The Quinte West Chamber of Commerce will be honouring Josephine Robertson with the Honorary Lifetime Membership at its President’s Dinner & AGM on April 3.
Robertson is the owner of seven Tim Hortons locations across Campbellford, Brighton, and Quinte West.
She is being recognized as a community leader in the Quinte region, through participating in charitable events, volunteer efforts, and her philanthropy.
You can read the full press release below:
The Quinte West Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 2025 President’s Dinner and AGM on Thursday April 3 at Occasions by the Bay in Bayside. This is a special night in Quinte West where the business community comes together to recognize the accomplishments of the Chamber, the success of its business community, and to pay their respects to this year’s Honorary Lifetime Membership recipient Josephine Robertson.
“It is our privilege this year to recognize Josephine Robertson with the Honorary Lifetime Membership,” said Quinte West Chamber president Bev Woods. “For 30 years, Josephine continues to be the proud proprietor of seven Tim Hortons locations across Campbellford, Brighton, and Quinte West.”
As an entrepreneur over the past 30 years, Josephine has become a community leader in the Quinte region, through her participation in charitable events, her volunteer efforts, and her philanthropy. Her contributions to our community are numerous and have made a positive impact on the lives of so many while running her own successful businesses. Those contributions include fundraising and donating to the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation, the MFRC, the Quinte Humane Society, the John Williams YMCA, and many other charities and causes in the Quinte Region.
“I am deeply honoured, grateful, and humbled to accept this honorary lifetime membership award from the Quinte West Chamber of commerce,” said Josephine, “This award is a testament to the belief that success means little if it isn’t shared!”
“Over the years I’ve learned that making a difference comes not only from what we build for ourselves but what we give to others. Whether it was mentoring young people, supporting local organizations, or simply lending a hand where needed and gaining new friendships was an added blessing, each act of service has enriched my life far beyond measure! I look forward to continuing this journey of success together.”
Beyond serving coffee, Josephine used her business as a platform for giving back, raising donations and directing coffee sale proceeds to send over 400 local underprivileged children to camp throughout her time. One of her most cherished memories was taking 60 underprivileged children to Kananaskis, Alberta, for a transformative experience at Tim Hortons camp. Many of those children have since gone on to achieve great success, often attributing their accomplishments to the leadership program at camp. Some of them remain in touch to this day.
Her passion for youth development led her to co-found the Quinte West Youth Centre 15 years ago, alongside 12 other dedicated community members. The centre has since become a safe haven and second home for countless young people.
Josephine has also been deeply involved in youth education and safety initiatives. She has sponsored and served on multiple committees with the Ontario Provincial Police, focusing on school outreach programs. Through these initiatives, she toured local schools, educating children on drug awareness and bullying prevention. Her efforts have helped empower young people with the knowledge and confidence to make positive choices.
“Her commitment to community service extends even further,” states Quinte West Chamber CEO Suzanne Andrews. “She volunteered on the board of directors at the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce for eight years, sharing her expertise and forging meaningful connections along the way. It was truly a pleasure working with Josephine as a director, a board executive and president.”
Currently, she serves as the Assistant Chair of the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation board, where she plays an active role in supporting local healthcare initiatives. Additionally, she is part of the “Docs on the Bay” recruitment team, working to attract new doctors to the region.
The Honorary Lifetime Membership is awarded to local businesspeople that have given freely of their time and expertise over the years to contribute to the growth of our community. Past recipients of this award are: Lt. General Howard Graham; Dr. W.A.L. McDonald; Wilf Wilkinson; Ian Darling; Doug Whitley; Eben James Sr.; Phil Panelas; Paul Tripp; Peter Davis; Rob Brown; Hugh O’Neil; Tom Kotsovos, John Williams, John Smylie, Paul Whitley, Mike Cowan, Mark Phillips, Kelly Scott, Lanny Huff, Aleesha Camp, Ken and Cynthia Schmidt, and Chandy Davis.
If you would like to attend, tickets are available to the dinner and awards, which features a full course dinner by Occasions by the Bay and live music. Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased online at quintewestchamber.ca.
