On the recommendation of the undersigned, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, by and with the advice and concurrence of the Executive Council of Ontario, orders that:

Whereas Order in Council 710/2015 dated May 27, 2015 (the “Continuation Order”) continued The Province of Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (the “Citizenship Medal”), The Province of Ontario Medal for Police Bravery (the “Police Medal”), The Province of Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery (the “Firefighters Medal”), and The Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers (the “Volunteers Medal”) (collectively, the “Medals”);

And whereas the Continuation Order dissolved the Advisory Councils for the Citizenship Medal, the Police Medal, the Firefighters Medal, and the Volunteers Medal;

And whereas the Continuation Order established the Ontario Honours Advisory Council (the “Council”) as an advisory body accountable to the then Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade, comprised of the Citizenship Division to consider nominations and nominate appointees for the Citizenship Medal and Volunteers Medal and the Bravery Division to consider nominations and nominate appointees for the Police Medal and the Firefighters Medal;

And whereas the Continuation Order amended several Orders in Council, specifically:

  1. O.C. 1569/73 dated June 14, 1973 establishing the Citizenship Medal and the Advisory Council for that award;
  2. O.C. 2693/75 dated October 29, 1975 establishing the Police Medal and the Advisory Council for the award;
  3. O.C. 2482/76 dated September 1, 1976 establishing the Firefighters Medal and the Advisory Council for the award; and
  4. O.C. 471/99 dated March 10, 1999 establishing the Volunteers Medal and the Advisory Council for the award; (collectively, the “Establishment Orders”)

And whereas the Continuation Order delineated other aspects of the Medals and the Council, including the membership of the Council and the membership of the Citizenship Division and the Bravery Division;

And whereas the Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery currently exists but has not been formally established by way of an Order in Council;

And whereas it is desired to continue the Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery as The Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery (the “Paramedic Medal”) and to establish the Paramedic Medal by Order in Council;

And whereas it is desired to establish a provincial honour decoration to recognize individual acts of superlative courage performed by paramedics of Ontario’s ambulance services to be exemplified by a medal incorporating in its design the symbol or symbols of particular significance for the Province of Ontario for presentation to individuals deemed worthy of particular recognition;

And whereas the Council’s Bravery Division is to consider nomination for the Paramedic Medal and nominate individuals with the greatest merit for the award of the medal;

And whereas it is desirable to consolidate the Continuation Order and the still in force provisions of the Establishment Orders into a single Order in Council and revoke the Continuation Order and the Establishment Orders;

Now therefore, pursuant to the prerogative of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario to establish advisory bodies and to provide for the appointment of advisors to serve Her Majesty’s Government of Ontario:

  1. The award known as The Province of Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is continued as The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship (the “Citizenship Medal”).
  2. The award known as The Province of Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery is continued as The Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery (the “Firefighter Medal”).
  3. The award known as The Province of Ontario Medal for Police Bravery is continued as The Ontario Medal for Police Bravery (the “Police Medal”).
  4. The award known as The Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers (the “Volunteer Medal”) is continued.
  5. The award known as The Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery (the “Paramedic Medal”) is established.
  6. The Volunteer Medal is a provincial honour awarded to individuals to recognize exceptional voluntary achievement by young people and outstanding behaviour of a kind that exemplifies the qualities of good citizenship and will be evidenced by a medal to be awarded to recipients of the Volunteer Medal.
  7. The Citizenship Medal is a Canadian Honours System medal awarded to individuals to recognize:
    1. personal sacrifice in the common good in all areas of our society;
    2. outstanding behaviour of a kind that exemplifies the qualities of good citizenship; and
    3. the virtue that leads some citizens to act in a particularly generous, kind or self-sacrificing way in the common good without expectation of reward.

    The Citizenship Medal shall not be awarded to an individual:

    1. to recognize success, achievement or manifest personal merit;
    2. holding a public office under authority of the Government of Ontario during occupancy of the office or for services for the common good performed while holding public office; or
    3. for services performed during the normal course of professional or business duties or as recognition of the fact that those duties have been performed in a distinguished fashion.

    The Citizenship Medal will be evidenced by a medal to be awarded to recipients of the Citizenship Medal.

  8. A Canadian Honours System decoration for presentation to those individuals receiving the Police Medal is a Canadian Honours system medal awarded to individuals to recognize acts of superlative courage and bravery performed in the line of duty and will be evidenced by a medal awarded to recipients of the Police Medal.
  9. A Canadian Honours System decoration for presentation to those members of Ontario’s firefighter forces receiving the Firefighter Medal is a Canadian Honours System medal to recognize acts of superlative courage and bravery performed in the line of duty and will be evidenced by a medal awarded to recipients of the Firefighter Medal.
  10. The Paramedic Medal is a provincial honour medal to recognize individual acts of superlative courage performed by paramedics of Ontario’s ambulance services and will be evidenced by a medal awarded to recipients of the Paramedic Medal.
  11. The Ontario Honours Advisory Council (the “Council”) is continued as an advisory body, accountable to the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, to consider nominations for the Medals.
  12. The Council shall operate in accordance with a terms of reference to be developed by the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, which may be amended from time to time, and which may include information concerning governance of the Council, the roles and responsibilities of the Council and its members, conflict of interest rules for Council members, record keeping by the Council, eligibility for nomination and receipt of the awards, and the evaluation of nominations by the Council.
  13. There shall be a Secretary who shall maintain the records of the Council and perform such other functions in respect of the Medals as may be required
  14. The Council shall be divided into two divisions: a Citizenship Division and a Bravery Division.
  15. The Council’s Citizenship Division shall consider nominations for the Citizenship Medal and the Volunteer Medal and compile lists of those nominees who, in the Citizenship Division’s opinion, have the greatest merit for the award of each medal.
  16. The Council’s Bravery Division shall consider nominations for the Police Medal, the Firefighter Medal and the Paramedic Medal and compile lists of those nominees who, in the Bravery Division’s opinion, have the greatest merit for the award of each medal.
  17. The Council’s membership shall be comprised as follows:
    1. the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario shall be the Council’s Honorary Chair;
    2. the Council shall have one part-time Chair, to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, who shall be responsible for:
      1. attending all meetings of, and participating in all voting by, the Council’s Citizenship Division and Bravery Division;
      2. overseeing the Council’s Citizenship Division and Bravery Division;
      3. submitting to the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism any list of nominees who, in the opinion of the Council’s Citizenship Division, have the greatest merit to be awarded the Citizenship Medal or the Volunteer Medal;
      4. submitting to the Minister of the Solicitor General any list of nominees who, in the opinion of the Council’s Bravery Division, have the greatest merit to be awarded the Police Medal or the Firefighter Medal; and
      5. submitting to the Minister of Health any list of nominees who, in the opinion of the Council’s Bravery Division, have the greatest merit for the award of the Paramedic Medal.
    3. the Council’s Citizenship Division shall have up to ten voting members including the Chair, to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, one of whom shall be designated Vice-Chair of the Council;
    4. the Council’s Bravery Division shall have up to eleven voting members, including the Chair, to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, one of whom shall be designated Vice-Chair of the Council and the remainder of whom shall be comprised of up to three retired police officers, up to three retired firefighters and up to three retired paramedics; and
    5. in addition to (d) above, the Fire Marshal of Ontario, the Associate Chair of the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, and the Director of the Emergency Health Regulatory and Accountability Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Health shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of the Council’s Bravery Division.
  18. The Medals shall only be conferred by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario upon the Council’s recommendation.
  19. The Council’s appointed members shall, at the recommendation of the Premier, serve at the pleasure of the Lieutenant Governor in Council for a term not exceeding three years and may be reappointed for subsequent terms, each of which cannot exceed three years, for a total term of no greater than nine years.
  20. The Council’s members shall receive no remuneration for serving on the Council but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred while engaged in the Council’s business in accordance with the relevant directives, guidelines and policies of the Treasury Board and Management Board of Cabinet.
  21. Orders-in-Council 710/2015, 1569/73, 2693/75, 2482/76, and 471/99 are hereby revoked.
Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism

Approved and Ordered: February 24, 2022

Amended by: Order in Council 989/2023