Sarah Harmer | 2025 Humanitarian Award | | The JUNO Awards

Singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer is an inspiring and respected Canadian artist who has used her powerful voice to go beyond music and engage her audiences and peers in important environmental and human rights issues. Alongside her work as an organizer and activist, she has released six solo albums and performed for audiences across North America, sharing her one-of-a-kind voice and lyrical storytelling. Sarah has received two JUNO awards, eight JUNO nominations, and two Polaris Prize shortlist recognitions.

Sarah Harmer has been passionately involved in environmental and community initiatives for over twenty-five years, primarily around water and species protection in her home province of Ontario. She has also supported land defence across Canada, particularly in response to extractive oil, gas and aggregate mining industries. In 2005, Harmer co-founded Protecting Escarpment Rural Land (PERL), to stop a massive crushed rock quarry on Mount Nemo, part of the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Sarah organized, produced and performed at numerous PERL fundraisers, and her 2006 JUNO award-winning documentary, Escarpment Blues, followed her band as they performed along the escarpment’s Bruce Trail to raise funds and awareness. In 2012, PERL played a key role at the Ontario Joint Board hearing, stopping Lafarge/Nelson Aggregates from destroying endangered species habitats, significant headwater wetlands, and safe and abundant drinking water

In 2012 Sarah travelled with the Nobel Women’s Initiative on a fact-finding trip to Central America (Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala), to bear witness to and report on violence against women in the region, particularly related to mining and other resource related industries. During the 10-day visit, the delegation met with women working on women’s and indigenous rights, as well as those involved in environmental, labour and land defense issues.  The delegation also gathered evidence from international and regional human rights bodies, and from government representatives and diplomats.  

Later that same year Sarah travelled with the Nobel Women’s Initiative to First Nations communities in Northern Alberta and British Columbia to investigate the effects of the Alberta Tar Sands on communities there. The delegation met with over 200 women from 13 communities along the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline route, including Fort McMurray, Burns Lake Fort McKay, Prince George, Smithers, Terrace and Kitimat. They also met with Indigenous community leaders from the Nadleh Wu’ten and the Saik’uz Nations, and government and oil industry representatives.

In 2013 Harmer was an official Intervener in the National Energy Board hearing on the Enbridge Line 9 pipeline, recognizing the connections between the Alberta tar sands, climate breakdown, and the real risks of high pressure pipelines crossing sensitive lands and waters across Turtle Island.

Sarah has participated in environmental education programs with Students on Ice Foundation in the Artic, and British Columbia central coast. She recently performed at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, where her story of advocacy was featured in the museum exhibition Beyond The Beat: Music of Resistance and Change. She participated in education events at the museum with students interested in human rights and social justice, to encourage them to advocate for the change they want to see in the world.

In 2019 Sarah joined Margaret Atwood, David Suzuki, Gordon Lightfoot and more in a joint statement to speak out about Ontario’s species at risk, calling for urgent change in the way we negatively affect the living systems that sustain life.

We are in the midst of a massive loss of biodiversity worldwide. Habitat destruction is the leading cause of loss of species. Ontario is home to precious wetlands, forests, grasslands and other complex ecosystems that support critical species at risk. Ontario citizens want to protect the most rare and endangered populations of plants and animals with whom we share this land and water. The Ontario government needs to strengthen our Endangered Species Act.” – Sarah Harmer

Sarah has also been involved with and supported numerous not-for-profit organizations over many years. Aligned with her commitment to preserving the environment, Harmer has supported Lake Ontario Waterkeeper Swim Drink Fish movement and has performed numerous times at their annual Gala. Sarah has also lent her talents to support The David Suzuki Foundation.  Aligned with her commitment to protecting human rights and empowering women and youth, Sarah supports War Child, an international non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children from the brutal impact of war.  Sarah has participated in various War Child campaigns, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for war-affected women and children, and helped to launch War Child USA in New York. She has organized and performed for electoral reform through the Yes! Kingston campaign, and supported The Leap Manifesto. 

In 2022 Sarah helped launch the Reform Gravel Mining Coalition (RGMC), to unite communities across Ontario pushing for reform of the provincial government’s management of an overly supplied and under regulated industry. 

For 20+ years, along with her Weeping Tile band mates, Sarah has organized, performed and hosted the annual Holiday Rock Show in Kingston, Ontario, raising tens of thousands of dollars for Martha’s Table, Dawn House and the Winter Relief Fund/Salvation Army.

Sarah Harmer’s voice has repeatedly contributed to meaningful decisions surrounding important topics, as she has bravely made herself heard in public spaces, including City Council meetings, public protests, op-eds, and through film, music and live performances. Combined with her one-of-a-kind artistic talents and her ability to move and inspire her audiences, Sarah continuously stand outs, stand ups, and engages the citizens of our country in collective action to achieve real, positive change.