Statement on the passing of Bill Saunderson
March 9, 2026
We are deeply saddened to share news of the passing of Bill Saunderson, F.C.P.A., F.C.A. (1933-2026). Bill was a long-standing friend and supporter of the Hnatyshyn Foundation whose membership on our Board of Directors spanned over two decades.
Bill enjoyed a career as a politician, Chartered Professional Accountant, and investment advisor. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris. The Hnatyshyn Foundation is fortunate to have benefitted from Bill’s financial expertise and wise counsel for over twenty years, since his appointment to the Board in 2003.
Among Bill’s numerous contributions to the arts in Canada and to the Foundation’s mission, his and his wife Meredith’s support of the Saunderson Prizes for Emerging Visual Artists, to which they have been the benefactors since 2015, has been particularly impactful. Through this generous support, the Saunderson Prizes have championed the practices of 33 Canadian artists since 2015.
Bill will be dearly missed. We at the Foundation send our deepest condolences to his wife Meredith, his children and grandchildren, and his friends.
