Green Hearts Award
Honouring inspiring leaders advancing sustainability and environmental stewardship in Toronto.
CELEBRATING ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS
Honouring Efforts for a Greener Toronto
Green Hearts Award is a new accolade by GNN designed to honour the inspiring figures in Toronto’s environmental scene. This award celebrates the green neighbours whose leadership, impactful work, and profound knowledge inspire and mobilize our community towards greater sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Award Purpose and Significance
The Green Hearts Award was conceived as a way to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding individuals and groups in our community who not only champion environmental causes but also share their invaluable knowledge and experiences to inspire action. It’s our way of saying thank you to those who lead by example and push for positive change in every corner of Toronto.
2026 Awardee
Anne Keary
GNN is proud to present the 2026 Green Hearts Award to Anne Keary, a gifted and tireless researcher and “climate parent” who has become a leading voice for grassroots climate action in the city of Toronto and beyond.
Anne has been a key organizer with For Our Kids Toronto, a group of parents and caregivers who advocate for climate justice. She also serves on the Board of Environmental Education Ontario, is co-chair of Toronto Climate Action Network (TCAN), and formerly served as Community Co-Chair of the Toronto District School Board’s Environmental Sustainability Community Advisory Committee.
She has been especially focused on helping schools to be more effective in teaching young people about climate change. She helped secure a partnership between TransformTO and the Toronto District School Board which resulted in a grant program to support youth climate action in schools. In a more critical view, she co-authored a major and very influential report. “Polluting Education: The Influence of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Education in Canada.”
In 2023 Anne was one of 14 world-wide winners of a Climate Parent Fellowship, awarded by Our Kids Climate and Parents for Future Global. In addition, together with her daughter Zoe (who is one of the plaintiffs), she’s been part of an ongoing Charter-rights climate case against the Government of Ontario.
Anne’s contributions as a climate activist reach into other areas as well. Working with TCAN, ClimateFast and other groups, she helped to mobilize support at Toronto City Council for a building emissions performance standards policy and new regulations on extreme heat. More recently, she has been working with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment as regional coordinator for Ontario and Manitoba, helping to raise awareness of the need to address the impacts of climate change on human health.
In the words of one of her colleagues, “Anne is absolutely one of the Green Hearts of this city.”
2025 Awardee
Krissan Veerasingam
GNN is proud to present the 2025 Green Hearts Award to Krissan Veerasingam, a passionate community advocate and lifelong Scarborough resident. Krissan began his journey in activism as a volunteer with Progress Toronto, canvassing across the city and gaining insight into the diverse needs of its neighbourhoods. But it was in his own community that he felt called to make the deepest impact.
In 2022, Krissan joined GNN with a clear goal: to form a Scarborough-based group focused on pushing for equitable environmental policy. From that vision, the Scarborough Environmental Association (SEA) was born. SEA is a grassroots organization of local residents who lead hands-on, community-first initiatives—from bike repair pop-ups and pollinator plant giveaways to advocacy for active transportation and urban equity.
Krissan’s work is deeply rooted in lived experience. Influenced by his family’s values of resourcefulness and care, he sees the environment not only as green space, but as the social and cultural spaces we live in and shape together.
GNN is honoured to recognize Krissan and the SEA team for their creativity, commitment, and impact. A donation to Scarborough Environmental Association has been made in Krissan’s honour.
2024 Awardee
Helen Mills
Helen Mills has brought her knowledge, wisdom, ideas, and infectious enthusiasm to the work of Toronto Green Community (TGC) since it held its very first meeting in 1995. She has served as a board member, and as the creator or co-creator behind the first Seedy Saturday in Toronto, the Eglinton Park Community Garden, the Green Garden Visit. She is also the creator and driving force behind the Lost Rivers Project.
Over the last 30 years, Lost Rivers has researched, mapped, and shared local in-depth knowledge of Toronto’s watersheds, lost rivers, our connections with land and water in the city, and ways we can intervene to improve the urban landscape. Through walks and workshops–led by Helen, other Lost Rivers members, and hundreds more volunteers–the Lost Rivers Project has informed and inspired tens of thousands of participants.
Helen has touched many more through her founding role in social enterprises like the Green Garden Visit, Rivers Rising, RAINscapeTO, and other partnerships and collaborations.
Helen was also among the creative minds that imagined a network of green neighbours groups in 2016. Her guiding wisdom has helped make GNN what it is today.
GNN is so very pleased to make a donation to Lost Rivers Walks in Helen’s honour.
Nominate a Green Heart
Criteria and Eligibility
Criteria
Criteria
Nomination Process
Recognize a “green heart” in your community by nominating them for the Green Hearts Award. Our nomination form is simple to complete, requiring only the nominee’s name and a description of their environmental leadership and impact. Nominations close on December 31st, with our winner celebrated in a special ceremony and announcement in February.
Award Details
