MaRS impact investing leader wins Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award

Tim Jackson honoured for vast contributions to the community

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2014 – MaRS Discovery District is pleased to announce that Tim Jackson, the Lead Executive of the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, has been awarded the prestigious Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award for his longstanding commitment toward improving the overall quality of life in the Region of Waterloo.

Presented yesterday at a ceremony in Waterloo by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, the award recognizes volunteers who “have made a significant, sustained, unpaid contribution to their community.”

A graduate of the University of Waterloo, Jackson has served on the university’s board of governors and has taken a lead role in promoting co-operative education and the university’s fundraising efforts.

He has also made huge contributions to the community as a volunteer board chair of numerous organizations, including the Centre in the Square, the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum, the Waterloo Public Library and the BarnRaisers Council, and was recently appointed to the board of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. In addition, he co-founded charitable entities Capacity Waterloo and Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region. He has also volunteered his time as a minor league hockey and soccer coach.

“I’m thrilled that Tim has been recognized with this well-deserved honour,” said Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS Discovery District. “Throughout his career, he has steadily worked to improve the lives of Canadians, whether as an entrepreneur, business leader, charitable fundraiser or through his role at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, where he represents Canada on the G7 Social Impact Investment Taskforce. An exemplary community builder, he’s an inspiration for all of us.”

In April of this year, Jackson joined the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing from his role as the Vice President, University Relations at the University of Waterloo. A member of the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance with a serious commitment to building the impact investing market, Jackson will continue to develop and expand Canada’s contributions to the international impact investing dialogue through his role at MaRS.

About MaRS Discovery District
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS cultivates high-impact ventures and equips innovators to drive economic and societal prosperity. MaRS provides expert advice and market research, and makes connections to talent, customers and capital. MaRS startup clients have created 6,500 jobs and, in the last three years alone, they have raised $1 billion in capital and generated $500 million in revenue.

About the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing
The MaRS Centre for Impact Investing is a national hub designed to increase the awareness and effectiveness of social finance to catalyze new capital, talent and initiatives dedicated to tackling social and environmental problems in Canada. The Centre builds on the foundational work of MaRS and Social Innovation Generation (SiG), including the landmark report by the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance.

For further information, please contact:

Kara Collins
Manager, Communications
MaRS Discovery District
416.673.8196
kcollins@marsdd.com