WWF-Canada has a record-breaking CN Tower Climb for Nature, raising more than $1.5 million for wildlife conservation

The 32nd annual WWF Climb for Nature saw nearly 6,000 people ascend the CN Tower's 1,776 steps for wildlife this weekend.

TORONTO, April 21, 2024 /CNW/ - More than 5,500 people made the challenging journey up the CN Tower this weekend as part of WWF-Canada's CN Tower Climb for Nature fundraiser. With support from more than 26,000 donors, sponsors and volunteers, the climbers raised an incredible $1.53 million (and counting) for conservation efforts to protect and restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change.

"This is the most funds raised in the CN Tower Climb for Nature's 32-year history, which is a testament to how deeply people care about nature and wildlife," says Megan Leslie, World Wildlife Fund Canada president and CEO, who also climbed the iconic tower alongside supporters.

"There is a lot of dark stuff happening out there. We know there's biodiversity loss and climate change. But we also know what the solutions are ? and everybody who climbed with us, they know that too. And they are part of the solution. One step at a time, one foot in front of the other, they are helping us climb towards a brighter future."

The average finish time up the 1,776 steps was around 30 minutes, with the most competitive climbers racing up the steps during this morning's Elite Climb Challenge.

The fastest climbers in their categories were Lisa Nagy from Guelph, Ont. at 13 minutes and 4 seconds, and Tyler Kruschenske at 10 minutes and 56 seconds. This is the first win for Nagy and the fifth win for Kruschenske, an obstacle course racer from Brantford, Ont.

Others who climbed the tower's 144 flights of stairs this weekend included former Toronto Maple Leaf, Mikhail Grabovski; Doug Dorsey, who made his 31st ascent and topped the fundraising leaderboard; Hassan Mirzahosseini, an athlete and leg amputee who climbed for the second time in 24:41; Esther Berman, a blind climber from Ottawa who climbed in an incredible 23:38; and a grandfather and grandson duo who competed together in the Elite Climb.

The WWF Climb for Nature continues on May 26 with its Vancouver debut at BC Place stadium. Registration is open at wwf.ca/bcplace.

Footage, photos and interviews can be found here.

WWF-Canada's most significant fundraising event, the WWF Climb for Nature raises more than $1 million annually to protect habitats and species across Canada and around the world. Since WWF-Canada held its first climb in 1991, people have climbed the CN Tower more than 140,000 times and helped deliver big conservation results. For the first time, the Climb for Nature is going national with an event at BC Place on May 26 and an anywhere climb taking place between April 20 ? June 9. For more information, visit wwf.ca/climb.

WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.

SOURCE World Wildlife Fund Canada