Foresters Financial has teamed up with national non-profit KABOOM! to deliver a new playground for children in Toronto’s East Scarborough community, underscoring how insurers are using community investment to align with their purpose-driven business models.
The one-day build at 62 Orchard Park Drive brought together volunteers, local residents, and representatives from the BGC East Scarborough and the MAAT Youth Innovation Cultural Center. Foresters’ president and CEO Matt Berman joined the volunteers on site, reflecting the company’s direct involvement in the initiative.
The project will be followed by the installation of a protective fence to improve safety by separating the play area from a nearby busy road.
The playground complements the ongoing Yemoja Village initiative, which is converting the former West Hill United Church property into 47 affordable housing units for racialized youth. Together, the projects highlight how community infrastructure, housing, and safe spaces for children intersect with broader efforts to reduce social risks.
The collaboration with KABOOM! forms part of the non-profit’s mission to eliminate play space inequity by ensuring children across Canada have access to safe areas to play. For insurers like Foresters, such initiatives also reflect a deeper connection between financial protection and community resilience. With roots dating back to 1874, the company operates as a fraternal benefit society, offering life insurance in Canada, the US and the UK.
Foresters has consistently emphasized its purpose-driven mandate, combining traditional insurance offerings with community programs such as scholarships, grants, and volunteer-driven projects. Its long-standing "A" (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best underlined its financial stability, a critical factor for policyholders seeking assurance that their insurer can balance social impact with underwriting strength.
Other Canadian insurers have also been leaning into community-focused initiatives as part of their broader ESG strategies. Co-operators, for example, has invested heavily in affordable housing and climate resilience projects across the country, linking community safety to long-term risk reduction. Intact Financial has concentrated on climate adaptation, funding municipal infrastructure improvements aimed at mitigating flood risks. Desjardins Group has supported youth education, financial literacy, and community development programs in Québec and beyond.
