Building homes. Building communities. Building a better Canada
Francis Lépine considers it integral to his civic involvement that his company practises good corporate kindness. Lépine Apartments strives for frequent social commitments through community involvement, and investing in those who yearn to better themselves and those around them. Lépine wishes to use his company’s capacity for influence to better the quality of our nation. Through hands-on acts of gratitude, recognition and compassion, Lépine Apartments has attached itself to several greater community causes that have had meaningful impact on people across Canada.
One such example is Lépine’s exemplary work toward supporting the Franciscan Missionary Nuns of Mary working within the Inuit communities in Nunavut. Upholding the strong belief in helping people who want a better future for themselves and their community, Lépine’s daughter Pascale Lépine immediately volunteered and assembled a team to work up north in the hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet.
The initial connection with Lépine’s generous efforts and the missionaries was established when Lépine Apartments bought the former convent of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. This area of land was purchased to build the now illustrious Les Terrasses Francesca.
Taking ownership of the property compelled Francis Lépine to direct support toward the sisters’ charitable efforts. So, in 2019 Lépine collaborated with the Franciscan Missionaries and set out to help those in need.
“The objective here is to lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining community that continues to improve its quality of life and increasing self-sufficiency,” said Lépine.
In cooperation with the diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay, Lépine was able to establish where their efforts be initiated to yield crucial success for the progressing Nunavut community.
This led them to the promising town of Chesterfield Inlet. It is here that Lépine strives to raise the quality of life for locals while opening new doors for future generations in the area. Contributing supplies, educational resources and aiding in infrastructure was how Francis and his daughter best knew how to help. This effort can all be attributed to the Lépine’s love for Canada and pride for their fellow citizens within it.
Our proud Northern communities display tremendous potential for growth in building a stable, flourishing
future. However, federal support alone is not sufficient to allow these communities to obtain this prosperity. Lépine recognizes the necessity for support from the private sector. Businesses are instrumental in encouraging fellow Canadians to help empower others and pass on that entrepreneurial spirit so that communities may enjoy self-reliance no matter where they are located within the country.
Beyond investing in futures, Lépine also likes to pay his respects to our military history, which goes back centuries. Lépine holds onto a profound respect for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, both currently serving members and veterans. Through selfless
commitment to duty, our armed forces lay their life and liberties on the line for the well-being of their fellow citizens here in our nation and the world abroad.
It is with great pride that Lépine has had the honour of sponsoring the Hero’s Ridge Initiative. This initiative allows a serving member or veteran to attend an Ottawa Senators home game in the show-stopping box, Hero’s Ridge. Here the honoured guest is displayed on the big screen at centre ice during first period. They are provided with a standing ovation and presented with a
Senators’ jersey as a parting gift.
“It has helped build brand awareness for our company, but also it’s a good cause, a really good cause,” said Pascale Lépine, who involves herself heavily in her father’s efforts. On top of this warm welcome, the guest of honour is provided refreshments and food. The fun does not stop there, as the honoured guest may also bring their family and friends, all of whom receive a memorable T-shirt. This event is of paramount importance to Lépine, as Francis holds a tremendous amount of national pride and gratitude in his heart for those whose career and actions have helped create a greater Canada. For Lépine, paying homage to the indomitable Canadian spirit is an honour. “War may be abstract and remote for some, but to those who have
served, it is far from being just a concept. I like to give my thanks for their sacrifices,” said Lépine.
Having such a hands-on approach, it is unsurprising that one of his company’s communal contribution efforts to giving back has a personal touch to them. Lépine’s youngest son Émile lives with a severe handicap known to impact the BCAD31 gene. A less precise condition to identify this by would be cerebral palsy. This disability renders motor functions, hearing and cognition irremediably disrupted. Despite these limitations, Lépine believes his son, and all other children, should still be able to enjoy the many wonders of youth that are not as accessible for those living with disabilities.
Those living with disabilities (be it cognitive, physical or visual) cannot often participate in recreation due to their needs and requirements. Thankfully, there is one exception: Canadian Adaptive Disabled Snowsports. CADS is an organization that sets out to give people living with disabilities the chance to experience the liberties that come with winter sports. The group has created a healthy environment that embraces accessibility for their members and helps remove obstructions that would otherwise prevent people from participating. The organization serves over 2,100 participants living with various disabilities, encouraging them to lead an active and fun life. Their motto is a simple one: Fun, Inclusion and Respect. As a strong believer in equal opportunity and inclusivity, Lépine is proud to sponsor CADS in their mission to help each member with the safety, fun and compassion that they wish for.
While Lépine is involved in numerous charitable endeavours across the country, one such endeavour sits very close to his Ottawa home.
The YMCA’s Camp Otonabee has received special attention from Lépine, as it underwent revitalization and cleaning up. Lépine has long held onto a passion for landscaping and showcasing the beauty of natural topography. He finds deep satisfaction in rehabilitating natural spaces in a manner that allows them to be explored by people. This especially applies to children, as connecting urban youth to natural settings is extremely beneficial in developing healthy experiences for growing minds.
When Lépine identified Camp Otonabee, he quickly set to work on improving the grounds. The team at Lépine put in significant hours helping camp staff and volunteers in order to complete critical improvements to the campgrounds. The objective was to open up the grounds for campers to have a more immersive experience, allowing them greater mobility. Dead trees, overgrowth of prickly ash and underbrush were cleaned up to reduce mosquitoes and allow the forest’s natural beauty to shine.
This also increased visibility for the camp counsellors, which provided a safer camping experience. Additionally, Lépine helped restore the camp facilities so that campers could enjoy a higher quality experience on the grounds. This was no small task, as damaged buildings had to be gutted and torn down to make way for newer and safer builds. Expanding on the critical cleanup, the team also created some natural play elements, beautiful log benches and a few friendly enchanted “treefolk” for people to sit around. Lépine is proud to have a part in ensuring the next generation of kids in the Ottawa area has the chance to connect with nature and realize how much the great outdoors has to offer. “I don’t see it as giving back; instead, I see it as helping those who are working to help themselves. Together we can create tangible and permanent results,” said Lépine.
For Lépine Apartments, social involvement and corporate kindness go beyond running a good business. The Lépines see it as a personal obligation to invest in our community and charitable causes. They endeavour to apply the same business principles of quality, sustainability and accessibility toward their greater community efforts. Each cause that they attach themselves to holds a special place in their hearts and the hearts of their tenants. Lépine residents contribute to many of the projects, and the company matches all residents’ donations. Many smaller, handson groups (whether volunteer or not-for-profit) need more support from the private sector in order to build an ever-improving society in this great nation we call Canada.
For more information, visit
www.lepineapartments.com.