Curling Canada is pleased to announce Shauna Petrie (posthumously), Tom Ward, and Devin Heroux as the recipients of the first-ever Wheelchair Curling Sport Leadership Award. These three individuals have made exceptional contributions to the sport that are worthy of recognition and celebration.

The award was created to honour individuals who have played a meaningful role in the growth and development of wheelchair curling in Canada. Many of these contributions happen quietly and away from the spotlight, despite being essential to the continued growth and success of the sport and its community.

The heart of wheelchair curling in this country has always been the people. Many of those people work behind the scenes, volunteer their time, and go above and beyond to create opportunities for the athletes and the entire community as a whole. The 2026 recipients have exemplified what it means to be leaders in the wheelchair curling community and deserve to be recognized for the impact they have made on the sport.

“This award has been a long time coming, and because of this, there were numerous well-deserving individuals nominated by colleagues and community members,” said Kyle Paquette, Director of Wheelchair Curling at Curling Canada. “There were, however, three leaders who received multiple nominations and whose noteworthy contributions deserved to be celebrated for this inaugural award.

“Given that it is the first year of the award, rather than naming one award winner, it seemed only appropriate to share the award with three deserving individuals: a dedicated athlete builder; a coach who has devoted a career to growing the game; and a member of media who has worked to bring more eyes and attention to the sport than ever before.”

Petrie, Ward, and Heroux are being recognized in the award’s inaugural year by a selection committee. A total of 17 nominations were submitted by members of the community, all of them reflecting the depth of commitment and support across the sport.

Shauna Petrie is being recognized posthumously for her exceptional and decades-long commitment to wheelchair curling in Ontario and across Canada. She was a committed competitor, advocate, volunteer, and organizer and a respected figure in the community who consistently worked to grow the sport and support new participants throughout their curling journeys.

She played a major role in recruiting more athletes and helped strengthen participation. She is remembered for her passion for the game, her kindness, and her contributions to the growth of wheelchair curling. Her role in advancing the sport of wheelchair curling is difficult to quantify.

“Shauna was a tremendous advocate for wheelchair curling,” said Mark Ideson, who teamed up with Shauna to capture the 2022 Leduc Mixed Doubles Wheelchair Curling Championship title. “She brought energy, passion, and excellence to our sport, and she always had a gift for encouraging others while helping grow the game. She will be deeply missed, and it’s especially meaningful that she’ll be one of the inaugural recipients of this award.”

Petrie passed away only a couple of weeks after she skipped Team Ontario at the 2025 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship. Her impact on the game helped inspire the creation of this award and will forever be remembered.

Tom Ward, a longtime builder and coach within the Ontario curling community, has also been selected as a recipient of the inaugural award for his decades of leadership and early support in developing wheelchair curling in Canada.

Ward’s involvement in wheelchair curling began when the sport was first introduced to Canada. Longtime coaching colleague Pat O. Reid approached Ward to help put together a competitive team to send to the inaugural World Wheelchair Curling Championship in 2002 with only 19 weeks’ notice. He coached the team to a silver medal and continued supporting wheelchair curling events and initiatives long after his time as a coach on the world stage.

Regardless of his own role in growing wheelchair curling, Ward emphasized the collaborative nature of the sport’s beginnings in Canada and the many individuals who helped establish it across the country.

“It’s the people,” said Ward. “That’s the most important part. I’m very humbled to accept this award and very appreciative of all the people I’ve met over the years and all the friendships I’ve made.

“It wasn’t just me. It was a team effort, and so I certainly don’t want people to think that I was the only person involved. You only get there with team players and people pitching in.”

Devin Heroux is being recognized for his unparalleled contributions to raising the profile of wheelchair curling through his coverage of the Paralympic Games with CBC Sports, his personal storytelling across social media, and his role with The Curling Group at the inaugural Grand Slam of Curling Wheelchair Invitational.

Heroux first became involved in covering wheelchair curling at the Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Games and described immediately being drawn to the sport and its athletes. Since then, he has become the sport’s most prominent media voice, consistently highlighting the skill and stories of Canada’s wheelchair curlers.

“I feel a deep responsibility with the platform I have, which is a growing platform, to use everything that I possibly can to amplify these stories and to continue to push for equity across coverage,” said Heroux. “In my five Paralympic Games at CBC, I have seen a massive growth and evolution in the coverage. I’m so proud of what we’ve done as a team.

“This award is really a team award. It’s a team award celebrating all of those, including the two other recipients, who did so much to get this sport to where it is today. It’s a credit to every wheelchair curler and supporter in this country who has devoted countless hours to the development of the sport. I couldn’t be more honoured and humbled.”

There is no doubt that Heroux will continue to use his platform to tell the stories behind wheelchair curling and to continue to attract attention to the sport.

Wheelchair curling is special in its deep sense of community, friendship, enthusiasm, and support. This award highlights the importance of leadership and dedication within wheelchair curling and recognizes the individuals who help the sport grow in ways that often go unseen but are deeply felt throughout the community.

Nominations for the award will remain open. To submit a nomination for Curling Canada’s 2026-27 Wheelchair Curling Sport Leadership Award, click here.