The director | Sook-Yin Lee Beloved by Toronto since her turn as a VJ on Much Music, Sook-Yin Lee has since made a career of starring in and directing singular films that reflect her always-thoughtful, often unexpected approach to life. She’s also a solo recording artist and film composer. This year, Lee gave back to … Continued
The musician | Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell may not have released an album this year — or even in the past 17 years — but she’s still making headlines. She made a comeback to remember this year with an aptly-named “Joni Jam,” performing at the Hollywood Bowl for her first full L.A. show in 24 … Continued
The advocate | Zoë Dodd When the Ontario government announced that they would be closing multiple supervised consumption sites across Toronto, harm reduction advocate and co-organizer of the Toronto Overdose Prevention Society Zoë Dodd got to work. She took time to train community members how to reverse drug overdoses and spoke out against the policy, … Continued
The accessibility influencer | Taylor Lindsay-Noel Under the username @accessbytay, Taylor Lindsay-Noel is shining a light on something Toronto doesn’t talk about enough — accessibility. As someone who uses a wheelchair, she visits restaurants, bars and events throughout the city, reviewing each place for where they succeed and fail to account for accessibility. Her reviews … Continued
The Challenger — Zoë Keary-Matzner In 2019, seven Ontario youth did something remarkable — they decided to take Premier Ford and the government of Ontario to court because of climate change. Their court case argued that the government’s choice to weaken climate targets will lead to widespread illness and death, violating Ontarians’ Charter-protected rights to … Continued
The innovator | Tina Singh As an occupational therapist, Tina Singh knew her kids needed to wear a helmet — and when she couldn’t find ones that would fit them, and other Sikh children who keep their hair, she made her own. Her creation, Bold Helmets, is an innovative solution for children from diverse backgrounds, … Continued
The comedian | Andrea Martin Toronto may not have originally been Andrea Martin’s home, but we’re so grateful we can claim her as one of our own. She arrived in the city from New York in 1972 for a production of Godspell that would include future stars Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner and Martin Short, and … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Drake’s influence on Toronto is undeniable, and the iconic musician always finds a way to support the city. Case in point, Casuals Cakery, a new local bakery that decided to hold a Drake Era’s Lookalike Contest. Well, the fledgling operation just got a major boost when Champagne Papi himself decided to offer up a $10,000 … Continued
The entrepreneur | Ayesha Curry Ayesha Curry is doing it all as founder of lifestyle brand Sweet July, philanthropist, author, mother and chef. The multi-hyphenate started off as a food blogger, quickly launching a Food Network show and publishing cookbooks. In 2019, Sweet July began as a magazine and has now transformed into a storefront, … Continued
The doctor | Gelareh Zadeh Spearheading groundbreaking research on brain tumours and cancer, Dr. Gelareh Zadeh made headlines this year when her lab received $800,000 in funding from the NHL for research into brain tumours. She was also behind a recent study that discovered a tool to predict the risk of lung cancer spreading to … Continued
Lovers of holiday TV movies will recognize Brittany Bristow as the leading lady in their favourite films, including this season’s oh-so-festive My Sweet Austrian Holiday and The Christmas Chocolatier. But before she became Hallmark queen, she was Hallmark princess — daughter to Lief Bristow, director and producer of many of the channel’s top-rated Christmas movies. … Continued
There’s a new way to tune in for Monday night hockey — and Toronto’s own Andi Petrillo is leading the charge. The National Hockey League (NHL) is making its foray into the world of streaming with Prime Monday Night Hockey. Petrillo, co-host of the livestreaming show and host of another Prime Video venture, NHL Coast … Continued
