“We wake up each morning and feel privileged to live in the nicest place in the world,” said Grant and Shannon Johnson, about their home on Clearwater Bay, Lake of the Woods.
After recently leaving their hometown of Winnipeg and making their cottage their permanent residence, the Johnsons have settled in to lake life and the greater Kenora community. Despite the popularity of Lake of the Woods as a summer destination, Grant remarked, “The quiet and solitude of the winter is remarkable. It’s gorgeous when the sun is shining, it’s -20C outside and the wind is still. It might even be better in the off season.”
Although the Johnsons are new to full-time life at the lake, they are no strangers to lake life. Grant’s mother Carol grew up spending summers at LacLu, at a time when it was only accessible by train. Over the years his family enjoyed several residences around the area, with his parents purchasing a cottage in Clearwater Bay in 1976 when Grant was five. “To me, the water, the trees, the landscape, it’s family,” described Grant.
After Shannon and Grant were married, she, along with their children, Coral and Zack, spent entire summers with Carol at the lake. Eventually, with space at a premium, the Johnsons decided to purchase their own place – specifically so they could be there more often. “Everyone wants to come here,” said Shannon. “We love to entertain, go out in the boat, fish, swim – all the typical summertime activities. It got to the point where we were spending so much time here, that we’d only go back to Winnipeg to check in on the house,” laughed Shannon. “At that point, we knew it was time to move.”
Leaving the city wasn’t hard, but the Johnsons did take their time before deciding on the transition. “We had recently sold our family business (Johnson Waste Management Ltd.) and there really wasn’t anything tying us to Winnipeg,” said Grant. “One of the biggest reasons we didn’t move sooner,” said Shannon, “was the uncertainty of finding a family physician in Kenora. We wanted to be sure we weren’t needing to go to the Hospital for something like an ear infection. Also, we didn’t know if we’d have to travel quite a distance to Thunder Bay for testing.”
As luck would have it, the Johnsons did find a physician. But they are very aware that the Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) needs the community’s help to continue to offer acute care services. “We have had to use the Hospital throughout the years. Knowing we have this facility nearby is of huge comfort to us, and to those who visit us,” said Shannon. It’s for this reason they continue to prioritize the Hospital with their philanthropic support.
The Johnson family has a rich history of giving to the LWDH Foundation, starting with their business. More recently their personal contributions have been nothing short of transformative. Last year, their support helped fund the Comfort Club appeal, enabling the purchase of new patient beds throughout the hospital. This year, they were among the first to pledge a six-year, $300,000 gift to the Beyond The Scan Campaign to establish a Diagnostic Imaging Centre of Excellence at the Hospital. Their gift will be used to fund Kenora’s first-ever MRI, a state-of-the-art Mammography Unit, a new CT Scanner and support the Excellence Fund to ensure all areas of the hospital are equipped with the tools and technology to care for patients.
“We have always supported our local community, both here and in Winnipeg,” said Grant. “Giving, both through time and resources, has always been a cornerstone value in our family and we are proud to continue that tradition. You know, money is always needed, but you need people too. Volunteering and connecting with your community is valuable. We are quite fortunate to be able to provide a donation that will help eliminate the need to travel to distant facilities for scans. Additionally, we hope it will attract more healthcare professionals to Kenora.”
Mira Trebilcock, Executive Director of the LWDH Foundation shared, “Grant and Shannon’s generosity is a testament to their unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of our community. Their gift to the Beyond the Scan Campaign is not only transformational for the Hospital but will have a lasting impact on the lives of so many who rely on access to advanced diagnostic imaging close to home. Having had the opportunity to visit their beautiful piece of paradise, I know their love for this region runs deep. We are profoundly grateful for their kindness, their vision, and their belief in a stronger, healthier future for all.”
As for the future, the Johnsons are planning a road trip to Prince Edward Island this spring. And then, “Back to the lake!” they said. Because, “It’s the nicest place in the world.”
For more information about the Beyond The Scan Campaign, or to make a donation:
BeyondTheScan.ca
807-468-9861 ext. 2409
**All donations made by April 30, 2025 to the Beyond The Scan Campaign will be generously matched, dollar for dollar, up to a maximum of $2M thanks to the FDC Foundation.