Client Success Story
Canadore College Turns Everyday Reuse Into Opportunities for Student Climate Leaders
How a campus-wide reuse program is funding sustainability bursaries and building community.
At Canadore College, sustainability is more than a campus initiative—it’s an opportunity to empower the next generation of environmental leaders.
Through its Fill it Forward program, supported by the Canadore Students’ Council (CSC), the college has created a unique model that connects everyday reuse with meaningful student impact. Cupanion Bottles are available at all campuses at a discounted rate, with proceeds helping fund student bursaries, while every refill contributes to environmental action and charitable giving.
This innovative approach earned Canadore College a 2025 Fill it Forward Changemaker Award in the Community Leadership category, recognizing its commitment to advancing sustainability through hands-on action, partnerships, and community engagement.
Turning Reusable Bottles Into Student Opportunities
The Fill it Forward program at Canadore makes it easy for students and employees to participate in sustainability efforts every day.
Reusable bottles are available across all campuses, giving the college community an accessible way to reduce single-use waste while tracking their environmental impact through the Fill it Forward app. Every scan helps measure positive outcomes such as reducing waste, ocean pollution, emissions, energy consumption, and land use. Scans also unlock donations to charitable projects around the world.
What makes Canadore’s program especially impactful is where the bottle proceeds go. Revenue from bottle sales directly supports student bursaries, creating a tangible connection between individual actions and opportunities for fellow students.
Celebrating Climate Champions Through the Fill it Forward Bursary
To further encourage environmental leadership, Canadore established the Fill it Forward Bursary, awarded to students who demonstrate a commitment to sustainable living.
Open to full-time students across all programs, the bursary recognizes individuals who actively reduce their environmental footprint and incorporate sustainability into their daily lives. Applicants are invited to share their sustainability journey through a short video submission, highlighting the actions they are taking to create positive change.
By rewarding climate-conscious students, the bursary helps foster a culture where environmental stewardship is recognized, celebrated, and shared throughout the campus community.
Building Community Through Shared Action
Since launching the program, the Canadore College community has generated more than 353,028 scans, demonstrating how small actions can add up to significant collective impact.
For Jesse Russell, Project Leader at Canadore’s Living Sustainability Centre, the program’s value extends beyond environmental metrics.
“Fill It Forward has strengthened the sense of community we work to build at Canadore by engaging students and employees in simple, shared actions that support sustainability. The bursaries created through the program have allowed us to celebrate and reward climate leaders on campus, reinforcing our commitment to positive environmental action.”
Jesse Russell,
Project Leader, Living Sustainability Centre
The program has become a powerful example of how sustainability initiatives can bring people together around a shared purpose while creating benefits that extend far beyond campus.
A Changemaker in Community Leadership
Canadore College’s recognition as a 2025 Fill it Forward Changemaker Award winner reflects the institution’s commitment to creating lasting impact through sustainability leadership.
By combining reusable products, environmental education, charitable giving, and student financial support, Canadore College has built a program that demonstrates what’s possible when sustainability is woven into everyday campus life.
Their success shows that every reuse can do more than reduce waste—it can help support future climate leaders, strengthen community connections, and inspire positive action for years to come.
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