This award commemorates the legacy of Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor by recognizing Ontarians who have gone above and beyond to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
There are four categories:
- Youth Leadership: this category recognizes a young person, between 16 and 24 years old, who shows leadership and commitment to developing the potential of people with disabilities. The recipient receives a $5,000 cash award and a certificate.
- Role Model: this category recognizes an individual who advocates for positive change, inspires others and makes significant contributions to improving the overall quality of life for people with disabilities. The recipient receives a $5,000 cash award and a certificate.
- Honour Roll: this category recognizes an organization that shows leadership in integrating and providing barrier-free working conditions for people with disabilities that goes beyond the compliance of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. Each recipient receives a certificate.
- Employee Engagement: this category recognizes an employee or volunteer who creates opportunities and breaks down barriers for fellow employees or volunteers with disabilities. The recipient receives a $5,000 cash award and a certificate.
How to Apply
- Eligibility
- Application
- Judging
Your nominee must be:
- a resident of Ontario (for individuals)
- registered in Ontario (for companies and organizations)
You cannot nominate:
- yourself
- someone who is deceased
- an elected politician currently in office
How to nominate someone
- Gather the required information*.
- Create an account (or sign in for returning users) on the Ontario Honours and Awards Portal.
- Submit your nomination on the nomination portal.
*Required information
To submit a nomination, you will need to provide:
- The nominee’s first name, last name, email address and phone number.
- The nominator’s first name, last name, email address and phone number.
- A brief summary of the work and initiatives in one of the four categories.
- A detailed description of the nominee’s work and initiatives in one of the four categories.
- At least two signed testimonial letters (this is not required for the Honour Roll category). The letters must be from two different people who are not the nominator. An electronic signature or scanned copy of the signed letters are acceptable. The testimonial writers should:
- know the nominee
- be able to explain the nominee’s work and its impacts
- support the nomination
- The testimonial writers’ first name, last name, email address and phone number.
- The testimonial writers’ first name, last name, email address and phone number.
Additional information
You may include additional materials if they give more insight into your nominee’s accomplishments, such as:
- news articles
- community and not-for-profit organization profiles
An independent selection committee reviews each nomination and recommends who should receive the award.
Read the guide for tips on writing and submitting a nomination.