East Coast Army

Yes sir! Yes Ma’am! The East Coast Army is taking Toronto by storm!
Get Recruited No, we’re not actually invading the city, but the East Coast Army is out in full force to:
  • Give back to our communities – both at home and “away”
  • Helping ex-pat Atlantic Canadians to get out & about in Toronto
  • Provide networking opportunities in a social environment while making a difference

We're a group of Atlantic Canadian expats doing charitable/community minded activities in Toronto.

What’s the 10-4?

ECA is a group of young professional ex-pat Atlantic Canadians interested in making a positive contribution to their community.

ECA organizes and hosts various social & fundraising events.

ECA partners with already established and reputable agencies, enabling its members to provide their time, money or skill to benefit various aspects of life in Toronto as well as Atlantic communities.

The Army gets nautical with the Toronto Brigantine

October 7, 2010 - 10:46am - Ian Finley
On the afternoon of September 25th, a motley gang of brave East Coast Army members got a taste of what life would have been like on a classic wooden boat. The crew of Toronto Brigantine Inc.’s Tall Ship Pathfinder put us landlubbers through our paces as we learned how to ‘haul away’, ‘make fast’ and ‘trim’ the sails. With 18 knot gusts, a few showers a seemingly ugly day turned into an exhilarating trip around Toronto Island. Read more

Army gets nautical on Tall Ship cruise

October 6, 2010 - 8:19pm - Ian Finley
On the afternoon of September 25th, 15 brave East Coast Army members got a taste of what life would have been like on a classic wooden boat. The crew of Toronto Brigantine’s Tall Ship Pathfinder put us landlubbers through our paces as we learned how to ‘haul away’, ‘make fast’ and ‘trim’ the sails. With 18 knot gusts, a few showers a seemingly ugly day turned into an exhilarating trip around Toronto Island. Read more

East Coast Army forecast: Spring will be a ball

March 24, 2009 - 10:00pm - Danielle Kelly
The East Coast Army is gearing up for a great spring full of activities that are guaranteed to be a "ball" of a time. Whether they're donning their finest party frocks or dusting off the golf clubs, spring is in the air in Toronto. East Coast Charity Ball Read more

East Coast Army Completes First Mission

March 24, 2009 - 9:47pm - Danielle Kelly
The East Coast Army, which was launched by Ret. Major General Rick Hillier in November, officially held thier first event at Grace O’Malley’s on February 26, 2009. Read more

East Coast Connected Gives to Toy Mountain

December 21, 2008 - 6:22pm - Alex Willis
On Monday, December 15, the Toronto’s Eaton Centre was the site for giving instead of shopping, as members of East Coast Connected helped children in need. See the interview here at the 7:00 mark. Read more

“Our Privilege and Our Duty” - East Coast Army celebrates its launch with “A General Welcome”

December 2, 2008 - 9:03pm - Alex Willis
On Wednesday 12 November, the East Coast Army (ECA) celebrated its launch at First Canadian Place’s Vertical Restaurant. Hosting “A General Welcome” was none other than Newfoundland and Labrador’s General Rick Hillier (ret), Canada’s former Chief of Defence Staff. As the charitable and social wing of its parent group East Coast Connected (ECC), Hillier got the ECA off to a great start by highlighting the privileges and responsibilities of being an Atlantic Canadian living “away from home.” This mandate was driven home by media personality Seamus O’Reagan, who spoke in support of Great Big Sea’s upcoming charity concert in Toronto for Newfoundland’s Daffodil Place. Read more

East Coast Connected announces support of Daytrippers Children's Charity

April 14, 2008 - 7:00pm - administrator
East Coast Connected is pleased to announce their recent support of Daytrippers Children's Charity to provide educational school trips for underprivileged children in Grades 1-8 in Toronto and Halifax. At the East Coast Charity Ball on March 29th, East Coast Connected teamed with other expatriated Atlantic Canadians to collectively raise $1,200 to fund cultural day trips for children in Nova Scotia. Read more

For a good cause, 400 revelers rocked out at the 5th East Coast Charity Ball

April 13, 2008 - 7:00pm - administrator
TORONTO - On Saturday, March 29th, the 5th Annual East Coast Charity Ball (ECCB) was held at the Dominion Club in downtown Toronto. The elegant venue provided a fitting setting for the event's fifth anniversary. The East Coast Charity Ball is a formal event that raises proceeds for the Daytrippers Children's Charity. ECCB has raised more than $75,000 in the last five years. Read more

East Coast Army climbs the Toy Mountain

January 6, 2008 - 7:00pm - administrator
TORONTO - The threat of a blizzard couldn't stop the East Coast Army from collecting toys for Toronto's less fortunate kids. Sponsored in part by our friends at Iceberg Vodka, ECC held a holiday appreciation night for its volunteers, supports and partners on December 15. All those attending were asked to bring a new unwrapped toy to be contributed to CTV's Toy Mountain. And while the weather did not cooperate, at the end of the night over 50 toys were gathered. Read more

East Coast Army debuts battling hunger in food bank challenge

October 18, 2007 - 7:00pm - administrator
  TORONTO - ECC's new civic engagement initiative made its debut at the first annual Daily Bread 24 Hour Food Sort last Saturday. Descending swiftly on the Daily Bread Food Bank's facility in south Etobicoke, ECC members showed the right stuff by sorting, boxing and labelling food items in a competition with four other determined teams. In an astounding 90 minutes, this East Coast Army secured and sorted 4 full cages of food - that's 136 crates of pasta, canned goods, baby formula and cereal - and raised $500 worth of donations. Over 40 teams registered for this event. Read more

The Army gets nautical with the Toronto Brigantine

October 7, 2010 - 10:46am - Ian Finley
On the afternoon of September 25th, a motley gang of brave East Coast Army members got a taste of what life would have been like on a classic wooden boat. The crew of Toronto Brigantine Inc.’s Tall Ship Pathfinder put us landlubbers through our paces as we learned how to ‘haul away’, ‘make fast’ and ‘trim’ the sails. With 18 knot gusts, a few showers a seemingly ugly day turned into an exhilarating trip around Toronto Island. Read more

Army gets nautical on Tall Ship cruise

October 6, 2010 - 8:19pm - Ian Finley
On the afternoon of September 25th, 15 brave East Coast Army members got a taste of what life would have been like on a classic wooden boat. The crew of Toronto Brigantine’s Tall Ship Pathfinder put us landlubbers through our paces as we learned how to ‘haul away’, ‘make fast’ and ‘trim’ the sails. With 18 knot gusts, a few showers a seemingly ugly day turned into an exhilarating trip around Toronto Island. Read more

East Coast Army forecast: Spring will be a ball

March 24, 2009 - 10:00pm - Danielle Kelly
The East Coast Army is gearing up for a great spring full of activities that are guaranteed to be a "ball" of a time. Whether they're donning their finest party frocks or dusting off the golf clubs, spring is in the air in Toronto. East Coast Charity Ball Read more

East Coast Army Completes First Mission

March 24, 2009 - 9:47pm - Danielle Kelly
The East Coast Army, which was launched by Ret. Major General Rick Hillier in November, officially held thier first event at Grace O’Malley’s on February 26, 2009. Read more

East Coast Connected Gives to Toy Mountain

December 21, 2008 - 6:22pm - Alex Willis
On Monday, December 15, the Toronto’s Eaton Centre was the site for giving instead of shopping, as members of East Coast Connected helped children in need. See the interview here at the 7:00 mark. Read more

“Our Privilege and Our Duty” - East Coast Army celebrates its launch with “A General Welcome”

December 2, 2008 - 9:03pm - Alex Willis
On Wednesday 12 November, the East Coast Army (ECA) celebrated its launch at First Canadian Place’s Vertical Restaurant. Hosting “A General Welcome” was none other than Newfoundland and Labrador’s General Rick Hillier (ret), Canada’s former Chief of Defence Staff. As the charitable and social wing of its parent group East Coast Connected (ECC), Hillier got the ECA off to a great start by highlighting the privileges and responsibilities of being an Atlantic Canadian living “away from home.” This mandate was driven home by media personality Seamus O’Reagan, who spoke in support of Great Big Sea’s upcoming charity concert in Toronto for Newfoundland’s Daffodil Place. Read more

East Coast Connected announces support of Daytrippers Children's Charity

April 14, 2008 - 7:00pm - administrator
East Coast Connected is pleased to announce their recent support of Daytrippers Children's Charity to provide educational school trips for underprivileged children in Grades 1-8 in Toronto and Halifax. At the East Coast Charity Ball on March 29th, East Coast Connected teamed with other expatriated Atlantic Canadians to collectively raise $1,200 to fund cultural day trips for children in Nova Scotia. Read more

For a good cause, 400 revelers rocked out at the 5th East Coast Charity Ball

April 13, 2008 - 7:00pm - administrator
TORONTO - On Saturday, March 29th, the 5th Annual East Coast Charity Ball (ECCB) was held at the Dominion Club in downtown Toronto. The elegant venue provided a fitting setting for the event's fifth anniversary. The East Coast Charity Ball is a formal event that raises proceeds for the Daytrippers Children's Charity. ECCB has raised more than $75,000 in the last five years. Read more

East Coast Army climbs the Toy Mountain

January 6, 2008 - 7:00pm - administrator
TORONTO - The threat of a blizzard couldn't stop the East Coast Army from collecting toys for Toronto's less fortunate kids. Sponsored in part by our friends at Iceberg Vodka, ECC held a holiday appreciation night for its volunteers, supports and partners on December 15. All those attending were asked to bring a new unwrapped toy to be contributed to CTV's Toy Mountain. And while the weather did not cooperate, at the end of the night over 50 toys were gathered. Read more

East Coast Army debuts battling hunger in food bank challenge

October 18, 2007 - 7:00pm - administrator
  TORONTO - ECC's new civic engagement initiative made its debut at the first annual Daily Bread 24 Hour Food Sort last Saturday. Descending swiftly on the Daily Bread Food Bank's facility in south Etobicoke, ECC members showed the right stuff by sorting, boxing and labelling food items in a competition with four other determined teams. In an astounding 90 minutes, this East Coast Army secured and sorted 4 full cages of food - that's 136 crates of pasta, canned goods, baby formula and cereal - and raised $500 worth of donations. Over 40 teams registered for this event. Read more