Mississauga's Allison Leroux Earns Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award

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Below is an essay written by Mississauga’s Allison Leroux, who recently earned the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Ward for Youth Achievement.
Congratulations, Allison!
Jay Kana, Editor & Owner, Modern Mississauga Media

My name is Allison Leroux, and I just completed my degree at the University of Guelph, studying Animal Biology with a minor in Agriculture. I'm so honoured to have been selected for the 2024 Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement, an award that recognizes youth who've made significant contributions to preserving Ontario's cultural and natural heritage.

I'm sharing this not for personal recognition, but to shine a light on the incredible people, places, and organizations that have supported me and given me so many meaningful opportunities to carry heritage forward in creative ways. My hope is that by sharing my story, I can inspire more young people to step outside their comfort zones and get involved in their communities and cultures - you never know who you'll meet, the friendships you'll build, or the experiences that will shape your life.

This honour has also made me think a lot about my own heritage. On my dad's side, my ancestors worked in the bush in the Ottawa Valley and Northern Ontario. Education was a privilege - my pépere, Gerard Leroux, only attended school until grade four before working in the bush, going on to accomplish great things and help many despite many hardships. The family couldn't afford a fiddle at the time, so he played harmonica at lively family gatherings, even calling square dances.

In late 2019, I decided to try learning the fiddle in his honour, teaching myself to play various styles(old-time, French Canadian, Celtic, Métis, bluegrass, etc.) during high school and university. After the pandemic, I discovered and was welcomed into a community of workshops and jam sessions. Since then, music has become a central part of my life, leading to a full calendar of jams, gigs, community dances, and unforgettable opportunities to share the music close to my heart and meet lifelong friends and mentors, even outside of music. I'm also Austrian-Canadian, from a family with strong roots in agriculture, conservation, education, music and cultural tradition. It's also given me a strong connection to French and German language which continues to shape and support my life.

Outside of music, I've focused on heritage from other angles too: agriculture, food, conservation, and education. In 2023, I launched Crowded Table Pizza, a mobile farm-to-table project that connects people with local ingredients and the farmers behind them. That platform has been my way of making agriculture more approachable while promoting sustainability and food literacy. I've also volunteered in community and native plant gardening and helped run events at the University of Guelph related to square dancing, food, farming, and more.

I began writing this while finishing my final round of exams at a college rooted in agricultural tradition and deeply focused on both the past and future of agriculture - a college within a university that strives to further food, environmental, and community health. As a student from a more urban background who grew up lucky enough to be surrounded by nature, growing food and the restaurant industry, I'd like to encourage anyone interested in agriculture to go for it - it's a diverse and welcoming field with endless opportunities!

While it's very meaningful to carry on my family's cultural traditions, I also recognize that their deep history exists alongside, and sometimes in contrast to, the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples in this province. Listening to Residential School survivors and their families has deepened my understanding of that legacy's weight. Learning about historical legacies of colonialism, such as Residential Schools, MMIWG2S+, and land displacement, has deepened my understanding and responsibilities as a guest on these lands.

I've been incredibly fortunate to work with Indigenous-led organizations and I believe it's essential to preserve and consider all aspects of Ontario's diverse cultures and histories, especially those that have been silenced or overlooked. Whether I'm helping to run events, cooking food, creating old time folk art, working with animals, or playing music - at the end of the day, I just want people to feel connected and empowered to be part of something meaningful. I'm so grateful for every single opportunity I've had, and I hope this award brings attention to the incredible work that continues across Ontario to protect and evolve our shared heritage. I aspire to honour and carry forward that heritage in a good and respectful way. I'm especially grateful to Lynn Taylor and Eagle Spirits of the Great Waters for the nomination, and to everyone who has supported me along the way - it means more than I can ever express in words.

Special thanks to:

  • Lynn Taylor, Eagle Spirits of the Great Waters Indigenous Arts & Cultures for their nomination and endless support

  • The Leroux family

  • Leanne Swantko, Deb Goss, Stephen Dasko, Barry Gilbert

  • Canadian Old Tyme Square Dance Association

  • Guelph Guild of Storytellers

  • Ontario Agricultural College

  • Waterloo Wellington Bluegrass Association

  • Her honour and the Ontario Heritage Trust

  • UofG Junior Farmers team

  • Ecosource, Blooming Boulevards, CreativeHub

  • Shane Guse, Calvin Vollrath, Patti Kusturok and everyone in the fiddle and stepdance community who has inspired me