Province Honours 2025 Order of Ontario Appointees
Press Release
February 17, 2026
30 recipients to receive the province’s highest civilian honour for their remarkable achievements and lasting contributions to Ontario
TORONTO — The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, announced 30 new appointments to the Order of Ontario for 2025.
The Order of Ontario recognizes those whose distinguished service and extraordinary achievements have helped build a stronger Ontario and Canada. Members of the Order come from all walks of life and represent many fields, including public service, skilled trades, business, technology, mining, sports, the arts, health care, science and many more.
“The 2025 Order of Ontario appointees represent the very best of our province,” said the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. “Through their exceptional dedication and achievements, they have made profound contributions that have touched lives across Ontario and beyond. May their remarkable examples continue to inspire us all to work together for the greater good.”
The 2025 Order of Ontario appointees will be invested at a ceremony in Toronto in 2026.
“On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I extend my congratulations to all appointees being honoured,” said Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. “These inspiring individuals have demonstrated dedication and leadership in a wide range of careers and pursuits, making a lasting difference in our communities and reflecting the very best of our province.”
The 2025 appointees to the Order of Ontario are:
- Ahmad Attia
- Cameron Bailey
- Arron Barberian
- Major-General (Retd) Jean-Robert Bernier, OMM, CD
- John B.W. Carmichael
- Jamaica Cass
- Don Cherry
- Donette Chin-Loy Chang
- Robert James Cusimano
- Philip J. Devereaux
- Morris Freedman
- Jacques Frémont
- Kathleen Gartke
- Amanda Grzyb
- Zabeen Hirji, MSM
- Shirley Horn
- Bernard Lawless
- Nathan Leipciger, CM
- David MacNaughton
- Joe Mancinelli
- Claudette McGowan, CM
- Tracy Moore
- Edward Rogers
- Richard Rooney
- John L. Semple
- Nancy Mei Chun Siew
- Stephen J. R. Smith
- The Honourable George Strathy
- J. David Wake, KC
- Mary Wells
Quick Facts
- Order of Ontario nominations for 2026 are currently being accepted until Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Learn more about the Order of Ontario and how to nominate someone here.
- Appointments to the Order are made on the recommendation of an independent advisory council based on the merit of accomplishments of nominees put forward by members of the public.
- 933 exceptional individuals have been appointed to the Order of Ontario since it was established in 1986.
- Members are invested with the Order’s insignia at an investiture ceremony. Appointees are given the post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials or post-nominal titles (letters placed after a person’s name) to indicate the honour held by the individual.
Additional Resources
Media Contacts
Laetitia Walbert
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
laetitia.walbert@ontario.ca
Mackenzie MacDonald
Minister’s Office
Mackenzie.MacDonald@ontario.ca
Media Relations
Communications Branch
media.mcm@ontario.ca
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