IG Wealth Management Officially Launches Two New Winnipeg Community Partnerships to Support City’s Underserved Students

Winnipeg, MB – June 11, 2024 – IG Wealth Management (IG) today officially introduced new education partnerships, initially announced in January, with Pathways to Education Winnipeg (Pathways Winnipeg) and Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech).

The programs will provide Indigenous and newcomer youth in Winnipeg with key educational supports, including mentorship, internship, and scholarship opportunities and are part of IG’s ongoing commitment, through its IG Empower Your Tomorrow community platform, to help underserved groups in the city build their financial well-being. These two programs are in addition to existing local partnerships that IG has with the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. IG’s support for these two programs also builds on existing relationships that our family of companies, Canada Life and Power Corporation, have with these organizations.

The Pathways to Education Program is delivered in Winnipeg through the Community Education Development Association (CEDA), a Winnipeg-based organization that promotes education to create opportunities for growth. IG and CEDA will work together to support approximately 675 high school students enrolled in the Pathways Program – the majority being Indigenous or newcomers to Canada – over three years with career and employability skills, tailored academic, financial and social supports, mentoring, and post-secondary education guidance. Before the Pathways Program was introduced in Winnipeg, the graduation rate amongst the targeted communities was just 28 per cent. Last year, 60 per cent of students enrolled in the program graduated from high school.

IG has also partnered with RRC Polytech on a four-year program that will provide up to 300 Indigenous students a year with comprehensive program support through the creation of a new IG Empower Your Tomorrow Navigation Coach position. The program will also provide scholarships and mentoring as well as internship opportunities at IG for up to 10 students annually.

The announcement was made at an event today at IG’s downtown Winnipeg headquarters. In attendance were IG employees and advisors, as well as students from across the city.  It also featured IG President and CEO Damon Murchison, Jordan Bighorn, Executive Director of CEDA, and Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech and Mike Moyes, NPD, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Riel.

Quotes:

“IG’s presence in Winnipeg spans almost a century and from day one we’ve made it a priority to be actively engaged in the local community,” said Damon Murchison, President and CEO, IG Wealth Management. “Working with Pathways Winnipeg and RRC Polytech, we can enhance education and career path development to build financial well-being among Winnipeg’s Indigenous and Newcomer youth. As I look to the future, I’m energized by the impact we can make by coming together to better support students across the city.”

“We are incredibly grateful for IG’s support in empowering Winnipeg youth to fulfil their potential,” said Jordan Bighorn, Executive Director of CEDA. “The Pathways Program helps students overcome barriers to education and graduate from high school, and this partnership with IG will ensure even more students have access to the critical supports they need to achieve long-term success.”

“RRC Polytech and IG Wealth Management share the goals of building stronger, more empowered communities through education,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech. “In pursuit of this goal, IG is helping us to further support Indigenous students by removing barriers in their academic journeys through guidance, mentorship, and financial supports. This important partnership will result in a program co-designed by Indigenous students and practitioners, and lead our graduates to rewarding and successful careers with Manitoba employers.”

“The partnership between IG Wealth Management, Pathways to Education Winnipeg, through CEDA, and RRC Polytech is an excellent example of the collaborative effort to uplift Indigenous and Newcomer youth through educational support and financial well-being," said Mike Moyes, NPD, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Riel. “Thank you again to all three organizations for their united mission to offer life-changing opportunities to those who normally do not have them within reach.”

The Pathways Winnipeg and RRC Polytech partnerships are part of the IG Empower Your Tomorrow community platform, which offers Canadians the resources, tools and confidence they need to own their own financial future.

About IG Wealth Management

Founded in 1926, IG Wealth Management is a national leader in delivering personalized financial solutions to Canadians through a network of advisors located across Canada. IG Wealth Management has $128.6 billion in assets under advisement as of May 31, 2024, and is a member of the IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM) group of companies. IGM Financial, together with its subsidiaries, is one of Canada's leading diversified wealth and asset management companies with approximately $251 billion in total assets under management and advisement as of May 31, 2024.

About Pathways to Education

Pathways to Education is a national, charitable organization breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Its award-winning program is creating positive social change by supporting youth living in low-income communities across Canada to overcome barriers to education, graduate from high school, and build the foundation for a successful future. Through the collective power of partnerships, Pathways to Education’s innovative program is preparing youth for tomorrow.

About CEDA

CEDA has been an active part of community building in Winnipeg’s inner-city neighbourhoods for nearly 40 years. Since 1979, CEDA has been rooted in strong community development values and the belief that building community voice and taking action is the most empowering activity for neighbourhoods.

About RRC Polytech

Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) is Manitoba’s only Polytechnic and largest institute of applied learning and research, with more than 200 full- and part-time degree, diploma and certificate options. Through hands-on learning opportunities and state-of-the-art instruction, we prepare more than 22,000 students annually to become leaders in their fields – while also ensuring they can meet changing industry demands and contribute to the province’s economic growth.

 

English Media Inquiries
Jaimie Roebuck
647-629-2747
jaimie.roebuck@igmfinancial.com

French Media Inquiries
Kim Tran
514-217-1684
kim.tran@northstrategic.com