After seeing firsthand some of the social issues which can make life difficult in the Canadian North, a group of Royal Roads University students is putting newly learned business skills to good use.

As part of their curriculum, the group of five commerce students built a functioning e-commerce website, 60thandabove.ca, where international art lovers or dealers can bid on art from CanadaB次元官网网址檚 north and help a good cause in the process.

Half the profits go to the artist and the other half goes to Arctic Children and Youth Foundation, an Ottawa-based charity which supports children through social programs in the North.

Group member Leandra Grenier-Green worked with children there for a time.

B次元官网网址淚 saw tons of social issues. The kids would go home, the parents wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be there, theyB次元官网网址檇 be locked out overnight,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭his program helps negate that. It gives the kids more of a chance to engage with the community and to not fall into their parentB次元官网网址檚 footsteps necessarily.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗omeless is a huge one. Alcoholism is another one,B次元官网网址� Matt Antwright said of what he saw there.

Along with the troubles, the students also noticed the beautiful and unique art that is a part of the Northern culture.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 so much art, so many beautiful pieces, we figured we could bring them together and create a business to help communities in need,B次元官网网址� said Antwright.

While the students make it clear they donB次元官网网址檛 believe the North is in dire need of outside help, they saw this venture as a way to help out on a number of levels.

The students see the benefits as threefold: helping the artists gain more exposure, helping Northern communities through the charity and helping art dealers discover new talents.

In terms of the primary point of the project, the studentB次元官网网址檚 own education, each said the experience has been worthwhile.

B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e using all the skills weB次元官网网址檝e learned B次元官网网址� and weB次元官网网址檙e putting it all towards this business, which is the end goal of this degree,B次元官网网址� Shawna Yule said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 giving us a little taste of what the real world will be like.B次元官网网址�

The website is up and running, with art available to be bid on. Artists agreed to sell their works on the site, knowing 50 per cent of the profits will go towards the charity.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 already a success from our standpoint,B次元官网网址� said Raymond Monner. B次元官网网址淏ut then if we sell more we can increase the amount that we give.B次元官网网址�

Visit 60thandabove.ca to view the studentB次元官网网址檚 page, or acyf.ca to learn more about the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.