He was presented with the award Thursday night at the City of Brampton's Citizens Awards evening at The Rose Theatre.

"John is well deserving of this award," said Brampton Guardian Editor-in-Chief Lorne Drury. "He loves Brampton and he has contributed to its growth and success."

Dozens of others received awards during the evening including the following:

Eric Asante, Armand Baksh, Maud Fraser, Michael Halls, James Henderson, Caroline Holody, Alain Normand, Dale O'Hara, Russell Peters, Elysse Poetis. Andrea Raymond, Michelle Richard, Sophia Shaw, Kristen Soehner, Sherisse Springer, Michele Taras.

Magnolius, Sisters Euclid.

Rose Anne Borg, Ryan Kay and Bob Pesant.

Paul Allen, Roman Aman, Michael Avis, Susan Azzopardi, Kathy Bell, Teresa Brooks, Cathie Bruce, Fred Chalk, Larry Chovancek, Jan Colbran, Doug Cook, Marian Dallas, Gill Dunn, Kevin Foley June Gallagher, Linda Galloway, Sheri Gilmour, Amy Kelly, Bonnie Kerr, Eva King, George King, Ann Landry, Alexis MacLeod, David MacLeod, Karen Marshall, Ina McFarlane, Joyce McIntosh, Anthony McIntyre, Wendy Mendlow, Jeff Mitchell, Noreen Myers-Bailey, Ferdinand Olde Weighuis, John Partridge, Lin Partridge, Peter Petz, Brenda Poisson, Ron Raffan, Catherine Rivera, William Roach, Lydia Robertson, Pat Romeo, Olga Rudge, Ron Sauer, Raghbir Singh Sandu, Mary Anne Smythe, Carole Spraggett, Diana Tracey, Kathleen Torpey, Diana Vandenberg, Licia Vreugde Bryan Weaver, and Joyce Wright.

Brian Cleave, Keith Garbutt, Peter Grooms, Peter Riccio, Michael Roberts, Truman Robinson, Blair Salvisburg, Michael Ufkes and Stewart Watson.

Bill Allard, Bryan Balkissoon, John Fioze, Brian Francique, Glenn Fraser, Penny Greco, Tom Greco, Anna-Marie Guenther, Courteney King, Andy Leal Franca Rodrigues, Edison Samuels and Sandra Scott.

Mary Christie, Joanne McTague and Elizabeth Ward.

Michael Kaminski, Peter McArthur, Sharon Moulton, Nicholas Wai, Robert Wallischek and Blair Watson.

Carmen Araujo, Margaret Ballantyne, Jim Collie, Muriel Cummings, Joyce Davey, Margaret E. Hawkins, Irene Holdham, Ken Nixon, Mary Anne (Bonnie) Stagg, Sho Teramoto and Norm Young.

Dwaine Urquhart and Deborah Wulff.

Kaiyum Alli.

Carabram.

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD

John Cutruzzola.