WATERLOO -- Four local honourees are among the 135 Canadians named to the Order of Canada on Wednesday.

The over 50-year-old national order honours Canadians who make extraordinary contributions to the nation.

Waterloo's Geoffrey T. Fong and Guelph's Alejandro G. Marangoni were inducted as officers of the Order of Canada, while Kitchener's Eric Ross Macdonald Haldenby and Guelph's Barry Smit were named members.

GEOFFREY T. FONG – OFFICER

Geoffrey T. Fong is the founder and chief principal investigator of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project). Fong was recognized for his research into improved risk messaging on tobacco products and reducing the tobacco epidemic.

ALEJANDRO G. MARANGONI - OFFICER

Alejandro G. Marangoni serves as a professor and Tier I Canada Research Chair in Food, Health and Aging at the University of Guelph. He was inducted for his contributions to organic chemistry and ground breaking work developing emulsions to replace saturated and trans fats in foods.

ERIC ROSS MACDONALD HALDENBY - MEMBER

University of Waterloo's School of Architecture professor Eric Ross Macdonald Haldenby was named member of the Order of Canada for his contributions to the advancement of architectural education in Canada and his efforts to preserve industrial and mid-century buildings.

BARRY SMIT - MEMBER

Barry Smit taught as a professor at the Department of Geography at the University of Guelph. Smit helped improve the understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation. The Order also recognized his mentorship of the next generation of climate change scientists.

NOTABLE HONOUREES

Canadian author Yann Martel was named companion of the Order of Canada, the highest honour given.

Martel is best known for his award-winning novel "Life of Pi".

Former senator and Indigenous advocate, Murray Sinclair was the only other companion in this year's group of inductees.

Sinclair chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into Canada's residential school history.

More than 7,500 people have been invested into the Order of Canada since it was first established in 1967, as per The Canadian Press.