“The importance of continuing to help communities in need remains one of the Air Canada Foundation’s priorities.” — Valerie Durand, Spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation.
December 20, 2021 (WASHINGTON D.C.) – For the second time this year, Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation have provided humanitarian assistance to communities in British Columbia by donating flights to disaster response nonprofit Airlink.
Airlink facilitates free and subsidized transport to a network of over 130 disaster response nonprofit organizations, such as Team Rubicon Canada, that then respond to disasters all over the world. This new donation of flights by Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation will enable Airlink to support the movement of 30 Team Rubicon Canada volunteers to Fraser Valley, B.C. where they will provide recovery relief to communities impacted by recent flooding and landslides.
“Following heat domes and heartbreaking wildfire destruction just months earlier, British Columbia faced another extreme climate event this year, with devastating flooding and landslides that affected thousands of people as well as the province’s highway transportation network. The importance of continuing to help communities in need remains one of the Air Canada Foundation’s priorities. We are proud to transport Airlink and Team Rubicon Canada’s experts, whose important work on the ground will help our communities recover and rebuild,” said Valerie Durand, Spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation.
Prompting a state of emergency in November, the unprecedented flooding in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., resulted in nearly $450 million in damage and 5 reported deaths. The flooding came on the heels of the summer 2021 wildfires, which left an altered terrain more susceptible to increased flooding.
“Sadly, many people aren’t aware of the magnitude of the flooding in British Columbia. This is a prime example of how Airlink is able to support critical missions of various sizes in response to disasters that might not attract the attention or support they deserve because they don’t feature in the news cycle. We are thankful to have such strong partners like Air Canada, the Air Canada Foundation, and Team Rubicon Canada,” said Steven J. Smith, President and CEO of Airlink.
The Team Rubicon Canada cohort, which is led by veterans of the military, local authorities and residents, first responders, and skilled emergency management volunteers, will be cleaning out flooded homes and removing debris in affected communities in the electoral areas.
About the Air Canada Foundation: The Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on the health and well-being of children and youth, was launched in 2012. It offers both financial and in-kind support to Canadian registered charities. Core programs include the Hospital Transportation Program, which redistributes Aeroplan points to 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada, enabling sick children to access the medical care they need away from home. The Air Canada Foundation, in collaboration with the airline, also engages directly in fundraising activities, such as the Every Bit Counts program, which encourages Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge customers to donate loose change of all denominations on board flights or through collection containers available in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. The Foundation also offers continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more information about the Air Canada Foundation, please visit www.aircanada.com/foundation or Air Canada’s 2020 Corporate Sustainability report available at www.aircanada.com/citizens of the world.
