Governor General's Innovation Awards - 2023

Governor General's Innovation Awards

The Innovation Awards recognize and celebrate outstanding Canadian individuals, teams and organizations trailblazers and creators who contribute to our country's success, who help shape our future and who inspire the next generation.

Governor General's Innovation Awards


The Governor General's Innovation Awards are to celebrate excellence in innovation across all sectors of Canadian society and inspire Canadians, particularly Canadian youth, to be entrepreneurial innovators. The Awards are given to individuals, teams and/or organizations whose innovations are truly exceptional, transformative, and positive in their impact on quality of life in Canada. They recognize active, current innovators across the breadth of our economy and society the Awards help foster an active culture that celebrates innovation that is having a meaningful impact on our lives.

Recipients from previous years can be found here

Eligibility

Eligible nominees for this award are:

  • Citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
  • Individuals, Teams, or Organizations for any sector.

Please note: The awards are not intended for lifetime achievement or innovations that have not yet demonstrated impact.

Nomination Process

Nominations are sought through a national network of organizations that have been designated as nominating partners

Universities Canada is a 2024 nominating partner of the Governor General's Innovation Awards and will be submitting nominations on behalf of its member institutions.

Nominations must include:

  • Contact details for the nominee or team members and the nominating partner

  • Confirmation that the nominee(s) is/are aware of and accept(s) the nomination

  • A summary explaining the nature, significance and impact of the nominee's innovation or innovative activities. (Maximum 500 characters, including spaces.)

  • Specific evidence of how the nomination addresses each of the three selection criteria. In order to fully inform the merit-review adjudication please address the following questions:

    1. Inspiration: How does the process leading to this innovation, its implementation and its developer(s) inspire future innovators in Canada? (Maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)

    2. Leadership: How did the innovator(s) demonstrate leadership in their work on this innovation? Discuss evidence of initiative, collaboration, risk-taking and problem-solving in the process of developing and implementing the innovation. (Maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)

    3. Impact: Does the innovation in question have a positive effect in the world? Describe the successful implementation of the innovation in the sector, economy, society or culture, and the role of the nominee(s) in that implementation. (maximum 2000 characters, including spaces)

If the innovation is not commercialized, or if impact is not easily quantifiable, please use qualitative data and/or storytelling to demonstrate the transformative impact.

Complete the nomination online using the Submission Portal

Deadlines

Internal NOI - October 19, 2023

  • Email rwprizes@uwo.ca if you intend to submit an innovation for consideration to Universities Canada

External - November 2, 2023

  • Submit an innovation for consideration to Universities Canada using the Submission Portal

Contact

Potential nominators and nominees are asked to contact Research Awards & Distinctions at rwprizes@uwo.ca regarding Western Research support and coordination of your nomination.