TORONTO — On second anniversary of the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the provincial government is renaming the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (OMGC) to the Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (QEIIOMGC). The renaming of this provincial medal of merit celebrates the connection between those who are bestowed this honour and Her Late Majesty’s sense of duty and exemplary lifetime of service.
The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship was first presented by Queen Elizabeth II during a Royal Visit to Ontario in 1973. Since then, 573 Ontarians have received this honour, recognizing the many ways they have driven positive change in their communities and helped build a stronger province.
“The new name for this honour is a tribute to the strong connections forged between Her Late Majesty and our province during her long and extraordinary reign,” said the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. “The renamed medal will ensure her legacy of service will continue to inspire Ontario’s volunteers and civic leaders for generations to come.”
Applications are now open until January 15, 2025 and Ontarians are encouraged to submit nominations through the program’s application portal. Nominating someone is easy and can be done in three steps: gathering the required information; creating an account on the Ontario Honours and Awards Portal; and submitting the application on the portal.
“Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II led a life of leadership and exceptional service,” said Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. “The redesignation of the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship will ensure Her Majesty’s legacy continues to live on through this provincial medal of merit and its recipients.”
To be eligible for this honour, the nominated individuals must stand as a model Ontarian who exemplifies civic-mindedness, integrity and community leadership. The nominee must be a resident of Ontario and have contributed to areas meaningful to the Late Queen Elizabeth II, such as: the environment; arts and culture; seniors; education and youth; community and civic engagement; health care and hospices; social clubs; history and heritage; sport and recreation, faith or animal care.