Martha Hart receives award for her work with the Owen Hart Foundation
Dr. Martha Hart has been named the 2026 Calgarian of the Year.
The founder of the Owen Hart Foundation was honored with the award at the 2026 Calgary Awards, which were held Wednesday, June 17 at City Hall in downtown Calgary.
“Dr. Martha Hart, PhD, is a Cambridge-trained researcher, philanthropist, and advocate for education, housing stability, and food security. After her husband Owen Hart’s death in 1999, she founded the Owen Hart Foundation. Its home ownership and scholarship programs help low-income Calgarians buy homes and pursue post-secondary education,” the City of Calgary’s press release reads.
Hart was one of 13 honorees at this year’s ceremony and received the award for her “extraordinary contributions to the community.”
Hart founded the Owen Hart Foundation after her husband Owen Hart’s death at the WWF Over the Edge pay-per-view on May 23, 1999. The foundation focuses on three main areas: a scholarship program designed to help low-income high school students pursue post-secondary education, a home ownership program designed to assist new homeowners, and a partnership program aimed at fostering relationships with charities such as the Alberta Children’s Hospital and the Calgary Zoo.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.