Celebrating Excellence: Call for Nominations for PGO and Geoscientists Canada Awards

Each year, PGO recognizes excellence within the geoscience profession during our Annual General Meeting. This presentation includes the PGO Award of Merit, our organization's highest individual honour, alongside two national awards bestowed by Geoscientists Canada: the Fellow of Geoscientists Canada (FGC) and the Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award.

We are now seeking nominations across all three categories and invite you to submit the names of outstanding colleagues who embody the highest standards of our profession.


PGO Award of Merit

The PGO Award of Merit is presented annually to an individual registrant who, during the course of their career, has made significant contributions to public service and public protection.


 Bill Pearson, P.Geo., FGC
2025 Recipient of the PGO Award of Merit

Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., FGC has over 50 years of experience in the national and international mining industry and has carried out exploration and development programs in 17 countries around
the world. He is formerly Vice President, Exploration for Desert Sun Mining Corp. Read more...

CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD OF MERIT

The successful candidate for the award will have: 

    • Contributed significantly to public service; and/or 
    • Contributed significantly to the protection of the public; and/or 
    • Contributed to the geoscience knowledge base and/or field of practice that supports the public interest; and 
    • Whose actions and accomplishments reflect positively on the geoscience profession.
Please note that while the nominee must have been a P. Geo. registered in Ontario, their accomplishments may have been attained anywhere in the world.

The PGO Award of Merit is presented annually at PGO's Annual General Meeting (AGM). 

Click on this link to read the PGO Award of Merit's Terms of Reference.

See past and current Award of Merit Recipients here.

See Award of Merit application.

Fellow of Geoscientists Canada (FGC)

The Geoscientists Canada's Fellowship honours individuals who have given noteworthy service to the geoscience profession.

CRITERIA FOR THE FGC DESIGNATION

1) The designation may be awarded to geoscientists who have:

  • A. Assumed office as president of Geoscientists Canada; or
  • B. Assumed office as chair of the Canadian Geoscience Standards Board; or
  • C. Assumed office as president/chair of one of Geoscientists Canada's constituent associations; or
  • D. Served the geoscience profession in a volunteer capacity for at least 10 years. The total length of service can be a combination of service on Geoscientists Canada boards, committees and task forces, and/or service as a volunteer for a Geoscientists Canada constituent association; or
  • E. Served in a senior staff capacity with Geoscientists Canada and/or a constituent association for a minimum of 10 years;
  • F. Provided noteworthy service to the regulation of the geoscience profession in another capacity;

2) Non-geoscientists who have met the above requirements of criteria C, D, E & F.

Click on this link to read Geoscience Canada's FGC Terms of Reference.

See the full list of FGC recipients here.

See FGC designation application.

Geoscientists Canada's Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award

The Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award recognizes the achievements of an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development and practice of professional geoscience and who has advanced public recognition of the profession in Canada in their capacity as a registered professional geoscientist.

To be eligible for the award, a nominee must meet specified criteria, which include: a solid career as a professional geoscientist, an outstanding record of voluntary service to the community, and service to Geoscientists Canada or to one of the provincial or territorial professional organisations that regulate geoscience practise in Canada. Click on this link to see full Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award criteria.

See the Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award's Terms of Reference here.

See Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award application.