TORONTO, ON - November 10, 2016 /CNW/ - Scotiabank and the True Patriot Love Foundation today announced a $750,000 commitment to support the important work of the Foundation, in advance of Remembrance Day.

Scotiabank's commitment will provide True Patriot Love with:

• $250,000 for military children with special needs and for camps
• $500,000 to sponsor the True Patriot Love Scotiabank Expedition: Best of Canada Series in 2017. The Bank's commitment will help cover costs supporting the soldier participants, as well as the expedition mentorship program.

Building on the success of True Patriot Love's previous expeditions to the Himalayas (2012), the North Pole (2014), and Antarctica (2016), The Best of Canada Series aims to bring together a team of currently serving members or Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces with business and community leaders to take on unique physical challenges together.

Working as a team to complete a mission, participants will face physical, emotional, and mental roadblocks over a two-week period. By doing so, these individuals will get outside of their comfort zone and become a team. In addition to reaching their physical goals, the expedition team will collectively raise critical funds and awareness for the brave Veterans of our Canadian Armed Forces and their families.

Funding will be directed to support a variety of programs across Canada in the scope of mental health, Veteran transition, family supports and military and Veteran research.

Funds raised from previous TPL Scotiabank Expeditions have supported programs for Veteran and family transition such as job training and recruitment and the development of a Canadian version of a virtual reality therapy for PTSD currently being used in seven Operational Stress Injury clinics and two intermediate sized mental health clinics across Canada.

Quotes:

"At Scotiabank, investing in our communities has been a focus for over 180 years. Our goal has always been to help create a better life for people in the communities we serve. Scotiabank has seen firsthand how True Patriot Love makes an important and needed difference in the lives of veterans and military families. We are proud to be directing our support to military children with special needs and as sponsor of the 2017 Expedition Series in Canada." 
- Phil Smith, SVP & Chief Operating Officer, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank

"True Patriot Love is grateful for the leading role Scotiabank has played in supporting the Expedition Series for 2017. The expeditions provide an opportunity for participating soldier team members to face personal roadblocks on their journey of transition into civilian life. Many soldier team members are dealing with visible and invisible injuries as a result of their service, and this experience will provide them the opportunity to share their stories, bond with other participants, and transition into a fulfilling civilian role following service. We are thrilled that Scotiabank has stepped up in such a big way." 
- Bronwen Evans, CEO, True Patriot Love Foundation

About True Patriot Love:
True Patriot Love Foundation (TPL) is a national charity that funds unique programs and innovative research in the areas of veteran family health and support. We honour the sacrifices of members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans and their families by bridging the gap between military and civilian communities, hosting multinational symposiums and organizing ambitious global expeditions. Since 2009, TPL has committed approximately $15 million to support military charities and research on physical health and rehabilitation, mental health and well-being, and innovation across Canada. For more information, visit www.truepatriotlove.com.

About Scotiabank
Through our global community investment strategy, Scotiabank and its employees support causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2015, Scotiabank contributed $67 million to help our communities around the world.

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 23 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 88,000 employees and assets of $907 billion (as at July 31, 2016), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). Scotiabank distributes the Bank's media releases using CNW. For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Melanie Paradis 
Earnscliffe Strategy Group on behalf of True Patriot Love 
(416) 399-7400
MParadis@earnscliffe.ca

Erin Truax
Public, Corporate and Government Affairs
Scotiabank 
(416) 471-5714
Erin.Truax@Scotiabank.com