The Canadian River Stewardship Award
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2027
The Canadian River Stewardship Award is presented every three years to an individual, group or organization who has made a significant contribution to the stewardship of a Canadian Heritage River or to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System.
Do you know a river champion associated with your Canadian Heritage River who has made a significant impact or achieved a major accomplishment between 2024 and 2027? The Canadian Heritage Rivers System would like to recognize them.
Nominations can be submitted in English, French, or any Indigenous language spoken in Canada. If necessary, nominations will be translated to support a review by the nominating committee.
Eligibility
The award is intended to recognize an individual, group or organization’s contributions towards a Canadian Heritage River and/or the Canadian Heritage Rivers System over the past three years.
- Open to individuals who are current or former long-term residents of Canada, or groups or organizations that are based in Canada or largely work in Canada.
- Cannot be awarded to elected or appointed officials while in office.
- May be awarded posthumously (within one year or if previously nominated).
- Individuals, groups and/or organizations can be nominated more than once, either for ongoing work on the same project or a new project or river-related accomplishment. A new nomination is needed in each award period to be considered.
Past Recipients
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Ms. Lynn Noel, Quebec Labrador Foundation (Editor: “Voyages: Canada’s Heritage Rivers”) Mr. David Balsillie, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Grand River, Ontario) Ms. Lee Sochasky, St. Croix International Waterway Commission (St. Croix River, New Brunswick) |
| 1998 | Dr. Douglas Bocking (Thames River, Ontario) Mr. Ted Dykstra, Alberta Environmental Protection (Clearwater River, Alberta) Mr. David Marshall, Fraser Basin Council (Fraser River, British Columbia) |
| 2001 | Dr. David Goranson (Founder, Canadian Rivers Day) Mr. Cam McNeil (Rideau River, Ontario) Mr. Mel Fitton (New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources) |
| 2004 | Ms. Louise Towell and Ms. Joan Carne (Stream of Dreams Project, British Columbia) Mr. Harris Boyd (Rivers Canada) Dr. Gordon Nelson (University of Waterloo) |
| 2007 | Mr. Lem Mayo, Pasadena (Main River, Newfoundland) Mr. Len Hopkins, Petawawa (Posthumously) (Ottawa River, Ontario) Mr. Jim August, Rivers West, Winnipeg (Red River, Manitoba) |
| 2009 | Lawrence Morris, Adrienne Blattel, Tom Horn, Quebec Labrador Foundation Don MacNeil, Hillsborough River Association (Hillsborough River, Prince Edward Island) Larry George (Cowichan Tribes), Kate Miller (Cowichan Valley Regional District), and Tom Rutherford (British Columbia Conservation Foundation, Living Rivers Trust), Stotlz Bluff restoration (Cowichan River, British Columbia) |
| 2013 | Dr. Cynthia Stacey, St. John River Society (St. John River, New Brunswick) Mr. Gary Wilkins, Humber Watershed Alliance (Humber River, Ontario) Nathalie Brunet, Cross Canada Canoe Odyssey |
| 2016 | >Mr. Gerald Thom (Posthumously), Cowichan Lake and Stewardship Society, (Cowichan River, British Columbia) Jill Taylor Hollings, Partnership Team with the Pikangikum, Little Grand Rapids and Lac Seul First Nations (Bloodvein River, Ontario/Manitoba) Ms. Shaylene Stone, Antler River Guardians of the Four Directions and First Nations Youth Stewardship (Thames River, Ontario) |
| 2020 | Tracy Bond, Baker Creek Enhancement Society (British Columbia) Clarence Ryan, PEI Trappers Association (Prince Edward Island) Geoff Bowie, Gordon Henderson, Herb Norwegian, Michael Allder, Mountain Dene participants, Dehcho First Nation participants, Nahanni: River of Forgiveness (Nahanni River, Northwest Territories) |
| 2023 | Molly Demma, St. John River Society (St. John River, New Brunswick) Peter Labor, Government of Nova Scotia (Nova Scotia) |
History of the Award
First presented in 1994 as the National River Conservation Award, The Canadian River Stewardship award honours an individual, group or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to a Canadian Heritage River or to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System as a whole during the proceeding three years.