OTTAWA, Ontario, Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Trust for Canada announced the nine recipients of the 2026 National Trust Governors Awards at a glittering ceremony during its annual conference, held this year in Waterloo Region. Presented each year, the awards celebrate exceptional contributions to communities across the country through care for heritage places.
“The Governors Award winners demonstrate the impact that individuals can make in building a stronger society,” said Dr. Shabnam Inanloo Dailoo, Chair of the National Trust’s Board of Governors. “These projects—and the dedication of the people who made them happen—are truly inspiring.”
From a Yukon island threatened by storms and erosion to a former Residential School now open to the public, these projects reflect the breadth of Canada’s heritage and the many hands that sustain it. They remind us that conserving the places that matter is an act of community, and an investment in the future. The projects demonstrate the ways that heritage contributes to a more inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant society.
Together, they show that heritage is not just about saving something from the past but building the communities that we want today and tomorrow.
2026 Governors Awards Recipients
- Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals – Unlocking the Value of Existing Buildings Report
- Ontario Place Protectors (Toronto, ON) – Supreme Court challenge to the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act
- Friends of Centennial Square (Victoria, BC) – Advocacy for the preservation of Victoria’s Centennial Fountain
- Woodland Cultural Centre (Brantford, ON) – Conservation and interpretation of the former Mohawk Institute
- Region of Waterloo, Entuitive, and Moses Structural Engineers (Waterloo Region, ON) – Restoration of the West Montrose Covered Bridge
- Upper Canada Village, Keisha Cuffie, and Helen Muleme (Morrisburg, ON) – Upper Canada Village’s permanent Black history exhibit
- BGLA Architecture and Le Domaine Forget de Charlevoix (Saint-Irénée, QC) – Adaptive restoration of Saint-Irénée church
- Heather Harris (Prince Edward Island) – Social media profile ‘Old Island Homes’
- Herschel Island–Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park Project Team (University of Calgary and the Government of Yukon (YT) – Documenting the heritage of Herschel Island — Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park
Visit www.nationaltrustcanada.ca/awards for more about the National Trust Awards.
Media Contact
Allison Kerns, Manager of Communications
National Trust for Canada
akerns@nationaltrustcanada.ca
613-237-1066 ext. 233
About the National Trust for Canada
Created in 1973, the National Trust for Canada is the leading national charity dedicated to the conservation and promotion of Canada’s historic places. The Trust believes that heritage places address the needs of communities today by fostering identity, driving economic activity, enhancing belonging, advancing Reconciliation, supporting climate resilience, and promoting well-being.
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