Gary Slaight has long been recognized as the Canadian music industry’s most important benefactor, and you’ll often see the Slaight name on initiatives and awards throughout the country. This follows careers at record labels, as a broadcasting executive, as a program director (Q-107, CKFM-FM) and in succeeding his father Allan Slaight as president and CEO of Standard Broadcasting, from 2000-2007. He is currently CEO of Slaight Communications and talent development company Slaight Music, a crucial partner in the Juno Awards, Polaris Music Prize, Canadian Country Music Awards, Prism Prize and many other initiatives. Slaight Music has boosted the careers of such Canadian artists as Theo Tams (who recently passed the 50M streams milestone), Kayla Diamond, Washboard Union, Ryan Langdon, Jillea, Jessica Mitchell and more. In recent years, Slaight, through his Slaight Family Foundation, has focused on humanitarian endeavours. In 2023, Foundation donations included $26.5M to youth mental health initiatives, $2M to MusiCounts and $10M to fight food insecurity. Slaight is a member of the Orders of Canada and Ontario and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the recipient of Walt Grealis Special Achievement and Juno Humanitarian Awards. In December he received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Calgary twins Tegan & Sara are best-known for their indie rock records and infectious pop hits, not to mention a growing list of successful media ventures that includes books and a TV show. But the Juno winners and Grammy nominees profess that their proudest accomplishment is the Tegan and Sara Foundation. In its eight years, the foundation – which now includes prominent artist/activists like Elliot Page and Vivek Shraya – has helped fund LGBTQ+ summer camps, built a database of healthcare providers for queer communities, brought 12,000+ books to LGBTQ+ youth, and supported grassroots organizations through a Community Grants program. In spring 2024, over 600 Canadian artists signed a letter helmed by the Tegan and Sara Foundation standing against anti-trans policies in Alberta, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. In addition to providing visible representation in the music industry for queer youth, the Quin sisters have used their position as artists and media moguls to encourage other musicians to speak out in support of LGBTQ+ rights, criticizing anti-trans Alberta government policies while accepting the Humanitarian award at this year’s Junos. They’ve helped to create a more socially engaged industry along the way.

A museum, concert venue, and recording studio rolled into one, Canada’s National Music Centre, housed at Studio Bell in Calgary, is at the cutting edge of music programming in Canada, and acts as an important hub outside of the Toronto-Montreal-Vancouver triangle. CEO Andrew Mosker oversaw an incredibly busy couple of years, including successful exhibitions (Randy Bachman’s Every Guitar Tells a Story and Deane Cameron-inspired Rock The Nation Live), the return of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame recognition event in partnership with CARAS, honouring legends like Deborah Cox and Diane Dufresne, and the development of the OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator, providing professional development for Indigenous music creators. That’s all in addition to events like their Canada Day celebration, which brought in 8,000 attendees. Four artists who recorded at the NMC received 2024 Juno nominations for their albums, further illuminating the centre’s manifold contributions to Canadian music cultures.