Jason Charles Burgoin

MStJ, CD, KCJ, FRHSC, FSA Scot

Origins:

Born in Hamilton, Ontario—Canada’s “Steel City”—and raised in the Windsor–Essex region, where he developed an early appreciation for the nation’s landscape and character. He is the son of Danny Walter Burgoin and Kim Lorry Webster, and stepson to Wallace Frances Manning, whose influence helped shape his character and sense of duty.

He pursued his studies at Huron University College at Western University, focusing on Globalization and Government—an academic foundation that informs his understanding of complex systems and public institutions, and underpinned his entry into the Canadian Armed Forces.

Service to Crown and Country:

Jason enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 2001 and was commissioned as an officer in the Canadian Army. He currently holds the rank of Captain and serves as a Reserve Officer within the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS).

His early service included progressive training and leadership appointments across multiple locations, including CFB Trenton, CFB Borden, CFB Valcartier, and ASU London. During this period, served with several Corps and Squadrons, culminating with command of No. 9 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps from 2009 to 2012.

In 2013, he transitioned to full-time Class B service at CFB Borden and was appointed J4 Regional Transportation Officer at Regional Cadet Support Unit (Central), assuming responsibility for logistics planning and regional-level personnel movement in support of cadet training operations.

He was subsequently appointed J5 Plans Officer (Cadet Training Centre’s) in 2017, responsible for the comprehensive planning, infrastructure, and operational readiness of six training centres across Ontario, supporting more than 12,000 youth from across Canada annually.

In 2021, he was posted to the Niagara and Greater Toronto Area office, headquartered at Denison Armoury in Toronto as J3 Zone Training Officer, where he oversaw unit training, mentorship and operational effectiveness across the Halton, Peel, and Niagara regions. During this tenure, he was appointed as Acting Officer Commanding for several months, providing leadership and continuity during a period of organizational transition.

In December 2023, he returned to CFB Borden as J8 Financial Services Officer for Regional Cadet Support Unit (Central) Headquarters, marking a notable milestone in his military career, reaffirming his dedication and leadership within the armed forces.

A dedication to the study of the art and science of heraldry has been a defining element in Jason Burgoin’s pursuits. A Herald of Arms by inclination, he has maintained a longstanding commitment to the advancement of heraldic knowledge, with more than a decade of leadership and service within the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada. During his tenure, he served as President of the Toronto Branch (2018–2023) and later as National President (2023–2024), contributing to the Society’s development through governance, program delivery, and strategic initiatives.
As a longstanding editor of Hogtown Heraldry, the Toronto Branch’s quarterly publication, he oversaw its development into a flagship journal and contributed to the advancement of heraldic scholarship internationally. In recognition of his contributions in this capacity, he was awarded the Society’s Meritorious Service Award in 2019. He was subsequently elected a Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada (FRHSC) in 2022, in recognition of his sustained contributions to heraldry.
In parallel, he is the founding chair of the Canadian Heraldic Studies Symposium, an annual forum dedicated to fostering interest in heraldic art and scholarship. Following his tenure with the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, his engagement in the field continues through independent research, collecting, and participation in affiliated heraldic organizations globally. Through periodic lectures and presentations, he contributes to the advancement of heraldry in Canada and internationally. His areas of interest focus on European heraldry, sigillography, and heraldic bookplates.
Jason maintains an active commitment to volunteer service, supporting a range of not-for-profit and community organizations. He has held multiple leadership roles within St. John Ambulance at the community, regional, and national levels, for which he currently serves as Honours and Awards Chair for the Halton, Hamilton & Haldimand Regional Branch and as a member of the Ontario Council, Ceremonial and Protocol Committee. He also served on the Priory of Canada Chancellor’s Communications team from 2022 to 2024. In recognition of his service, he was admitted to the Order of St. John at the grade of Member in 2020.
At the international level, he is a member of The Equestrian, Secular & Chapterial Order of Saint Joachim, where his service has been recognized through the award of the Grand Master’s Medal (2017) and the Cross of Merit (2019). In 2020, he was appointed Commander of the Canadian Sub-Commandery of Gore-Niagara and advanced to the rank of Knight Commander. In 2024, he was appointed to Grand Chapter, where he now serves as Grand Herald, responsible for the maintenance of the Roll of Arms and the registration and guidance of armorial bearings within the Order.
Known within the Craft as a Worshipful Brother, Jason is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. He served as Worshipful Master of Dufferin Lodge No. 291, a historic lodge of more than a century’s standing in West Flamborough, Ontario. In 2024, Dufferin Lodge amalgamated to form Flamborough Lodge No. 357, where he continues his membership as a Past Worshipful Master. He is also a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Valley of Hamilton, and of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, the world’s premier Masonic research lodge. His interests include Masonic research, history, and ritual practice, with a focus on the preservation and understanding of traditional forms and principles.
Beyond his professional and community commitments, Jason Burgoin maintains a number of personal pursuits. He is an avid recreational SCUBA diver and former president of the Aquateers of Canada, CFB Borden Scuba Club (now disbanded). With a particular interest in wreck diving, he has explored numerous historic sites across Ontario and has led diving activities for others.

His involvement in the military diving community led to the development of a program supporting Canadian Armed Forces members, first responders, and veterans living with operational stress injuries. The program promotes SCUBA qualifications and structured diving activities within a controlled environment, guided by peers with shared experience. Through this initiative, he has contributed to the delivery of training and organized diving experiences designed to promote confidence, discipline, and long-term recovery, and has supported its development and continued delivery over several years.
He also maintains an interest in historical European martial arts, with a focus on rapier fencing of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as well as in graphology and the art of written correspondence, with a particular appreciation for handwriting as an expression of form and character—a pursuit he approaches as a stylophile.

Jason resides in Brampton, Ontario, and shares his life with his partner, Jesse. Together, they share an interest in travel, seeking out both the character of unfamiliar cities and the quiet of more distant places, with an enduring appreciation for the people and cultures encountered along the way, and for the opportunity to experience the world with both curiosity and reflection.

Appointments & Distinctions

King Charles III’s Coronation Medal [2024]

Provencal/Territorial Commendation - The Venerable Order of St. John [2024]

Chancellor’s Commendation - The Venerable Order of St. John [2023]

Long Service Medal - The Venerable Order of St. John [2023]

Member, Order of St John - The Venerable Order of St. John [2020]

Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers [2018]

Grant of Armorial Bearings [2016]

Canadian Forces Decoration [2014 ] clasp for 22 years’ service [2024]

Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation [2012]

Governor-General of Canada Commendation for Bravery [2004]

Honorary Fellow - The Heraldic Institute [2024]

Ufficiale - The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, House of Savoy, Italy [2023]

Fellow - The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada [2022]

Kentucky Colonel - Commonwealth of Kentucky [2022]

Freedom of the City of London - Guild Hall, City of London, United Kingdom [2021]

Meritorious Service Award - Royal Heraldry Society of Canada [2019]

Fellow - The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Scotland [2017]

Letters patent, appointing Jason a
Freeman of the City London

Community & Leadership Roles

Ancient Free & Accepted Mason of Canada
Past Master - Dufferin Lodge No. 291 A.F. & A.M., West Flamborough
‍ ‍amalgamated into Flamborough Lodge No 357 A.F. & A.M
Hamilton Chapter of Rose Croix, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

The Equestrian, Secular & Chapterial Order of Saint Joachim
Grand Herald, 2024 - present
Commander - Canadian Sub-Commandery of Gore-Niagara, 2020 - 2024

St. John Ambulance
Board of Directors , Halton , Hamilton & Haldeman Regional Branch
Honours & Awards Chair, 2020 - present
Community Services Chair, 2017 - 2020
Director, 2013 - 2017

Ceremony & Protocol - Committee, Council for Ontario
Committee Member, 2023 - present

Chancellor's Communication Team, Priory of Canada
Board Member, 2022 - 2024