Pathways Supporters
The generosity of our supporters provides us with the vital resources to help thousands of Canadian students overcome barriers to education and graduate from high school. This year, their support is more critical than ever as barriers facing youth continue to evolve.
Donor Spotlight
For me, philanthropy is about making an investment in a cause that brings about long-term positive change.
Lori Pearson is a Managing Partner and the Chief Operating Officer of Brookfield Corporation. She is also a long-standing supporter of Pathways to Education Canada, having served on our Board of Directors since 2012.
Lori Pearson passionately believes in education and its ability to change lives. Growing up as the oldest of four children, Lori’s life involved frequent moves due to her father’s banking career. These constant relocations taught Lori to adapt and thrive outside of her comfort zone. Lori’s father, who started his career without a high school diploma, demonstrated the value of continuous learning and hard work while emphasizing the importance of education as a path to future success.
This ingrained value of education became a cornerstone of Lori’s life and philanthropy. Over thirteen years ago, she encountered the Pathways Program in Toronto’s Regent Park and was struck by the palpable enthusiasm for learning she witnessed. “There were eight to ten tables set up, and the energy in the room—the activity—I was struck by the enthusiasm for learning that I could feel.” To her, Pathways represented an investment in the future.
For Lori and her husband, Hugh, philanthropy is deeply personal. They are selective about their charitable involvement, focusing on causes tied to their family values as well as to their circumstances. When their daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at seven years old, they supported the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, appreciating the expertise and guidance it provided in helping the family adapt to their new reality.
Lori and Hugh’s long-standing support of Pathways, including Lori’s board involvement, demonstrates her dedication to making a meaningful impact on young people and broader society. “For me, philanthropy is about making an investment in a cause that brings about long-term positive change.”
For me, philanthropy is about making an investment in a cause that brings about long-term positive change.
Corporate Champion Spotlights
Symcor’s evolving support keeps students on track
For close to a decade, Symcor has demonstrated its strong commitment to helping youth overcome the barriers they face by offering varied and flexible support to Pathways. Through investments in scholarships, community event sponsorship, and national program delivery, Symcor’s partnership has allowed us to continue to work closely with our Program Partners to develop programming that ensures young people receive the help they need to succeed.
Most recently, Symcor expanded its support through the provision of digital mail services. This adapted support has enabled us to streamline our operations and innovate our administration processes, allowing more resources to be directed toward program delivery for youth. Symcor and its dedicated network of staff across the country continue to demonstrate their deep commitment to the Pathways’ mission by providing support to both our organization and the youth we serve across Canada.
Helping Students Develop Skills for the Workforce with Mazda Canada
In the past year, Pathways welcomed a new long-term partnership with Mazda Canada, with the mutual objective of building a social responsibility program that equips youth from low-income communities with lifelong skills through mentoring, one-on-one support, and enriching programming.
Given today’s competitive labour market, this partnership will also address the growing skills gap through the delivery of programming that focuses on building employability skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM fields). Together, Pathways and Mazda Canada are preparing youth for life beyond high school and developing necessary skills needed to thrive in the modern workplace.
Rio Tinto’s Support for Indigenous Youth in Quebec
Since 2011, Rio Tinto has been an incredible champion of Pathways youth in Quebec. Rio Tinto is specifically passionate about creating access to supports for youth in Pathways Mashteuiatsh—our only on-reserve program location in Canada. Through flexible funding addressing the greatest needs for students in Mashteuiatsh, Rio Tinto ensures Indigenous students have access to culturally affirming programming to help them connect to their community and their culture.
Pathways Mashteuiatsh recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary in a ceremony attended by Rio Tinto leadership, demonstrating the deep-rooted relationship between the two organizations and a long-standing commitment to fostering community spirit.
