C2R2 and Wawanesa launch third year of Youth Innovation Grants to strengthen Canada’s climate resilience
Investing $150,000 to inspire youth-led climate solutions across Canada.
HAMILTON, Ontario, Jan. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2), in partnership with Wawanesa Insurance, is pleased to open applications for another year of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants, providing $150,000 in funding to support youth-led climate solutions across Canada.
Now in its third year, the initiative continues to empower young innovators, ages 18 to 30,
to develop practical, community-focused responses to climate change. This year’s call encourages projects focused on climate adaptation and mitigation, with a particular emphasis on adaptation—solutions that help communities prepare for, and respond to
climate-related risks, such as flooding, wildfires, hail, and other environmental stresses.
“With ten exceptional projects having come out of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants to date, we have seen the difference this funding can make in helping students transform ideas into real-world solutions, said Dr. Cebert Adamson, Vice President Academic at Mohawk College and C2R2 Co-Chair. “This year, we’re excited to see how youth will tackle the growing need to adapt to our changing environment.”
The grants are part of the Wawanesa Climate Champions program, which invests $2 million annually to support the people and organizations on the front lines of climate change.
“Wawanesa sees first-hand how our evolving climate is affecting the lives of our members and communities,” said Mitchell McEwen, Director of Sustainability, Climate Resilience & Community Impact at Wawanesa. “Young leaders and innovators bring fresh thinking and practical solutions that can make a real difference on the ground. By supporting their work, we’re helping strengthen local climate resilience and empowering the next generation of climate leaders across Canada.”
Since 2024, the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants have supported innovative projects across Canada, from developing biodegradable enzymes and embedding climate resilience into nursing curricula to enhancing low-carbon concrete and exploring sustainable battery metal recovery methods. Each project demonstrates the power of youth-led research and applied innovation to create meaningful local and national impact.
“I believe each one of us has a vital role to play in protecting our climate,” said Jeshuah Gilroy, a Holland College student who received one of the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grants in 2025/2026 to support his project to neutralize nitrous oxide precursors from water. “The funding is a key step in bringing your ideas to life, inspiring others, and making change. Performing this research has inspired me to continue on in the field of building Climate resilience.”
The initiative will once again offer young innovators a grant of $30,000 each to develop, deploy, and advance their unique project ideas.
Youth currently enrolled in or who have recently graduated from a C2R2 partner institution will have the opportunity to complete an application in partnership with their institution between January 12 and February 27, 2026. The selected projects will be announced on April 22, 2026—Earth Day.
To support youth applicants, C2R2 will host a virtual drop-in Q&A session on January 27th at 2 pm ET where prospective applicants can ask questions and learn more about project expectations. Additionally, the first five completed applications submitted will receive individualized feedback, giving applicants the opportunity to refine and strengthen their proposals before the final deadline. These additions reflect C2R2 and Wawanesa’s shared commitment to supporting Canadians in building resilience against the growing impacts of climate change.
About Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2)
Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) is a coalition of 15 highly aligned colleges, cégeps, institutes, and polytechnics across Canada with an established commitment to sustainability. The coalition members have come together as a driving force, providing the skills required to transition to a clean economy in Canada. C2R2’s administration and secretariat are located at Mohawk College in Hamilton.
For more information, visit www.resilientcolleges.ca.
About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $4 billion in annual revenue and assets of $11.5 billion. Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.87 million members in Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at wawanesa.com.
For more information:
Sean Coffey
Director, Communications
Mohawk College
905-575-2127
sean.coffey@mohawkcollege.ca
Michel Rosset
Manager, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
media@wawanesa.com
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