Mazda’s partnerships with Indspire and Pathways to Education are helping underserved youth across Canada build a rewarding future in STEAM.
Across Canada, many young people face systemic barriers that limit their access to education — challenges rooted in financial constraints, limited academic support, and long-standing inequities that disproportionately affect Indigenous youth, racialized communities, and students from low-income neighbourhoods. These gaps don’t reflect a lack of potential — they reflect an uneven playing field that restricts the opportunities young people can pursue.
This understanding — and a belief in human potential — is at the core of Mazda Canada. Known for its commitment to safety, innovation, and the joy of driving, Mazda designs vehicles that inspire confidence and connection, and carries that same people-first philosophy into its approach to giving back.
Mazda Canada has partnered with Indspire and Pathways to Education, two national leaders in youth education and empowerment. Through these partnerships, Mazda is helping create clearer pathways into science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), supporting the next generation as they build the skills and confidence needed to achieve their aspirations.
Indspire
Indspire is a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people from kindergarten to grade 12 and beyond.
Since the partnership began in February 2024, Mazda has supported 47 Indigenous post-secondary students in STEAM programs across the country through scholarships, bursaries, and awards. “Not only does Mazda’s support help address the current disparity regarding Indigenous students in STEAM studies, especially Indigenous women, but it also helps ensure that students will be well-equipped to enter the workforce,” says Tracie Léost, Laureate and Bursary Alumni Fundraising Associate at Indspire.
The partnership is also helping strengthen understanding between Indigenous Peoples and the broader Canadian society. “I think a partnership like this is a tangible sign of reconciliation in action, and we’re grateful for Mazda’s support,” says Léost.
Pathways to Education
Pathways to Education helps students living in low-income communities graduate from high school and build the foundations of a successful future. “Many of our students come from underserved areas with a lot of newcomers to Canada, and their parents are still learning how the Canadian school system works,” says Mark Raghu, Senior Manager of the Pathways to Education Program in Scarborough Village, Toronto.
Pathways bridges that gap through mentoring, individualized support such as free after-school tutoring, and enriched STEAM programming. Through Pathways, students may also receive financial support to cover short-term needs such as bus tickets, as well as longer-term support through a scholarship of $500 for each completed school year, to a maximum of $2,000.
The impact of Mazda’s support has been immediate. “What I really like is that the Mazda team visits the site to see our impact on the ground and learn exactly what we need,” says Raghu. Seeing Pathways’ work in action, one of Raghu’s key contacts at Mazda now volunteers at Pathways Scarborough Village as an after-school tutor.
Giving back is one small piece of Mazda’s broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment. The company that pioneered the rotary engine many decades ago continues to be a trailblazer in developing innovative solutions that protect the environment, foster a positive workplace culture, and uplift local communities.
Learn more about Mazda Canada’s social purpose at mazda.ca.
Discover how you can help open doors to brighter futures for young people across Canada at indspire.ca and pathwaystoeducation.ca.
