John Andrew Hope (Photo: Family collection) A veteran of the First World War, whose influence played a key role in shaping health care, education, and public life in Ontario, will soon be honored with a provincial heritage plaque in his hometown. The Ontario Heritage Trust plans to unveil a plaque celebrating John Andrew Hope next month at the site of the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital. This event is part of the larger recognition by the Ontario Heritage Trust’s Provincial Plaque Program, which will mark its 70th anniversary in 2026. This new plaque will join almost 1,300 other plaques from the Ontario Heritage Trust around the province that commemorate individuals, places, events, and structures that have contributed to Ontario’s history and heritage. According to officials from the Ontario Heritage Trust, this unveiling is being held in collaboration with Hope’s grandsons, David Charles Poynton and the late Thomas John Poynton, along with the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital and its foundation. Hope is being recognized for a lifetime of service that went far beyond his time on the battlefield. Driven by what the Ontario Heritage Trust describes as loyalty, courage, and discipline, he returned to Perth after World War I and was instrumental in establishing Perth’s Great War Memorial Hospital. This hospital provided care for returning soldiers and met an essential need within the growing community. Trust officials noted that Hope’s public service expanded and diversified over subsequent decades. He was appointed King’s Counsel, served as a judge, became a governor at the University of Toronto, and chaired Ontario’s Royal Commission on Education. After its unveiling on Sept. 10, the plaque will be permanently placed on hospital grounds to honor both Hope’s military service and his lasting contributions to both the Town of Perth and the province overall.
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