These are Toronto’s 2025 People of the Year, Canada Reviews

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s time for our annual showcase of the city’s most inspiring people, featuring artists, activists, athletes and more who have led by example, achieved against all odds and made this city and this year special. We’re shining a light on some of the most incredible people in Toronto and honouring the work they’ve done this year. These are Toronto’s 2025 people of the year.

From Vladimir Guerrero Jr. showing us that he’s born ready to priest and author Maggie Helwig advocating for encampment residents in her church’s own backyard to Mike Myers standing up for Canada, Toronto is home to some of the world’s most inspiring people.

Hear from their friends, colleagues and fellow industry professionals — including some inspiring people in their own right, including 2024’s person of the year Sook-Yin Lee and Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro — on why these people are so incredible and deserve the honour of 2025’s people of the year.

1. The champion | Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the Blue Jays to the World Series and showed the world he was born ready.

2. The actor | Malin Akerman

Malin Akerman staged a comeback by starring in one of the most addictive and hilarious shows of the year, The Hunting Wives.

3. The advocate | Maggie Helwig

Maggie Helwig wrote the Toronto Book Award-winning Encampment, documenting the lives of unhoused individuals and the homelessness crisis in Toronto, and fought to protect the encampment in her church’s backyard.

4. The Canadian | Mike Myers

Mike Myers stood up to our southern frenemies and created a catchphrase heard around the world: “Elbows up!“

5. The filmmaker | Celine Song

Celine Song followed up her breakout hit Past Lives by creating a culture-defining movie with Materialists and revived the rom-com.

6. The doctor | Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi

Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi performed Canada’s first transplant with a heart that had stopped beating.

7. The Broadway star | Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves brought a Bill & Ted reunion to Broadway and continues to be one of the nicest guys in Hollywood.

8. The athlete | Victoria Mboko 

Victoria Mboko made history as the youngest Canadian to win the National Bank Open in the Open Era.

9. The lifesaver | Andrew Boozary

Andrew Boozary showed housing is health care with social medicine housing initiative Dunn House.

10. The comedian | Veronika Slowikowska

Veronika Slowikowska is the newest Canadian cast member on SNL — and the first since Norm Macdonald.

11. The chef | Eric Chong

Eric Chong received Toronto’s only new Michelin star this year, for aKin, and won the Young Chef Award.

12. The tech entrepreneur | Raquel Urtasun

Raquel Urtasun is reimagining driverless trucks through Waabi, backed by Uber, Nvidia & Porsche.

For a list of last year’s most inspiring women, click here.