Jays Care Foundation

The charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays will have a more permanent presence in New Brunswick this year.

On Friday, the provincial government announced a new interprovincial partnership that will allow the Jays Care Foundation to sell its 50/50 tickets in the province.

All proceeds from tickets sold in New Brunswick will be directly invested in supporting children’s sports.

“To me, this is a win-win,” Finance Minister René Legacy said in a press release. “Not only will New Brunswickers have a chance to win jackpots available through Major League Baseball’s biggest 50/50 draws, they’ll also be contributing to improve sports programming for youth across the province.”

New Brunswick will join Alberta and Nova Scotia as the only provinces outside Ontario where the tickets can be purchased online.

“We are thrilled to welcome fans across New Brunswick to participate in Jays Care’s league-leading 50/50 draws,” said James Dodds, board chair of the Jays Care Foundation.

“The proceeds from this expansion will help extend our reach and impact across the province, giving thousands more kids the chance to build character, resilience and a sense of belonging through baseball.”

The foundation has invested $800,000 in projects across New Brunswick over the past 12 years, most recently a set of lights for a ballfield at the Wells Recreation Complex in Rothesay.

Legacy said he expects such investments to increase thanks to the new partnership.