Trans Canada Trail Honours Outstanding Volunteers
Annual Volunteer Recognition Grant recognizes 10 trail volunteers across Canada
Whether they’re repairing bridges, clearing debris, or organizing events to get people to engage with the Trail, volunteers are crucial to the Trans Canada Trail.
Each section of Canada’s 29,000-kilometre nationwide trail system is managed locally — in many cases by community groups that are made up almost entirely of volunteers. That means that across the country, thousands of dedicated trail lovers devote their time to maintaining and improving the Trail in their communities.
Every year Trans Canada Trail recognizes 10 outstanding trail volunteers who were, nominated by their peers, through its Volunteer Recognition Grants. Recipients are selected for their outstanding commitment to volunteerism and their contributions to local trail organizations. Each recipient’s trail organization receives a grant for a recognition event in their honour.
“These volunteers carry out a wide range of crucial work — everything from resurfacing and major and minor trail repairs to installing new signs and organizing trail clean-ups,” says Stacey Dakin, Chief Program Officer at Trans Canada Trail. “No matter what tasks they’re completing, this incredible group of trail stewards provide a crucial service to make sure their trails remain open, safe and accessible to their communities. We are incredibly grateful to all the volunteers who help make sure that the Trans Canada Trail remains an iconic part of Canada’s natural landscape.”
2024-25 Volunteer Recognition Recipients
- Ash Arrowsmith – Town of Riverview, New Brunswick
- Ken Bouchard – Sentiers Wakefield Trails, Quebec
- Harris Cox – Klondike Snowmobile Association, Yukon
- John Fisher (in memory of) – Goderich to Guelph Rail Trail, Ontario
- Chad Haughn – Municipality of Chester, Nova Scotia
- Operations Committee – Bragg Creek Trails Association, Alberta
- Town of Hay River Community Spirit Awards Gala & Trail Blazer Award – Town of Hay River, Northwest Territories
- Peter Troke – Discovery Trail Snowmobile Association, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Gary Turnbull – South Whiteshell Trail Association, Manitoba
- Gary Yakimchuk – Slocan Valley Rail Trail Society, British Columbia
Stay tuned for individual profiles of each Volunteer Recognition Recipient in our Trail Stories section!
To nominate an outstanding volunteer in your community for the 2025-26 Volunteer Recognition Grant, please get in touch with our Coordinator of Community and Volunteer Development, Chrissy Cusack at CCusack@tctrail.ca.
Main photo credit: Pam Doyle
