Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF), the country’s largest annual youth science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) event, will be going virtual in 2021. Youth Science Canada, organizers of the event, confirmed that the 2021 edition will take place, as planned, with the same components and Ottawa focus, but totally online.

“We would have loved to hold our traditional event that brings together the top 500 grade 7-12 students and their STEM projects and thousands of visiting students, educators and members of the community, but this will provide unique new opportunities,” says Reni Barlow, executive director of Youth Science Canada. “We’re ironing out the details, but I can confirm Canada-Wide Science Fair Ottawa ’21 will be an immersive and multi-faceted online experience the likes of which we’ve never seen in our 59-year history.”

As in previous years, the main showcase of the event will be the Project Zone, which will feature outstanding and innovative STEM projects selected at the regional level across Canada. Each project will have the ability to feature a synopsis and video – visible to judges, fellow finalists and the general public. A group of about 250 STEM academics and professionals will evaluate the projects and select the top entries that will share in the awards, medals and scholarships to be distributed at the Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Launched in 2015, STEM Expo, the largest youth STEM outreach event in Canada, will also return, virtually, in 2021, and will feature inspiring innovations, demonstrations and opportunities in STEM. Cenovus Energy, Intact Financial Corporation, NSERC, Rogers and other STEM leaders will exhibit their trailblazing programs to Canadian students and members of the public through presentations, virtual tours and ample time for questions and answers.

Ottawa, Canada-Wide Science Fair host city in 2021 and 2024, will maintain its spotlight through virtual tours and activities of educational, scientific and cultural highlights in the National Capital Region.

“We will lose some of the benefits of in-person exchanges and communication, but we’ll be gaining in areas like access for all Canadians to visit the event,” says Barlow. “Project-based STEM has even greater value both in our society as well as education by developing important skills and encouraging students to answer questions and develop solutions to problems that matter to them and the world. We’ll continue to bring Canadian youth and their remarkable projects together with all Canadians in this spirit of education and sharing through new platforms.”

Details on the platform, features and key dates will be announced later this fall.

About Youth Science Canada
Established in 1962, Youth Science Canada fuels the curiosity of Canadian youth through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects. We work to ensure that Canadian youth have the capacity and skills to generate and answer questions and identify and solve problems. The not-for-profit also engages leading public and private sector organizations in the development of a national STEM network of Canadian youth. For more information, please visit https://youthscience.ca/

For more information:
Samiha Farha
Torchia Communications
[email protected]
Office: 416-341-9929 ext. 224
Cell: 647-268-6687