More than 40 Canon Canada employees recently went back to school for an afternoon. As part of the company’s Branch Out program, employees helped Glendale Public School in Brampton, Ontario, build a rain garden.

Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) organized the event. This was the largest rain garden project the environmental organization has ever done. Employees learned about storm-water issues in urban environments while helping transform an old playing field into a garden the entire community can enjoy.

“For the past four years, Canon Canada has proudly partnered with Credit Valley Conservation for our Branch Out program,” says Nobuhiko Kitajima, president and CEO of Canon Canada. “We are always excited when they bring us new opportunities to give back to our communities.”

After an afternoon of hard work, Canon Canada employees, with some help from the Glendale Public School students, helped plant over 2,000 plants in the rain garden, eight large trees and a new planter box that was previously full of weeds.

The garden will do more than add green space to the area. Managing the storm-water runoff reduces the pollution that goes into nearby Fletcher’s Creek, which provides habitat for endangered redside dace. The day’s activities also increased biodiversity and habitat for pollinators and birds, as plants providing their food and shelter were used.

“The Character Trait Rain Garden is a wonderful addition to our school community,” says Tara Day-Orzechowski, principal of Glendale Public School. “Students have been involved in the planning, building and planting of the garden. This opportunity provided our young learners with a firsthand understanding of the important role that they play as environmental stewards. This garden would not have been possible without the generous support from community and government partners. Glendale is so appreciative to Canon Canada for their financial contribution and the gift of time from employees. We could not have planted the garden without their support! This garden will stand the test of time as a lasting tribute for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

Canon Canada celebrated the sixth anniversary of its Branch Out program this year. The volunteer environmental initiative provides employees the opportunity to give back to the communities they live and work in. Over the years, that has included planting trees, cleaning and restoring shorelines, and collecting water samples, among other sustainability activities. Canon Canada often works alongside CVC at its Brampton and Mississauga events.

“We’re so thankful to all the Canon employees who joined us in the community to help plant 2,000 trees and shrubs in our largest-ever rain garden,” says Deborah Martin-Downs, CAO for Credit Valley Conservation. “Canon’s leadership and environmental commitment shows young people, parents and teachers that we can all make a difference, improve water quality, support more biodiversity and build climate change resiliency in our own neighbourhoods. Together, we’re helping make this Brampton community cleaner, greener and healthier.”