What is Game Night?
Game Night is United for Literacy’s annual fundraising event where fun meets philanthropy! This lively evening brings together friends, colleagues, and community members to play games, win prizes, and support vital literacy programs across Canada.
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Time: 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm ET
Location: Arcadian Loft, 8th floor, 401 Bay St., Toronto
Game Night 2026 promises to be bigger and better than ever. Expect a thrilling mix of games, live entertainment, exciting prizes, and a chance to make a real difference. Whether you're a seasoned player or just in it for the fun, there will be something for everyone
Your participation in Game Night directly helps United for Literacy’s programs, which empower individuals of all ages through literacy. Every game played, every prize won, and every contribution helps provide essential learning opportunities to communities across Canada.
In 2025, Game Night raised over $119,000, bringing our total fundraising efforts to more than $4.3 million since the event began in 2005.
Please note: We use a free platform to process registrations. As a result, a tip option will appear at checkout. Any tips collected go directly to the platform, not to United for Literacy. To ensure no tip is added to your bill, please click “Enter Custom Tip” and enter $0.
Can’t attend? Support United for Literacy with a donation.
1, 2, 3... just four easy steps to take part in the fun!
Step 1: Register to play today. Registration closes on Friday, March 6th, 2026.
Step 2: Choose one main game to play: Scrabble, Scattergories, trivia, or Taboo.
Step 3: Get ready for the ultimate game night at the Arcadian Loft, in the heart of Toronto, on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 5 pm ET.
Scrabble: Scrabble is a word game where players use letter tiles to form words on a game board, connecting them to existing words like a crossword puzzle. Points are scored based on the letter values and special board squares, and the player with the highest score at the end wins.
Scattergories: Scattergories is a race against the clock where players write down words that fit specific categories and start with a given letter. Points are scored for original answers that no one else chooses. The player with the most points at the end wins.
Trivia played on Kahoot!: To play trivia on Kahoot!, players enter a code on their own mobile phone, then answer multiple-choice questions that appear on a shared screen. Points are awarded for speed and accuracy, and the player with the highest score at the end wins.
This year's themes are: Canadian Pop Culture and Sports & Leisure.
Taboo: In Taboo, players take turns giving clues to get their team to guess a word without saying the word itself or any "taboo" words listed on the card. Points are earned for correctly guessed words within the time limit, while penalties apply for breaking the rules. The team with the most guessed words is the winner.
Register before Friday, March 6th, 2026.
Please note: We use a free platform to process registrations. As a result, a tip option will appear at checkout. Any tips collected go directly to the platform, not to United for Literacy. To ensure no tip is added to your bill, please click “Enter Custom Tip” and enter $0.
Joe Canavan is an icon in the financial services industry with extensive experience as an executive, entrepreneur and venture investor. His most recent leadership role saw him leave the board of Next Canada after 9 years and become CEO.
He reshaped the organization and positioned it for the future replacing himself after 2 1/2 years with his 2IC and has returned to the board. Prior to that he was charged with the responsibility of merging Aston Hill Financial and Front Street Capital, renamed LOGiQ Asset Management, which was ultimately sold to Purpose Investments.
Read more about Joe’s career and philanthropic leadership below.
Joe has also held the positions of Chairman and CEO of Assante Wealth Management. He and his team restructured and drove Assante to all-time high asset levels as a division of CI Financial. Prior to that he founded and built Synergy Asset Management in partnership with RBC in 1997 which was one of Canada’s fastest growing asset management companies until it was acquired by CI Financial. Before Synergy, Joe founded and launched GT Global (Canada) in partnership with the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. It quickly grew to a multi-billion dollar asset management company and was awarded "Fund Company of the Year" before being sold to Invesco Trimark. As Vice President, Director of National Sales, Joe helped build Fidelity Investment Canada from $60 million to $6 billion.
Joe has spent decades in philanthropic leadership roles. He was Chairman and Interim CEO of the Children’s Aid Foundation, overseeing its restructuring and highly successful turnaround. He spent 14 years on the board of CAF. Joe is a Board Director of the Jays Care Foundation and has served on the boards of Singularity University, Next Canada, Trails Youth Initiatives, the National Ballet of Canada, the National Arts Centre, was co-chair of Ontario Science Centre Gala and chaired D3, which brings CEO’s from corporate Canada together with leaders from Canada’s leading charities.
Joe was awarded “Person of Influence of the Decade” during the 2004 Canadian Investment Awards, was honoured as Concordia University’s “Alumnus of the Year” in 2006, and was also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee II Medal in 2012. Joe completed a Bachelor of Business Administration, Business at Concordia University and holds an OPM, Business from Harvard Business School.
5:00pm - Event begins at Arcadian Loft
6:00pm - Opening Ceremonies with Melanie Valcin, CEO and President, United for Literacy
6:20pm - Presentation of the Learner Achievement Award
6:30pm - Rules of Play
7:00pm - Games Begin: Period 1
7:25pm - Intermission
7:50pm - Games resume: Period 2
8:15pm - Games conclude and scores are calculated
8:25pm - Prize giveaways
8:30pm - Online auction closes. Winning bidders will be contacted by email
8:35pm - Closing ceremonies and awards
9:00pm - Event concludes
Interested in Sponsorship?
If your company is looking for a unique way to give back while gaining visibility with a vibrant audience, explore our sponsorship opportunities and be part of this impactful event.
Get ready to play, connect, and make a difference—because when we play together, we change lives.
For more information contact Jennifer Chow, National Events Manager at United for Literacy, [email protected].
Join us and be part of something exciting! Register now to secure your spot and enjoy all the fun and prizes we have in store.
Please note: We use a free platform to process registrations. As a result, a tip option will appear at checkout. Any tips collected go directly to the platform, not to United for Literacy. To ensure no tip is added to your bill, please click “Enter Custom Tip” and enter $0.
Thank you for your support. You helped raised over $119,000 for United for Literacy!
And thank you to our sponsors who generously support United for Literacy. This event wouldn’t be possible without your goodwill and generosity!
This year, we were honoured to once again have the support of CIBC Foundation. As Lindsay Sauder, Vice President of Liquidity, Funding, and Financial Crisis Management at CIBC, shared during Game Night:
The Foundation partners with organizations such as United for Literacy to help create economic opportunities, ensuring everyone has the skills, knowledge, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of financial wellbeing—because literacy is essential for full participation in the economy. We’re proud to collaborate with United for Literacy, which works alongside more than 500 community partners and 2,000 volunteer literacy tutors to reach individuals who need their services most.
Thank you, CIBC, for 21 years of steadfast partnership and for your dedication to literacy. Your support has been truly instrumental in this journey.
