OTTAWA, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–From May 19 to May 21, thousands of Canadians engaged in education and the future of Canada will gather for what will likely be the single largest STEM-based online gathering in the history of our country. Held 59 times since 1962, Canada-Wide Science Fair ‘Ottawa 2021’ will take place entirely online and with an open invitation to all Canadians to join in on the adventure to the heart of scientific exploration and STEM education. With registration now closed and only one week remaining until the fair opens to the public, exactly 374 young students from every province and territory, grades 7 to 12 and Cégep, are now in final preparation mode to showcase their STEM projects to, well, all of us.

“We could not be more excited for our participants,” says Reni Barlow, executive director at Youth Science Canada, the organization behind the event since 1962. “Canada-Wide usually entails a trip and an intense weeklong experience in the physical sense. This year’s event is unique in that our finalists have the potential to reach many more people than ever before. Though this year is different, we’re prouder than ever to be leading this movement.”

The mission of Youth Science Canada and, by extension, Canada-Wide Science Fair, has always been to fuel the curiosity of Canadian youth through science, technology, engineering and mathematics projects – a mission that is more relevant today with the protracted presence and impact of COVID-19.

Although difficult to predict, organizers expect some 30,000 visitors to the virtual fair which is free for anyone with Internet access – in Canada, that’s approximately 36 million potential persons, or 94 per cent of the country’s population*.

Once inside the fair, visitors will also be able to explore the Project Zone, which features the projects of CWSF finalists – students who have earned a top position at their regional fair, also held virtually in 2021. In the STEM Expo space, visitors and participants will be able to explore more than 60 virtual exhibits from leading STEM-related organizations including post-secondary institutions, agencies, companies, museums and other youth STEM related organizations.

Throughout their time online, visitors will also be able to tune into CWSF-TV, an on-demand and livestreamed specialty, event-based TV network with three hours of original STEM-related content each day including interviews with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk, Dr. Mona Nemer, Canada’s Chief Science Advisor and short videos from STEM partners across the country such as Ingenium, Canadian Museum of Nature, Telus World of Science in Edmonton and the Canadian Association of Physicists.

Visitors who choose to register at https://projectboard.world/ysc/cwsf-espc-2021 can also participate in an educational and entertaining Escape Room and Scavenger Hunt taking place twice daily throughout the three days of the event. Available for two age groups, grade 5 to 8 and 9 to 11, students will search among the STEM Expo booths and finalist projects for answers to STEM-related questions. Participants will be entered into a daily draw for various prizes.

Hosted virtually by Carleton University, finalists will be offered a variety of experiences during the event week from lab sessions to virtual tours of the national capital and local museums.

Every year, roughly half a million K-12 students in Canada create a STEM project. During the months of March and April, more than 20,000 students showcase their projects at more than 100 regional fairs in every province and territory. The Canada-Wide Science Fair is the country’s largest annual youth STEM event, recognizing top projects from every regional fair.

And now it is your turn to visit Canada-Wide Science Fair ‘Ottawa 2021’. Visit https://cwsf.youthscience.ca/ to start your adventure.