Dr. Melissa Lem, a family physician and President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, has been honoured with Canada’s Clean50 Award for 2026, which recognizes those who have done the most to contribute to the clean economy in Canada over the past 2 years. She has also been given the Clean50 Community Service award.

”To receive a Clean50 award is truly indicative of nation-wide and personal leadership,” Gavin Pitchford, CEO of Delta Management Group, who awards the Clean50, explained.

“Dr. Lem isn’t just talking about planetary health—she’s prescribing it. Literally and figuratively.  As President of CAPE, she helped triple the organization’s budget and revenue, train over 100 health professionals in advocacy, and pass landmark legislation on greenwashing and environmental racism. Co-founding PaRx, Canada’s national “nature prescription” program, she has mobilized 18,000 health professionals to issue more than 1.3 million nature prescriptions, doubling prescriber numbers in just two years.

“Her biweekly CBC appearances reach millions, translating complex climate-health issues into actionable guidance. Melissa’s fundraising savvy brought in nearly $1.5 million for targeted campaigns, while her international collaborations with projects like PANDA and RESONATE are setting global standards. Bold, strategic, and visible, she’s reshaping how health professionals lead on planetary health.

Further details about the Clean50 Award may be found at: www.clean50.com.

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About CAPE

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is a physician-directed non-profit organization working to secure human health by protecting the planet. Since its founding in 1994, CAPE’s work has achieved substantial policy victories in collaboration with many partners in the environmental and health movements. From coast to coast to coast, the organization operates throughout the country with regional committees active in most provinces and all territories. cape.ca

Media contact: Reykia Fick, Communications Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 647-762-9168, media@cape.ca

About Delta Management Group / Canada’s Clean50:

Leading ESG, sustainability and clean tech search firm Delta Management Group founded, and remains the steward of the Canada’s Clean50 awards, created in 2011 to annually identify, recognize and connect 50 sustainability leaders from every sector of Canadian endeavor, in order to facilitate understanding, collaboration and innovation in the fight to keep climate change impacts below 1.5 degrees C.  Ancillary awards also recognize 20 Emerging Leaders and the 40 Top Sustainability Projects of the year, as well as bestow 5 Lifetime Achievement designations.

Media Contact: Gavin Pitchford 774-330-6606 / gpitchford@deltamanagement.com