Canadian Public Health Association | Association Canadienne de Santé Publique
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Canadian Public Health Association

Honorary awards program

Each year, we honour individuals or organizations who provide outstanding service to their community and profession. Our members nominate candidates for the awards.

R.D. Defries Award

The R.D. Defries Award is CPHA’s highest award. Instituted in 1965, the Award is presented annually in the form of a medal and citation to a CPHA member for outstanding contributions in the broad field of public health, preference being given to Canadian contributions and individuals who have substantially supported CPHA's objectives and activities. Robert Davies Defries, CBE, MD, DPH, LLD (Sask), DrPH (Montreal), for whom the award is named, devoted a lifetime to the interest of public health in Canada and particularly to CPHA of which he was an Honorary Life Member. The Defries Award carries with it an Honorary Life Membership. Honoree will receive:

  • Medal, Citation and Honorary Life Membership

Honorary Life Membership

Honorary Life Membership is awarded to a CPHA member for excellence as an educator, researcher or practitioner in the field of public health, as demonstrated by achievements, outstanding research or distinguished service in the advancement of public health knowledge, practice or policy. Preference is given to individuals who have substantially supported CPHA’s objectives and activities. Honoree will receive:

  • Citation and Honorary Life Membership

Certificate of Merit

The Certificate of Merit provides CPHA with an opportunity to give official recognition to an individual, group or organization for noteworthy services to public health and that furthered CPHA in achieving its objectives. Nominees are not required to be a CPHA member. Honoree will receive:

  • Citation and a one-year complimentary membership to CPHA

Ron Draper Health Promotion Award

The Ron Draper Health Promotion Award is presented to an individual, group or organization engaged in community work to acknowledge a significant contribution to health promotion to build healthy public policy, create environments that support health, enable community action, enhance personal skills, and/or re-orient health services. Nominees are not required to be a CPHA member. Honoree will receive:

  • Citation and a one-year complimentary membership to CPHA

National Public Health Hero Award

CPHA’s National Public Health Hero Award was created to broaden awareness and understanding of public health by recognizing members of the Canadian public for their significant contributions and exceptional commitment to promoting and protecting the health of Canadians.  This award recognizes an individual or individuals whose efforts have resulted in a positive difference for the public’s health at the national level. A nominee must have demonstrated leadership, originality, perseverance and commitment to the health of the public and has contributed to the health and well-being of the community from outside of their scope of work or practice (i.e., the nominee does not work in the health sector). Nominees are not required to be a CPHA member. Honoree will receive:

  • Citation and a one-year complimentary membership to CPHA

Dr. John Hastings Student Award

The Dr. John Hastings Student Award is named in honour and memory of Dr. Hastings and his commitment to and belief in students as the future of public health in our country. Interested students self-nominate for this award as part of the abstract submission process to the annual conference. An award valued at $500 will be given to the Masters student and the PhD student with the top-rated abstracts (as determined by the peer-review process).