The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation (GGPAAF) proudly announces that Actress and Reelworld Founder and Executive Director Tonya Williams, O.C. has been named a 2026 Laureate of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts. The award recognizes Williams’ extraordinary career as an actress, producer, and cultural leader, as well as her lasting impact on equity, representation, and opportunity within Canada’s screen industries.

As a GGPAA laureate, Williams will receive a $25,000 cash prize provided by the Canada Council for the Arts, along with a commemorative medallion struck by the Royal Canadian Mint. The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) will also produce a short film tribute celebrating her life, career, and cultural legacy.

Founded in 1992 by the late Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn, former Governor General of Canada, and the late Gerda Hnatyshyn, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards honour artists whose work has brought joy, insight, and excellence to audiences in Canada and around the world. Williams’ selection reflects not only her artistic achievements, but also her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to building a more inclusive creative ecosystem.

“I am deeply honoured and profoundly grateful to receive this recognition,” said Tonya Williams. “The bedtime stories my parents read to me before I was a toddler ignited my imagination. Beginning ballet at the age of three instilled discipline and a deep respect for the arts. By five, piano sparked my passion for classical music and sharpened my ability for critical thinking. These early experiences profoundly shaped my path as an artist and helped me make sense of the people and the world around me. This award is not just a reflection of my own journey, but of the many artists, collaborators, and communities who have walked alongside me, especially through Reelworld. I’ve always believed that our stories matter, and that when we create space for diverse voices, we strengthen the cultural fabric of this country. To be acknowledged in this way is both humbling and incredibly meaningful.”

Williams will be celebrated during official GGPAA events in Ottawa in June 2026, including a reception hosted by the Governor General at Rideau Hall on Friday, June 5, followed by the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards show at the National Arts Centre on Saturday, June 6. The nationally televised celebration will feature the premiere of NFB-produced tribute films honouring each laureate.

Through her groundbreaking work as an artist and as the founder of Reelworld, Tonya Williams has left an indelible mark on Canadian culture—one defined by excellence, advocacy, and an enduring commitment to ensuring that all stories have the opportunity to be seen and heard.

Recently appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, Tonya Williams is an award-winning actress, producer, and cultural advocate whose career spans decades of excellence in entertainment and public service. She is widely recognized for her work in Canadian television and film, including Poor Boys Game, The Border, She’s The Mayor, Polka Dot Door, Check It Out, Seeing Things, Street Legal, T&T, Captain Power and for her iconic 19-year portrayal of Dr. Olivia Winters on The Young and the Restless. Over the course of her career, Williams has received many awards including two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Series, two Emmy nominations, an ACTRA Award of Excellence, the Oshawa Walk of Fame, the 2023 Visionary Award from the Legacy Awards, the 2024 Changemaker Award from the Canadian Screen Awards, and in 2025, she was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Beyond her on-screen achievements, Williams has been a transformative force behind equity and inclusion in Canada’s screen industries. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Reelworld Screen Institute, Reelworld Film Festival+Summit, and Reelworld Foundation, which she established in 2000 to address the systemic lack of access, opportunity, and inclusion for Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, and People of Colour within Canada’s screen industries. What began as the Reelworld Film Festival has since evolved into the Reelworld Screen Institute, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to career development, talent incubation, and industry advancement for racialized creatives across film and television. In 2020, Williams further expanded Reelworld’s impact with the launch of Access Reelworld, now Canada’s largest searchable recruitment platform for Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, and People of Colour working in the screen sector. Together, these initiatives have reshaped pathways to opportunity and representation, supporting thousands of artists and industry professionals nationwide.

Tonya currently sits on a number of boards and advisory committees including Ontario Creates Advisory Industry Committee, the Canadian Media Fund Racialized Advisory Group and the Canadian Racial Screen Leaders Collective. She is also one of the co-founders of the Black Screen Office.