Canada’s Citizenship Award – Eligibility

To be eligible, a nominee must:

• be a Canadian citizen currently residing in Canada (the award is not presented posthumously); and
• have done voluntary work at the local, regional or national level, to assist newcomers (permanent residents or Convention refugees) in integrating into Canadian society; or
• have promoted Canadian citizenship in such a way as to motivate new and established Canadians to be active citizens, contribute to their communities, appreciate our rights and uphold our responsibilities.

These activities could cover a wide range of possibilities. For example:

• helping newcomers when they arrive in Canada;
• developing and carrying out educational and counselling programs;
• promoting the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship, some of which are outlined in the new citizenship study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship; and
• ensuring that equal opportunities exist with respect to race and ethnicity.

Please note that individuals are eligible for this award only once.

Individuals who may not be nominated for Canada’s Citizenship Award are:

• senators
• members of Parliament
• members of a provincial legislature or territorial council
• members of municipal councils
• judges
• employees of Citizenship and Immigration Canada