The Mayor’s Medal of Merit Selection Committee is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Sault Ste. Marie Medal of Merit: Clyde Healey, Morley Torgov, and Gary Trembinski (posthumously).
Clyde Healey
Whether modernizing the local utility sector, serving Canada in uniform, supporting veterans and military families, or preserving the City’s history, Clyde Healey’s contributions to Sault Ste. Marie span more than five decades.
Throughout his professional career, Healey demonstrated exemplary leadership as Vice President of Corporate Services at PUC Services Inc. He played a pivotal role in guiding the organization through a major transformation from a traditional public utility into a modern, competitive enterprise. His service on the Steering Committee and Interim Board helped shape a long-term strategy that ensured the sustainability of this vital local institution.
Healey’s 26-year military career reflects an unwavering commitment to service. He commanded the 49th Field Regiment and later represented the Canadian Forces as both Honorary Lieutenant Colonel and Honorary Colonel. He also worked extensively with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council, strengthening connections between the military and local employers.
Healey has held leadership roles with the Sault Ste. Marie Historical Society, Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Wawanosh Monument Restoration Committee, Industrial Accident Prevention Association, Workplace Safety North, Royal Canadian Artillery Association, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25, 432 Algoma Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, the 24-Hour Relay, and the Canadian Games for the Physically Disabled, among many others.
Recognized with numerous provincial, national, and military honours, Healey’s legacy is one of integrity, accountability, and enduring commitment to the community he proudly calls home.
Morley Torgov
Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie in the 1930s and 1940s, Morley Torgov grew up on Queen Street, above his father’s clothing store: Allen’s Ladies Wear. The surrounding neighbourhood, the heart of the City’s Jewish community, profoundly shaped his worldview and became the foundation for much of his celebrated literary work.
His debut book, A Good Place to Come From (1974), is a witty and poignant memoir of his childhood in Sault Ste. Marie’s Jewish community. The book won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour and is considered a classic of Canadian literature. It was later adapted into a CBC miniseries, sharing the City’s history with audiences across the country.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Torgov earned a second Stephen Leacock Medal for The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick (1982), which was adapted into both a feature film and a CBC television series. His later works, including The Abramsky Variations, St. Farb’s Day, Stickler and Me, and The Hermann, have been praised for their wit, elegance, and moral insight.
Torgov also began his journalism career at The Sault Star, where he developed the distinctive narrative voice that would later earn him national acclaim. In recognition of his contributions to Canadian humour and culture, he was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2015.
Through his writing, Torgov has preserved an irreplaceable record of Sault Ste. Marie’s Jewish community and downtown life in the early to mid-20th century.
Gary Trembinski (Posthumously)
Gary Trembinski served Sault Ste. Marie with passion, integrity, and an unwavering belief in doing what was right for others.
He was first elected to City Council in 1982, serving until 1985, and returned from 1994 to 1997. In 2002, he became the owner of Metallo’s Mini Mart, where he built genuine relationships with customers who often became lifelong friends and constituents, regardless of their ward or background.
In 2014, Trembinski was elected as a trustee with the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board, a role he held until his death in 2025. He served as both Chair and Vice Chair of the Board, motivated by a deep desire to give back and positively influence decisions that affect local students and families.
Trembinski also served on the boards of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, the Bon Soo Club, and the Sault Ste. Marie Kiwanis Club. He was instrumental in launching the Queen Street Cruise in 2016, which continues to this day. Gary worked tirelessly to raise the City’s profile in support of tourism and hospitality.
A true goodwill ambassador, Trembinski approached every challenge with a strong moral compass and a selfless dedication to the best interests of others and of Sault Ste. Marie.
“The City of Sault Ste. Marie is proud to recognize Clyde Healey, Morley Torgov, and Gary Trembinski with the Medal of Merit for their extraordinary contributions to our community. Each, in their own way, has helped shape the character and preserve the history of Sault Ste. Marie through public service, cultural achievement, and an unwavering commitment to others,” said Mayor Shoemaker.
“Clyde Healey’s decades of leadership in the Canadian Forces, with local clubs, including the Legion, and with the public utilities commission reflect a lifetime defined by integrity and service. Morley Torgov’s writing has preserved an irreplaceable chapter of Sault Ste. Marie’s history, sharing the uniqueness of growing up Jewish outside a major urban centre with the rest of the country and beyond. As one of Canada’s most celebrated novelists, he represents the very best of Sault Ste. Marie, beyond our borders. Gary Trembinski, whose honour we award posthumously, embodied the spirit of public service – grounded by the moral foundations of building relationships, giving back, and always putting others first.”
The Sault Ste. Marie Medal of Merit is awarded to an individual or group whose contributions or achievements, in any field, have benefitted or had a positive impact on the community or beyond.