Hometown hero Ryan Reynolds receives highest honour from City Council

From Kits Pool to Deadpool, Reynolds is the hometown kid who made it big. Known to more than 51 million Instagram followers as @vancityreynolds, he has made his love of Vancouver part of his public identity, carrying the city’s name with pride on the world stage. (File Photo: Ryan Reynolds/Facebook)

This morning in a private ceremony in Council Chambers, Vancouver City Council bestowed the Freedom of the City on Kitsilano’s very own Ryan Reynolds, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions as a Vancouverite, philanthropist, and cultural ambassador.

“Today we celebrated one of Vancouver’s own whose hometown pride has taken our city’s name around the world,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “Ryan Reynolds isn’t just a movie star, he’s a proud Vancouverite who never forgets where he came from and always finds ways to give back. Awarding him the Freedom of the City is our way of saying a heartfelt ‘thank you’ for everything he’s done for our community.”

From Kits Pool to Deadpool, Reynolds is the hometown kid who made it big. Known to more than 51 million Instagram followers as @vancityreynolds, he has made his love of Vancouver part of his public identity, carrying the city’s name with pride on the world stage.

Reynolds has shown an unwavering commitment to giving back to the city where he was raised. Together, with his wife Blake Lively, he has generously supported Covenant House Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Following the devastating 2021 flooding in British Columbia, Reynolds and Lively donated to the Red Cross of B.C. and used their platform to encourage others to do the same. Their commitment to Vancouver has provided shelter and support for youth who are homeless, at risk, or trafficked, and made a tangible difference for families across the region.

Their philanthropy extends nationally and globally, from major contributions to Food Banks Canada during the pandemic to matching $1 million in donations for displaced Ukrainian families, and funding Water First Education & Training to support young Indigenous adults. Reynolds has also advanced equity through his professional work, co-founding the Group Effort Initiative and Creative Ladder to open doors for underrepresented communities in entertainment and marketing.

“This means the world to me. Vancouver shaped who I am, and I carry it with me in everything I do,” Reynolds said. “To now be part of its history in this way is both humbling and surreal, and I’m deeply grateful to be recognized by the city that gave me my start.”

Reynolds has previously been recognized with both the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada, honours that reflect his lasting impact provincially and nationally. Today, with the Freedom of the City, Ryan Reynolds officially joins the City’s history books as an individual whose local pride, achievements and generosity have permanently shaped Vancouver’s story.

About the Freedom of the City Award

The Freedom of the City award is granted only in exceptional cases to individuals of the highest merit who have gained national and international acclaim in the arts, business, or philanthropy and who have brought recognition to Vancouver through their achievements.

Recipients of the award are recognized during a ceremony with Council, which involves the presentation of a certificate of accomplishment, a lifetime recreation pass for free access to Park Board pools, rinks, and fitness centres, and the Freedom Medal. The recipient also signs their name in the Book of Freedoms.

Members of Council nominate individuals for the award, and nominations must be approved by a unanimous vote of Council. Vancouver began honouring individuals with the Freedom of the City Award in 1936.

Visit the City’s website to learn more about past Freedom of the City recipients.