(Toronto Zoo, Friday, June 14, 2013, Toronto, Ontario) - Water is a precious resource – although it covers two-thirds of the planet, only about 1% is available for drinking. With much of southern Ontario relying on the Great Lakes for their supply of fresh water, the Great Lakes continue to face many threats from pollution, invasive species, and global warming. A $50,000 Leadership Grant from the RBC Blue Water Project will see educational resources, including a zoo biologist, working in over 700 classrooms this year through the Toronto Zoo’s Great Lakes Program.
«The Toronto Zoo is honoured to receive this grant to enable us to continue our conservation efforts by educating students and the public about the importance of the Great Lakes and the species that rely upon it.» said John Tracogna, CEO of the Toronto Zoo.
The Great Lakes Program promotes healthy aquatic ecosystems and protection and restoration of urban waterways across southern Ontario. The Program is free and outreach presentations are offered in both official languages, as well as Punjabi and Mandarin. This is the second year the Toronto Zoo has been awarded an RBC Blue Water Project Leadership Grant.
«Projects like this are critical to making a measureable and meaningful difference in our communities and are an integral part of ensuring we have swimmable, drinkable, fishable waters for years to come» said Pennie Santiago, RBC’s Regional Vice President for Scarborough. «Thanks to the Toronto Zoo, we’re working to provide educational resources to schools and communities to learn about local and global water issues.»
This is one of only 68 RBC Blue Water Project Community Action Grants given in Canada in 2013, totalling almost $400,000. Applications were evaluated through a competitive process. The global cohort of 2013 Community Action Grant recipients includes 88 organizations worldwide, sharing more than $500,000 in funding.
About the RBC Blue Water Project
The RBC Blue Water Project is an innovative, wide-ranging, 10-year global commitment to help protect the world’s most precious natural resource: fresh water. It includes a $50 million philanthropic commitment to organizations that protect watersheds and ensure access to clean drinking water. The RBC Blue Water Project also promotes responsible water use through awareness programs and supports programs that encourage businesses to develop and commercialize innovative solutions to the water issues facing the world. Since 2007, RBC has pledged over $36 million to more than 500 not-for-profit organizations.
NewCa.com