Call for Nomination - Ontario Senior of the Year Award

Published Date: March 10, 2026

About the Award

The annual Senior of the Year Award was established in 1994 to give each municipality in Ontario the opportunity to honour one outstanding local senior, who, after the age of 65, has enriched the social, cultural or civic life of his or her community. The award pays tribute to this accomplishment, while simultaneously showing how seniors are making a difference in the lives of those around them.

Nominations are reviewed by Council in April each year, with award presentations typically held in June or July.

More information on the Senior of the Year Award can be found on the Government of Ontario’s website.

Nomination Criteria

Nominees must:

• have contributed to the community after the age of 65;
• have made their community a better place to live;
• be an individual (not a couple or a group);
• be a current resident in the jurisdiction of the Town of Kirkland Lake; and
• give permission to be nominated and verify the accuracy of the information being submitted.

Seniors who qualify for this award may have contributed to many different fields such as the arts, literature, community service, volunteering, education, environment, fitness, and humanitarian activities. Nominees cannot be someone currently holding political office.

Nominate a Senior for the Award

Nominations may be submitted at any time. The nomination deadline for the 2026 award is March 31, 2026.

Any nominations submitted after that date will be held over to the 2027 award.

Visit the Government of Ontario's Nomination Portal

Selection and Announcement

All nominations are reviewed by the Province, overseen by the Ministry of Citizenship and Culturalism. The Senior of the Year award is presented by the Mayor at the beginning of a Regular Council meeting during the summer months, based on the recipient’s scheduling availability.

Previous Award Recipients

2025 – Beverly McChesney- Rumble