Member of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: May 2, 2013
- Invested on: November 22, 2013
William Young is a pioneer in the field of social enterprise and social finance in Canada. After 20 years as a senior executive, he used his entrepreneurial talents and good fortune to give back to society. He founded Social Capital Partners, which provides financing to companies that integrate a community hiring program into their human resources strategies. As a result, he is helping to build a more diverse workforce and to reduce employment barriers faced by single parents, new Canadians, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and at-risk youth.