The Invasive Species Centre Awards are given annually to recognize and celebrate the leadership and commitment of individuals, groups, and organizations who help keep land and water in Canada free from invasive species. The core award categories recognize individuals who champion and demonstrate values of excellence, innovation, and leadership in invasive species prevention and management in Canada.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, November 24, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET. You can learn more about the award categories, criteria, and nomination submission process below.
We encourage you to nominate exceptional people in Canada who walk the walk on invasive species so that we can all celebrate their achievements together. Self-nominations are accepted and welcome! Nominees will be asked to accept their nomination and have an opportunity to submit supporting information.
Who should you nominate for an ISC Award?
- Individuals, groups, or organizations who demonstrate values of excellence, innovation, and leadership in invasive species prevention and management in Canada.
- Individuals or organizations whose work supports Indigenous action work on invasive species.
- Individuals involved in research, management, community science, municipalities, community groups, academia, education, Indigenous organizations, conservation areas, community groups, NGOs, non-profits, organizations, on-the-ground action, and more.
- For example, a candidate could be a municipality leader or stewardship leader who has found innovative ways to educate their communities, manage or prevent invasive species, and more. Below are past ISC Award winners.
Award winners will be announced at the virtual 2025 Annual Invasive Species Forum, taking place on February 18 – 20, 2025. The theme of this year’s forum is Advancing Community Action. Winners will receive a plaque and a monetary prize. Watch last year’s ISC Awards Ceremony.
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Award Categories
Career Achievement Award
The individual who will receive the Career Achievement Award will meet the following criteria:
- Consistently demonstrates high-value and high-quality results over a long-term period (20 years or more)
- Contributions to invasive species prevention and management in Canada are significant and sustained through outstanding and long-lasting achievement
Innovation Award
The individual who will receive the Innovation Award will meet the following criteria:
- Has moved a creative idea to a practical reality, thereby transforming or improving invasive species prevention and management in Canada
- Has made substantive and enduring outcomes through the skillful application of novel and useful ideas
Leadership Award
The individual who will receive the Leadership Award will meet the following criteria:
- Champions and breaks ground, leading and thereby transforming or improving invasive species prevention and management in Canada
- Has created meaningful and long-lasting impact in their communities through their forward-thinking and dedication
Young Professional Award
The individual who will receive the Young Professional Award will meet the following criteria:
- Between the ages of 18 and 30 practicing in the field of invasive species
- Has demonstrated outstanding achievement early on in their career through their contributions to address invasive species issues
Eligibility Criteria
To receive an Invasive Species Centre Award, the nominee must meet the following additional criteria:
- Must be a resident of Canada
- Not be an Invasive Species Centre employee
- Not have received an Invasive Species Centre Award in the last 3 years
For any questions, please email Nicole Szabo at events@invasivespeciescentre.ca.
Evaluation Process
Submissions are provided to an independent panel of judges and include an instruction not to share with third parties. The independent judging panel assesses and scores each submission according to the criteria of the applicable category, as well as the organization and clarity of the submission. Scoring also takes into account whether the candidate’s work supports indigenous action work on invasive species. Judges’ scores are aggregated to produce a Winner in each category. There may be two winners in a category if scores are equal.
Note: All information in the submission may be used in publications unless otherwise instructed or marked as “confidential” on the submission form.
Submit Your Nominations
Please submit your nomination online through the GoodGrants platform by November 24, 2024.
How to Submit Using GoodGrants
The ISC is using GoodGrants this year to help ensure a smooth submission process and better to facilitate the intake, scoring, and notification process.
To submit your nominations:
- Access the application portal here.
- Create a free account if you don’t have one already; otherwise, log in with your existing account.
- Click ‘Start Application’ under the ‘2025 Invasive Species Centre Awards Nomination Form.’
- Complete the application and submit for review when you’re ready. You can save and return as many times as you need.
- If you need further support, please reach out to us or visit the GoodGrants Help Centre here.
2024 Award Winners
Young Professional Award: Cassidy Egerdeen, City of Mississauga’s Forestry Division
Leadership Award: Dr. Rebecca Rooney, University of Waterloo; Founder of the Waterloo Wetland Lab
Innovation Award: Dr. Yoamel Milián-García, University of Guelph’s Department of Integrative Biology
Career Achievement Award: Dr. Nicholas Mandrak, University of Toronto Scarborough
Honoree: Errol Caldwell, Algoma University
2023 Award Winners
Young Professional Award: Ozero Solutions, founded by Olivier Liberge, Maxime Guay & Matys Tessier
Leadership Award: Dr. Pedro Antunes on behalf of the Algoma University Plant and Soil Ecology Lab
Leadership Award: Lakehead University Ontario Youth Naturalist Program, overseen by Dr. Linda Rodenburg
Innovation Award: Dr. Ryan Brook, University of Saskatchewan
Career Achievement Award: Jim McCready, Forest Health Network, Eastern Ontario Model Forest
2022 Award Winners
Young Professional Award: Vincent Gagné, Fyto Inc.
Leadership Award: Nancy Vidler, Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group
Leadership Award: Brenda Martin, Malcolm Ardoch Lakes and Landowners Association (MALLA)
Innovation Award Winner: Janice Gilbert, Invasive Phragmites Control Centre
Career Achievement Award Winner: Dan McKenney – Natural Resources Canada/Canadian Forest Service
