- Priscille Leblanc leaves her role as first Chair of the Air Canada Foundation Board after 13 years of dedicated leadership.
- Maria Kuchel and Marcel Forget join as new Board members
- 39 charities were selected to receive grants from the Foundation this year
MONTRÉAL, March 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Air Canada Foundation today announced new officers and new members to its Board of Directors. Ms. Priscille Leblanc, who has held the position of Chair of the Foundation since its inception in 2012, has elected to retire. Ms. Louise-Hélène Sénécal, who recently retired from Air Canada as Vice President and General Counsel and has been a member of the Board of Directors and Corporate Secretary of the Air Canada Foundation, will be the new Chair.
“I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Priscille for her years of dedicated leadership as Chair of the Foundation. Her vision, steadiness, and unwavering commitment have shaped our work and strengthened the Foundation’s impact in lasting ways, and I want to thank her for everything she has built and inspired,” said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer at Air Canada. “We are equally delighted to continue to work with Louise-Hélène in her new role as the Foundation’s Chair. Her experience, passion, and forward-looking perspective will guide the Foundation into its next chapter with confidence and purpose.”
“Additionally, we thank Panagiota ‘Peggy’ Zafiris, who has also elected to retire after serving as a Foundation Board member for many years. Peggy’s ongoing generous support of the mission of the Air Canada Foundation in improving the health and well-being of children and youth in Canada is very much appreciated, and we wish her the best in her retirement.”
The Air Canada Foundation Board also welcomes Maria Kuchel (Secretary) and Marcel Forget as new Board Members. They join current Air Canada Foundation Board members Amos Kazzaz (Treasurer), Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Lucie Guillemette and Carolyn Hadrovic.
2026 Annual Grants recipients to be announced
This year, the Board approved 38 registered charities and organizations across Canada to receive an Air Canada Foundation grant, following a rigorous selection process from hundreds of applications. These deserving charities will be presented through Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation’s social platforms throughout the year. Big Dream Grants recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.
Established in 2012, the Air Canada Foundation was created to support children and youth, humanitarian relief and health focused causes, extending the commitment of Air Canada employees, partners, customers and stakeholders. For 13 years, the Air Canada Foundation has committed to improving the health and well-being of children and youth across Canada, raising more than $20 million to support access to medical care, reduce social and economic barriers and create opportunities for moments of joy and possibility.
In 2025, the Air Canada Foundation:
- Donated nearly $1.8 million
- Raised $2.1 million, including $1.3M net during the annual fundraising Air Canada Foundation golf tournament
- Provided 2,089 airline tickets to support fundraising efforts and charitable programs
- Worked with 473 charitable partners
- Donated 35,050,000 Aeroplan points to support 14 partners including 12 paediatric hospitals
- Realized 1,113 dreams through eight special Dreams Take Flight charters from coast to coast
- Supported 550,193 meal deliveries
Learn more about the Air Canada Foundation here.
About the Air Canada Foundation
The Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on the health and well-being of children and youth, was launched in 2012. It offers both financial and in-kind support to Canadian-registered charities. Core programs include the Hospital Transportation Program, which redistributes Aeroplan points to 12 pediatric hospitals across Canada, enabling sick children to access the medical care they need away from home. The Air Canada Foundation, in collaboration with the airline, also engages directly in fundraising activities, such as the Every Bit Counts program, which encourages customers to donate loose change of all denominations on board flights or through collection containers available in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. The Foundation also offers continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more information about the Air Canada Foundation, please read the 2024 Impact Report.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Headquartered in Montréal, Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, with more than 10 million members worldwide. Members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada’s climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada’s TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX (AC) in Canada and the OTCQX (ACDVF) in the US.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1723733c-845f-486e-8266-108420522c4f
