06/18/2026
2026 AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE OUT NOW! Congratulations to all the worthy winners!
2026 Paramedic Association of Canada Awards of Excellence Recipients
The Paramedic Association of Canada is pleased to announce the recipients of the Paramedic Association of Canada Awards of Excellence for 2026. These awards will be presented in Victoria, BC during the Paramedics Across Canada Expo (PACE) Gala, on Sept 19th, 2026. We congratulate the following recipients and recognize their outstanding contributions to the Paramedic profession, the patients and communities they serve:
Nikki Little, BHSc, ACP – Winnipeg, Manitoba
2026 PAC Paramedic of the Year
Nikki is a Paramedic with over 30 years of service. Throughout her career with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, her commitment to patient safety and quality improvement expressed themselves in her continuing work to improve equity in frontline paramedic care. Her leadership was essential in shifting toward a systems-based approach patient safety and away from traditional responses to medical error. Today, Nikki continues to serve the paramedic profession as the Deputy Registrar of the College of Paramedics of Manitoba.
Michael Thomas, ACP - Whitby, Ontario
2026 PAC Award of Excellence for Education and Training
Michael is a highly respected Professor and Program Coordinator at Centennial College’s Paramedic Program, has dedicated nearly 20 years to shaping the future of paramedicine in Ontario. He is a representative on the Ontario Base Hospital Group Medical Advisory Committee. Michael has reviewed paramedic textbooks for publication as Canadian editions, and was involved in the development of the National Occupational Standard for Paramedics. His participation in all aspects of paramedicine ensures that paramedics’ voices are heard at the highest levels of clinical governance.
Will Johnston, MSc, BA, ACP – Ottawa, Ontario.
2026 PAC Award of Excellence for Innovation and Research
Will is an advanced care paramedic with the Paramedic Tactical Unit at the Ottawa Paramedic Service and a paramedic with the Canadian Armed Forces, Health Services Reserves (28 Field Ambulance). Will is an educator and researcher, with a particular interest in prehospital tactical medicine. He led the development of the National Competency Framework for Tactical Paramedics (NCFTP) and is an advocate for specialist paramedic roles. Will has collaborated on numerous publications and presentations that have advanced paramedicine in Canada.
Tara Watson - Woodstock, New Brunswick
2026 PAC Award of Excellence for Leadership and Community Building
Tara has been a paramedic for over 30 years. Working with Ambulance New Brunswick for 18 years where she is currently an Operations Manager. She has long been an advocate and leader for the Paramedic profession in Canada. Tara was Secretary-Treasurer for the Paramedic Association of Canada during its foundational years. She was an active member of Paramedic Association of New Brunswick including roles as Secretary, VP and then President. Tara was an early member of the Paramedic Benevolent Society and a founding member of the Canadian Paramedic Memorial Foundation where she remains the on the Executive Board as Secretary. Tara is known for always moving organizations forward and supporting her paramedic colleagues, quietly and professionally.
Lyle Renaud, ACP – St Catherines, Ontario
2026 PAC Award of Excellence for Volunteerism and Community Spirit
Lyle is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Operations Superintendent with Niagara EMS, a dedicated mental health advocate, and a long-standing member of the peer support team. Drawing on lived experience, he provides face-to-face peer support interventions and timely post-incident debriefs that promote trust, psychological safety, workplace cohesion, and the destigmatization of occupational stress injuries. He works to strengthen collaboration between leadership and frontline staff, fostering a more cohesive and supportive workplace. Within his community, Lyle continues his advocacy through an organization that supports veterans and first responders learning to live with post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI).
About PAC
The Paramedic Association of Canada (PAC) is the voluntary professional organization of paramedicine practitioners across the country. The PAC has a voluntary membership of over 20,000 paramedic members, each belonging to a provincial chapter and/or the Canadian Armed Forces. The Vision of the Paramedic Association of Canada is to have Paramedicine recognized in primary health care. The Mission of the Paramedic Association of Canada is to provide quality care for the public through leadership in the advancement of the profession of paramedicine. The association will also promote collegiality and advocate for the professional interests of paramedic practitioners across the spectrum of policy areas and practices.
PAC Website: https://www.paramedic.ca/
PACE 2026 Website: https://pac-expo.ca/
