Everyone from school children to mining magnates are pitching in to provide financial assistance to help the earthquake-shattered country of Haiti.

But it's hard to top the mining bosses.

At a Thursday night Canadian Mining Hall of Fame event, "we raised approximately $900,000 between soup and dessert," Ed Thompson, the group's director and treasurer, told CTV News Channel's Power Play.

"We didn't have an awful lot of time to do it ... but we worked it in over the evening over about an hour."

Pierre Lassonde, chair of Franco-Nevada Corp., told the crowd, "It might be a good occasion for us mining people to show our compassion for these people and also our generosity."

The head table got the ball rolling with a $150,000 donation. Lassonde and Thompson each donated $25,000. The other 80 tables were publicly challenged to make their own donations, Thompson said.

They might have raised more money, but Thompson said it turns out many of the mining executives present have already made personal contributions to relief efforts.

The donations will be directed to the Canadian Red Cross, he said.

The federal government has agreed to match donations to registered charities dollar-for-dollar to a maximum of $50 million.

Canadian Tire has sent a shipment of supplies to Haiti, including tents, flashlights and sleeping bags. The TTC, LCBO and Toronto District School Board have also announced support of fundraising efforts, as has the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.

At a more grassroots level, Grade 4, 5 and 6 students from Ogden Junior Public School showed off their ballroom dancing lessons at Queen Street West and John Street on Friday and beseeched passersby to donate to earthquake relief.

One student suggested the money could help the affected Haitians get "houses and food to survive." Another hoped the money they raise could help rebuild hospitals.

By late Friday, here are some of the pledge totals reported by Canadian relief groups:

  • Canadian Red Cross - $15.8 million
  • World Vision - $4 million
  • Humanitarian Coalition - $2.5 million
  • UNICEF - $2 million

Provincial aid

Ontario is providing Haiti with $1 million in immediate emergency aid. The money will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross.

The province has also told the federal government that it will provide personnel and equipment to the relief effort if needed.

Ontario experts will also be available to help Haitians with health care, search-and-rescue efforts, forensic services and to help provide clean drinking water.

Premier Dalton McGuinty thanked Ontarians in a news release for donating their own money to the cause.

"Ontario's strength is our diversity, and because of that, we feel a special sense of responsibility. That's why we're moving to help the people of Haiti rebuild their lives and their nation," he said.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Alicia Markson