Len Coates Memorial Award

About the award

To provide financial assistance and to recognize the academic achievement of a student in the School of Journalism, in memory of Len Coates and his extraordinary contribution to the field of journalism. One award will be offered to a student entering each of the second, third and fourth years of study in the bachelor of journalism program.

Len Coates was a pioneer of automobile journalism in Canada, first at the Toronto Telegram and later at the Toronto Star. He was the first president of the Automotive Journalists’ Association of Canada.  Jim Kenzie of the Star wrote: “Len’s facile conversation, easy charm and fluid writing style only partly mask a rigid integrity – get the facts right; hold true to your principles; tell it like it is.”

Len Coates died in January 2006. The three Len Coates Memorial Awards were established by his friends and collaborators, Rod and Sandra Campbell, in conjunction with the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.