Honours and Awards

Order of Ontario

Frequently Asked Questions

Investiture is a ceremony in which someone becomes a member of a group. In this case, appointees or those named as members become invested into The Order of Ontario, and are members for the rest of their lives.

Members of The Order of Ontario can use the initials 'O.Ont.' after their name.

Anyone who has lived in Ontario for a long period of time and who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, benefiting the people of Ontario or anywhere in the world.

About 25 people are invested into The Order of Ontario each year.

The Order of Ontario medal is in the shape of the Ontario trillium, our floral emblem. It includes Ontario’s Shield of Arms, and the Crown. The colours of the ribbon are red (the colour of the Ontario Ensign), white and green (the colours of the trillium), and gold. The member’s name and year of investiture are engraved on the back of the medal.

Anyone can make a nomination.

Your nominee must be living at the time you make the nomination.

If your nominee’s achievement is in community service, you may also wish to consider a nomination for the Volunteer Service Awards, Outstanding Achievement Awards for Voluntarism in Ontario, the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship or the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers.

Yes. They include:

• National Order of Canada
• Order of Quebec
• Saskatchewan Order of Merit
• Order of British Columbia
• Alberta Order of Excellence
• Order of Prince Edward Island
• Order of Manitoba
• Order of New Brunswick
• Order of Nova Scotia
• Order of Newfoundland and Labrador