Dr. George Harpur recieves 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at Canadian Underwater Conference & Exhibition
By CADC Admin ~ May 22nd, 2026. Filed under: Latest Diving News.
Dr. George Harpur, a pioneering figure in Canadian diving and hyperbaric medicine, has been honoured with the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Canadian Underwater Conference & Exhibition. The award recognizes his five decades of leadership, innovation, and service to the diving community. Dr. Harpur moved to Tobermory in 1974 and was instrumental in establishing the Tobermory Hyperbaric Facility (THF) in 1976. Under his direction, the THF evolved from a local dive‑accident treatment centre into a nationally respected hub for research, training, equipment testing, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Throughout his career, Dr. Harpur and the THF team supported a wide range of underwater operations, including:
Dr. George Harpur, a pioneering figure in Canadian diving and hyperbaric medicine, has been honoured with the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Canadian Underwater Conference & Exhibition. The award recognizes his five decades of leadership, innovation, and service to the diving community.
Dr. Harpur moved to Tobermory in 1974 and was instrumental in establishing the Tobermory Hyperbaric Facility (THF) in 1976. Under his direction, the THF evolved from a local dive‑accident treatment centre into a nationally respected hub for research, training, equipment testing, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Throughout his career, Dr. Harpur and the THF team supported a wide range of underwater operations, including:-
Geological Survey of Canada Arctic diving teams
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Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Team during the Franklin expedition search
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Commercial diving operations on Lake Erie
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Ontario Provincial Police Underwater Search and Recovery Unit
Dr. Harpur has also contributed extensively to diver education and safety, delivering lectures, publishing research, and sharing insights from investigations into diving incidents worldwide. In accepting the award, he emphasized that the recognition reflects the collective work of the entire THF team.
