Canada Goose and Ryan Reynolds Bring Warmth to Northern Canadian Community

Today, Canada Goose and actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Ryan Reynolds announce the donation of more than 300 Canada Goose parkas and Baffin footwear to outfit the students of Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay, Nunavut. Canada Goose is also announcing the expansion of its Resource Centre Program, with a commitment to donate thousands of repurposed parkas to Arctic communities across Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland in Canada, in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) beginning November 2020; this is in addition to the brand’s ongoing donations of fabric and materials it has made for more than a decade.

Inuujaq School, located within the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut, sits above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island and is home to more than 300 students. Communities in the North rely on shipments for essential goods, and COVID-19 has significantly impacted the frequency of shipments. Arctic Bay, being one of the most northern hamlets in Nunavut, has seen its access to everyday items greatly reduced, making the need for winterwear more important than ever before.

“It came to my attention students at Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay were going without adequate winter clothing. Of course, it highlights a larger issue of basic needs going unmet in Canada’s northern communities,” said Reynolds. “I reached out to Canada Goose to match me in providing these students with essential winter gear. They not only said yes in under 30 seconds, but went so far above and beyond matching me. I’m deeply inspired and grateful.”

"Our mission is to promote the skills, confidence and cultural pride in our students so they can pursue their dreams, realize their ambitions, become life-long learners and contribute to their community,” said Gregg Durrant, Inuujaq School Principal. “Living in a northern community, access to almost everything is limited, and this has been accentuated by the impact of COVID-19. We are so appreciative of the warmth Ryan and Canada Goose have shown our students, their gift will be remembered for years to come.”

Furthering its commitment to Inuit communities, Canada Goose is also expanding its Resource Centre Program, in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national representational organization for Inuit in Canada. The program, which has donated over one million metres of fabric and material to communities in the North for parka making, will now include donations of repurposed parkas, many upcycled from Canada Goose’s warranty program. These refurbished parkas will not only deliver warmth to communities in all four regions of Inuit Nunangat, but also deliver against Canada Goose’s commitment to sustainability, building a more circular business model and diverting waste. This is the latest commitment from Canada Goose, building on its Sustainable Impact Strategy, which launched in April 2020.