In October, the donation of more than 300 Canada Goose parkas and Baffin footwear to outfit the students of Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay, Nunavut was announced by Canada Goose and actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Ryan Reynolds.
Inuujaq School, located within the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut, sits above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island. It’s home to more than 300 students. Communities in the North rely on shipments for essential goods. Thereby, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the frequency of shipments. Arctic Bay belongs to the northernmost hamlets in Nunavut. There, access to everyday items has become increasingly difficult. Thus, the need for winterwear became more important than ever before.
RYAN REYNOLDS AND THE INUUJAQ SCHOOL
“It came to my attention students at Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay were going without adequate winter clothing. Of course, it highlights a larger issue of basic needs going unmet in Canada’s northern communities,” said Reynolds. “I reached out to Canada Goose to match me in providing these students with essential winter gear. They not only said yes in under 30 seconds but went so far above and beyond matching me. I’m deeply inspired and grateful.”
“Our mission is to promote the skills, confidence and cultural pride in our students so they can pursue their dreams, realize their ambitions, become life-long learners and contribute to their community,” said Gregg Durrant, Inuujaq School Principal. “Living in a northern community, access to almost everything is limited, and this has been accentuated by the impact of COVID-19. We are so appreciative of the warmth Ryan and Canada Goose have shown our students, their gift will be remembered for years to come.”
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INUIT TAPIRIIT KANATAMI
Furthering its commitment to Inuit communities, Canada Goose is also expanding its Resource Centre Program. It was realized in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national representational organization for Inuit in Canada. The program has donated over one million meters of fabric and material to communities in the North for parka making. Now, it will include donations of repurposed parkas, many upcycled from Canada Goose’s warranty program.
These refurbished parkas will not only deliver warmth to communities in all four regions of Inuit Nunangat. They also prove Canada Goose’s commitment to sustainability. Canada Goose builds a more circular business model including the diverting of waste. This is the latest commitment from Canada Goose, building on its Sustainable Impact Strategy, which launched in April 2020.
“We are committed to keeping the earth cold and the people on it warm – and with today’s announcement, we’re delivering on both of those commitments,” said Dani Reiss, President & CEO of Canada Goose. “We were born in the North and our support of its people is unwavering. I’m proud that we, along with Ryan, are able to deliver warmth to the students of Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay. And now, through our expanded Resource Centre Program, we will bring the warmth of Canada Goose to even more communities across the Arctic.”
Canada Goose’s commitment to the North spans more than a decade. Created in 2009, the Canada Goose Resource Centre Program has been expanding ever since its debut. From 2020, the program has supported more than 10 communities. Through its projects, it has donated and delivered more than one million meters of fabric and materials to remote communities in Canada’s North.
To learn more about the Canada Goose Resource Centre, visit the official website.
