Nursing professor and renowned mental health and homelessness researcher Cheryl Forchuk has been appointed an officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours.
Forchuk has dedicated her career to driving change on complex issues, including addiction, homelessness and mental health challenges, emphasizing relationships and participation from the populations she studies.
“We’re talking about people that generally experience a lot of discrimination in society. When I started working in this field, it was really hard to get things funded because the groups themselves were not valued. Their opinion was not valued. A lot of my work is trying to give value and voice to these populations,” Forchuk said.
Cheryl Forchuk, nursing professor cross-appointed to psychiatry, was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada on June 30, 2025. (Western Communications)
She said she was surprised and humbled by the appointment to the Order of Canada.
“I feel humbled, because all the research I do is part of a team effort. I have always had great support from community partners, people with lived experience, other researchers and my staff at the office.”
Forchuk is a Distinguished University Professor in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing in Western’s Faculty of Health Sciences, with a cross-appointment in the department of psychiatry at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. She is also a researcher at the Lawson Research Institute.
Forchuk has published 200 articles and 12 books, delivered more than 600 conference presentations or workshops and supervised more than 60 graduate students.
“A trailblazer in mental health and homelessness research, Dr. Forchuk has spent more than four decades advancing our understanding of these complex issues and shaping policies that have improved the lives of the unhoused,” said Jayne Garland, former dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Forchuk’s nominator for the Order of Canada.
“She is a respected researcher, an influential leader and a passionate advocate for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. This recognition reflects the profound and lasting impact of her work.”
It’s far from the first award for Forchuk, who has been honoured for her innovative research, community vision and impact on policy. Her studies have reduced crises and improved quality of life for hundreds of people, saving millions in health care and social service spending as a result.
“Dr. Forchuk is an innovative, forward-thinking leader in mental health, housing and homelessness,” said Victoria Smye, director of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing.
“Her contributions in Canada and beyond to the mental well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in our society – people who have been highly marginalized by inequity – have made a real impact. She has truly changed lives.” – Victoria Smye, director of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing
Forchuk is known nationally and internationally for her work improving systems of recovery and community integration. Her team created the “transitional discharge model” to ensure people released from hospital maintain connections with service providers in hospital or in the community while receiving peer support from someone with lived experience. It was repeatedly shown to reduce the length of hospital stays while improving outcomes for patients.
The model has since been adopted in parts of Canada, the U.S. and Europe and was included as an example of mental health practice by the World Health Organization in its guidance on mental health services that respect human rights.
Forchuk is currently conducting research on women veterans experiencing homelessness.
She said her appointment to the Order of Canada is meaningful, but not because of the personal or reputational benefits.
“Receiving this honour shows me there’s a recognition that these are important issues and these approaches to finding solutions – including people who are the experts, people with lived experience and those working on the frontlines – are valued,” Forchuk said.
“It tells me to keep going, and that it’s working, which we know. It solidifies that this is the right approach to address very complex societal issues, and to make sure we include the right voices.”
Western alumni, honorary degree recipients named to Order of Canada
Three Western alumni and three honorary degree recipients were also among the 83 new appointments announced by Governor General Mary Simon on June 30.
Those invested into the Order of Canada fall into three levels. Members of the Order of Canada are recognized for their service to a particular community or field, officers are appointed for their high degree of achievement or merit, especially for service to the entire country or humanity at large, and companions of the Order of Canada – the highest recognition – are those deemed to have made contributions of the highest degree to Canada or the world.
Companion of the Order
The Honourable John Paul Manley, LLD’12
Manley, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, was promoted to a companion of the Order of Canada. He was initially appointed to the order in 2009 as an officer. A longtime federal minister and businessman, Manley held many senior cabinet roles and is recognized for his work bridging the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
Members of the Order of Canada
Lorraine Greaves, BA’70, MA’74
Founder of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence for Women’s Health, Greaves specializes in research related to women and addiction, particularly tobacco. A two-time Western graduate with degrees in sociology, Greaves is a leader in global women’s health and has impacted both policy and practice.
Glenn Murphy, BA’84
Murphy has helped lead popular brands such as Gap, Lululemon and Shoppers Drug Mart. Described in his appointment as “an innovative leader in the consumer sector,” Murphy has also donated significantly toward mental health, environmental and social causes. He is founder and CEO of investment firm FIS Holdings.
Chris Tambakis, HBA’86
A leader in the Canadian commercial real estate sector, Tambakis is CEO of Adgar Canada, which specializes in office properties, and a member of the Ivey Advisory Board. Tambakis is a philanthropist and community volunteer, lending his support to causes including health care and education.
Robert Janes, LLD’13
Described as one of the country’s “most distinguished museologists” in his appointment, Janes has spent decades contributing to the museum sector and working to elevate the place of museums in Canadian society. He promotes sustainability and worked to return sacred objects to the Blackfoot Confederacy.
Adel Sedra, DSc’17
Sedra, an electrical engineer and academic leader, is considered an international authority on microelectronics. He served as dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo for almost a decade. He is known for Microelectronic Circuits, a textbook he co-authored that went on to become the gold standard in the field.
