Agnico Eagle’s northern Ontario employees scored a hat-trick this winter, supporting three major hockey events that brought communities together and created more opportunities for everyone to enjoy the power of sport.
On March 3, Agnico Eagle Ontario employees faced off against former NHL players in an inaugural game against NHL Alumni All-Stars in support of Special Olympics Ontario.
Held at the McIntyre Community Centre in Timmins, Team NHL won 8-5, delighting over 500 attendees including Agnico Eagle employees, their friends, families, colleagues, and the Timmins community.
Agnico Eagle also donated $25,000 to Special Olympics Ontario, with Vice President, Ontario, Andre Leite highlighting the importance of the event: "Hockey is at the center of most northern Ontario communities and we are pleased to bring all Ontario employees together for such a memorable experience for them and their families. This is a great example of how a sport can unite a community, and we want to create more opportunities for others as well. Sports should be available to all and our donation to Special Olympics Ontario aims to help remove barriers and increase access to sports for everyone."
Agnico Eagle was also a returning Diamond Sponsor of two Indigenous youth hockey tournaments in Ontario, aimed at fostering health and confidence in their communities:
The 14th annual Mushkegowuk Cup, which took place, from February 16-18, brought together 46 teams and 750 players, aged 5-21, from 16 First Nations communities spanning from James Bay, Ontario to Val-d'Or, Quebec. Around 5,000 people visited Timmins for the event.
Agnico Eagle donated $10,000 to support the tournament and our Community Relations and Indigenous Affairs team set up an information booth, provided guidance on the application process for employment with us, cheered on the hockey teams, and spent quality time with friends and families.
“Hockey helps me connect with other players from my First Nation community,”
said Liam Corston, LNHL player in the U13 competitive division
for the Moose Cree First Nation.
The 50th annual Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) tournament which took place in Markham, Ontario from March 11-14, had Agnico Eagle as both a sponsor and participant. We donated $125,000 to support the LNHL’s largest-ever tournament, with 245 teams and 4,000 Indigenous youth from across the province playing 574 games across 12 arenas, including a record 38 girls’ teams!
Agnico Eagle employees were honoured to take part in the week-long celebration of hockey, community, and culture. They also provided interactive educational activities for all ages in partnership with Mining Matters, a national charitable organization dedicated to educating young people to develop knowledge and awareness of Earth sciences, the minerals industry, and their roles in society.
Agnico Eagle is proud to have helped increase access and opportunity for children and youth in northern Ontario through our commitment to supporting sport inclusivity. Sport has the power to unite and uplift communities, and we are pleased to help create a level playing field where everyone can thrive, both on and off the ice.