John Mason
Ampelio Guglielmo “John” Mason of Guelph (Ontario) is a man of many achievements whose long career spans the automotive and real estate sectors. Mason has also many interests and hobbies which include cattle farming, winemaking, playing the accordion and Italian folk songs.
Over the years, he has been an active promoter of many community-based enterprises. Mason’s generosity supports numerous research initiatives and projects at the University of Guelph and the broader area. Mason had a vital part in the committee responsible for the conceptualization, development and creation of the iconic Family Fountain statue that stands in St. Georges Square in downtown Guelph.
As he explained in his presentation at the Italian-Canadian Archives Project’s (ICAP) national conference in October 2017, the Family Fountain is a tribute dedicated to honouring the residents of the Royal city, and a gift to all families of all origins. Mason and his family are well known for supporting and celebrating Italian-Canadian culture in Guelph.
Since 2017 his contribution has supported students work in Italian heritage at the University of Guelph and has made it possible to feature their exhibits in the Guelph Italian Heritage Project. His generosity has also allowed the creation of the Italian Canadian Narrative Showcase site in 2019 and the application to successful grants from Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian Council of Archives.
We are profoundly grateful to John Mason for his generosity, his vision, and his commitment to promote the legacy of Italians in Canada.
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributions over the years have been instrumental to the ongoing development of Italian Heritage courses in Italian Programs at the University of Guelph and Western University.