Canada Life investment to expand financial literacy programs for youth across southwestern Ontario | Wallaceburg News

Junior Achievement South Western Ontario says a renewed partnership with Canada Life will expand financial literacy education for young people across the region, backed by a $120,000 investment over the next two years.

The organization announced the funding as Financial Literacy Month wraps up, noting the support will help bring financial health programs to more students at a time when managing money has become increasingly complex for families due to rising living costs, shifting job markets and rapid changes in the financial landscape.

“Financial literacy is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’, it is essential,” said Karen Gallant, president and CEO of JA South Western Ontario. “Canada Life’s support strengthens our ability to deliver hands-on learning experiences that help students feel confident about budgeting, credit, saving, and investing. Our financial health programs assist in setting young people up for their future, but also provide them with many tools they can put to use right away.”

Canada Life said the partnership aligns with its focus on helping Canadians build strong financial skills early in life. “At Canada Life, we believe financial literacy is a critical life skill,” said Jeff Van Hoeve, SVP Business Integration, Canada Life. “That’s why we’re proud to support JA South Western Ontario an organization that helps ensure more young people have access to the tools and knowledge they need to assist in making confident financial decisions.”

JA South Western Ontario said the renewed support will allow it to continue expanding programming in schools identified as having higher proportions of vulnerable students, based on recent research by JA Canada and the regional organization. The goal, it said, is to ensure students who may not otherwise have access to financial education can benefit from practical, real-world learning.

The funding will also support the launch of a refreshed Investment Strategies program for high school students, incorporating new digital resources and an enhanced personal investment plan activity designed to better engage classrooms. In addition, JA South Western Ontario will continue delivering established financial health programs to schools throughout the region.

With Canada Life’s backing, the organization expects to deliver dozens of financial learning experiences each year, reaching thousands of students, while training volunteers to bring practical financial knowledge into classrooms. JA said survey data consistently shows students leave its programs with increased confidence in managing money, helping lay the foundation for long-term financial well-being.

Junior Achievement, founded in 1919, is one of the world’s largest youth-serving non-governmental organizations, focused on preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship through experiential learning. In South Western Ontario, JA has worked with schools since 1963 to support students across a broad geographic area.

Canada Life is a national insurance, wealth management and benefits provider serving more than 14 million customer relationships across Canada.