MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation announced on Thursday a brand-new five-year partnership with CN, to implement the sports initiation component of its BLEU BLANC BOUGE program in various Indigenous communities across Quebec.
CN will serve as the presenting donor for this new Foundation initiative, which aims to make a positive impact on the health of Indigenous youth. Spread over five years until the end of the 2027-28 season, the $750,000 investment will provide hundreds of First Nations youth in Quebec with the opportunity to learn various disciplines such as skating, ice hockey, and ball hockey. By joining forces to offer programs promoting healthy and active lifestyles to Indigenous youth, the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation and CN aspire to increase levels of physical activity and foster well-being within Indigenous communities.
“Persistent obstacles to sports access, especially in numerous Indigenous communities, exacerbate health disparities among First Nations and Inuit youth. This underscores the urgency of implementing initiatives that not only promote physical activity among these children, but that are also inclusive and respectful of their culture and traditions. Through this program, and thanks to the generosity and commitment of CN, the Foundation can play a pivotal role in bridging these gaps. CN's support propels the Foundation's desire to provide children in Indigenous communities with opportunities to engage in physical activity and develop new skills, both on and off the ice,” emphasized Geneviève Paquette, general manager of the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation.
“CN is proud to contribute to the BLEU BLANC BOUGE program for Indigenous youth. We firmly believe in the importance of making physical activity and the adoption of healthy lifestyles accessible to as many young people as possible. The pilot project conducted in collaboration with the Anishnabe Nation of Lac Simon has demonstrated the impact such initiatives have on youth, on their self-esteem and perseverance. It is through meaningful partnerships like this one with the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation, that CN succeeds in making a real difference in the community, and we are very grateful for that,” added Olivier Chouc, CN's senior vice-president and chief legal officer.
BLEU BLANC BOUGE Amikobi
With the support of CN, the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation initiated a pilot project this winter in collaboration with the Anishnabe Nation of Lac Simon, in Abitibi-Temiscamingue. Once a week from mid-January to late February, over 30 second- and third-grade students from Amikobi School learned the basics of ice skating with Foundation coaches. Each of the six lessons, conducted at the BLEU BLANC BOUGE rink in Val-d'Or, was inspired by the Foundation's introductory skating program, which was established in 2009 and has been successfully implemented across the province since.