Tony Allard, President of the Vancouver-based Hearthstone Investments, is the Founding Sponsor of the Take A Stand: Youth for Conservation program. His prior philanthropic support has enabled several research, education, and housing initiatives both close to home in Canada and abroad. An active proponent of conservation of the unique coastal habitats of British Columbia, Tony is a supporter of several research and conservation initiatives, including conservation of Wannock River Chinook salmon, the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, and SFU-based research to address the underlying causes for the decline of Central Coast sockeye salmon populations, particularly in River’s Inlet. As owner and operator of The Good Hope Cannery, Tony has always had a passion for the region and its wildlife. Through his association with Mulgrave School in West Vancouver and his support of youth and education generally he immediately committed the funds necessary to launch the Take a Stand program as it concerns youth, education and conservation. He has practiced securities law in British Columbia and holds BA and LLB degrees from the University of Alberta.
Sponsors
Founding Sponsor
Competitive Grant Funding
Whistler Blackcomb Foundation Grants
Whistler Blackcomb Foundation grants are providing funds to help with the purchase of essential equipment (VR Viewers) so that we can showcase our VR films and complementary resources and tools for student engagement at elementary and secondary schools in the Sea to Sky Corridor.
NSERC PromoScience Grant
The PromoScience program of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC/CRSNG) supports hands-on learning experiences for young students and their teachers. These funds (PROSC/501681-2016 and PROSC/545320-2019) awarded to PI Dr. Allison Kermode at SFU (2016-2022) are being used by the team to generate state-of-the-art educational resources for students and teachers - 360-degree virtual reality (VR) films - surrounding science-based (wildlife and ecological) themes that highlight the pristine forests, oceans and coastline of the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea of BC. The VR films are being shared with school youth along with other resources to promote science- and cultural- literacy and to provide inspiration for our Innovation Challenge Contest. A special priority for our target audiences encompasses youth that are typically underrepresented in science – at-risk-youth, First Nations- youth, and young girls.
SFU Community Engagement Grants
Two SFU Community Engagement grants allowed the launching of our community Innovation Challenge contest which has been ongoing since 2016. Through this challenge, students have developed multiple “passion” projects connected to cleaning up creek beds and shorelines, BC wildfires, sustainable energy, and other initiatives.
Canadian Tree Fund
The mission of the Canadian TREE Fund (CTF) is to identify significant environmental, biological, social and economic needs related to tree genetics, management and care and provide funding for innovative basic/applied research and education. A CTF Jack Kimmel Research Grant awarded to Dr. Allison Kermode at SFU helped fund our education efforts surrounding forest conservation and provided school students with opportunities to engage in tree conservation activities and in science-based advocacy in their own communities.
Contest Prize Sponsors
Tony Allard – Hearthstone Investments
Our Founding sponsor, Tony Allard of Hearthstone investments, was also a gold-level sponsor of our youth video contest.
Pacific Salmon Foundation
The Pacific Salmon Foundation (www.psf.ca), founded in 1987, is a federally incorporated non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wild Pacific salmon and their natural habitats in British Columbia and the Yukon. Operating independently from government, The Foundation facilitates dialogue and undertakes positive initiatives in support of Pacific salmon amongst all levels of government including First Nations; as well as industry, communities, individual volunteers and all fishing interests.
Pacific Surf School
Pacific Surf School is one of the most passionate, dedicated and qualified team of surf instructors along Canada's Pacific Coast, and is supporting the Take A Stand Video Contest through donation of the grand prize, a stand-up paddleboard, to get winners active and out on the water.
Tofino Paddle Surf
Tofino Paddle Surf, located on Mackenzie Beach in Tofino BC at the Best Western Tin Wis Resort, is Tofino's Premier Paddleboarding shop. They offer standup paddleboarding and surfing tours, adventures, lessons, retreats, camps (including kids camps), rentals and retail. Quality instruction on equipment, ocean safety, skill practice, and surf etiquette is provided along with an appreciation for our coastal environment. Tofino Paddle Surf’s Catherine Bruhwiler often works with Paddle Canada Instructors Norm Hann and Mike Darbyshire to offer Tofino Coastal Surf Weekends on Tofino’s spectacular beaches. Look out for Tofino Paddle Surf’s upcoming kids camp. For additional information and online bookings go to www.tofinopaddlesurf.com or email: info@tofinopaddlesurf.com.
Live to Surf
Located at 1180 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino BC, Live to Surf offers a range of services and equipment such as surf lessons, retail, rental, and wholesale of surfing, bodyboarding, skate boarding, and skim boarding equipment. Life to Surf is open everyday so that you can surf everyday; their philosophy is: The Ocean is our Playground, make it yours. LIVE TO SURF. For more information go to: http://livetosurf.com/about-2/#sthash.iQ9CFX9b.dpuf
Storm Surf Shop
Located in the heart of Tofino, BC - 444 Campbell Street – Storm is a locally owned and operated surf shop with a host of ocean sports equipment and cool and unique selections of clothing, shoes and accessories for both for surfers and non-surfers. Warm and friendly staff, who enjoy being in the water everyday, can offer great advice along with the industry's best surf products for men, women and kids. More information can be found at www.stormcanada.ca, or by contacting info@stormcanada.ca.
Long Beach Surf Shop
Located at 630 Campbell Street in Tofino, and at 2060 Peninsula Road in Ucluelet, Long Beach Surf Shop has been offering friendly service and the lowest rental rates on the WestCoast for over 10 years. They have everything you need to enjoy the surf, with a massive surfboard rental fleet (from beginner to expert), boogie boards for kids and adults, and warm wetsuits for people of all shapes and sizes. Their Surfboard Showroom hosts a huge selection of New and Used Vinyl Records, and they carry a full range of surf products from value conscious to unique hand crafted surfboards exclusive in Canada to Long Beach Surf Shop. More information is at www.longbeachsurfshop.com or email: info@longbeachsurfshop.com.
Mountain Equipment Coop
In the form of a Community grant, MEC was a Silver level sponsor of our youth video contest, supplying us with several gift certificates as prizes. For over 40 years, MEC has thrived as both a business – and as a community – and has shown people that they operate with integrity, mutual respect and with a consideration of the environment, and of sustainability. MEC has worked to both protect our wild spaces and to seek out ways to reduce the ecological footprint of their business. MEC's grassroots foundation has given them a momentum for action, for fair business dealings, finding strength in community, and inspiring adventure! More information can be found at www.mec.ca.
Board of Education – Burnaby School District 41
Servicing the Burnaby BC area, Burnaby School District #41 operates comprehensive K-12 education, and is comprised of 41 elementary schools and 8 secondary schools.