EllisDon has launched a sponsorship program aimed at encouraging school-aged children to share their visions for inclusive communities.

The construction giant announced the launch of the program on December 18. The program is being run through EllisDon’s Alliance of Black Employee and Leadership (ABEEL), and targets underrepresented and underserved communities in four Canadian communities—with a fifth expected soon.

"Helping to create a world, free of racism and discrimination, is a very important goal for EllisDon. It is so important to encourage students to help shape a path forward and help create an environment that's more BIPOC inclusive," said EllisDon COO and executive vice-president of construction operations Kieran Hawe.

As part of the program, students will engage in dialogue about how they see racism manifest in their own lives, and what steps everyone can take towards a less hateful future. Student teams from across the country will use creative media of their choosing to bring their ideas to life, including creative writing, non-fiction writing, photography, music, video or visual arts.

“We want to thank all the educators and staffs members from across different schoolboards in Canada that are working tirelessly in a time like this, marred with COVID-19 and social injustices to ensure that through a program like this we can jointly pave the way to an awesome future," said ABEEL chair Samuel Ajobo.  

The initiative has been rolled out across school boards in Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and lower mainland British Columbia. A program in Edmonton is under development. EllisDon eventually hopes to deliver the program across all the communities it serves worldwide.

"I am inspired by the EllisDon team regarding their efforts to address anti-Black racism by taking action,” said Cherilyn Scobie Edwards, principal at Ursula Franklin Academy in Toronto. “They have moved beyond talking about it to doing something about it. This contest will position students to impact their schools and communities, and provide students with funds which they can use towards their post-secondary education."

Winning teams from each region will be provided with resources and bursaries that will be distributed to their communities, their schools and to the students themselves. Opportunities will include access to mentorship opportunities at EllisDon or firms in its partner network.

The company says its hope is to inspire and empower the next generation of city planners, engineers, project managers, superintendents, and many other construction career paths.

EllisDon has been at the forefront of the construction industry’s efforts to foster diversity and greater inclusiveness—particularly since one of its construction sites in downtown Toronto was plagued with anti-Black racist incidents last summer.