“I had no idea my name had been put forth for the Order of Ontario so indeed I was pretty shocked by the news,” Hines tells Samaritanmag. “Being in the company of the other appointees was surreal and the whole experience is something I'll share and cherish with those around me forever." Among the other honorees were filmmaker David Cronenberg and former hockey player Paul Henderson.
Hines, who was born with a rare joint condition known as Larsen’s Syndrome which keeps him in a wheelchair, is an accomplished musician who has released five albums and toured all over the world, including China and the Middle East.
Through his Justin Hines Foundation, he has raised millions of dollars for 87 charities and non-profits, such as East Kootenay Brain Injury Association, SPCA, Stephen Lewis Foundation, Walmart’s Walk For Miracles, ParaSport Ontario, Starkey Foundation, Ontario Lung Association, Variety: the children’s charity, Pediatric Angel Foundation, Children’s Heart and Center of Hope and the Arthritis Foundation.
In 2009 he was awarded the March of Dimes Canada Rick Hansen Award of Excellence for his advocacy work for people with disabilities.
Since launching in 2011, Hines has been managed by The Agency for Extraordinary People. During a visit to South Africa, he and the Canadian and South African team from The Agency for Extraordinary People launched a school refurbishing program, which has since enabled 20,000 students to attend close to 20 schools.
"I've always believed that my journey has been the product of tremendous support and I would've not had such unbelievable opportunities without it,” Hines says. “To be in a position in my career where ‘paying it forward’ is possible, well, it's not only a privilege but a responsibility. I'm very fortunate to be partnered up with such a socially conscious group in the Agency for Extraordinary People [a management company], where forging a meaningful path is priority.”
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