U of T president Meric Gertler has been named one of 69 new appointees to the Order of Canada for his contribution in field of geography.
According to the December 30 announcement made by the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, Gertler has been named in honour of “his research in urban geography, notably for his influential studies of innovation, technology, and development in cities”.
The Order of Canada, which was created in 1967, is the second highest civilian award for merit in Canada. The award recognizes “outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation” from people in all sectors of Canadian society.
Gertler has written over 80 journal articles and book chapters in his field. His research revolves around “the geography of innovative activity and the economies of city-regions”.
In addition to Gertler, several other U of T faculty, alumni, and community members are being honoured with the Order of Canada, or promoted to a higher level within it, including Brenda Andrews, Kent Roach, Frances Shepherd, George Baird, Margaret MacMillan, Atom Egoyan, Rohinton Mistry, Patricia Cranton, and Helen Vari.
“I’m delighted to see the Order of Canada celebrating so many members of the University of Toronto community. These leading scholars and dedicated citizens have made extraordinary contributions to our country and our world and I’m pleased to offer them my congratulations. It’s an unexpected honour to be included among their number,” Gertler said.
Wow. Congrats!