TMU mourns loss of Nona Macdonald Heaslip
Nona Macdonald Heaslip and her late husband supported TMU and other universities through the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation.
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) lost a great friend this week in Nona Macdonald Heaslip. Macdonald Heaslip and her late husband the Honourable William Arthurs Heaslip were longtime members of the university community. Their generosity strengthened in particular The Chang School of Continuing Education and The Creative School’s School of Performance.
In reference to TMU’s Heaslip House—which incorporated the façade of E.P. Taylor’s O’Keefe House and was named in 2006 to recognize a generous gift from the Heaslips—Macdonald Heaslip noted: “We have no children of our own, so we exult in knowing another generation will benefit from sharing the amenities of this historical edifice.”
Nona Macdonald Heaslip was a public relations executive whose career spanned communications, journalism, radio and television production, and public affairs. Passionate about performance on screen and on stage, she served on the board of a number of theatres.
Her leadership and philanthropic support has guided numerous Canadian arts and culture institutions, including the Shaw and Stratford festivals and Theatre Museum Canada. She was a key advocate in driving the search to find the museum’s permanent home, which is now located in the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre in Toronto. She was named to the Order of Canada in 2021.
Macdonald Heaslip channeled her love of theatre and the arts in her generosity to TMU’s The Creative School. At the School of Performance, she has supported excellence in acting, dance and faculty achievement, and she encouraged professional development through support for travel.
The couple established the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation in 1997, supporting, among others things, the advancement of education, arts, and medicine. The foundation supports the William and Nona Heaslip Scholarship program at more than 10 universities across Canada, leveling the playing field for students in financial need who demonstrate strong academic records. Their generosity continues to further the mission of notable arts and health care organizations.
“Nona Macdonald Heaslip shared our belief in the transformative power of education,” said Mohamed Lachemi, president and vice-chancellor, TMU. “The thousands of people each year who pursue lifelong education at Heaslip House in The Chang School of Continuing Education share in her lasting legacy. On behalf of all of us at TMU, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to Nona’s family and friends.”