Outstanding Group of Canadians to be Inducted in 20th Anniversary Year. Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards Show Event to be held at the Sony Centre on December 1, 2018 and set to air later in the month on CTV.
(Toronto, ON) Monday, July 23, 2018 – Canada’s Walk of Fame announced its 2018 Inductees today. The Inductees represent the organization’s five pillars of recognition: Sports and Athletics, Philanthropy and Humanities, Arts and Entertainment, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Science and Technology. Inductions will be held at the Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards show at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto on December 1, 2018, followed by a 20th Anniversary Gala celebration to be held at the Fairmont Royal York. The show will be broadcast in December on CTV.
The 2018 Canada’s Walk of Fame Inductees are:
- Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (Sports and Athletics) – The most decorated figure skaters in Olympic history. They have won the hearts and minds of people across Canada and around the world with their athleticism, artistry, and chemistry on the ice.
- Andrea Martin (Arts and Entertainment) – Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress, singer, author, and comedian known for her roles in Pippin on Broadway, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Good Fight, and SCTV.
- Col. Chris Hadfield (Science and Technology) – The first Canadian to walk in space, the first Canadian spaceship commander, a New York Times bestselling author, a YouTube sensation, and a renowned speaker.
- Leonard Cohen (Legend Inductee) – Iconic poet, singer-songwriter, and novelist respected and loved worldwide, whose classic songs include “Suzanne”, “Bird on a Wire”, and “Hallelujah”.
- Andy Kim (Arts and Entertainment) – Award-winning singer-songwriter whose career has flourished for 50 years. He is best known for hits including “Baby, I Love You”, “Sugar Sugar” and “Rock Me Gently”, and has sold over 30 million records.
- Dr. Joanne Liu (Philanthropy and Humanities) – As International President of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF/Doctors Without Borders) since 1 October, 2013, Dr. Liu has provided support after the tsunami in Indonesia, assisted people affected by the earthquake and cholera epidemic in Haiti, and worked with Somali refugees in Kenya amongst many other crises.
- Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (Arts and Entertainment) – These childhood friends have collaborated to bring their unique and hilarious brand of comedy to people around the world through box office and television hits including Superbad and Sausage Party.
- Jimmy Pattison (Business and Entrepreneurship) – Entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, Jimmy rose from selling vegetable seeds to building a business empire with The Jim Pattison Group, Canada’s second largest private company.
“Now, more than ever, we are embracing and celebrating our unique and strong Canadian identity,” said Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “Canada thrives because of its people, and Canada’s Walk of Fame is working to inspire, empower, and recognize excellence in our country. Each of our Inductees this year has a different story of success, of giving back, and overcoming obstacles to reach their goals. We will tell more of these stories as we move through our 20th anniversary – the inspiration and path to success, not just the success itself.”
“We are honoured to bring our viewers across the country the opportunity to engage with these amazing Inductees when the Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards broadcast airs on CTV in December,” said Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media.
Canada’s Walk of Fame has recognized Canadians who have excelled on national and international stages in their respective fields, including music, sports, film and television, literary, visual and performing arts, science, innovation, philanthropy, and social justice. In its 20th year, the organization is deepening its commitment and broadening its impact across Canada with new initiatives including Hometown Stars, presented by Cineplex (where Inductees receive stars in Toronto and their hometowns), and expanded existing programs like the RBC Emerging Musician Program to mean more to more people more often.
CTV is the broadcast partner of Canada’s Walk of Fame. Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards will air on CTV and CTV GO in December. John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Jeffrey Latimer, and Randy Lennox are Executive Producers of Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards.
