Finalists for the Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize Announced

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - From an impressive pool of submissions, 36 finalists for the Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize have been chosen. See who they are here www.thewalrus.ca/LGvisionariesprize.

The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario announced the launch of the Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize, administered in partnership with the Walrus Foundation, in September 2016. The prize provides a platform for Ontario's most creative thinkers to present their solutions to the challenges that Ontarians and Canadians will face over the next 50 years.

There are six groups of six finalists in each category, with each group representing one topic. Each group will travel to one of six major Ontario cities (listed below) to present their ideas before a panel of judges and an audience that will include policy makers and industry leaders. These visionary ideas will address topics ranging from environmental stewardship to the future of governance in Canada. Audiences around the province will have the opportunity to hear and vote on refreshing ideas about issues like police reform, housing, and sustainability. A winner will be declared in each category and receive $2,500, a feature in The Walrus magazine, and recognition from The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Complete information about the Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize -- and how you can book your tickets -- is available on the Walrus Foundation's website at www.thewalrus.ca/LGvisionariesprize.

Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize: Challenge Categories, Locations, Dates, and Judges

Head Judge
Piya Chattopadhyay
Host of CBC Radio's Out in the Open, an adventurous and wide-ranging program that each week explores one timely topic and how it affects regular people. Dedicated to tackling challenging issues, the show encourages us to have difficult and crucial conversations.

Category Judges

Reconciliation
Thunder Bay, September 13, 2017
Laurie Robinson
Special Advisor to the Deputy Minister on Indigenous Issues, Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development

Inclusive Prosperity
Windsor, September 21, 2017
Annette Verschuren
Former president of Home Depot Canada, CEO of NRStor Inc

Governance
Kingston, September 19, 2017
Steve Paikin
Anchor of TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin

Environmental Stewardship
Waterloo, September 26, 2017
Edward Burtynsky
Photographer, Officer of the Order of Canada

Social Cohesion
Brampton, September 28, 2017
Sanjay Khanna
Futurist, Thought leader

Scientific and Technological Innovation
Toronto, October 2, 2017
Ilse Treurnicht
CEO of MaRS Discovery District

The Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize is managed by the Walrus Foundation in partnership with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and is supported by the Ontario Government through its Ontario150 program as part of Canada's sesquicentennial celebrations.

About the Walrus Foundation
The Walrus Foundation is a registered charitable non-profit organization with an educational mandate to create forums for conversations on matters vital to Canadians. The foundation is dedicated to supporting writers, artists, ideas, and thought-provoking conversation. We achieve these goals across multiple platforms by publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year in print, tablet, and mobile editions; curating the national series of Walrus Talks and leadership dinners; posting original, high-quality content daily at thewalrus.ca; and developing other digital projects. The foundation also trains young professionals in media, publishing, and non-profit development.

About Ontario150
In 2017, Canada will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation. As a founding province of Confederation, Ontario will be marking the occasion by supporting events and programs across the province that showcase our diversity, encourage Ontarians to get involved, and celebrate and leave a lasting legacy for communities across the province to enjoy. This is a chance to reflect on our history and look ahead toward the next 150 years in Ontario. The Ontario150 program is intended to engage Ontarians of all ages, but especially our youth, who will help lay the groundwork for strong economic, social, and cultural legacies for the next generation.