Dubreuil awarded $8,000 for contributions to his community; six other speed skaters received grants as part of new Intact Insurance initiative
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – To conclude a successful 2025-26 season, Olympian Laurent Dubreuil was selected as the inaugural grand prize winner of the Intact Impact Award, earning a combined $8,000 in grants in recognition of his off-ice leadership and contributions to his community.
Launched in September 2025 by Speed Skating Canada’s longtime partner, Intact Insurance, the Intact Impact Award distributed $26,000 in grants directly to National Program athletes who went the extra mile this season by demonstrating excellence, leadership, and generosity, and by making outstanding contributions to their team and community.
Seven athletes received an Intact Impact Award during this inaugural season, each earning a $3,000 grant to celebrate their commitment to living by the values of Intact Insurance. Each finalist was eligible for the grand prize of $5,000, which was awarded based on votes this spring from their fellow National Program athletes and members of the award Selection Panel.
An Olympic bronze medalist in the 500m at Milano-Cortina 2026, Dubreuil (Lévis, Que.) was selected as the inaugural grand prize winner. The almost 34-year-old balances training and competing against the world’s best with a busy family life, raising two young children. Despite his demanding schedule, he still finds time to give back to his community, getting involved with charitable causes, volunteering with local non-profit organizations, and inspiring others to try sport.
With a strong passion for helping young people, Dubreuil gives back to the Quebec City Pediatric Centre through fundraising efforts, is the volunteer president for the donation campaign at his former high school and the golf tournament being run by his daughter’s gymnastics club, and delivers motivational talks at local schools each year. He is also an ambassador for the upcoming 2027 Canada Winter Games in Quebec City and was a vocal leader in highlighting Canadian sport funding inequities in the media following the recent Winter Olympics.
Laurent Dubreuil“It makes me so happy to have won the Intact Impact Award! It’s an honour for me to have my efforts in the community recognized. I don’t get involved in these things to win prizes; I do it because I want to inspire others and help causes that are near and dear to me. I hope this encourages others to get involved in their community like I am. We are lucky in speed skating to have so many athletes that do this, I’m just one of a handful, but it’s nice to be recognized. I am convinced there were many other finalists that would have been equally deserving of winning this prize. »
The Intact Impact Award is one of several co-branded initiatives returning next season as part of the recently announced partnership renewal between Speed Skating Canada and Intact Insurance, which began in 2006 and will now extend through the 2029-30 season. Details on eligibility and applications will be shared with National Program athletes in the coming months.