Thank you Canada for choosing the 2013 Aviva Community Fund Semi-Finalists

TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - After more than ten weeks of submitting ideas and voting, Canadians have chosen their favourite ideas as Aviva Community Fund semi-finalists. The competition - created by home and auto insurer Aviva Canada - offers $1,000,000 in donations to lead, empower and support community initiatives across the country.

Canadians have submitted over 1,100 ideas and cast nearly 2 million votes for worthy projects that will improve communities across the country. The semi-finalists will again attempt to capture the hearts and votes of Canadians, with the top 30 (10 from each funding category) becoming finalists, guaranteeing their idea between $5,000 and $150,000 in funding.

However, every idea can be a winner: Starting today, ideas with associated charities that are not moving on to the semi-finals will have their "vote now" button replaced with a "donate now" button. These ideas can continue to leverage AvivaCommunityFund.org to collect donations from supporters.

Starting December 2, voters are encouraged to visit www.AvivaCommunityFund.org to support their favourite semi-finalist ideas until December 11, 2013. Finalists and winners will be announced December 13, 2013 and January 28, 2014, respectively.

Aviva Canada congratulates the semi-finalists, listed below by province:

British Columbia (11)

• Let's Play Together! Evans Elementary Community Playground (Chilliwack)
• Courtney & Skye Buck Memorial Courtyard at Raft River Elementary (Clearwater)
• Project Ecole Mt. Prevost: Let's Get Moving! (Duncan)
• North Island Wildlife Recovery Association (Errington)
• Palsson Playground Improvement (Lake Cowichan)
• Critter Care Wildlife Society - Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (Langley)
• Dream Harry Hooge Elementary Playground (Maple Ridge)
• Community Playground at Qayqayt (KUH-KITE) - (New Westminster)
• Art for Everyone! (Richmond)
• New Freezer/Cooler for Eagle Bay Camp (Shuswap Lake)
• Youth4Tap Windermere (Vancouver)

Alberta (16)

• Saint-André Playground Project (Beaumont)
• "Save the Beaver River Trestle" on Alberta's Iron Horse Trail (Bonnyville)
• Help Rebuild Alberta Flood-Ravaged Camp Gardner (Calgary)
• Rideau Park School Playground and Sport Court (Calgary)
• The Lab - A Hip Hop Space for At-Risk Youth (Calgary)
• Claresholm Bowling Alley & Family Fun Centre (Claresholm)
• Coalhurst Community Playground and Park Project (Coalhurst)
• Give Pass Powder Keg a LIFT! (Crowsnest Pass)
• Anything is Pawsible (Edmonton)
• Fill the Halls with Music (Edmonton)
• Shelter from the Storm (Edmonton)
• Stratford School/Jasper Park Playground Redevelopment (Edmonton)
• Developing a Space for The Last Chance Cat Ranch: Saving Stray Cats (Lethbridge)
• Wilson Way Bus (Lethbridge)
• Stirling Community Running/Walking Trail (Stirling)
• Barrier Free Community Playground (Valhalla Centre)

Saskatchewan (1)

• Moose Jaw Minor Football Practice Field (Moose Jaw)

Manitoba (1)

• Winnipeg Beach School: Together, We Are Able (Winnipeg Beach)

Ontario (25)

• Wildlife Rehabilitation Nursery (Barrie)
• Fox and Coyote Veterinary and Rehabilitation Facility Project (Beeton)
• Project Jessie - Help Us To Help Even More Animals In Ontario! (Caledon)
• A Playground for All (Courtice)
• I Am Awesome! Self Esteem & Empowerment Retreat (Emo)
• Georgian Bay Turtle Hospital (Georgian Bay)
• Goderich Lions Club - Camp Klahanie Revitalization (Goderich)
• Turning Grey to Green: Transforming G. R. Allan School's Ground (Hamilton)
• Marathon District Museum (Marathon)
• The Cultural Café Project: Jobs for the Visually Impaired (Markham)
• It Takes A Village To Build A Playground (Newcastle)
• May 12th Awareness Day for ME/CFS and FM (Ottawa)
• Vincent Massey Kindergarten Playground Renewal( Ottawa)
• A Safe Place to Heal (Pefferlaw)
• Nursery for Orphaned Baby Animals (Rosseau)
• Give All the Paws at LAWS a New, Safe Home! (Smiths Falls)
• Camp Winston: Extraordinary Programs for Very Special Kids! (Sparrow Lake)
• Gymnastics Energy (St. Catharines)
• Make a Splash for Stacey (Sundridge)
• Challenging the Status Quo of Elder Care. There is a Better Way! (Toronto)
• Community Grassroots Arts Hub (Toronto)
• Helping People Help Homeless Cats (Toronto)
• Transforming Lives of Children at Risk With the Power of Music (Toronto)
• Kitty Kare Cat Sanctuary (Thunder Bay)
• WesForYouthOnline.Ca.......It's Okay to Ask for Help! (Walkerton)

Quebec (15)

• Le CPE a besoin d'aires de jeux extérieures sécuritaires! (Baie-Saint-Paul)
• Une nouvelle cour d'école pour Gaston-Pilon! (Boisbriand)
• S.P.A. des Cantons / Sterilization Program (Cowansville)
• Valhalla's Sustainability Learning Centre (La Prairie)
• Construire ses plus beaux souvenirs dans notre futur parc-école (Mirabel)
• Animal Rescue Networks PURRfect Shelter for Life - Help us Build (Montreal)
• Give a Dog a Second Chance - Opt to Adopt (Montreal)
• Montréal Roller Derby - Sport Court Project (Montreal)
• Revitalisation de la cour de l'école Christ-Roi (Montreal)
• Girl Guide Camp Wa-Thik-Ane - Help Us Keep Our Boats Afloat! (Morin-Heights)
• Pour une éducation alternative axée sur la nature (Pointe-St-Charles)
• Donnez un toit à notre piscine! (Quebec City)
• Les Éclairs font rayonner la musique au Québec! (Quebec City)
• Le parascolaire contre le décrochage scolaire au Paul-Hubert (Rimouski)
• Refuge Anni-maux (St-Bernard de Beauce)

New Brunswick (6)

• Help Us Help Animals by Completing Our New Shelter! (Dalhousie)
• Aidez à  la construction du refuge - Help Build the Shelter (Edmundston)
• Shelter for the Homeless / Refuge pour les sans-foyers (Grand-Sault)
• Be Their Best Friend (Moncton)
• A Low Cost Cat Spay and Neuter Program in Saint John (Saint John)
• The Joshua Group Center - A Place Where Dreams are Made (Saint John)

Nova Scotia (9)

• Emily's Place Spay & Neuter Outreach Society (Amherst)
• Autism Cape Breton After School Program (Cape Breton)
• Hope for Mojo - Baie Ste. Marie Animal Society (Church Point)
• Rae of Light Centre (Dartmouth)
• Litters N Critters-Vet Bill Fund (Halifax)
• The St. Margaret's Bay Skate Park Project (Hubbards)
• Cranton Crossroads Community Center Dream Playground (Margaree Centre)
• Greyhound Pets of Atlantic Canada Society (Musquodoboit Harbour)
• Port Hawkesbury Community Park (Port Hawkesbury)

Prince Edward Island (2)

• Souris Playground for ALL (Souris)
• Youth Engagement Centre for At-Risk Youth (Summerside)

Newfoundland and Labrador (4)

• Tricon Playground (Bay De Verde)
• Change Islands Newfoundland Pony Sanctuary (Change Islands)
• A Beagle's Dream (St. John's)
• Small Town, Small Pool, Big Dreams!! (Twillingate)

Canadians can also connect with the Aviva Community Fund through the competition's Facebook and Twitter pages.

About Aviva Canada
Aviva Canada is one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada providing home, automobile, recreational vehicle, group and business insurance to more than three million customers. The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc and has more than 3,000 employees, 25 locations and 1,700 independent broker partners. Aviva Canada and its employees invest in positive change including through the Aviva Community Fund and Eva's Initiatives, its partner in Aviva's global Street to School program to help homeless and other at-risk youth reach their potential.

For more information visit AvivaCanada.com, our blog or our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

SOURCE: Aviva Canada Inc.