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CBC Sports reporter Devin Heroux is one of three recipients to be honoured on Wednesday with the first-ever Wheelchair Curling Sport Leadership award.
Joining Heroux are Shauna Petrie (posthumously) and Tom Ward. All three have made “exceptional contributions to the sport that are worthy of recognition and celebration,” Curling Canada said in a statement.
The award was created to honour individuals who have played a meaningful role in the growth and development of wheelchair curling in Canada.
“This award has been a long time coming, and because of this, there were numerous well-deserving individuals nominated by colleagues and community members,” said Kyle Paquette, Director of Wheelchair Curling at Curling Canada. “There were, however, three leaders who received multiple nominations and whose noteworthy contributions deserved to be celebrated for this inaugural award.”
With his continuous reporting, Heroux’s unparalleled contributions have raised the profile of wheelchair curling through his coverage of the Paralympic Games with CBC Sports.
These contributions also include his personal storytelling across social media, and his role with The Curling Group at the inaugural Grand Slam of Curling Wheelchair Invitational.
Heroux first covered wheelchair curling for CBC Sports during the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Games, and was immediately drawn to the sport and its athletes.
Since then, he has become the sport’s most prominent media voice, consistently highlighting the skill and stories of Canada’s wheelchair curlers.
“I feel a deep responsibility with the platform I have, which is a growing platform, to use everything that I possibly can to amplify these stories and to continue to push for equity across coverage,” Heroux said. “In my five Paralympic Games at CBC, I have seen a massive growth and evolution in the coverage. I’m so proud of what we’ve done as a team.
“This award is really a team award. It’s a team award celebrating all of those, including the two other recipients, who did so much to get this sport to where it is today. It’s a credit to every wheelchair curler and supporter in this country who has devoted countless hours to the development of the sport. I couldn’t be more honoured and humbled.”
Devin sits in the stands with Ina Forrest’s son Marlon, as she and the Canadian wheelchair curling team take on China.
Petrie is being recognized posthumously for her decades-long commitment to wheelchair curling in Ontario and across Canada as a competitor, advocate, volunteer, and organizer. Her work has been credited with growing the sport and support new participants throughout their curling journeys.
Petrie died in 2025, a couple of weeks after she skipped Team Ontario at the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship.
Ward, a longtime builder, was selected for his decades of leadership and early support in developing wheelchair curling in Canada.
Ward’s involvement in wheelchair curling began when the sport was first introduced to Canada.
It was longtime coaching colleague Pat O. Reid who approached Ward to help put together a competitive team to send to the inaugural World Wheelchair Curling Championship in 2002 with only 19 weeks’ notice.
Ward coached the team to a silver medal and continued supporting wheelchair curling events and initiatives long after his time as a coach on the world stage.
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