Patrick Dion, BESc’89
Recipient of the 2025 Community Service Award
Patrick Dion, BESc’89, is a distinguished government relations practitioner and community leader whose unwavering commitment to mental health advocacy and public service has transformed lives across Canada. As a founding director of organizations that bridge business and social impact, he has dedicated his career to creating opportunities for individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges.
A proud Western graduate, Patrick earned his Bachelor of Engineering Science in 1989, launching a career defined by the conviction that business and volunteerism are indivisible. His professional work in government relations has been deeply intertwined with his passion for serving the public good, establishing him as a trusted voice in policy and community development.
One of Patrick’s most significant contributions came as Ontario’s representative and inaugural director of the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2007 when discussions of mental health remained on the margins of public discourse and stigma was pervasive.
For nine years, including four as vice-chair, he helped shape Canada’s national mental health strategy and chaired multiple board committees that guided system-wide reforms. His leadership extended to chairing the Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Committee on Improving Consumer Flow within the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) — a regional health authority that was later integrated into Ontario Health — where he worked to enhance care pathways across the health-care system.
As board chair of Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA), Patrick has advanced peer support initiatives for individuals affected by substance use disorders, strengthening the organization’s capacity to provide essential recovery services. He also serves as a director of Rise, the national organization he helped launch 16 years ago with Western’s late chancellor Joseph Rotman, helping to guide an initiative that empowers individuals through entrepreneurship and financial independence.
Patrick’s community leadership spans multiple sectors. He has served on the Carleton University Board of Governors, chaired the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association, and provided governance leadership to organizations including the Canadian Film Institute and Hydro Ottawa Holdings Inc. His civic contributions extend to the Ottawa Leadership Table on Homelessness and other initiatives addressing social challenges.
His exceptional service has been recognized through numerous honours, including induction into the Order of Ottawa, the King Charles III Coronation Medal and an honorary Doctor of Letters from Nipissing University in 2020. He has also received the Royal Ottawa Leader in Mental Health Award and the Ontario Medical Association Community Service Award.
Patrick’s legacy is one of measured leadership and profound impact — a champion who has dedicated his life to breaking down barriers and creating pathways to hope, recovery and opportunity for others.
