Stratford City Council nominates individuals and organizations for awards and recognition who have made significant contributions to their community through their volunteer efforts.

If you are aware of a deserving resident or organization, we would like to hear from you. Review the summary of the Award or Recognition Program provided here. Then, to suggest someone for an award or recognition, please complete the Information Form and send to:

• Bronze Star Recognition Program
• Citizenship Award
• City Council Annual Recognition Awards
• Community Leadership Award
• Heritage Community Recognition Award
• June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award
• Leading Girls Building Communities Recognition Program
• Leading Women Building Communities Recognition Program
• Lincoln Alexander Award
• Long-standing Service Award
• Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship
• Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers
• Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism
• Senior Achievement Award
• Senior of the Year Award
• Volunteer Service Award
• Young Heritage Leaders Award

In partnership with the Stratford Festival, City Council recognizes individuals on a national or international scale who have worked or contributed profoundly to the cultural and/or social fabric of the City; or a Stratford citizen who has achieved national or international status. Each year two recipients are selected by the City and two are selected by the Festival.

This award recognizes Canadians who dedicate themselves to active citizenship in their communities.
Eligibility for nomination is open to Canadian citizens who demonstrate exemplary citizenship by assisting newcomers to successfully integrate into the Canadian family, or a Canadian who promotes active citizenship by putting into practice the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.

Nominations can be submitted by either an individual or an organization from the voluntary, private or public sectors.

Each year in October, City Council hosts an awards night to recognize and congratulate local individuals or teams who have won a Provincial or National competition or those who have made other outstanding accomplishments.

This Ontario Heritage Trust’s Community Leadership Award recognizes communities for exemplary leadership in heritage conservation and promotion.

Any community that has demonstrated leadership in built, cultural, and natural heritage conservation and promotion can nominate themselves. Nominees must be communities such as a city, municipality, regional municipality, town, township, village, etc.

The following activities qualify for nomination:

• Demonstration of an integrated approach to conservation of heritage properties and resources (Municipal Heritage Committee, heritage inventory, research projects, tax incentives, grants, broad range of heritage properties conserved – residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, natural, cultural landscapes etc.)
• Protection of heritage resources through bylaws and policies (designation program, easement program, heritage conservation districts, tree by-laws, archaeology master plans, etc.)
• Support for heritage organizations and institution (historical societies, Doors Open committees, architectural conservancies, museums, archives, naturalists etc.)
• Support for heritage volunteers (awards, volunteer recognition, providing educational opportunities etc.)
• Support for heritage festivals and events (Heritage Week, Doors Open, heritage fairs, walking tours, Canada Day activities, Hiking Week events, guided hikes etc.)
• Demonstrated stewardship of municipality-owned heritage properties and streetscapes
• Commemorative and interpretive activities (plaques, publications, websites, exhibits, brochures etc.)

This award from the Ontario Heritage Trust recognizes volunteer achievements in identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting local heritage.

Built Heritage – restore or maintain a heritage structure, significant fundraising to support restoration, or research or writing of books, walking tours, exhibits, websites.

Cultural Heritage – significant volunteer service to a museum or historic site, historical re-enactment, research or writing, participation in archeological digs, collection of artifacts/heritage photographs and participation in activities/events that protect, preserve or restoring heritage garden or volunteer participation in activities that promote First Nations, Metis, Franco-Ontarian heritage or others).

Natural Heritage - significant  volunteer work in conservation authority/area or parkland, demonstrated leadership in protection of natural heritage such as endangered species habitats, rare Carolinian forests, wetlands, hands on work to improve a natural heritage site as well as research or writing of books, walking tours, exhibits and websites relating to local natural heritage resources.

Eligibility for a nomination is open to any Ontario resident 18 years and older, who has outstanding volunteer contributions in their community in one of the above categories. Small project groups may be nominated for built, cultural and natural heritage conservation. For example, committees responsible for a special project, co-authors of a local history publication, or partners who have restored a heritage home. Nominations must be approved by a motion of a municipal council.

Lifetime Achievement (Heritage Community Recognition Award) (individuals only)
This award is given to an individual who for 20 to 24 years has made exceptional contributions to built, cultural and/or natural heritage conservation.

Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement (Heritage Community Recognition Award) (individuals only)
This award is given to an individual who, for 25 years or more, has made exceptional contributions to built, cultural and/or heritage conservation. Please note that individuals previously recognized in the Lifetime Achievement category are eligible.

The Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration recognizes volunteers with exceptional contributions and extraordinary leadership, innovation, and creativity to their communities and the province through voluntary action such as volunteering their time, efforts, knowledge or resources.
Eligibility for nomination is open to individuals, groups, and businesses that have made lasting and meaningful contributions, or provided significant support to the volunteer activities of;  community and not-for-profit organizations or associations; co-operatives, boards; commissions; businesses; government ministries that directly recruit volunteers; art/educational/correctional; institutions and schools; municipalities; long term care homes and hospitals.

This program acknowledges and celebrates girls who demonstrate exceptional leadership in working to improve the lives of others in their schools or communities. MPPs nominate young women from their constituencies to the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues.

Nominees for the Leading Women Program must be female and under 18 years of age, and must have demonstrated exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of others in their schools or communities. Volunteering should meet or exceed 80 hours (double the standard high school requirement) through one or more of the following ways:

• Breaking down barriers and encouraging girls to get involved in non-traditional careers
• Championing or being actively involved in promoting issues such as equality, diversity, healthy equal relationships, violence against women prevention and reducing racism and discrimination
• Actively participating in a political process at any level such as Student Council, Model United Nations, the Ontario Legislature or within the municipality
• Acting as a positive role model by mentoring, coaching, volunteering and/or by providing a positive example to others in their communities.

This program acknowledges and celebrates women who demonstrate exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of others in their communities or schools. MPPs nominate women from their constituencies to the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues.

Nominees for the Leading Women Program must be female and 18 years old or older, and must have demonstrated exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of others through one or more of the following ways:

• bringing people together to build stronger communities and to create positive social change
• support the participation of women from diverse ethno/racial/cultural communities in the social and economic life of the community
• taking initiative to foster communities where women and children can live free from violence
• promoting women’s and girl’s health and well-being through education, community service, and/or research
• providing young women with mentoring guidance, coaching and opportunities for self improvement
• supporting women’s participation in their chosen field or endeavouring to remove barriers
• promoting women in political life and encouraging women and girls to participate in any part of a political process.

This award recognizes young people who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in eliminating racial discrimination.

Student Award - Eligibility for nomination is opento any secondary student attending an accredited provincial secondary school and planning to attend a post secondary institution as a full-time student, who is nominated by his/her school.

Community Award - Eligibility for nomination is open to any resident of Ontario, between the ages of 16 and 25 and nominated by a community organization or agency that works extensively in the area of race relations.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs is seeking nominations to recognize municipally-elected officials who have completed 25 years or more to their communities.
Eligibility for a nomination must be 25 years or more of service on municipal council(s), not necessarily consecutive and currently serving on council in the nomination year (nominee may have served on council in more than one municipality.

This award from the Province of Ontario recognizes people who through exceptional long-term efforts, have made outstanding contributions to the well being of their communities. Their assistance is given without expectation of remuneration or reward.

Nominees must be an Ontario resident.

This program from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration recognizes the outstanding achievements of youth volunteers across the province. This award is in recognition of exceptional young people as role models.

Nominees must reside of Ontario, are between 15 and 24 years old, contribute significant time and service without pay to a charity, not-for-profit organization or person by demonstrating leadership, initiative, perseverance, originality, as well as the promise of long-term improvement or greater public awareness of the community activity and has inspired others to volunteer.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada recognizes individuals in communities across Canada who has made exceptional contributions to the integration of newcomers. It includes a $20,000 grant to be given to an eligible, registered not-for-profit Canadian organization or association of the recipient’s choice.

To be eligible for nomination, an individual must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and 18 years or older.

The nominee must have been involved in a project, initiative, activity or work in which the he/she played a key role that supports the objectives of the Government of Canada’s Multiculturalism Program. The candidate’s efforts must have a positive impact on his or her community. Also, the candidate demonstrated support and cultural integration of new Canadians and cultural communities, facilitates programs such as mentorship, volunteerism, leadership and civic education for at-risk cultural youths or promotes intercultural understanding and Canadian values through community initiatives, with the objective of addressing issues of cultural social exclusion and radicalization.

This award from the Minister OF Citizenship and Immigration recognizes outstanding seniors for their contributions to their community through arts, literature, community service, education, environment/science, fitness/recreation/sports, humanitarian activities, preservation of history, voluntarism.

This award from the Minister Responsible for Seniors recognizes an outstanding local senior for their contributions to their community. Recipients are individuals who after age 65 have enriched the social, cultural or civic life of the community without thought of personal or financial gain.

This award recognizes individuals who volunteer on an ongoing and active basis to the same group. The award is given to volunteers to thank volunteers for their continuous years of commitment and dedicated service to a group such as a community, not-for-profit and non-profit organizations, co-operatives, boards, commissions, businesses, government ministries that directly recruit volunteers, arts/educational/correctional institutions and schools, municipalities, long-term care homes and hospitals.

To be eligible for nomination for YOUTH,  nominees must be under 24 years old and have volunteered with one group for at least two consecutive years.

To be eligible for nomination for ADULT, nominees must have volunteered with one group for at least five consecutive years. Adults are recognized for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30+, 40+, 50+, and 60+ years of continuous service.

The Ontario Heritage Trust’s Young Heritage Leaders program recognizes youth achievements in identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting local heritage in the areas of:

• Built Heritage – restore or maintain a heritage structure, significant fundraising to support restoration, or research or writing of books, walking tours, exhibits, websites
• Cultural Heritage – significant volunteer service to a museum or historic site, historical re-enactment, research or writing, participation in archeological digs, collection of artifacts/heritage photographs and participation in activities/events that protect, preserve or restoring heritage garden or volunteer participation in activities that promote First Nations, Metis, Franco-Ontarian heritage or others) and
• Natural Heritage - significant  volunteer work in conservation authority/area or parkland, demonstrated leadership in protection of natural heritage such as endangered species habitats, rare Carolinian forests, wetlands, hands on work to improve a natural heritage site as well as research or writing of books, walking tours, exhibits and websites relating to local natural heritage resources.

Eligibility for nomination  is open to any resident of Ontario, 18 years and under and must be approved by a motion of a municipal council. School principals can also submit nominations.

Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement (Youth Heritage Leaders Award)
This award is a special honour awarded to the most exceptional Youth Heritage Leaders group nominee and the top individual nominee.