Awards

Click to expand the below awards titles to view their descriptions.

Richard J. Armstrong Leadership Award

Background:

The Richard J. Armstrong Leadership Award is awarded annually to an individual recognized for both outstanding leadership and significant contributions to Paramedicine in Ontario.

Criteria:

During the period being considered, the nominee must be employed by an Ontario Paramedic Service or Emergency Medical Service provider. The award may be presented for a particular action or a continuing commitment that the committee views as worthy of the award.

Number of Awards Presented Annually:

One per year; presented only when richly deserved.

Award Description:

The RJA Leadership Award was presented for the first time at the Annual AMEMSO conference in London, in September 2008. It is important that we recognize Ontario’s finest Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs and Managers.

Nomination Deadline:

Award submissions are accepted until June 30th each year for presentation at the OAPC Honours and Awards Gala in September. Information on nominating worthy candidates can be obtained by contacting the OAPC Executive Director.

Nomination and Selection Process:

Anyone may nominate an individual(s). Nominations are to be completed via the online nomination form, which you can access here. Please describe the activity in detail, and include copies of news clippings, related incident reports, any awards or commendations already received for this incident. All nominations are reviewed by the OAPC Board of Directors, and only those deemed worthy of the Award are approved. Nomination information will be sent to the OAPC Past-President and the OAPC Executive Director.  If you would like to follow-up on your submission, email x.d@oapc.ca.

OAPC Humanitarian Award

Background:

The OAPC HUMANITARIAN AWARD (introduced in 2012) recognizes an act or acts of unselfish donation of time and/or money by paramedic or emergency medical services professionals to relieve the suffering of humanity. Such activities may include disaster relief (at home or abroad) or the compassionate and altruistic support provided to refugees. It is not an annual award and only presented on merit.

Criteria:

During the period being considered, the nominee must be employed by an Ontario Paramedic Service or Emergency Medical Service provider. The award may be presented for a particular action or a continuing commitment that the committee views as worthy of the award.

Number of Awards Presented Annually:

No Limit; presented only when richly deserved.

Nomination Deadline:

Award submissions are accepted until June 30th each year for presentation at the OAPC Honours and Awards Gala in September. Nominations do not have to be related to incidents that occurred during the current year, but except in extenuating circumstances, will not have occurred more than five calendar years before the nomination date.

Nomination and Selection Process:

Anyone may nominate an individual(s). Nominations are to be completed via the online nomination form, which you can access here. Please describe the activity in detail, and include copies of news clippings, related incident reports, any awards or commendations already received for this incident. All nominations are reviewed by the OAPC Board of Directors, and only those deemed worthy of the Award are approved. Nomination information will be sent to the OAPC Executive Director and the OAPC Treasurer.  If you would like to follow-up on your submission, email x.d@oapc.ca.

Exemplary Service Medal

Applications will be accepted until midnight December 5 2025 for the 2026 Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal.

 

Background:

As part of the Canadian Honours Programme, the Governor General makes available Exemplary Service Medals for EMS professionals. The Award was created in 1994 and is available to eligible members of the pre-hospital emergency medical service who have served for at least twenty years in a meritorious manner. It recognizes those professionals who have performed their duties in an exemplary manner, characterized by the highest standards of good conduct, industry and efficiency. To qualify, at least ten of these years of service must have been street level duty involving potential risk to the individual.

Criteria:

During the period being considered, the nominee must be, or have been:

  • An emergency medical services employee, employed specifically and exclusively as a profession in that capacity on or after October 31, 1991. For clarification emergency medical services means those divisions of Canadian Ambulance services engaged in the provision of pre-hospital emergency medical services to the general public; and
  • Have completed at least twenty years of service with emergency medical services, at least ten years of which have been served in the performance of duties involving potential risk, as determined by the Advisory Committee; and
  • Have a record of exemplary service of such a high standard as to merit award of the medal.

The Paramedic Service Chief or designate, or the most senior recent EMS employer, must approve any award nomination for it to be considered by the Committee.  Where the Chief is nominated the senior municipal official must approve the nomination.  As prescribed by the Regulations governing these awards, nominations may only be submitted by the nominee’s current or immediate past management staff.  The nominee must have at least 20 years of exemplary service in Canadian EMS, at least 10 years of which must have been in a position of risk.  All nominees are required to be free of significant discipline, for actions which include but are not limited to violations of patient care standards, patient confidentiality, or Criminal Code offences.  By submitting the nomination, the nominator certifies that these conditions have been met and that the Nominee is in every way deserving of the Award.

Number of Awards Presented Annually:

No Limit. Presented only when richly deserved.

Nomination Deadline:

Nominations for the 2026 Exemplary Service Medal are open until midnight December 5 2025.

Nomination and Selection Process:

The completed Ontario Information Form for each nominee, along with the completed Chancellery nomination form for the service or employer, are to be completed and submitted to the Ontario Awards Committee Chair.  Links to the forms, and to the guidelines for nomination and eligibility, are available here:

 

 

NOTE: IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE ACCESSING THE FORMS I.E. GET STUCK ON A ‘PLEASE WAIT’ MESSAGE, DO THE FOLLOWING:

 

1. SELECT THE DOWNLOAD ICON AND THEN SAVE THE DOCUMENT TO YOUR DESKTOP.

 

 

2.LAUNCH ADOBE READER AND OPEN THE SAVED DOCUMENT FROM THERE. 

How to submit:

Forward the completed Chancellery Nomination Form and all completed OIF forms to ESMnominations@oapc.ca and a copy to troy.cheseboro@durham.ca

All nominations are reviewed and considered by the OAPC Ontario Awards Committee prior to submission to the Chancellery.  Only those deemed worthy of the award are submitted as recommendations for award to the Chancellery.

Awards ceremony:

Initial award of the medal is presented, where possible, during the annual general meeting of OAPC, held in the fall of each year.

The award of subsequent bars is arranged at special event later in the fall to recognize nominees with 30, 40 or 50 years service in an appropriate manner.

Questions:

Information on nominating worthy candidates for either award can be obtained by contacting the Ontario Awards Committee Chair, Troy Cheseboro (troy.cheseboro@durham.ca)