Three Toronto friends are preparing to paddle more than 8,000 kilometres across Canada in an effort to raise money for northern Indigenous communities.
Will Vyse, Georges Kirijian, and Nolan Aziz are launching the expedition this spring as part of a project called Canada by Canoe. The group plans to travel from Tadoussac, Quebec, where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence, and paddle west across the country toward the Pacific Coast near Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
The journey is expected to take roughly 200 days and cross six provinces, combining long stretches of river travel, large lake crossings, and remote portages. The expedition is also being positioned as a potential record for the longest single-season freshwater canoe trip.
The trio is undertaking the trip to raise funds for True North Aid, a charity that supports northern and remote Indigenous communities across Canada. According to the expedition organizers, the goal is to raise $1 million through the project.
Vyse, Kirijian, and Aziz are experienced canoe trippers who have previously completed long-distance expeditions together. In 2020, they participated in a 2,000-kilometre trip across Ontario that raised more than $87,000 for Food Banks Canada.
Their upcoming cross-country route will take them through some of Canada’s most remote waterways, requiring months of endurance paddling, unpredictable weather, and extended stretches in isolated terrain.
If successful, the journey will not only span the country by water but also draw attention to the challenges faced by many northern communities and the organizations working to support them.
