TORONTO — Today, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust, presented the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards to those who made exceptional contributions to cultural and natural heritage conservation, environmental sustainability and biodiversity in 2022.

Created in 2006, the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards are annual, juried awards administered by the Ontario Heritage Trust to recognize remarkable achievements in heritage conservation across the province.

Recipients of the 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards:

• Joyce Hisey (Toronto) received a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her tireless volunteer spirit and her contributions to the conservation of sport heritage in Ontario.
• Shirley Horn (Sault Ste. Marie) received the Thomas Symons Award for Commitment to Conservation for her professional leadership and dedication in raising awareness about Canadian Residential Schools. Among her many achievements, she helped found the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association, was Chief of Missanabie Cree First Nation, served as a member of Missanabie Cree Elders’ Council and became the first Chancellor of Algoma University.
• Grace Anyu Sun (Toronto), Jocelyn Kuntsi (Manitowaning) and Sarah Syed (Toronto) received Youth Achievement Awards for their exceptional voluntary contributions to sharing cultural and natural heritage, and for inspiring others to get involved beyond their school communities. They also each received the Young Heritage Leaders Scholarship worth $3,500 toward their post-secondary education. The Young Heritage Leaders Scholarship is sponsored by Canada Life and the Ontario Heritage Trust.
• The Historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Council received a Community Leadership Award for its work in creating the Sault Ste. Marie Métis Centre. The Council transformed several heritage buildings that were threatened with demolition into a new gathering place for a people who for generations have had their land, homes, culture and dignity taken from them.
• The Tower Renewal Partnership (Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas), The Massey Hall Revitalization Project (Toronto), The Block-by-Block Program (Toronto), The Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation at Centennial College (Toronto) and The Points of Pride Virtual Exhibition (Hamilton) received Excellence in Conservation Awards, representing the diversity of innovative approaches to heritage conservation in Ontario that have enriched the province’s places and stories.

Quotes

“I am delighted to join the Ontario Heritage Trust in celebrating this year’s exceptional award recipients. In a time of unprecedented change, their tireless efforts to help us understand context is crucial to navigate with wisdom and care. When Ontarians are given the opportunity to discover and interact with cultural, political, architectural, technological and environmental history, they are more likely to better understand the world around us and better equipped to shape the path forward in a responsible way.” — Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

“I’m proud to recognize and congratulate the recipients of this year’s Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards. These exceptional individuals and organizations have shown incredible dedication to the preservation of Ontario’s rich heritage, connecting us to our past and contributing to our pride of place.” — Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism

“Leaders have the power to shape the future. That’s why, at Canada Life, we’re proud to support the Ontario Heritage Trust as they recognize and celebrate the outstanding young Ontarians leading our communities through diverse and sustainable change. Congratulations to these role models for protecting the past and creating the possibilities of tomorrow, today.” — Douglas Tkach, Senior Vice-President, Canada Life

“The Trust is pleased to join the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario in recognizing these outstanding individuals, organizations and communities for their achievements in conservation. They have each demonstrated a passion for their communities and shown the many ways that heritage enriches our lives.” — John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust

Learn more

• Read more about each recipient and project.
• Submit a nomination for the 2023 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards.
• Download the media kit for photos.

Contact

• Patricia Njovu, Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist, Ontario Heritage Trust. Patricia.Njovu@heritagetrust.on.ca or 416-325-5074.
• Liz Kulyk, Director, Media and Public Affairs, Canada Life. Elizabeth.Kulyk@canadalife.com or 204-926-5012.
• Joe Segal, Manager, Strategic Communications and Planning, Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Joe.Segal@ontario.ca or 416-325-7976

Stay connected

Follow the Ontario Heritage Trust on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Subscribe to the Heritage Matters ... more! e-newsletter. #ONheritage

About the Ontario Heritage Trust

The Ontario Heritage Trust (the Trust) is an agency of the Government of Ontario. The Trust conserves, interprets and shares Ontario’s heritage. We conserve provincially significant cultural and natural, tangible and intangible heritage, interpret Ontario’s history, celebrate its diversity and educate Ontarians about its importance in our society. The Trust envisions an Ontario where we conserve, value and share the places and landscapes, histories, traditions and stories that embody our heritage, now and for future generations.

About The Canada Life Assurance Company

Canada Life is a leading insurance, wealth management and benefits provider focused on improving the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. For more than 170 years, individuals, families and business owners across Canada have trusted us to provide sound guidance and deliver on the promises we’ve made. On January 1, 2020, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life became one company — Canada Life — and today, we proudly serve more than 12 million customer relationships from coast to coast to coast.

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