On August 29, 2005, Frank Stronach watched on his TV as water and chaos raged in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Shocked to see abandoned victims fend for themselves while FEMA fumbled over red tape, he decided to command a private rescue operation. Stronach, chairman of the $20-billion-plus Canadian Magna International auto-parts empire, began by whisking hundreds of New Orleans residents to safety. Then, with the purchase of an 800-acre plot of land in sleepy Louisiana bayou country, he laid the foundations for a bold social experiment. With five years free rent and the aim to produce the “best organic food in America,” Stronach would give evacuees a fresh start and a chance to escape the vicious cycle of poverty that controlled their lives long before Katrina hit. Affectionately, the evacuees called the community Canadaville for the effort, commitment and volunteer work that Canadians contributed.
