Councils Excellence Awards | Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Nominations open until December 3, 2025

Council's Excellence Awards acknowledge community champions, young achievers, and real-life heroes dedicated to making a positive impact in the region.

Mayor and Councillors choose eligible award recipients in each of the four categories, based on the recommendations of an advisory panel. Recipients and their nominator are invited to an awards ceremony held in the New Year.

Help recognize and thank outstanding people and groups in your community when nominations open once again for Council's Excellence Awards in early 2026.

Nomination Guide Nomination Form

Nominate a deserving candidate for one of four award categories

Citizen of the Year - Honours an individual or group with outstanding contributions and achievements to the community, as a volunteer or professional who has improved the quality of life in the RMWB.

Everyday Hero - Recognizes an individual or group dedicated to improving the lives of those around them, demonstrating selflessness through acts of kindness and making a positive impact in the region. Residents may be nominated for selfless actions related to a single event.

Indigenous Advocate - Honours an individual or group of individuals who has made significant contributions to Indigenous communities in the region.

Youth - Recognizes a youth or group of youths whose exceptional achievements have improved quality of life in the region or brought positive recognition to the region. Candidates must be between 15 - 34 years old as of December 31, 2023.

2024 Award Recipients

Citizen of the Year – Mohamed Tarrabin

Mohamed (Moe) has made significant contributions to the region through compassionate and selfless acts. A proud senior manager of Prestige Jewellers in Fort McMurray, he has made a positive local impact through his support of local companies, non-profit organizations, and residents. This includes donating jewellery for local fundraisers as well as teaming up with Summit GM to provide over 300 kids with backpacks, school supplies and haircuts for back to school.

Moe advocates for those experiencing homelessness by providing warm shelter and food. His actions demonstrate a remarkable citizen whose positivity constantly spreads to others.

Everyday Hero – Nadeem Aslam

Nadeem’s heroic actions saved 25 lives on June 23, 2024 while driving a Fort McMurray Minor Baseball team home from Slave Lake. Their bus was struck by lightning, which immediately blew the front tires and caused the back tires to begin losing air.

Nadeem was able to steer the bus to a stop, and as a result of his quick, brave actions there were no injuries. A regular driver for Fort McMurray Minor Baseball, Nadeem has worked at Diversified Transportation Ltd. as a driver and trainer for the past 13 years.

Indigenous Advocate - Stacie Atkinson

Stacie is a passionate advocate for her community and those who call it home. A long-term volunteer, she has given her time and energy to support community events, the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee, and Conklin Métis Local 193.

Youth award - Lalithya Raavi

Lalithya is founder of Eyes4All, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting vision health and essential eye care for those in need across Canada. She is also co-founder of W.Women in Tech, a non-profit student-led organization which promotes leadership and workshop opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Lalithya prioritizes advocacy and volunteerism in academics, as well as inclusiveness and empowering youth. Some of her volunteering contributions include Horizons Student Leadership Group, Santan Mandir Cultural Society of Fort McMurray, Wood Buffalo Telugu Association, Girls Inc., and the Northern Lights Hospital.

Q&A

What are the rules around eligibility?

Any nominee must have lived in Wood Buffalo for a minimum of 12 consecutive months.

Candidates for the Youth award must be between 15 - 34 years old as of December 31, 2023. The other awards are open to nominees of all ages.

A person may only be nominated for one award category per year.

Nominees cannot currently hold elected office.

Previous award winners cannot be nominated for an award they have already received in the past five years.

RMWB employees can be nominated, but not for activities related to their job responsibilities.

Members of the Council’s Excellence Award selection panel are not eligible.

Self-nominations or nominations for someone who has passed away will not be accepted.

Do the nominees need to know they are being nominated?

Yes, the nominee must be aware of their nomination and give their consent.

How will the award recipients be selected?

A selection panel will review and evaluate the nominations based on the respective award criteria. The nominee in each award category with the highest score will be recommended to Council, which will review the recommendations and finalize the recipients. Recipients will be announced at a Council meeting, and a ceremony will be held in the New Year to celebrate the recipients.

What can I do if I’m having trouble submitting a nomination form?

Pulse is available to walk you through the nomination form, completing it on your behalf should you need. Please contact Pulse by calling 780-743-700 or 1-800-973-9663.