FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, June 23, 2025—The Editors’ Association of Canada (Editors Canada) has announced that Laura Bontje of London, Ontario, is the recipient of the 2025 Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award.
If you’re looking for someone who has their finger on the pulse of the editing profession, look no further than Laura Bontje. For four years, she has worked on The Editors’ Weekly, the official English-language blog of Editors Canada. For the last two of those years, she has served as its managing editor.
The Editors’ Weekly is known for producing quality content, and Laura Bontje is at the heart of its success. With an eye to seeking out great writers and to seeing the blog flourish, she puts a great amount of thought into curating articles that are topical for readers. Soliciting pieces on themes such as technology in editing, accessibility and inclusivity, and technical and niche aspects of editing, she has consistently sought out the topics that are at the forefront of peoples’ minds.
Laura Bontje is also a superlative editor who provides strong support for the writers she works with. “I have been fortunate to be able to work with Laura a few times over the last year as a writer contributing to the blog,” said one of her nominators. “As an editor, Laura is thorough, has a great eye for minute details and always has both accessibility and engagement at the forefront of mind when making suggestions. Laura is extremely respectful with her comments and queries, demonstrating great consideration for the writers’ voice and message. Laura is also a wonderful cheerleader of ideas. I have pitched a few ideas to her and she has been wonderfully receptive to seeing them go forward.”
Her career path includes teaching, working in libraries and working for non-profits; each job leading her to writing and editing. She specializes in fiction editing, with a particular focus on children’s literature. She is the author of the palindrome-packed picture book Was It a Cat I Saw? (Amicus Ink, 2024) and the cicada-inspired story When the Air Sang (Annick Press, 2025).
Laura Bontje is a positive and supportive professional, and we are pleased to recognize her tireless dedication by naming her Editors Canada’s 2025 Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year.
Established in 2010, the Editors Canada President’s Award for Volunteer Service recognizes outstanding service to the organization by member volunteers. From among the nominations received for the President’s Award, one nominee is selected to receive the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award. Recipients of the 2025 President’s Award for Volunteer Service are as follows.
Suzanne Aubin (Editors/Réviseurs Québec)
Karen Crosby (Editors/Réviseurs Calgary)
Alex Elcombe (Editors/Réviseurs Toronto)
Nancy Foran (Editors/Réviseurs Ottawa-Gatineau)
Joanne Haskins (Editors/Réviseurs Toronto)
Letitia Henville (Editors/Réviseurs Québec)
Emily Lam (Editors/Réviseurs Toronto)
Jackie Lewis (Editors/Réviseurs Calgary)
Matthew Long (Editors/Réviseurs Hamilton-Halton)
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About Editors Canada
Lee d’Anjou is a founding member of the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada and remains a guiding force in the association now known as Editors Canada. She is a champion of professional standards of editing, a pioneer of the association’s certification program, and one of the association’s most recognized and outstanding volunteers.
Additional information about the President’s Award for Volunteer Service and the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award can be found on the Editors Canada website.
Editors Canada began in 1979 as the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada to promote and maintain high standards of editing. In 1994, the word “Freelance” was dropped to reflect the association’s expanding focus to serve both freelance and in-house editors. As Canada’s only national editorial association, it is the hub for members and affiliates, both salaried and freelance, who work in the corporate, technical, government, not-for-profit and publishing sectors. The association’s professional development programs and services include professional certification, an annual conference, seminars, webinars, and networking with other associations. Editors Canada has four regional branches: British Columbia; Toronto; Ottawa–Gatineau; and Quebec, as well as smaller branches (called twigs) in Atlantic Canada, Barrie, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton-Halton, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph and Manitoba.
Media contact
Michelle Ou (she/elle)
Senior Communications Manager
Editors Canada
communications@editors.ca