Dr. Elaine Golds receives the 2016 Honorary Fellows Award

Award latest distinction in a career of conservation

By Mercedes Deutscher, News Editor

For Dr. Elaine Golds, environmental conservation has always been a top priority. Since she moved to Port Moody in 1989, Golds has worked full-time and unpaid, and become a respected and critical voice for conservation throughout the Tri-Cities and BC. For this and many other reasons, Dr. Golds was recently awarded Douglas College’s highest award of distinction, the Honorary Fellows Award on February 11.

Golds has been a conservationist for most of her life. She received her Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Saskatchewan before completing her biochemistry doctorate at McGill University in 1978. She researched arthritis and multiple sclerosis and worked as an assistant professor at the university before moving to Port Moody in 1989.

Dr. Kathy Denton, the President of Douglas College, said on the college website: “Dr. Golds’ commitment to the metro-Vancouver community and environment is something to be admired. This type of dedication and passion is what we aspire to instill in our students.”

Dr. Golds accepted the award with graciousness, as reported through Douglas College’s news and media feed. “As a volunteer, I am deeply honoured to be receiving this award. I hope it helps to shine a light on the significant contributions that many volunteers make to their communities.”

Golds has campaigned for countless local environmental causes throughout the course of her life. Some of the reasons highlighted in her reception of the Honorary Fellows Award include her work to stop the logging of forests near watersheds, as well as work to preserve local and provincial parks.

To highlight a few more, she successfully advocated for equipment that reduced air pollution at BC Hydro generating stations during the ‘90s. She has also advocated for clean energy plants instead of coal-based plants, as well as for better locations for Kinder Morgan to construct pipelines, aside from Burke Mountain.

Lastly, she donated her time and money to local causes time and time again.

Of course, this is not the first time that Dr. Golds has been recognized for her work in the community. Golds was awarded the Pacific Salmon Foundation Hungerford Award for Conservation in 2014 due to her work as stream steward. She donated the $10,000 grant awarded with the prize to Mossom Creek Hatchery.

Golds’ lifetime of environmental work also resulted in her being the recipient of the Port Moody Freedom of the City Award in 2007, the BC Community Achievement Award, both the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association Achievement Award.