RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2018 announced
What does a dad of three NHL stars, a senator, a vaccine researcher and a Raptors “Superfan” have in common? They are all winners in the 10th annual RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards.
From coast to coast, the 2018 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants are a true reflection of Canada’s culture, diversity and nation-building spirit. From Karl Subban, an educator who has guided his three sons to NHL stardom, to Senator Ratna Omidvar, who has been a lifelong diversity advocate, to Mario Monteiro, an influential vaccine researcher, this year’s winners are a testament to the immigrant spirit. See all 25 winners here.
For the last 10 years, the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards have highlighted stories of Canadian immigrants who have demonstrated incredible contributions and achievements in Canada. This year’s winners will be honoured at ceremonies in Toronto today, and in Vancouver on June 27.
From among the Top 25 winners, two people will also be selected for special recognition, the RBC Entrepreneur Award and the Youth Award. Kundan Joshi, founder and CEO of TheAppLabb, is the fourth annual recipient of the RBC Entrepreneur Award for excellence in entrepreneurship. Philippines-born Loizza Aquino, 18, is the second annual Youth Award winner. From Winnipeg, she is the founder of the youth-led non-profit organization called Peace of Mind, which focuses on mental health advocacy.
“The RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards celebrate the outstanding accomplishments and leadership of newcomers across Canada. Now in its 10th year and with more than 250 newcomers recognized [since 2008], the awards highlight our country’s diversity, and the contributions and positive impact newcomers have been making in our communities. Congratulations to all winners and nominees,” says Ivy Chiu, senior director, newcomer strategy at RBC.
Hundreds of nominations were received, from which 75 finalists were shortlisted by a diverse judging panel of past winners. Nearly 60,000 online votes were cast. The 25 winners were chosen based on a combination of votes and a second round of judging.
New Settlement Agency Award
Concurrent with the RBC Top 25 campaign this year, the Settlement Agency Award was introduced to recognize the amazing work immigrant settlement agencies are doing to help newcomers integrate and succeed in Canada. We invited nominations from across the country and the nominated agencies were posted for an online voting process. The winner of the first Settlement Agency Award is ISSofBC. Read more about the winning agency here.