring increased awareness to the role environmental factors play in children’s health.
“The Healthy Communities Campaign builds on Pollution Probe’s long history of tackling environmental challenges that impact the health of communities in Canada,” says Steve McCauley, acting CEO of Pollution Probe. “The campaign is a crucial piece of our Human Health Program, promoting awareness of the environmental factors that affect lifelong health, and supporting individuals and local groups as they take practical actions that contribute to improved environmental health at the local level.”
“Great-West Life and the Healthy Communities Campaign have a common goal of improving the health and well-being of Canadians,” says Dave Johnston, President and Chief Operating Officer of Great-West Life. “The Healthy Communities Campaign presents a tremendous opportunity to engage a variety of stakeholders, including workplaces, to take action for better environmental and human health.”
About Pollution Probe
Established in 1969, Pollution Probe is a national, non-profit organization that exists to improve the health and well-being of Canadians by advancing policy that achieves positive, tangible environmental change. Its approach is to define environmental problems through research, to promote understanding through education and to press for practical solutions through advocacy. Visit www.pollutionprobe.org for details.
About Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life offer a broad portfolio of financial and benefit plan solutions, and serve the financial security needs of more than 12 million people across Canada. Responsible and ethical management is an intrinsic value of the companies and is essential to long-term profitability and value creation. As an Imagine Caring Company supporting the principles of corporate citizenship and benchmarks for community investment established by Imagine Canada, the companies donate a minimum of one per cent of average pre-tax profits to non-profit, charitable and community organizations each year. Learn more about the organization’s corporate social responsibility.
For more information, please contact:
Husam Mansour
COO
Pollution Probe
Tel: 647-992-0561
Email: hmansour@pollutionprobe.org
Marlene Klassen, APR, Assistant Vice-President, Communication Services
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life
marlene.klassen@gwl.ca
(204) 946-7705