By the time he reached his Grade 11 environmental science class, Sam Turgeon-Brabazon had already been a social activist for years. 

Jason Collard, a facilitator going into classrooms with Youth Ottawa at the time, worked with that class. There, he hosted a “DILA” day, which is our old Active Citizenship Initiative (ACI) equivalent, and invited guest speaker Ryan Hreljac. Hreljac had founded a non-profit project for clean drinking water in Africa, and was an inspiration for Sam. 

This experience with a Youth Ottawa program then inspired him to join our Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC), where he would soon be elected to co-chair and would meet several other members in his final two years of high school. Their mentorship was a valuable process, he said.

Realizing that OYEC was a starting point for success in any possible avenue, Sam started a sustainable agriculture project kit called “Sam’s Sprouts.” The project allowed people to grow their own micro-greens in an urban farming environment, while simultaneously growing his own love for civic engagement. 

“Then, I realized that business is a vehicle for social good,” Sam said.