CST Foundation Awards $140,000 to Canada's Architects of Tomorrow

Twenty undergraduate, masters+ and skilled trades students were awarded $140,000 to support their educational dreams. 

TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation (CST), creators of education savings plans in Canada, proudly awarded $140,000 to 20 Canadian students through its 2026 Founders' Awards. This program is grounded in CST's core belief that finances should not get in the way of Canadians achieving their educational dreams.

The 2026 Founders' Awards

To help capture the ambition of the 2026 Founders' Awards winners, we put together a special video celebrating our "Architects of Tomorrow." Watch the full video to see how these changemakers are building a brighter tomorrow.

Celebrating the architects of tomorrow. On September 14, members of the CST Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors gathered at the Hilton Toronto Airport to honor the extraordinary recipients of the 2026 CST Foundation Founders' Awards across our Undergraduate, Masters+, and Skilled Trades categories.

(From left to right) David Oliver, Investment Committee Chair; Edden Gitelman, Doctor of Pharmacy student at the University of Montreal and 2026 Founders' Awards recipient in the Masters+ category; and Peter Lewis, President and CEO of CST.

(From left to right) Maureen Adamson, GHRC Chair; Dominik Laurent, 2026 Founders' Awards recipient in the Skilled Trades category (Welding Engineering Technology – Inspection at Conestoga College); and Peter Lewis, President and CEO of CST.

(From left to right) Keith Matcham, Audit Committee Chair; Noah Kroeker, Doctor of Dental Medicine student at the University of British Columbia; and Peter Lewis, President and CEO of CST.

The Founders' Awards supports students who have benefitted from a Canadian Scholarship Trust Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and who is enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary program.

The goals of the Awards program are to recognize students for their commitment to making a difference in their communities, and to ensure that finances don't become a barrier to them pursuing their chosen course of study. 

This year's program features three award categories:

• Undergraduate programs: for students in undergraduate programs at a Canadian University.
• Masters+: for those in a Masters, PhD or other postgraduate programs at qualifying Canadian educational institutions.
• Skilled trades & Community College-based programs: for students in  full-time skilled trades or diploma programs at Canadian colleges.

Architects of Tomorrow

The 2026 Founders' Awards theme, Canada's Architects of Tomorrow, celebrates students' varied journeys, the challenges they have overcome and their potential to help shape Canada's future.

These 20 chosen recipients will help design, research, and build the physical and economic infrastructure of tomorrow.

"We are pleased to recognize our 2026 Founders' Award recipients. These are 20 unique students from across the country, all with different journeys, but illustrating a common purpose, which is to find ways to have a positive impact in their communities" says Peter Lewis, President and CEO of CST. "We are excited to see how they will leverage this opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects in the future".

A new category this year

This year's Founders Awards also marks the inclusion of a new Skilled Trades category, designed to help address shortages in the sector. As Canada's infrastructure landscape evolves rapidly, skilled labor will be a sought-after resource.

"I'm grateful for this award and the inclusion of trade students. This will help reduce some of the financial stress that comes with school and allow me to focus more on my courses and develop the skills I need for my future career," says skilled-trades award winner, Dominik Laurent who is enrolled in the Welding Engineering Technology program at Conestoga College.

To learn more about how the CST Foundation supports access to post-secondary education, or to learn more about its Awards and Bursaries program, visit cstfoundation.ca.

About the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation

Founded in 1960, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation is dedicated to improving access to post-secondary education to foster a more resilient and inclusive country for generations to come. For more than 65 years, CST has helped over 700,000¹ Canadian families set their children up for success through post-secondary education. As the creators of education savings plans in Canada, CST has also awarded over $3 million to students pursuing post-secondary education through its scholarship and bursary programs.

For more Information, please visit www.cst.org. 

¹ Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation, 2025.

SOURCE Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation

Lilia Rassoul, Acting Manager - Communications | [phone] | [email protected]