Atkinson Field Notes
Learning Through Action
News, presentations and reflections from Atkinson’s Chief Executive Officer Colette Murphy and the rest of the Atkinson team.
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10 Feb 26
This photo captures a moment more than a decade in the making. I’m standing with long-time collaborators from the Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) and the Labour Education Centre on this sub-zero Sunday morning. It’s opening day for Line 5 Eglinton and we’re about to board the newest section of the Toronto transit system... Read more >
19 Dec 25
I’ve been looking at the world through the lens of a new iPhone camera a lot this year. My collection of photos reveal what slows me down and gives me pause. Always my kids and garden. Often public art like street murals and graffiti with raw wisdom like “Fear. Less. Care. More.” and “The World Survives on Hope”. And occasionally... Read more >
27 Nov 25
Good evening, my name is Wendy Chan. I’m the Chair of the Atkinson Foundation Board of Directors. It’s my honour to welcome you to this celebration of the 2025 Good Fight Prize. We are gathering tonight on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation as well as the traditional territory... Read more >
28 Oct 25
By now, you will have seen signs that Atkinson is upping its contribution to the fight for decent work. We’ve been in it for a long time now. More than eighty years. So, we know the weight needed to tip the scale toward justice. Change is possible when at least 3.5 % of the population is engaged. Read more >
26 Sep 25
The Atkinson Foundation is an institutional investor who holds shares in the TMX Group. Today, I stand here as a proud investor among a growing number who share a commitment to Indigenous inclusion and economic reconciliation. I’m also one among many witnesses to the leadership demonstrated by John McKenzie and his team... Read more >
25 Sep 25
I’m grateful to Kris Archie and her team for bringing all of us together here on the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. I’ve come from Toronto, the place that used to be widely known as Tkaranto... Read more >
9 Jun 25
In May, I attended the annual conference for Environment Funders Canada in Whitehorse—to continue sussing out opportunities for cross-movement power building. I had the chance to hear others reflect on the future of environmental philanthropy, and to help make the connections between environmental sustainability and equity. Read more >
6 Jan 25
In the first Saturday edition this year, the Toronto Star asked 50 Torontonians to “tell [them] how, in this city, they find happiness, so that in 2025, we all might find more of it.” I chose the Sunnyside-Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool. “I’ve loved early mornings [at the pool] for only five of its 100 years on the lakeshore... Read more >
4 Sep 24
Arrivals can be awkward. A polite handshake. Casual commentary about the weather. A reciting of one's resume. There are few shortcuts to time spent together in the process of building trust and learning to collaborate. As I was thinking about how to introduce myself to the Atkinson community, it occurred to me... Read more >
8 May 24
Thank you for the invitation to join you for your conversation about worker power – why worker power is important and the role funders can play in generating more of it. I’m joining this call from Toronto – the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation as well as the traditional territory of... Read more >
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