TORONTO, Jan. 8 2006 – Canada’s home, car and business insurers would like the volunteers of Operation Red Nose to stand up and take a bow. This holiday season, more than 3,000 volunteers across Ontario gave their time to Operation Red Nose, ensuring that more than 10,000 holiday partiers, and their cars, arrived home safely.
“Operation Red Nose makes Ontario’s roads safer during the holiday season,” said Mark Yakabuski, Vice-President, Federal Affairs and Ontario, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). “And this excellent service would not be possible without the individuals who generously gave their time.”
Operation Red Nose is a free designated-driver service, but donations are accepted from clients. Nationally, over $1.3 million dollars was raised for charities this year.
Among the volunteers in Ontario were many employees from the insurance industry, who too often see the damage that drinking and driving can do in their communities. Yakabuski is in his second year of volunteering for Operation Red Nose. “It’s a fun and rewarding experience,” he said, adding: “The volunteers did a wonderful thing over the holiday season – they gave up their time to drive holiday revelers home safely.”
Canada’s home, car and business insurers, through IBC, sponsored Operation Red Nose in Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Alberta. For 2006, they committed more than $2 million to the program, including $1 million in Ontario. The funds paid for day-to-day operations, an extensive public-awareness campaign, the recruitment of volunteers and insurance for the volunteers.
Ontario Safety League is host and administrator of Operation Red Nose in Ontario. It also acted as local host in Newmarket and Aurora, providing training for volunteers on nights of operation.
Insurance Bureau of Canada
Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national trade association of the private property and casualty insurance industry. It represents more than 90% of the non-government home, car and business insurance in Canada. To view news releases and information, visit the media section of IBC’s website at www.ibc.ca.
