The Order of Canada recognizes people in all sectors of society. You can nominate:

• Any living Canadian for admission into the Order. However, elected officials and judges are not eligible to be appointed while in office.
• The Order of Canada is awarded to individuals only, not to groups or couples. Please submit a separate nomination for each member of a group you wish to nominate and in the reasons for nomination please explain in what way the contributions of your candidates are related.
• Living non-Canadians are also eligible if their contributions have brought benefit or honour to Canadians or to Canada.
• An existing member of the Order to be promoted to a higher level within the Order. Promotions are only considered five years after the initial appointment.
• A candidate who has been previously considered but not appointed to the Order of Canada. Usually, a new nomination can be submitted five years after the last one was made. Contact us if you think this applies to your candidate.
• There are no posthumous appointments. 

The Chancellery of Honours, part of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, administers the program and receives all nominations. Each one is carefully researched and then reviewed by an advisory council, which makes recommendations to the Governor General. The selection process, which may take up to two years, is non-partisan and merit-based.

There is no deadline for submissions. Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year.