Atlantic Canada’s first Top 7 Over 70 awards celebrate bold ventures launched after age 70
More than 22 per cent of Nova Scotians are over 65, and Statistics Canada reports the country now has more people aged 65 and older than children under 15. For employers facing labour gaps, that shift raises a practical question: what happens when experienced people keep building?
In May, the inaugural Top 7 Over 70 Atlantic Awards Gala offered seven answers. Community leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, and advocates gathered at the Halifax Convention Centre on May 14 to honour Atlantic Canadians who launched major new achievements after turning 70.
A national movement comes east
Calgary’s Jim Gray founded Top 7 Over 70 in 2017 to challenge stereotypes about aging. The program honours new ventures, creative projects, social initiatives, and career pivots started after 70, which sets it apart from lifetime achievement awards. The Halifax gala marked the program’s first event in Eastern Canada, organized in partnership with Aging Well Nova Scotia, and Gray travelled east for the launch. “We wanted to demonstrate that experience is one of society’s greatest assets,” says Gray.
Gala co-chair Dr. Ed Leach frames the recognition in economic terms. With longer lifespans and changing demographics, he argues, the contributions of older adults matter to the region’s economy as much as to its social fabric.
Seven new chapters
Several honourees built ventures with direct ties to the business community. John Hamblin, former President of Clarke IT Solutions, champions “seniorpreneurs” and mentors startups across Atlantic Canada’s innovation ecosystem. Now approaching 80, he teaches older adults about artificial intelligence and digital safety.
Karen North transitioned her family-owned trades business to the next generation, then joined an intergenerational mentoring program funded through New Horizons for Seniors. Her financial literacy work has reached more than 1,000 students in rural high schools.
Halifax-born marine scientist Dr. Ken Lee retired from Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2022 and now chairs advisory committees for the Multi-Partner Research Initiative under Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan. He also runs his own firm, Kenneth Lee Research Inc., and supervises graduate students in Canada and the United States.
The class also includes Dr. Olive Bryanton, who defended her PhD at 82 and serves on the Lancet Commission on Person-Centred Long-Term Care for Older People; Dr. Leslie Cake, who helped establish the Aging Research Centre–Newfoundland and Labrador; Dr. Alan Syliboy, the Mi’kmaw artist from Millbrook First Nation who mentors emerging artists; and Carol Smith, who helped launch Jane’s Place Society to create second-stage housing in Queens County for families leaving gender-based violence.
What it means for business
The program’s case aligns with challenges Chamber members know well. Older adults who return to work or start ventures help bridge labour shortages, strengthen local economies, and mentor younger workers. Through its sister initiative, InterGen, Top 7 Over 70 also connects generations around shared innovation.
Organizers plan to expand the program to other Atlantic provinces under local leadership. The next Atlantic gala is set for 2028, giving businesses and community groups time to spot the region’s next generation of late-career builders.
Learn more about Top 7 Over 70 at:
