Brampton pasta maker receives Ontario’s top honour

A Brampton-based businessman who has made his company one of the largest pasta producers in North America has been named as a recipient of the Order of Ontario.

Joseph Vitale, the founder of Italpasta, is one of the 29 new appointments named to the Order.

The Order of Ontario is reserved for exceptional individuals who have made a lasting impact in the province, country and the world and are announced on Jan. 1 each year.

Members come from all walks of life and represent many fields of endeavour, including public service, medicine, skilled trades, business, technology, mining, sports, the arts, health care, science and many more.

“Mr. Vitale’s leadership has had a lasting impact on Ontario’s economy and well-being,” said the Ontario government when announcing the appointments.

Vitale started in Italpasta in 1989 inspired by his love for his mother’s food in his native Italy.

Arriving in Canada in 1953 Vitale worked in various trades before he found his calling which has led him to become the fifth largest pasta producer in North America.

Since then he has committed his time to promoting various business ventures as well as devoting his energies to various philanthropic causes.

He has invested in Telelatino Network (now TLN Media Group), a network advocating for ethnocultural communities.

His philanthropic efforts include substantial donations to local charities and hospitals, notably committing $1 million for a Chair in Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at the University of Toronto. He has also been involved in Big Brother Big Sisters, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and various groups that assist those with addictions.

“The 2024 appointees to the Order of Ontario have enriched the lives of countless people in our province and well beyond,” said the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. “Together, they have attained the highest level of excellence in many fields, and may we all be inspired by their remarkable contributions.”

The 2024 Order of Ontario appointees will be invested at a ceremony in Toronto in 2025.