MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity, is thrilled to announce that $500,000 worth of musical instruments, equipment, and resources are being allocated to 33 community organizations across Canada through the MusiCounts TD Community Music Program. JUNO Award winner, JP Saxe made the announcement on MusiCounts’ social media channels.

The MusiCounts TD Community Music Program provides grants of up to $25,000 for musical instruments, equipment, and resources to community centres, after-school programs, and other community non-profit organizations. To date, the program has supported 247 community organizations across Canada and thousands of youth participants with over $3.6 million in musical instruments, resources, and equipment.

Making music within communities helps young people connect with their identity: this year more than 60% of the organizations receiving instrument grants support significant populations of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) youth. The African Friendship Society in Vancouver, BC will use its MusiCounts TD Community Music Program grant to purchase instruments for the new Sounds of Africa program, which will teach a variety of traditional African music styles and music history to Black youth in order to build community and celebrate identity.

In 2021, over 40% of the organizations receiving grants did not have any existing musical instruments, so without MusiCounts’ support they would not be able to offer youth access to music education in their community. The Norman Wells Community Library, on the edge of the Arctic Circle in Norman Wells, NT, will be using the funds to purchase guitars, ukuleles, keyboards, hand drums, and fiddles for their program, which will be the first community music program in the area.

"The unprecedented volume of requests MusiCounts received for the MusiCounts TD Community Music Program this year demonstrates just how important it is for youth to make music within their communities,” says MusiCounts Executive Director, Kristy Fletcher. “It's a way for young people to connect to their culture, to each other, and ultimately to themselves. On behalf of MusiCounts, congratulations to all of the community organizations receiving MusiCounts TD Community Music Program instrument grants this year, and thank you to TD for supporting this critical initiative."

Through the pandemic, finding ways to create a sense of community through music has been even more challenging for music instructors. TD has a long history of support for community music programs and festivals across Canada, and together with MusiCounts, is committed to bringing people together safely, encouraging sharing of each other's stories and amplifying voices that aren't always heard through music education.

Alberta

• High Level Native Friendship Centre, High Level, AB
• Pacekids Programs, Calgary, AB

British Columbia

• African Friendship Society, Vancouver, BC
• Afro Van Connect Society, Vancouver, BC
• Dze L K'ant Friendship Centre Society, Houston, BC
• Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living, Maple Ridge, BC

Manitoba

• African Communities of Manitoba Inc. (ACOMI), Winnipeg, MB
• Graffiti Arts Programming Inc., Winnipeg, MB
• Indigenous Family Centre Inc., Winnipeg, MB
• Options Pathways & Transitions, Winnipeg, MB
• Riverton & District Friendship Centre, Riverton, MB

New Brunswick

• Battle of the Arts NB, Fredericton, NB
• Boys and Girls Club of Greater Saint John, Saint John, NB

Newfoundland & Labrador

• Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador Inc., St. John’s, NL
• MICG Recreation Dept, Makkovik, NL

Northwest Territories

• Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre, Inuvik, NT
• Norman Wells Community Library, Norman Wells, NT

Nova Scotia

• Music In Communities Cooperative Ltd., Canning, NS
• PAC Autism Nova Scotia Society (Autism Nova Scotia), Halifax, NS
• St. George's YouthNet, Halifax, NS
• Through the Years Day Care & Community Centre, Hubbards, NS

Nunavut

• Iqaluit Music Society, Iqaluit, NU

Ontario

• Afiwi Groove School, Ajax, ON
• Canadian Foundation for the Prevention of Family Violence (operating as the PACT Urban Peace Program), Toronto, ON
• Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Center, London, ON
• Georgian Shores Elementary Concert Band, Midland, ON
• The HopeWorks Connection, Toronto, ON
• 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, Toronto, ON

Quebec

• Centre d'amitié autochtone de Lanaudière, Joliette, QC
• Centre de pédiatrie sociale Coeur des Laurentides, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC

Saskatchewan

• Kikinahk Friendship Centre Inc., La Ronge, SK
• Mistawasis Nehiyawak Community Studio Program, Leask, SK

Yukon

• Boys and Girls Club of Yukon, Whitehorse, YK