Canadian River Heritage Award
Canada is made up of rivers, so it’s only right that people who go above and beyond to preserve Canada’s river heritage should be celebrated.
The Canadian Heritage Rivers System in partnership with The Canadian Canoe Museum recognizes outstanding individual contributions to river heritage and conservation with The Canadian Heritage River Award.
Nominations are NOW OPEN for the 2025 Canadian River Heritage Award! We encourage those who know river champions that have made dedicated efforts to river heritage and conservation between 2021 and 2024 to submit a nomination. Nominations are open until January 19th, 2025.
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.
Background
The Canadian River Heritage Award was first presented as the Bill Mason National River Conservation Award in 1994 on the tenth anniversary of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS). It was subsequently presented triennially at Canadian river heritage conferences organized in association with the CHRS.
The inaugural recipient was Canadian Canoe Museum founder Kirk Wipper. Since then, other recipients have been: Haida artist, Bill Reid (1998); former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (2000); Algonquin Elder William Commanda (2004); artist, author and outfitter Hap Wilson (2007); paddler, author and river advocate Max Finkelstein (2009); river conservation advocate and long-time CHRS manager Don Gibson (2013); and wilderness advocates and educators Carol and Bruce Hodgins (2017).
In 2020, award criteria were updated through a partnership between the CHRS Board and The Canadian Canoe Museum, and the award was renamed The Canadian River Heritage Award to reflect its national significance while carrying forward the spirit in which it was originally conceived. The inaugural recipient of the renamed award was Bobbi Rose Koe, Teetl’it Gwich’in (meaning People of the headwaters) advocate for youth, river conservationist, and watershed protector (2021).
Award Criteria
Recipients are recognized as making an outstanding contribution of national significance to river heritage in Canada.
Nominations are considered based on two key criteria:
- Scope – the extent to which the nominee has positively contributed to Canada’s river heritage.
- Impact – the degree to which the actions of the nominee have had, or are expected to have, a profound and lasting influence on individuals and/or communities, and natural or cultural heritage in Canada.
Nominations will also be assessed regarding the degree to which the nominee’s accomplishments embrace diversity and advance inclusion.
While regionally important actions may be recognized, they must represent a unique and enduring contribution that is notable at a national scale.
Additional information about guidelines and procedures, including what the selection process and award presentation look like, are available here.
