Fourteen exceptional people who have made an outstanding provincial, national or international impact will be appointed to the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest form of recognition and an official part of the Canadian Honours System.

“As representative of the Crown in British Columbia and as chancellor of the Order of British Columbia, I am honoured to welcome these 14 members,” said Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of British Columbia. “This honour is a mark of excellence, reflected in the service and achievements of these incredible British Columbians. Their accomplishments have left an indelible mark on their communities, and ensuing legacies will impact our province to the benefit of future generations. It is my great pleasure to share my congratulations to all new appointments to the order.”

This year, 224 British Columbians were nominated. These new additions bring the total membership of the Order of British Columbia to 503. Members have been appointed from all parts of the province.

“While they are not officially part of the Marvel Universe, these 14 remarkable individuals are superheroes. They have contributed in unique and profound ways to our province, our nation and beyond, through leadership, selflessness and generosity,” said Premier David Eby. “Congratulations to all on their appointment to the Order of British Columbia.”

Appointed to the Order for 2023 are:

• Dr. Penny J. Ballem of Vancouver
• Evanna Brennan of Vancouver
• Dr. Jane Buxton of Vancouver
• Pieter R. Cullis, OC, of Vancouver
• Samuel L. Feldman of Vancouver
• Gordon J. Fyfe of Saanich
• Susan Giles of Vancouver
• Byng Giraud of Winlaw
• Chief Councillor Harold Leighton of Prince Rupert
• Susan I. Paish, KC, of North Vancouver
• George C. Reifel, MGC, of Vancouver
• Ryan Reynolds of New York, N.Y.
• Daljit Thind of Vancouver
• Patricia Woroch of Surrey

The B.C. government has worked to increase awareness of the Province’s highest honour to ensure that outstanding people from all walks of life and from all parts of the province have an opportunity to be honoured. The Province has received more than 6,600 public nominations for the Order of B.C. over the past 34 years.

An independent advisory council selects members of the Order of B.C. The 2023 advisory council consisted of:

• Robert J. Bauman (chair), chief justice of British Columbia;
• Raj Chouhan, speaker of the legislative assembly;
• Deborah Buszard, interim president and vice-chancellor, University of British Columbia;
• Silas Brownsey, deputy minister, Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat;
• Jen Ford, president, Union of British Columbia Municipalities;
• Gerry St. Germain, Order of B.C. recipient 2022; and
• Harinder Mahil, Order of B.C. recipient 2022.

The Order of B.C. investiture ceremony for 2023 recipients and invited guests will be at Government House in Victoria in the late fall.

The Province’s other honour, the Medal of Good Citizenship, recognizes people who have gone above and beyond without expectation of reward in service to their communities. Nominations for the Medal of Good Citizenship are open and must be received by Sept. 4, 2023, to be considered for this year.

Learn More:

The Order of British Columbia: http://www.orderofbc.gov.bc.ca

For information about the Medal of Good Citizenship, including how to submit a nomination, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/medalofgoodcitizenship

Nomination forms and submission instructions are available online, by telephone at 250 387-1616, or by email: bchonoursandawards@gov.bc.ca

Biographies of recipients: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BiographiesOBC2023.pdf

A backgrounder follows.