Doctor of Letters
(honoris causa) DLitt
Broadcast Journalist Susan Hay has been part of the Global News family for more than 30 years. During her tenure, Hay has covered weather news, special events, and hosted a variety of shows. Her current position is anchor/producer of Making a Difference, the popular early evening news segment profiling inspirational people and organizations throughout the GTA who are positively impacting the lives of others. When Hay isn’t anchoring Making a Difference, she’s live in the field covering various events or in studio discussing hot topics of the day.
Hay began her career at MCTV in Sudbury as a weather anchor and host/producer of a live half-hour talk forum and moved to CBC Toronto as weather anchor and on-location entertainment reporter. In May 1989, Hay joined Global Television and anchored daily regional and national forecasts on Global’s evening and late-night newscasts.
From 2001 to 2003, she hosted her own signature segment, Susan Hay’s Heart of the City. This popular news segment also aired as a weekly half-hour documentary series on Global Television and (former) PRIME TV.
Hay continues to dedicate her free time to working with many charitable organizations and is spokesperson for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, The Darling Home for Kids and World Vision Canada.
In 2003, she visited Africa with World Vision to help children orphaned by AIDS and more recently travelled to El Salvador for charitable purposes. Her work in Africa resulted in a one-hour show that earned a Telly, an American Industry Award for Excellence in TV and Commercial Broadcasting. Susan made a second trip to Voi, Kenya in East Africa in August 2005 and later Tanzania in 2006 to build a school there.
Hay was appointed to Order of Ontario in 2021, the province’s most prestigious honour for individuals who have shown outstanding qualities of individual excellence and achievement both at home and overseas. Hay continues to serve her community not only in her compassionate reporting but also inspiring and impacting others through her exceptional public service, which has left a lasting legacy.
In 2009, she received the Gemini Humanitarian Award, presented to an individual for their exceptional contributions and commitments to community and public service outside the Canadian television industry.
Hay has won numerous other accolades including the 2009 Rotary Youth Impact Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to youth and young adults, the 2007 Spirit of Giving Award from the Reach for the Rainbow, the 2007 Canadian Crime Foundation Award of Honour for making a difference in the lives of others here and abroad, and the 2004 Consumer Choice Woman of the Year Award, which is an honour given to someone selected by the public. Additionally in 2000, she received the Outstanding Woman in her Field Award for In Celebration of Women given to those who have excelled in media and have assisted in raising awareness and funds for worthwhile causes and the Distinguished Diamond Award for her role in assisting charitable causes for the betterment of the community.
Her Alma Mater, Canadore College, presented her with an honourary diploma for Communication Arts and established a scholarship in her name and Mohawk College presented her with their Honourary Andy Award for excellence in the media industry.
Aside from her busy home life, Susan enjoys running and has completed three marathons including the Ottawa Citizen National Capital Marathon, the Barbados Marathon and the Hawaii Marathon, all in aid of Leukemia and Lymphoma research.