TORONTO, ON - December 08, 2015 /CNW/ - Runners and supporters of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge raised more than $3.5 million in support of 173 local charities at this year's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. To celebrate their fundraising efforts, charities received prizes at the Scotiabank Charity Challenge Awards Night in Toronto on December 7.

"Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2015 Scotiabank Charity Challenge Awards, from the charities who led the way with outstanding fundraising, to our vibrant Waterfront neighbourhoods, who had wonderfully enthusiastic cheering sections, to our always entertaining costumed runners!" said Race Director Alan Brookes. "You all contribute so much to the marathon and the City. We hugely appreciate the passion, energy and dedication you bring to make our community a better place."

Since its inception in 2003, the Scotiabank Charity Challenge in Toronto has raised a grand total of more than $28 million dollars for community charities. Cumulatively, the six Scotiabank sponsored road races across the country have raised over $46 million since 2003.

"We would like to thank all of the 2015 Scotiabank Charity Challenge participants. Their efforts enable charities to do extraordinary work in their local communities," said Claude Norfolk, Senior Vice President, Toronto Region at Scotiabank. "The Scotiabank Charity Challenge is the heart of the marathon, uniting the spirit of runners with a unique fundraising program to help build vibrant communities. We are proud to support the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and want to encourage runners to take part in the Charity Challenge in 2016!"

In addition to the total amount of dollars raised by participating charities, the Scotiabank Charity Challenge awarded 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rdplace cash prizes to participating charities in each of three categories totalling $33,000. Each category winner received $6,000 with the 2^nd place charity receiving $3,000 and $2,000 going to the 3^rd place charity.

The 2015 winners of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge are:

Highest fundraising dollars raised:

1. Fountain of Love and Life - $215,525
2. North York General Foundation - $151,985
3. SickKids Foundation - $88,707

Most participating fundraisers:

1. Armenian Community Centre - A Run to Remember - 299 Runners
2. Toronto Neighbourhood Centres - 128 Runners
3. Giant Steps Toronto/York Region - 127 Runners

Most fundraising dollars per fundraiser:

1. Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation - $5,930/Participant
2. Glaucoma Research Society of Canada - $5,389/Participant
3. Buddhist Education Foundation for Canada - $5,022/Participant

The Scotiabank Neighbourhood Challenge provides the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with the opportunity to have a sustainable, year-round impact on our local neighbourhoods, groups, charities and families. The Neighbourhood Challenge gives back to those communities that the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon course runs through. It's a friendly competition amongst neighbourhoods to see who puts together the best cheering stations along the race route. Thousands of supporters gather along the length of the course to celebrate Toronto's diverse neighbourhoods.

During the awards ceremony, Scotiabank awarded a combined total of $13,000 to the charities supported by the Neighbourhood Challenge winners.

The winners of the 2015 Scotiabank Neighbourhood Challenge are:

1. St. Lawrence Market - Jamii Esplanade
2. The Beach -Community Centre 55
3. Greektown - Greek Community of Toronto and Hellenic Home for the Aged

Honourable mentions went to Liberty Village for West Neighbourhood House and The Annex for University of Toronto (Toronto Varsity Blues Cheerleading).

For the 6^th year in a row, Scotiabank also gave out five cash awards totalling $5,000 to each winner's charity as part of the Best Dressed Costume Challenge at the marathon.

1. Marathon Winner ($2,500) - The Justice League runners (Petja Taivassalo as Thor, Michael Lobsinger as Superman, Steve Layton as Green Lantern and Jean-Paul Hernandez as Batman)
2. Marathon Runner Up ($500) - Lambrina Nikolaou as Oscar the Grouch
3. Half-Marathon Winner ($1,000) - Bridget Burns as a Peacock (also Guinness World Record for fastest half-marathon in an animal costume)
4. 5K Winner ($500) - David Charchalis as Captain Epilepsy Halton Peel Hamilton
5. 5K Winner ($500) - My-Ky Vo as Captain America

About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

An IAAF Gold Label race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada's premier, big-city running event, and the Grand Finale of the 8-race Canada Running Series. In 2015, it attracted almost 26,000 participants from more than 60 countries, raised $3.51 million for 173 charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, and contributed an estimated $35 million to the local economy. It also hosted the international Bridge The Gap movement, and the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships for the first time, which saw two Canadians, plus athletes from Colombia and Peru, qualify for the Rio Olympics www.STWM.ca.

About Scotiabank:

Through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank and its employees support causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has contributed on average $55 million annually over the last five years to community causes 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 parts of Asia. 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 approximately 90,000 employees and assets of $856 billion (as at October 31, 2015), 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 @ScotiabankNews.