iA Financial Group has donated $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross in support of the 2025 Manitoba Wildfires Appeal.
“We want to express our support to the communities affected by the wildfires. We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and the damage caused by these fires, and we want to offer our support to those who need it most,” said Denis Ricard, president and chief executive officer of iA Financial Group.
The Canadian Red Cross stated that contributions to the appeal will help deliver immediate and long-term support to those impacted by the fires. Funds will be used for financial assistance, aid for evacuees and the communities receiving them, recovery operations and efforts to strengthen future disaster preparedness and risk reduction in the affected regions.
As of early June, Manitoba is facing widespread wildfire activity. Provincial authorities have reported 27 active wildfires, with the largest covering more than 300,000 hectares. A state of emergency remains in effect. Approximately 17,000 people have been forced to evacuate, making it one of the most significant displacement events in the province in recent years.
Evacuations have included entire communities such as Flin Flon, where more than 5,000 residents left their homes. Other affected areas include Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Cranberry Portage, the latter of which experienced power outages and mandatory evacuation orders. The fires have also impacted air quality, with smoke travelling across provincial borders and into parts of the United States, leading to air quality warnings in several states.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, more than 200 wildfires are active across the country, with over half classified as out of control.
This latest contribution follows iA Financial Group’s broader philanthropic activity in recent years. In 2023, the company donated a total of $500,000 to Canadian charities through the seventh edition of its annual philanthropic contest.
The program awarded $100,000 each to four charities with the highest number of public votes. An additional eight finalists received $10,000 each. The initiative focused on projects related to health, the environment, social services, and education, with applications evaluated by a jury prior to the public voting phase.
