Five regional winners to receive $25,000 each with one association named national winner following Canada-wide vote, taking home an extra $75,000 Grand Prize
Starting April 13 at 12:00 p.m. ET, Canadians can cast their vote at krugerbigassist.ca/vote
TORONTO, March 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kruger Products, Canada’s leading paper manufacturer of Cashmere®, Purex®, Scotties®, SpongeTowels® and Bonterra®, announced the five minor hockey associations selected as the 2026 Kruger Big Assist regional winners, each receiving $25,000. Following the announcement, a Canada-wide public vote starting April 13 at 12 p.m. ET will determine which association receives an additional $75,000 Grand Prize, bringing the associations total winnings to $100,000.
Now in its sixth year, the Kruger Big Assist continues its mission to help make hockey more accessible and inclusive for families across Canada by removing financial barriers and ensuring more young athletes can participate in the game they love.
This year’s program is championed by three Canadian hockey ambassadors who each know the power of an assist and are helping rally communities from coast to coast:
- Matthew Schaefer, first overall 2025 NHL Draft pick, three-time Team Canada gold medalist and multi-NHL rookie record holder
- Marie-Philip Poulin, Five-time Olympic medalist and three-time world champion
- Hayley Wickenheiser, five-time Olympic medalist and Hockey Hall of Famer
Since its launch in 2020, the Kruger Big Assist has donated over $1 million and supported more than 50 minor hockey associations, helping over 1,500 families get onto the ice. This year, Kruger Products has committed $200,000 in total funding, to further expand access to hockey programs in communities across the country.
“Six years in and the Kruger Big Assist has grown to be even bigger than we initially envisioned thanks to unbelievable community support and the powerful backing of our incredible ambassadors including Hayley Wickenheiser, Marie-Philip Poulin and Matthew Schaefer,” said Susan Irving, Chief Marketing Officer, Kruger Products. “With over $1 million already donated to help families access hockey, we’re proud to celebrate another inspiring group of regional winners as they compete for the $75,000 grand prize.”
Celebrating the Regional Winners
The 2026 Kruger Big Assist regional winners are:
- Vancouver Female Ice Hockey Association – Vancouver, British Columbia,
- Saskatoon & District Comets Female Hockey – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- Chapleau Minor Hockey Association – Chapleau, Ontario
- Lac des Deux Montagnes Hockey Association – Deux-Montagnes, Québec
- Keswick Valley Minor Hockey – Keswick Valley, New Brunswick
Canada-Wide Public Vote Opens in April
Canadians can cast their vote for which of the five minor hockey associations best demonstrates how they will encourage more kids to play hockey by removing barriers and making the game more accessible and inclusive for their community. The Canada-wide public vote will take place for 72 hours, starting on April 13 at 12:00 p.m. ET and will remain open until April 16 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
The association with the most votes will receive an additional $75,000, bringing their total Kruger Big Assist funding to $100,000.
Voting details will be available at KrugerBigAssist.ca/vote.
More Information on the Kruger Big Assist
Q: What is the Kruger Big Assist?
A: The Kruger Big Assist is an annual $200,000 funding initiative that awards financial grants to minor hockey associations in Canada, with money going directly to offset enrollment costs so more kids can access Canada’s game. Now in its 6th year, the Kruger Big Assist has donated over $1 million to make hockey more accessible and inclusive. Kruger Products, Canada’s leading paper manufacturer of Cashmere®, Purex®, Scotties®, SpongeTowels®, and Bonterra®, first created the Kruger Big Assist during the pandemic in 2020 to provide financial assistance to Canadian hockey families in need of an off-ice assist to give more kids access to Canada’s game.
Q: How does the program work?
A: Kruger Products created the Kruger Big Assist to raise awareness and make hockey more accessible to youth in Canada. Through the Kruger Big Assist website, www.krugerbigassist.ca, hockey associations were nominated by members in their community and can be awarded up to $100,000. A judging panel has selected five regional winners to receive a donation of $25,000. Now, these five Kruger Big Assist recipients are eligible to receive the grand prize, an additional $75,000 grant. The grand prize winner will be determined by the Canadian public who will be asked to vote for the most deserving association between April 13-16, 2026.
Q: What is the Kruger Big Assist grand prize?
A: The grand prize is an additional $75,000 grant, awarded to one of the Kruger Big Assist regional recipients, to encourage more kids to play hockey by developing solutions that help remove barriers and make the game more accessible, inclusive, and equitable for everyone.
Q: How can Canadians cast their vote for the Kruger Big Assist Grand Prize
Canadians will be able to cast their vote for the regional winner that best demonstrates its commitment to encouraging more kids to play hockey by visiting www.krugerbigassist.ca/vote from April 13 at 12:00 p.m. ET to April 16 at 12:00 p.m. ET. Giving Canadians 72 hours to help determine which regional winner will receive the $75,000 Grand Prize.
Q: Where is more information available on Kruger Big Assist?
A: Additional information, nominations, and selection criteria is available at www.krugerbigassist.ca
About Kruger Products
Kruger Products Inc. is Canada’s leading manufacturer of quality tissue products for households, industrial and commercial use. Kruger Products serves the Canadian consumer market with well-known brands such as Cashmere®, Purex®, SpongeTowels®, Scotties® and Bonterra®. In the U.S., Kruger Products manufactures the White Cloud® brand, as well as many private-label products. The Kruger PRO division manufactures and distributes high-quality, cost-effective product solutions to a wide range of commercial and public entities. A Greater Toronto Area Top Employer for the past fourteen years, Kruger Products has approximately 3,000 employees and was once again named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2025. The Company operates ten FSC® COC-certified (FSC C-104904) production facilities in North America. For more information, visit www.krugerproducts.com.
Media Contact
Aaron Short
North Strategic (for Kruger Products)
[email protected]
905-442-1923
For more information, visit www.krugerproducts.ca.
SOURCE Kruger Products Inc
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c80f0bc6-d7a4-471c-a62f-e05d783f2d6e
