PETER ACKERMAN ALLEN

(March 18, 1940 – October 3, 2025) Passed away peacefully at Belmont House in his 86th year after a long illness faced with courage and dignity. Predeceased by his wife Jocelyn Allen (née Botterell); loving father to Eric (Aliya), Geoffrey (Shaila) and Christopher (Cindy); devoted grandfather to Lucas, Isabelle, Rose, Claire, William and Jordan. Predeceased by his sisters Adrienne and Diana as well as his parents John Charles Leighton (Jack) and Francis Louise (Ackerman) Allen. Born at Toronto as the second of three children, Peter studied civil engineering at the University of Toronto. He started his career at Imperial Oil in 1963 and several years later moved to work on Bay Street in the brokerage business. He then joined the mining industry, working with his father to build up the Little Long Lac group of companies, acquiring junior mining firms in Quebec and Ontario. Over more than a decade of hard work, he managed to expand operations significantly, culminating in Peter receiving the Northern Miner's prestigious "Man of the Year" award in 1981. Under his continued leadership as Chairman & CEO, Lac Minerals went on to become a gold mining major with production in North America, South America and Australia before eventually being acquired in 1994. Beyond the business world, Peter was known as a community builder and philanthropist. He was a fellow and chair of the Royal Conservatory of Music as well as a board member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Harbourfront Centre, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and countless other charities. He was an honourary council member of Canada's National Ballet School and enthusiastic supporter of the National Ballet of Canada, where his wife Jocelyn had been a principal dancer. He was also passionate about the power of science to transform society, serving on the board of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. He even started a venture capital business to invest in Canada's next generation of technology start-ups. Peter was known for being a lifelong adventurer on the water. He could be found skippering J/24 sailboats locally on Lake Ontario and around the world. He and his crew won the Canadian J/24 class championship in 1994. Beyond sailing, he ventured to the Northwest Territories and the Yukon to paddle some of Canada's most iconic rivers by canoe. Closer to home, he designed and built a cottage for his family on Georgian Bay, where he returned each summer for more than three decades. Peter used to say "98% of life is showing up," underscoring his interest in getting to know people from all walks of life. An avid skier, he would convene family on epic searches for fresh powder and steep fall lines on mountains around the world. He maintained an impressive array of pursuits including piano, tennis, golf, duck hunting, fine art and cribbage for much of his life. Most of all, he adored spending quieter moments with his family and his grandchildren. He will be remembered for his joie de vivre, adventurous spirit, keen intellect and wit. The Allen family would like to extend thanks to Dr. Carmela Tartaglia and the team at the Toronto Western Hospital; Dr. Lauren Gewurz and the nursing team at Belmont House; and his team of tireless caregivers especially Ana Takim, Laura Giles and Maybel Narito who stayed with him for many years. The family will receive friends at the Humphrey Funeral Home, 1403 Bayview Avenue, Toronto on Thursday, October 16th from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Church of the Redeemer, 162 Bloor Street West, on Saturday, October 18th at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Belmont House Foundation (www.belmonthouse.com/foundation/) or a Charity of Your Choice. Condolences may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.