Eligibility and Nominations
Decorations for Bravery recognize people who risked their lives to try to save or protect another. From entering burning buildings to calming gunmen to plunging into icy waters, the recipients put their lives on the line to help another person.
Saving a life is not, in itself, the most important consideration in being nominated for a Decoration. Often, rescuers are not exposed to any danger and, despite the value and importance of their actions, they do not qualify for a Decoration for Bravery. However, they may qualify for a special commendation by the Governor General.
The degree of risk faced and persistence despite the risk are important in the evaluation. In addition, perception of risk is a factor – people who try to help, even though they know they might be severely injured or killed, display bravery of a very high order.
Any person or group is welcome to nominate a deserving individual as candidate for a Decoration for Bravery, by completing a nomination form. Nomination forms are also available from the Chancellery, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A1.
The Chancellery of Honours keeps all nominations confidential to respect privacy and to avoid disappointment if the nominee is not selected. We ask that nominators and others involved respect this policy.
Nominations must be made within two years of the incident, or within two years after a court or a coroner has concluded its review on the circumstances surrounding the incident or act of bravery.
The Police Services investigate eligible cases to ensure that information is accurate. For military acts of bravery, the Canadian Forces provide full documentation regarding the incidents. Nominations are received by the Chancellery for review by an independent advisory committee.
All nomination forms on this Web site are available in Portable Document Format (PDF). This means that if you have a PDF software reader, you will be able to view, save, print, or download these documents.
If after reading the instructions below you still have difficulty downloading this nomination form, please contact the Chancellery of Honours by email at bravery-bravoure@gg.ca or call toll-free at 1-800-465-6890 to obtain a paper copy of the form.
To view and use fillable forms or to download blank forms for future use, you need:
Downloading a file will allow you to save a copy of the form or publication on your computer. Once you have done this, you will be able to view, save and print the file without having to connect to the web site.
