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Submit a nomination for Canada’s Volunteer Awards

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

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Application period

The call for nominations is now closed.

Description of the awards

National award

1 national award in the following category:

The Thérèse Casgrain Lifelong Achievement Award

This category is open to individuals who have volunteered for 20 years or more and who:

  • inspired other volunteers
  • made a difference through volunteering

Regional awards

20 regional awards in the following categories:

Community Leader

This category is open to individuals or groups of individuals who:

  • volunteer either on their own or as a group
  • give their time to an organization or a cause
  • take a lead role in solving social issues

Emerging Leader

This category is open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who:

  • show leadership through volunteering
  • help strengthen their community through volunteering

Business Leader

This category is open to businesses or social enterprises that:

  • practice corporate social responsibility
  • promote and support volunteering at local, regional, and/or national levels
  • create positive social, cultural or environmental impacts in their communities

Social Innovator

This category is open to not-for-profit organizations, social enterprises or registered charities that:

  • address social challenges in their communities
  • use innovative ways to serve and strengthen communities

Regions

One recipient is awarded in each of the 5 regions:

Recognition of award recipients

Canada’s Volunteer Awards recognizes recipients at a national ceremony. Recipients also take part in a session to share best practices in volunteering.

All award recipients receive a certificate.

Recipients also choose a registered not-for-profit organization in Canada to receive a grant:

Contact us

Contact Canada’s Volunteer Awards

Glossary

Business
A for-profit enterprise incorporated under federal or provincial law.
Canadian citizen

A person described as a citizen under the Citizenship Act. This means a person who:

  • is Canadian by birth (either born in Canada or born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen who themselves either born in Canada or granted citizenship), or
  • has applied for a grant of citizenship and has received Canadian citizenship (naturalization)
Corporate social responsibility
The voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner.
Nominator
A person who is nominating an individual, business, social enterprise or not-for-profit organization for Canada's Volunteer Awards.
Nominee
A person or a group of persons, not-for-profit organization, social enterprise or business that is being nominated for a Canada's Volunteer Award to acknowledge their significant community contributions.
Not-for-profit organization
Associations, clubs, or societies that are not charities and are organized and operated exclusively for social welfare, civic improvement, pleasure, recreation, or any other purpose except profit.
Permanent resident
Someone who has acquired permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada but is not yet a Canadian citizen.
Registered charity
Registered charities are charitable organizations, public foundations, or private foundations that are created and resident in Canada. They must use their resources for charitable activities and have charitable purposes that benefit communities.
Social enterprise
A social enterprise is a revenue-generating organization whose objective is to have a social impact. A social enterprise does not have a specific corporate form. Social enterprises include "non-profit organizations" or "registered charities" who operate revenue generating related businesses, and include organizations that operate as "for-profit" businesses with a social goal.
Social innovation

Social innovation refers to a response to a social or environmental problem, which, once adopted, results in better solutions than existing approaches. Social innovations have a transformative impact and improve organizations, communities, regions, or systems. Social innovation can include:

  • new, more effective social programs
  • the use of new technologies
  • the growth of social enterprises
Sustainability
The capacity to endure.
Volunteerism
The participation in purposeful helping activities without monetary compensation. It can involve a variety of activities, taking place occasionally over the course of a year, or a more consistent and sustained commitment, such as a weekly commitment to a specific cause. Volunteering benefits groups, persons or the community, and can either be mediated by organizations (formal volunteering) or be direct help without the involvement of an organization or group (informal volunteering).

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