TORONTO – Actors Keanu Reeves and retired Lt. Gen. Graham Greene. Romeo Dallaire and musician Bruce Cockburn are among this year’s inductees on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Singer-songwriter Jully Black, late blues artist Salome Bey, wrestling star Bret (The Hitman) Hart and decathlete Damian Warner were also announced as 2021 inductees on Wednesday.
Rounding out the list of ten are Cargojet CEO Ajay Virmani and the University of Toronto scientists who discovered insulin: Frederick Banting, Charles Best, John Macleod and James Collip.
Two special awards will also be presented at the Walk of Fame Gala on December 4th at the Beanfield Center in Toronto: the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honor to musician Serena Ryder and the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honor to Super Bowl winner Laurent Duvernay- Tardif.
Each year, the Canadian Walk of Fame recognizes Canada’s outstanding achievements in the arts and entertainment. entrepreneurship and philanthropy; Humanity; science, technology and innovation; and sports and athletics.
This year’s gala will air on CTV on a yet-to-be-announced date in December.
The latest additions bring the total number of inductees to 200. Canada’s Walk of Fame was founded in 1998 by the late Peter Soumalias, Bill Ballard and Dusty Cohl, along with Dianne Schwalm and in collaboration with Gary Slaight.
News of Soumalias’ death broke on the Walk of Fame’s Twitter account on Sunday.
Walk of Fame CEO Jeffrey Latimer recognized his contributions in a press release Wednesday that also announced the Class of 2021.
“Peter was a passionate visionary whose love for Canada and his commitment to celebrating our country’s great achievers and telling their stories will live on in the legacy he leaves behind,” said Latimer.
Canada’s Walk of Fame is a national non-profit organization that has evolved from honoring inductees with engraved street stars in Toronto’s entertainment district to a year-long nationwide series of programs and celebrations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2021.
“Pop culture fanatic. Introvert. Devoted food trailblazer. Bacon geek. Lifelong coffee evangelist.”