TORONTO, Sept. 10 /CNW/ - Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE), the
official operator of the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) program in Canada,
today announced that TD Bank Financial Group has increased its support for ACE
by committing $225,000 to create a National SIFE Topic Competition named "The
SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge." Together, ACE and TD will work to encourage
Canadian university and college students to collaborate with others on the
basics of entrepreneurship and to assist in the growth of successful
entrepreneurs across the country.
    ACE operates two National SIFE Topic Competitions annually, designed to
address individual topics of the SIFE judging criteria. For the 2007/2008
school year, TD's commitment allows ACE to deliver a National SIFE Topic
Competition focused on SIFE's third criteria, Entrepreneurship.
    "Our team of Small Business Advisors are constantly working with new
entrepreneurs to help get their feet off the ground, and by creating The SIFE
Entrepreneurship Challenge, we're able to extend our expertise to
postsecondary students," said Paul Clark, Senior Vice President, Small
Business Banking, TD Bank Financial Group. "Providing more comprehensive
training and diverse challenges for students is a key factor in their future
success and by partnering with ACE, we're making a difference together."
    The SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge will invite participating campuses
from across Canada to present their Entrepreneurship and Small Business
projects before a judging panel at the ACE Regional Expositions in Calgary,
Halifax and Toronto in March 2008. The top two teams from each ACE Regional
Exposition will compete in the final round of competition at the 2008 ACE
National Exposition, which is taking place from May 12-14, 2008 in Toronto,
Ontario.
    "Thanks to the generous support we receive from TD, The Entrepreneurship
Challenge National SIFE Topic Competition will help our student teams' foster
relationships with local donor company representatives," explains Amy Harder,
President, ACE. "TD's long term commitment and support of ACE is a key factor
in our success and we're excited to be able to work with them on a program
that we believe will have an immeasurable impact on Canada's future
entrepreneurs."

    About ACE

    Founded in the mid-1980s, ACE is a national not-for-profit organization
that is igniting young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and
their communities. Working in partnership with business and higher education,
ACE operates a team based program, Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) and an
individual based program, Student Entrepreneur. Through these two programs,
ACE is a catalyst in the development of university and college students who
make a meaningful contribution towards a better country, as entrepreneurs and
business leaders. In 2000, ACE partnered with SIFE to be the official operator
of the SIFE program in Canada. SIFE is a global non-profit organization active
in more than 40 countries.

    TD Community Giving: Making a Difference Together

    Children's health, literacy and education, and the environment are the
three primary areas of focus for TD's community giving. The major flagship
programs within these areas are: TD Children's Hospital Fund, TD Friends of
the Environment Foundation and the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, TD
Canadian Children's Book Week, TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community
Leadership, and the TD Summer Reading Club. In addition, through the support
of our customers and employees, TD is involved with a host of national,
regional and local programs in support of diversity, arts and culture and
other causes. In 2006, TD donated $33 million to more than 1,600 charities and
not-for-profit organizations across Canada.

For further information: Jaime Hurlbut, Events & Communications
Director, ACE, (416) 304-1566 ext 220, jaime@acecanada.ca; Matthew Cram, TD
Bank Financial Group, (416) 983-1514, matthew.cram@td.com