Northpine Foundation

News, Updates & Stories

Announcements, reflections, and emerging ideas from Northpine’s portfolios and the organizations we back.

cradle to career 2
Scarborough
May 10, 2026

Making school work, and keeping the door to graduation open (Cradle-to-Career Strategy - Stage 2)

How we invest in attendance, mentorship, and academic momentum from Grade 1 through graduation — the years that decide whether earlier investments compound or quietly evaporate.

cradle to career 2
Scarborough
May 10, 2026

Pathways into work that lasts, and households that hold (Cradle-to-Career Strategy - Stage 3)

How we invest in work that young Scarborough adults can keep and build on — and in the households around them, where the next cradle-to-career cohort is being raised.

approach
Scarborough
May 10, 2026

Building a hyper-local community of support, from early years to meaningful employment.

Learn about our hyper-local approach, and the cradle-to-career chain of support we are building across the borough.

cradle to career 1
Scarborough
May 10, 2026

A strong start before school begins (Cradle-to-Career Strategy - Stage 1)

Why we invest in family stabilization, early literacy, and culturally-rooted care in the years before children ever set foot in a classroom.

Furniture Bank
Scarborough
April 15, 2026

Furniture for New Starts: Jobs and Homes in Scarborough

Many Scarborough families face steep ‘furniture poverty’ with demand 5x outpacing Furniture Bank's supply since Northpine’s first investment in their Scarborough initiative. Their social enterprise model,

Reception House Waterloo
Refugees
April 15, 2026

Meaningful Employment for Refugees in the Waterloo Region

In the Waterloo Region near Toronto, Reception House’s Open Doors program offers targeted job prep, employer connections, and year-long retention support to help refugees land and keep stable jobs.

Louis Riel School Division
Winnipeg
April 15, 2026

Childcare Unlocks Education and Employment Opportunities for Winnipeg Parents

In Winnipeg's priority community schools, parents childcare with adult learning or full-time work. Among parents with kids under 12, many resort to evening classes or drop out entirely.

Empire Detailing
Scarborough
April 15, 2026

Auto Industry Employment for Scarborough Youth

Cedarbrae Collegiate in Scarborough's toughest corridor battles chronic absenteeism, with students missing 30–40% of school, amid poverty, newcomer challenges, and few skilled trades paths for racialized youth.

Hairbru
Winnipeg
April 15, 2026

Employment Opportunities for Winnipeg’s Newcomer Women

Newcomer women skilled in hairstyling from their home countries struggle in Canada without recognized credentials, facing prohibitively expensive formal courses amid childcare demands and literacy barriers.

Next Level Masonry Training
Formerly Incarcerated Persons
March 31, 2026

Masonry Training and Employment for Formerly Incarcerated Persons

Even as Canada's tech sector seeks more talent in QA, design, and AI, eager and willing formerly incarcerated people often hit roadblocks to accessing these opportunities.

Lyve Chat
Formerly Incarcerated Persons
March 31, 2026

Tech Career Pathways for Formerly Incarcerated Canadians

Even as Canada's tech sector seeks more talent in QA, design, and AI, eager and willing formerly incarcerated people often hit roadblocks to accessing these opportunities.

Brilliant Catalyst
Formerly Incarcerated Persons
March 15, 2026

Nuclear Training and Employment for Formerly Incarcerated Ontarians

Canada has an urgent need for workers in growing sectors including the nuclear energy industry. The Brilliant Catalyst initiative at Ontario Tech University aims to train

Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa
Youth In and From Care
March 14, 2026

Supporting Youth Exiting Care to Achieve Post-secondary Success

Youth in care can face challenges that often lead to a drop in graduation rates, as they navigate exit from care amid housing and financial pressures.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Housing and Homelessness Coalition
Newfoundland and Labrador
March 13, 2026

Affordable Housing in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador

Happy Valley-Goose Bay faces the strain of a changing population, with more seniors, fewer affordable homes, and too many people without stable housing. This initiative by the Happy Valley-Goose Bay

SAFSS
Scarborough
March 2, 2026

Scarborough's Mothers Matter

West Hill and nearby Scarborough neighbourhoods battle high child poverty with 1 in 3 kids below the poverty line, lagging school scores, and literacy 10% behind Toronto averages.

SAAAC Goodness Gift
Scarborough
March 2, 2026

Growing Employment Opportunities for Scarborough’s Neurodiverse Youth

Young autistic adults face high unemployment rates, with few specialized pathways to meaningful work. SAAAC’s Goodness Gift is a social enterprise that Northpine successfully supported to

Ivan Franko Homes
Refugees
February 28, 2026

Care Careers for Refugee Healthcare Workers

Ontario's healthcare system faces a critical worker shortage amid an aging population and post-COVID workforce strains. Yet skilled refugees, many with post-secondary education and relevant experience

Impakt Foundation
Refugees
February 28, 2026

From Emergency Shelters to Employment and Stability

Over 6,000 refugees use Toronto shelters nightly, many stuck for months beyond their emergency purpose. They are often ready and willing to work but blocked by isolation, paperwork delays, language gaps

Solid State
Refugees
February 28, 2026

Supporting Refugee-Led Co-op Businesses Across Canada

Refugees often arrive with professional skills and entrepreneurial drive, yet often land in low-wage, unstable jobs, often earning under $20,000 in their first year, despite huge potential for economic independence.

StepStones
Youth In and From Care
February 20, 2026

Stabilization Supporting Care Youth Graduation

Ontario youth in care face just 48% high school graduation rates, amid looming "aging out" pressures, often faced with losing housing and supports in Grades 11–12 when academic pressures are highest.

Students Commission of Canada
Youth In and From Care
February 15, 2026

Adapting the Art of Work National Employment Program for Youth in Care

This venture brings targeted adaptations to the Student’s Commission of Canada’s (SCC) national Art of Work youth employment program to support youth aging out of care who are disconnected from employment and education.

Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada Increase retention in PSE
Youth In and From Care
February 15, 2026

Smart Start Post-Secondary Education Supports Help Youth From Care Succeed In Post-Secondary Education

Higher education increases lifetime earnings and builds resilience, while reducing long-term reliance on public systems

Seven Oaks School District
Winnipeg
February 14, 2026

High School Credit Attainment for Adult Learners

Many adult learners in Seven Oaks School District struggle with low literacy, justice issues, and social support cuts, but parents with caregiving duties face an added layer of challenges.

Thames Valley District School Board
Youth In and From Care
February 14, 2026

‘Connecting Futures’ to Support Early High School Leavers

An alternative day school program supporting youth in and from care who have disengaged from school to re-engage, stabilize and sustain their school engagement.

Freedom International School
Winnipeg
February 14, 2026

Newcomer Youth Education and Language Support

Newcomer and refugee youth in Winnipeg, ages 12–24, often arrive with schooling gaps and low English proficiency, math at Grade 5 levels or lower. Public options fall short, with no spots for youth

SpacesShared
Newfoundland and Labrador
January 31, 2026

Connecting Seniors’ Spare Rooms with Young Adults in Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to Canada's highest share of seniors, alongside tight rental markets that make stable housing tough for students and young adults.

Thrive
Newfoundland and Labrador
January 31, 2026

Fighting Human Trafficking in Newfoundland and Labrador

Human trafficking remains one of Canada’s most underreported and misunderstood crimes. Newfoundland and Labrador faces its own unique challenges

Ruah
Newfoundland and Labrador
January 25, 2026

Mental Health Support for Rural, Remote Newfoundland and Labrador

Rural Newfoundland and Labrador faces tough mental health realities with longer wait times for counselling, higher self-harm risks, and fewer local professionals, leaving many without timely help when they need it most.

Skilled Trades College
Formerly Incarcerated Persons
January 10, 2026

New Beginnings in the Trades for Formerly Incarcerated Persons

Canada faces a skyrocketing need for skilled trades workers, with thousands of jobs opening up as retirees leave and construction grows.

Park Street Education
Youth In and From Care
January 1, 2026

Middle School Educational Anchors

Statistics show that youth in care lose 4 to 6 months of learning with every placement move, and more than 60% struggle to re-engage in school amid instability. This often results in middle school disengagement