Gary Slaight

The son of radio executive Allan Slaight, Gary Slaight began his career in the media department of McLaren Advertising, and worked in music promotion for Quality Records and WEA Records,[1] before joining his father's company (then known as Slaight Broadcasting) in 1977 as program director of CILQ-FM (Q107).

[2] Although Slaight Broadcasting sold Q107 to Western International Communications in 1985, Gary Slaight remained with the station until 1987, when he rejoined his father's renamed Standard Broadcasting as program director of CKFM-FM[3] and head of the company's radio division.

As an active supporter of Canadian musical talent, he was also instrumental in the creation of the National Songwriting Contest, the Canadian Radio Music Awards, and the annual Homegrown Contest to promote and publicize emerging local bands through radio station "battle of the bands" contests in radio markets served by Standard Broadcasting.

[1] Through the separate Slaight Family Foundation, he has also made philanthropic contributions to projects such as the Slaight Family Music Lab at the Canadian Film Centre, the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize to honour classic Canadian albums released prior to the creation of the Polaris Music Prize, the renovation of Massey Hall,[9] international development projects to improve access for women and girls in developing countries to health care, education and legal support,[10] and Canadian food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

He was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2009,[1] and was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2014.