The ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation was established in 1987 to celebrate McLeod Young Weir joining Scotiabank.
The Foundation was established as a way to promote philanthropy by encouraging and recognizing the ongoing participation in community involvement and volunteerism that was inherent in the unique culture at McLeod Young Weir. For over 33 years, the Foundation has celebrated community participation by contributing to registered charities across Canada. At ScotiaMcLeod, giving back to the communities continues to be an important part of our culture.
Together with our colleagues, we work as a team and implement the shared idea and values of wealth distribution, active community participation, and charitable involvement with organizations and programs that align with our goal to promote philanthropy.
In 2015, we launched “Share the Wealth” – a formal program that encourages and celebrates community engagement. We have seen tremendous annual growth in the number of ScotiaMcLeod colleagues whose community involvement efforts we can recognize with awards from Share the Wealth.
- 2015: 3 award grants total = $30,000
- 2016: 8 award grants total = $52,000
- 2017 & 2018: 36 award grants total = $234,000
- 2019: 56 award grants total = $360,000
- 2020: 57 award grants total = $412,500
- 2021: 55 award grants total = $500,500
- 2022: 75 award grants total = $632,500
- 2023: 81 award grants total = $685,500
The individuals and their charities are chosen each summer by the previous year’s award recipients based on written submissions, which are ranked – a true peer-reviewed process. Then, our colleagues are able to deliver cheques to the charities they have been active with – demonstrating ScotiaMcLeod’s ongoing commitment to our communities. (Please note: ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation does not accept direct outside grant applications.)
Carl Spiess Community Award
In 2020, the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation added $2,500 to the top-ranked nominee’s charity in each region, demonstrating our broad participation across the country. For the first time, the Carl Spiess Community Award was presented. This award was established by the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation to recognize Carl’s role in growing the foundation. Each year, the Foundation will have the discretion to award $10,000 to a charity on behalf of an employee who “has made a similar ‘game-changing’ impact on a charity in their community”.
- In 2020, the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation – Carl Spiess Community Award was presented to the Lighthouse for Grieving Children in honour of Karen Smith’s outstanding volunteering.
- For 2021, the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation – Carl Spiess Community Award was presented to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, honouring Rob Gray for his work in growing the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation during his six years as Chair.
- For 2022, the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation – Carl Spiess Community Award was presented to Able2: Support for People with Disabilities, recognizing the work that David Cork has done in his community.
- For 2023, the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation – Carl Spiess Community Award was presented to Sunshine Therapy Dogs, recognizing Alan Harman’s work at that and other charities, including his work in launching Share the Wealth in 2015.
Allan McGlade Rare Disease Research Grant
In 2022, the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation was urged to create an award to honour Allan McGlade’s contributions to ScotiaMcLeod. The Allan McGlade Rare Disease Research Grant is an annual award decided upon by the ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation board to fund research into improving treatment for or curing an illness that has directly affected a ScotiaMcLeod colleague or their family in the last 12 months. Allan was looking forward to helping present the first-ever Allan McGlade Rare Disease Research Grant. Sadly, Allan passed away from ALS in April 2022, so ScotiaMcLeod Charitable Foundation is dedicating the inaugural $10,000 award to the ALS Society of Canada in Allan’s honour.
