The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation (CST), creators of education savings plans in Canada, proudly awarded $140,000 to 20 Canadian students through its 2026 Founders' Awards. This program is grounded in CST's core belief that finances should not get in the way of Canadians achieving their educational dreams.
The 2026 Founders' Awards
The Founders' Awards supports students who have benefitted from a Canadian Scholarship Trust Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and who is enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary program.
The goals of the Awards program are to recognize students for their commitment to making a difference in their communities, and to ensure that finances don't become a barrier to them pursuing their chosen course of study.
This year's program features three award categories:
- Undergraduate programs: for students in undergraduate programs at a Canadian University.
- Masters+: for those in a Masters, PhD or other postgraduate programs at qualifying Canadian educational institutions.
- Skilled trades & Community College-based programs: for students in full-time skilled trades or diploma programs at Canadian colleges.
Architects of Tomorrow
The 2026 Founders' Awards theme, Canada's Architects of Tomorrow, celebrates students' varied journeys, the challenges they have overcome and their potential to help shape Canada's future.
These 20 chosen recipients will help design, research, and build the physical and economic infrastructure of tomorrow.
"We are pleased to recognize our 2026 Founders' Award recipients. These are 20 unique students from across the country, all with different journeys, but illustrating a common purpose, which is to find ways to have a positive impact in their communities" says Peter Lewis, President and CEO of CST. "We are excited to see how they will leverage this opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects in the future".
A new category this year
This year's Founders Awards also marks the inclusion of a new Skilled Trades category, designed to help address shortages in the sector. As Canada's infrastructure landscape evolves rapidly, skilled labor will be a sought-after resource.
"I'm grateful for this award and the inclusion of trade students. This will help reduce some of the financial stress that comes with school and allow me to focus more on my courses and develop the skills I need for my future career," says skilled-trades award winner, Dominik Laurent who is enrolled in the Welding Engineering Technology program at Conestoga College.
To learn more about how the CST Foundation supports access to post-secondary education, or to learn more about its Awards and Bursaries program, visit https://www.cst.org
For more information
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www.cst.org
