CTV Toronto and The Salvation Army Present 22nd Annual Holiday Community Service Campaign TOY MOUNTAIN, Beginning Today

TORONTO (November 24, 2017) – With the magic and spirit of the holiday season quickly approaching, CTV Toronto is proudly spreading joy to local families in need by building a mountain of toys with the 22nd Annual TOY MOUNTAIN campaign in support of The Salvation Army. Beginning today, Friday, Nov. 24, with an exciting live broadcast at Yonge-Dundas Square, and running through Dec. 20 – the annual charitable toy collection makes the season brighter for thousands of children across the GTA. TOY MOUNTAIN hopes to surpass last year’s realized goal of collecting 150,000 new unwrapped toys, and encourages Torontonians to get in the spirit of the season by donating with an emphasis on the greatest area of need: teens aged 14-17, and boys and girls aged 10-13. In 2016, The Salvation Army in Toronto provided thousands of families with toys and other practical items, and over 88,000 people with assorted food hampers and toys through its Christmas assistance program. “Every year, we are amazed by the outpouring of giving form our friends in the Greater Toronto Area. We continue to have wonderful supporters who come back year after year to help bring smiles to children’s faces during the Christmas season,” said Neil W. Leduke, Divisional Director of Marketing and Communications, The Salvation Army. “I would like to thank everyone for their dedication and look forward to another successful TOY MOUNTAIN campaign with our partner, CTV Toronto.” “For more than a decade now, our viewers have united in the spirit of giving during the holiday season to make a positive difference for those less fortunate across the GTA,” said Joanne MacDonald, Vice-President, CTV News. “TOY MOUNTAIN is a longstanding holiday tradition we proudly uphold, and we are thankful to our viewers for giving generously, bringing joy to so many children and families in need.” For the thirteenth year, CTV Toronto Weather Anchor Tom Brown leads the TOY MOUNTAIN collection effort, delivering live progress updates throughout the duration of the campaign on CTV NEWS AT SIX, Toronto’s most-watched news broadcast*. Viewers can stay informed of where daily events are taking place by visiting the Toy Mountain campaign calendar, and tuning in each evening to catch Brown’s live, daily reports from various collection stops across the GTA. On Wednesday, Dec. 20, Brown returns to the CTV Toronto studio to mark the official close of the TOY MOUNTAIN campaign during that evening’s CTV NEWS AT SIX. “The generosity of our viewers is astounding. Each year, they help us build an even bigger mountain of toys and reach so many families here in Toronto,” said Brown. “I’m as honoured to be a part of TOY MOUNTAIN’s magic this year as I was when I first became involved 13 years ago.” TOY MOUNTAIN’s dedicated online portal Toronto.CTVNews.ca/Toy-Mountain features a list of drop-off locations, a live remote calendar, social media feeds, and more. Users are able to make financial donations online and receive a tax receipt from The Salvation Army. Supporters can also receive social media updates from the campaign by following @toymountain and joining the campaign’s Facebook page. Corporations and individuals can get involved with TOY MOUNTAIN by visiting SalvationArmy.ca or calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY. The TOY MOUNTAIN campaign is borne by the strong partnership between CTV Toronto and The Salvation Army, with CTV Toronto driving promotional efforts, and collection and distribution logistics managed by The Salvation Army. The TOY MOUNTAIN campaign is made possible with the generous support of major sponsors Toronto Area Ford Dealers and Marshalls Canada.