On March 25, 2024, Carrie Hayward, former LOFT Board Member and longstanding volunteer, was among 13 recipients of the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship. 

The award was presented by the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, and Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism and is the province’s second-highest civilian honour. This prestigious award is given to individuals who have made a significant impact in their communities and the province as a whole. 

Carrie has been actively involved with LOFT for over 12 years, serving on our Board for ten years. More recently, she was appointed the Chair of LOFT’s Project Oversight Committee, leading the redevelopment of LOFT’s Bradford House to double its current occupancy. 

We have just kicked off construction of the new Bradford property, and in two years, we will be able to double our current capacity, offering supportive housing to 99 seniors. This new state-of-the-art home will be a significant step towards addressing the need for affordable housing for seniors with complex challenges in the Bradford-Gwillimbury community. 

Carrie has held various leadership positions at the Ministry of Health and served as an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Regional Operations Division for the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry. Carrie’s vast experience has been instrumental in driving innovation at LOFT effectively. 

Carrie shares, “It’s been an amazing learning journey with LOFT’s board, leadership and staff, our Oversight Committee, SHS Consulting, Unity Design Studio and all our partner trades. I am so excited that we have begun and to be working with a fabulous group of people to accomplish this vision.” 

Carrie, your thoughtfulness, care, and dedication to achieving excellence in your work and our community is truly inspiring. It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside you for over 12 years. Your contribution has been integral to LOFT’s journey, enabling us to respond to our community’s most pressing needs. Thank you for your longstanding commitment to building a better tomorrow.

Learn more about the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship and the 2021 and 2022 Recipients at: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1004352/ontario-medal-for-good-citizenship-2021-and-2022-recipients.