Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 8, 2014
• Invested on: September 12, 2014

For his vital championship of countless Canadian writers and for his sustained community engagement as an independent bookseller.


Jim Munro’s championship of our authors and poets has made him an icon on Canada’s literary scene. He opened his bookstore, Munro’s Books, in 1963—during an era when major retailers were dismissive of Canadian writers—and buttressed the careers of some this country’s foremost literary figures. He thus played a crucial part in advancing the legacy of Canadian literature and continues to encourage Canada’s aspiring writers today. A fixture on Victoria’s business scene, he is known for his commitment to heritage restoration, his promotion of classical music, and his devotion to his employees and to the larger community.