In Memoriam: Sonia Labatt (1937-2022)

Mar 25, 2022
Portrait photo of Sonia Labatt smiling.

The University of Toronto and its students have lost a loyal friend, a brilliant teacher, and a visionary benefactor with the passing of Sonia Labatt (BA 1960 UC, MA 1990, PhD 1995, Hon LLD 2011). She leaves behind a legacy of support at the University and at health-care institutions throughout Toronto.

“Sonia Labatt has always given generously of her time and wisdom,” says U of T president Meric Gertler. “She was passionate about improving the human condition in multiple ways. As a scholar, she aimed to deepen our understanding of complex, external environments and the forces that shape them. And as a philanthropist, Sonia supported research on the equally complex, internal realm of mental health and well-being. I extend sincerest condolences from the University community to Arthur, Sheila, Jacquie and John. She will truly be missed.”

Sonia Labatt leaves an impactful legacy in environmental studies and depression research

A four-time U of T alumna, Sonia Labatt was also an adjunct professor at the University’s Centre for Environment (today the School of the Environment) for more than a decade. As well as co-authoring two books contributing to the topic of finance and the environment with her long-time collaborator Professor Rodney White, she made lasting contributions to the University curriculum, developing a graduate course on sustainable investing. She also co-founded U of T’s Environmental Finance Advisory Committee and together with her husband Arthur Labatt, endowed a fellowship for graduate students.

“The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Graduate Fellowships have helped dozens of talented scholars complete their degrees and their important research,” says Steve Easterbrook, Director of the School of the Environment. “This generous gift has proved pivotal to our mission of training leaders, creating knowledge, and making a positive contribution to climate solutions. We are all grateful for Sonia Labatt’s generosity, insight and forethought in establishing these awards.”

Together with her husband and children, Labatt also made extraordinary gifts to U of T in support of health research. The family’s $20-million gift to launch the Labatt Family Network for Research on the Biology of Depression was a remarkable milestone. “The Labatt family’s generous gift is a boon to depression research,” says Dr. Trevor Young, dean of U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. “Thanks to the Labatt Family Network for Research on the Biology of Depression, we are uncovering new insights into depression and how it manifests. This support also empowers us to teach and launch the young talent who will take up this work in the years to come.”

We are all grateful for Sonia Labatt’s generosity, insight and forethought.
We are all grateful for Sonia Labatt’s generosity, insight and forethought.

A dedicated volunteer who gave herself to public life

Labatt was also a dedicated volunteer whose contributions include extensive work for the Sick Kids Hospital Board and with KiBO Foundation, a grassroots skills training program for unemployed youth in Uganda. She also helped raise funds for the Toronto French School. Her philanthropy included renowned generosity to Canadian hospitals, including support for groundbreaking genetic therapy research and heart research conducted by U of T scientists at the Hospital for Sick Children.

At U of T, she was a vital member of the University of Toronto’s Boundless campaign executive,  a long-term member on the Faculty of Arts & Science Dean’s Advisory Board, and most recently served as an honorary chair of the Defy Gravity campaign. In 2011, the University conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree on her, recognizing her contributions to public life in Canada and internationally.

“Dr. Labatt was practical and down to earth with a lovely sense of humour,” says David Palmer, U of T’s Vice-President, Advancement. “In this alone she was wonderful to work with on the campaigns, but she also brought a firm moral compass and unstinting compassion for others to her volunteer efforts and public life. She will be so very much missed by many across the University.”

She brought a firm moral compass and unstinting compassion for others to her volunteer efforts and public life.
She brought a firm moral compass and unstinting compassion for others to her volunteer efforts and public life.

A lifelong learner and brilliant analyst

Labatt first graduated with a BA from University College in 1960, but would return to U of T later in life to earn a Masters of Arts in geography in 1990, then her PhD in 1995. Following graduation, she became an adjunct faculty member for U of T’s Centre for Environment, a role she held until 2012.

Labatt’s research focus was on business and the environment, and Meric Gertler, U of T’s current president, served on her supervisory committee.

“Sonia was a gifted and tenacious student and a lifelong learner,” says Gertler. “Her ability to take disparate threads of research on the environment, finance and corporate strategy, and bind them together into a compelling narrative about what was happening in our world, demonstrated the kind of analytical excellence we expect from our top students. She was a brilliant researcher, a generous benefactor, and a personal friend. I will greatly miss her insights, her joie de vivre, and our wonderful conversations.”