300 wish kids will receive personalized trees this record-breaking year
Make-A-Wish® Canada is thrilled to announce the return of Trees of Joy, its national signature holiday fundraising event series, from November 15 through December 8, 2026. Now in its 11th season, the event brings together hundreds of wish kids, families, and supporters to celebrate hope, imagination and creativity. Across the country, spaces will be transformed into forests of beautifully decorated holiday trees, offering unforgettable moments of joy.
Generous supporters who have sponsored a holiday tree for $10,000 will gather at an invitation-only, in-person celebration to personalize and reveal their tree for their thoughtfully paired wish kid. Each tree is built from a list of the wish child’s favourite things, including colours, sports teams, fictional characters and animals. After each celebration, the trees — complete with twinkling lights, ornaments, heartfelt touches, and gifts for the child and their siblings — will be delivered to the families’ homes, creating lasting memories and reminders of hope.
“The holidays have a unique way of bringing people together, and Trees of Joy captures that spirit in such a meaningful way,” said Meaghan Stovel McKnight, Chief Executive Officer, Make-A-Wish Canada. “We say that Wishes Are Medicine, and that’s because they can bring hope, strength and healing during some of the most challenging moments in a family’s journey. Seeing sponsors, volunteers and communities come together to create these experiences for wish children is incredibly moving and a powerful reminder of the difference we can make when we rally around a child and their family.”
Since its inception in Toronto in 2016 with just eight trees, Trees of Joy has grown significantly, expanding to several locations nationwide, and reaching a record 300 trees this year. In the previous 10 years, Trees of Joy has welcomed 820 wish kids across the country and raised more than $9.1M, helping Make-A-Wish Canada grant more life-changing wishes for children facing critical illnesses. The program’s success has also been extended internationally, with other Make-A-Wish affiliates adapting and hosting their own version of Trees of Joy, bringing holiday cheer to wish families and communities abroad in parts of Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United States.
“Sometimes I think about that day instead of my chemo,” reflects wish kid Alyssa. Her sister remembers, “it was extremely emotional watching my baby sister and so many other kids who had gone through such hard times get to experience something so, so magic.”
2026 Trees of Joy Event Locations
- Montreal, QC: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, November 15
- Grande Prairie, AB: Pomeroy Hotel Grand Prairie, November 17
- Toronto, ON: Toronto Congress Centre, November 20
- Quebec City, QC: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, November 22
- Winnipeg, MB: Delta Hotels Winnipeg, November 23
- London, ON: RBC Place London, November 26
- Calgary, AB: Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, November 27
- Halifax, NS: The Westin Nova Scotian, November 27
- Edmonton, AB: Fantasyland Hotel, December 1
- Fredericton, NB: Delta Hotels Fredericton, December 8
- Vancouver, BC: Fairmont Waterfront, December 8
- St. John’s, NL: St. John’s Convention Centre, December 8
