Trent University Mourns the Loss of Dr. Jon Grant ’91 (hon) OC
Past Trent Board Chair, governor emeritus, honorary degree recipient, philanthropist, esteemed businessman, and environmentalist will be remembered for his leadership at the University and in the community
The Trent University community mourns the loss of Dr. Jon Grant ’91 (hon) OC, a distinguished past chair of the Trent Board of Governors (1984-86), governor emeritus, esteemed businessman, and visionary environmentalist, whose governance and philanthropic leadership made him a pillar of the Trent and local communities.
At Trent, Dr. Grant’s legacy lives on through his steadfast leadership of the Board during a time of change and challenge, and his sustained involvement and generosity in the years since. He was campaign chair for Trent’s Fund for Excellence (1982-87), a chair of the Bagnani Trust, and a founder/trustee of the T.H.B Symons Trust. In recognition of his remarkable contributions, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trent in 1991. Jon and his wife Shelagh Grant ’76 (Traill College) were generous supporters of the University, establishing funds to support Arctic research, Inuit students, and graduate students; as well as giving to many other priorities at the University for more than 40 years.
Dr. Grant’s influence also reaches far beyond the halls of Trent University.
He was one of the Peterborough community’s most esteemed citizens, well known as the former longtime CEO of Quaker Oats (1976-1994) and an ardent environmentalist who was made an officer of the Order of Canada and received the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals.
Dr. Grant and Shelagh moved to Peterborough after he joined Quaker Oats in 1974. Shelagh studied History at Trent, eventually earning a Masters, and later became a Trent Canadian Studies professor and internationally acclaimed Arctic researcher.
Dr. Grant, meanwhile, oversaw Quaker Oats and established a reputation as a successful environmental leader by advocating for environmentally friendly practices, including waste reduction and a commitment to recycling, before they became mainstream.
In the community, Dr. Grant served on corporate and public boards and remained committed to environmental and conservation work. He chaired the Ontario Round Table on the Environment and Economy, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Biodiversity Council, and Canada Lands, while also serving as a trustee for the World Wildlife Fund of Canada and commissioner of the Canadian Polar Commission.
As fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, both he and Shelagh were awarded the Bernier Medal in 2017.
They are survived by their three children, Susan Grant (Bob Fitzgerald), Debbie Aben (Mike), and David Grant (Cécile Gambin), and his six grandchildren, Chelsea and Alex, Michael and Sean, and Sébastien and Luc.
A celebration of life for Dr. Grant will hosted by his family in the new year. In honour of his remarkable leadership at Trent University and beyond, the flag atop Bata Library will be lowered to half-mast on the day of his service.