Grandson of Chedoke’s last private owner urges Hamilton to reach lease agreement with Cardus       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      September 25, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Cardus’s proposal to restore and re-open Chedoke has received a new vote of confidence. David Balfour, grandson of Ethel Southam Balfour and St. Clair Balfour who lived in the house through the first half of the 20th century, says he’s “delighted” by the Cardus restoration proposal. “Cardus has created the type of plan all of us who’ve lived in or visited Chedoke have longed to see,” said Mr. Balfour. “I urge the city to move quickly on reaching an agreement with Cardus. They have a vision for restoring this beautiful home to its former glory so that this piece of Hamilton history is not lost.” Mr. Balfour’s endorsement comes a week after Hamilton city councillors voted overwhelmingly to direct city staff to negotiate a lease agreement with Cardus for Chedoke. Cardus has offered to restore and re-open the historic property at no cost to the city while using the restored building for office and retreat space. Cardus has also committed to facilitating public access to the property in keeping with the low traffic and low impact requirements of the surrounding neighbourhood.  “I deeply appreciate Mr. Balfour’s support for Cardus and our proposal to restore the home that’s so important to his family,” said Michael Van Pelt, President and CEO of Cardus. “Our proposal to help bring Hamilton’s history to life again is bringing people and communities together. It’s a concrete way to say that everyone has a place – and a space – in a city as diverse and beautiful as Hamilton.” Cardus has offered to take the full financial burden off the shoulders of taxpayers and the City of Hamilton by restoring and occupying the unused and deteriorating Chedoke. The property is currently owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, while the city manages it. The goal of the project would be to ensure a beautifully restored and meticulously maintained property for the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2039. For more details, visit OpenBalfour. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Respected Hamilton-area employer offers to financially back Cardus’s heritage restoration plan         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       September 19, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – On the heels of Hamilton City Council’s decision to accept Cardus’s OpenBalfour proposal, a respected local employer has agreed to help finance the work of restoring and re-opening Balfour House. Almex Group, based in Stoney Creek, says it is joining other philanthropic partners in the OpenBalfour plan. “Hamilton City Council sees the benefit of the Cardus plan for Balfour House and so do we,” said Tim Shaw, CEO of Almex. “We’re proud to be able to contribute to the preservation of Hamilton’s heritage and history in a way that takes the burden off the backs of city taxpayers.” On September 18, Hamilton councillors voted overwhelmingly to direct city staff to negotiate a lease agreement with think tank Cardus for Balfour House. Cardus has offered to restore and re-open the historic property at no cost to the city, while using the restored building for office and retreat space. Cardus has also committed to facilitating public access to the restored property in keeping with the low traffic and low impact requirements of the surrounding neighbourhood.  “I’m so grateful for Almex Group’s willingness to participate with us in this grand project for Hamilton,” said Michael Van Pelt, President and CEO of Cardus. “It’s encouraging to see the city’s good corporate citizens join our other partners in restoring and re-opening Balfour House.” Almex Group is a Canadian corporation with eighteen strategic locations worldwide. It provides solutions for Android Tablets and instrumentation; dust suppression; the carpet and textile industry; tire repair; vulcanizers and presses for conveyor belt manufacturing and installation; and adhesives and consumables for conveyor belt splicing.  Almex joins three other local employers – Invizij Architects, Schilthuis Constrution, and lead philanthropist Budget Environmental – already cooperating with Cardus on the heritage restoration project. For more details, visit OpenBalfour. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Cardus looks forward to negotiating a lease agreement with the City of Hamilton    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  September 18, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Think tank Cardus is welcoming a decision by Hamilton city councillors to accept its proposal to restore and re-open the historic Balfour House, and to direct staff to negotiate a lease agreement. “I’m very grateful to Hamilton City Council for having the vision and the courage to accept a truly unique, win-win proposal for the restoration and re-opening of Balfour House,” said Cardus President and CEO Michael Van Pelt. “Hamiltonians ought to take note that council acted in the best interests of taxpayers and the city as a whole.” Balfour House gives Cardus the opportunity to give back to Hamilton, the city it calls home. The next step in the process will be to sit down with city officials to hammer out the details of a lease agreement so that restoration work can begin. “Council’s decision on Balfour House is a big step forward toward preserving and promoting Hamilton’s rich heritage,” said Van Pelt. “Allowing Cardus to cover the costs of restoring and re-opening Balfour House to serve as our head office is a major part of keeping this city’s historical and architectural legacy alive.” Cardus has offered to take the financial burden of restoration work off the shoulders of taxpayers and the City of Hamilton by restoring and occupying the unused and deteriorating Balfour House. Cardus has also committed to facilitating public access to the restored property in keeping with the low traffic and low impact requirements of the surrounding neighbourhood. The property is currently owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, while the city manages it. The goal of OpenBalfour would be to ensure a beautifully restored and meticulously maintained property for the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2039.  For more details on the propsal, visit OpenBalfour. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca About CardusCardus is a non-partisan, faith-based think tank, and registered charity dedicated to promoting a flourishing society through independent research, robust public dialogue, and thought-provoking commentary. To learn more, visit our website, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

67% of parents with kids in Ontario independent schools made major financial changes to afford tuition FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – There are more than 138,000 students in Ontario independent schools, rising 21% over the last decade. Today, the groundbreaking report Who Chooses Ontario Independent Schools and Why? is offering new insight into this phenomenon. Researchers who surveyed parents with kids in Ontario independent schools found the three top-ranked characteristics parents sought in a new school were a safe environment, a supportive and nurturing atmosphere, and an emphasis on character development. “You don’t get this kind of growth in independent schools unless parents are genuinely – and in some cases desperately – looking for solutions that meet their kids’ needs,” says report co-author and Cardus Senior Fellow Dr. Deani Van Pelt. “When parents tell us they’re looking for school safety, it’s more than just safety from bullying; it’s a sense of confidence in the curriculum and trust in teachers and staff.” Who Chooses Ontario Independent Schools and Why? also confirms previous research that found the parents who send their kids to Ontario independent schools are mainly regular folks:75% of them attended public schools growing up, with about 6 in 10 attending only public schools 67% of them have had to make major financial adjustments to afford tuition, including adding a part-time job, taking out a loan, making other budget sacrifices, or getting help from family or friends 54% of them have to come up with $8,000 or more  annually just for tuition for their kids’ schooling“The fact that enrolment in Ontario independent schools continues to grow is notable, in part, because families that need this option have to pay every penny of it out of their own pockets,” says report co-author David Hunt. “But there are likely many more Ontario families that simply can’t afford an independent school, yet need one. It’s a matter of fairness for the provincial government to ensure that all families have equitable access to the full range of educational options in the province.” Who Chooses Ontario Independent Schools and Why? is freely available online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

 Budget Environmental joins Cardus as lead philanthropic partner in OpenBalfour project       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      August 28, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – A proposal by think tank Cardus to restore Hamilton’s historic Balfour House has taken a big step forward. Major Hamilton-based company Budget Environmental has now joined Cardus as lead philanthropic partner for the heritage preservation project. “We’re thrilled to join Cardus and its partners in support of the restoration of the Balfour Estate,” said Ian Bartels, President of Budget Environmental. “The restoration plan is solid and beneficial for Hamilton – a city that has been good to our company and family. So, we want to show our gratitude by getting involved in preserving this important piece of city heritage.” As lead philanthropic partner in the recently launched project to restore Balfour House, Budget Environmental joins two other local employers – Invizij Architects and Schilthuis Constrution – already cooperating with Cardus on the heritage restoration proposal.  “This signature gift is a major boost for the Cardus proposal to restore Balfour House,” said Michael Van Pelt, President and CEO of Cardus. “Budget Environmental is a highly respected company in Hamilton.  Their major gift adds credence to our request to Hamilton City Council for approval of our proposal.” Cardus has offered to take the full $1.5 million burden off the shoulders of taxpayers and the City of Hamilton by restoring and occupying the unused and deteriorating Balfour House.The property is currently owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, while the city manages it. The goal of OpenBalfour would be to ensure a beautifully restored and meticulously maintained property for the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2039.  For more details on the propsal, visit OpenBalfour. -30-MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – A new report by think tank Cardus has found that more than half the parents of kids in British Columbia’s indpendent schools have had to make major financial changes to access that educational option. Who Chooses Independent Schools in B.C. and Why? found that many parents have had to change jobs, take a part-time job, or make other budget sacrifices in order to send their kids to these schools. “The vast majority of independent schools in B.C. cater to average folks,” says report co-author and Cardus Senior Fellow Dr. Deani Van Pelt. “Our research has found that 65% of parents with kids in a B.C. independent school attended only public schools growing up. These are parents who’ve decided an independent school best meets the diverse needs of their kids, which is a family decision that deserves respect and support.” Among the key findings in Who Chooses Independent Schools in B.C. and Why? are the top three reasons parents choose an independent school:a caring and nurturing environment for their kids school safety an emphasis in character development.Researchers also found that B.C. independent schools cater to the growing diversity of the province:Nearly half (48%) of British Columbia independent school parents were born outside Canada, compared to less than a third (31%) of British Columbians. B.C. parents with kids in independent schools are more than twice as likely as the average British Columbian to speak mostly a language other than English or French at home.“It’s so important to understand what parents are looking for in education, their kids’ needs, and how a diverse range of schools can meet those needs,” says co-author David Hunt. “Equitable access to a range of educational options is a matter of fairness to average folks in B.C. and a recognition of the province’s growing social diversity, which is why public funding for independent schools is so important.” Who Chooses Independent Schools in B.C. and Why? is available online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Dr. Lynn E. Swaner to contribute research acumen to think tank’s study of independent schools       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Dr. Lynn E. Swaner has joined Cardus as a senior fellow in its education program, bolstering an already strong roster of senior fellows. Dr. Swaner’s work will help strengthen Cardus research on the value of North American independent schools and the civic contributions their graduates make. Dr. Lynn Swaner  “Dr. Swaner knows education inside and out,” said Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of Cardus. “We’ve relied on her in the past to help focus our education research and give it heft, so to bring her on formally as a senior fellow is a special privilege.”  Dr. Swaner is the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), which strengthens and equips more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, helping to give her a global perspective on education. At ACSI, she leads initiatives to address compelling questions and challenges Christian education faces – work that’s complementary to what she’ll do through Cardus. “Cardus research has been instrumental in establishing how much value independent and Christian schools bring to North American society, as well as to students themselves,” said Dr. Swaner. “I’m thrilled to be part of the effort to bring that research to school administrators and educators so that they can better articulate and achieve their mission, while engaging with the broader culture in winsome ways.” Prior to joining ACSI in 2015, Dr. Swaner served as a Christian school administrator and a graduate professor of education in New York. She is the lead editor of several books, including MindShift: Catalyzing Change in Christian Education (forthcoming 2019) and PIVOT: New Directions for Christian Education. She is also co-author of Bring It to Life: Christian Education and the Transformative Power of Service-Learning, editor of the ACSI blog, and host for the podcast Moving Forward in Christian Education. She holds an Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University,  a master’s degree in counselling from Long Island University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Binghamton University. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Rachel DeBruyn Cardus – Communications Officer 613-241-4500 x506 rdebruyn@cardus.ca

One in 10 payday loan shops shuts down, leaving desperate consumers with fewer options. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – Ontario’s payday loan users are likely worse off today than before the province capped payday loan interest rates and allowed cities to limit and regulate the location of lenders. A new Cardus report, The Changing Face of Payday Lending in Canada, finds that since the rate caps were introduced in January 2018, one in 10 payday lending shops in Ontario have shut down – all of them small, independent outlets. Several cities have also limited the number of payday loan outlets allowed within their jurisdiction, including Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, and Kitchener. In most cases, payday loan shops will be limited to one per ward, which will leave big lenders with little local monopolies in the short-term, small-dollar loan market. Meanwhile, credit unions haven’t stepped up to provide better, lower cost alternatives to payday loans, despite the shutdown of so many payday lenders. “Ontario consumers now have fewer neighbourhood options for emergency loans than before,” says report author Brian Dijkema. “We know from polling Cardus has done with the Angus Reid Institute that 33 percent of Canadians say they’re so socially isolated, they’re not sure they’d have someone to turn to in case of a financial emergency. So, the need for emergency cash remains. While having fewer payday loan storefronts might look better, those desperate for credit might end up more dependent on impersonal and hard-to-regulate online lenders.” There is also evidence that the lack of competition among payday lenders in Ontario is getting worse. The three biggest such lenders in the province now command 63 percent of the market – up from 57 percent in 2016. The Cardus report also revealed another significant shortcoming in Ontario’s approach to payday loans: the province has little idea of whether it has actually helped consumers use fewer payday loans. The government hasn’t collected or published any data on consumer behaviour in this regard.  “Governments have not focused enough on how best to help those who are depending on short-term, high-interest loans,” says Dijkema. “That should be the focus for the future, instead of flashy announcements of policy changes with little to no follow-up to see if new measures actually helped.” Download The Changing Face of Payday Lending in Canada here. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

 One third of payday loan shops have shut down, but where are the low-cost alternatives?     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – Alberta has managed to shrink the number of its payday loan shops in operation, but that doesn’t mean consumers are better off, according to a new Cardus report, The Changing Face of Payday Lending in Canada. Since Alberta introduced interest rate caps in 2016, 30 percent of payday lending shops in the province have shut down. Meanwhile, credit unions haven’t stepped up to provide better, lower cost alternatives to payday loans, despite the shutdown of so many payday lenders. Alternative, lower cost loans account for only 0.09 percent of the volume of all loans in Alberta.  “Alberta consumers now have far fewer neighbourhood options for emergency loans than before,” says report author Brian Dijkema. “We know from polling Cardus has done with the Angus Reid Institute that 33 percent of Canadians say they’re so socially isolated, they’re not sure they’d have someone to turn to in case of a financial emergency. So, the need for emergency cash remains. While having fewer payday loan storefronts might look better, those desperate for credit might end up more dependent on impersonal and hard-to-regulate online lenders.” The Cardus report also revealed other significant shortcomings in Alberta’s approach to payday loans: the province has little idea of whether it has actually helped consumers use fewer payday loans. The government hasn’t collected or published any data on consumer behaviour in this regard.  “Governments have not focused enough on how best to help those who are depending on short-term, high-interest loans,” says Dijkema. “If you’re going to change policy, you should do the follow-up to see if new measures actually helped.” Download The Changing Face of Payday Lending in Canada here. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca