Regis and Joan Duffy awarded key to the City of Charlottetown for their service to the community
Regis and Joan Duffy were awarded the key to the City of Charlottetown on Tuesday, the 10th such honour since amalgamation in 1995.
The couple received the award as recognition for their many years of public service and philanthropy. They've contributed to both Holland College and the University of Prince Edward Island, and established the Joan and Regis Duffy Foundation, which has supported a variety of organizations through charitable contributions.
Regis Duffy — who described himself as a "country boy from potato country in Kinkora" — was appointed as UPEI's first dean of science in 1969.
In 1970, he founded Diagnostic Chemicals Ltd., which began operating its chemical division under the name BioVectra Inc. in 2007.
He also served on Charlottetown council and chair of the city's finance committee from 1977 to 1989
'A pleasure serving this community'
The key is the latest in a list of honours Regis Duffy has received.
In 1995, he was appointed to the Order of Canada for his contributions to the sciences, and in 2010 he was named to the Order of Prince Edward Island.
In his acceptance speech, Duffy said it's been "a pleasure serving this community."
Other recipients of the key to the city include NHL player Brad Richards, the HMCS Charlottetown, and P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison and her team.
The full list of key recipients since the city amalgamated in 1995 is as follows:
Lori Kane, 1997
David (Eli) MacEachern, 1998
Charlotte Town, 2000
Brad Richards, 2004
Brett Gallant curling rink (silver medallists at the World Junior Curling Championships), 2009
Wally Hennessey, 2012
The Guardian, 2012
HMCS Charlottetown, 2015
Dr Heather Morrison and team, 2020
