Québec's insurers and financiers joined forces to create a philanthropic fund that celebrates inclusiveness.

On Sunday, a group of insurance and financial firms released a statement announcing the launch of Inclusion – a fund of over $3.5 million “to promote values in which it deeply believes: openness, inclusiveness and equality.” The fund was created in the wake of tragic recent events that occurred in the city.

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The 21 firms that support the initiative believe that education is the key to combatting intolerance, discrimination and harassment.

A release said that over the next five years, Inclusion will support awareness and education programs in schools. The programs are meant to “build inclusive living environments and promote greater openness in young people to diversity in all its forms.”

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Primarily, Inclusion will finance the organizations ENSEMBLE, Equitas, and Institut Pacifique. The three entities work with young people to create an environment free of discrimination. Through the funds Inclusion provides, the organizations will be able to broaden the scope of their existing programs. Other organizations could be selected to be a part of the Inclusion fund.

The Centraide network will govern over the fund.

The 21 firms supporting the fund are:

• BMO Financial Group
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
• Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
• CIBC
• Desjardins
• Fondaction CSN
• Fonds de solidarité FTQ
• Great-West Life
• iA Financial Group
• Investors Group
• Intact Financial Corporation
• La Capitale Financial Group
• Manulife
• Mackenzie Investments
• National Bank
• Power Financial Corporation
• Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
• Scotiabank
• SSQ Financial Group
• Sun Life Financial
• TD Bank Group

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