Julia Levy, a dear friend and valued board member of Ecotrust Canada, passed away on December 5, 2024. She served on the board from 2007 to 2019, including eight years as Co-Chair, and played a pivotal role in shaping our strategic direction and expanding our impact through innovative partnerships and programming.
Julia became a dear friend through her involvement in Ecotrust Canada. Her intellect, wit and perseverance were powerful, accompanied by her outsized generosity and kindness. She was a fearless scientist, a challenging path for a woman, and in turn, she mentored many women in science. Julia had a profound impact on her field of immunology and microbiology. She was co-inventor of Visudyne, a groundbreaking treatment for eye diseases, and co-founder and CEO of QLT, a biotechnology company.
During the spring 2020 lockdown, she and her husband, Ed, decided to move to their home in Lund, BC. They never returned to the city except to visit ever so briefly for appointments, and then they would return as fast as possible to Lund. They loved it there, the physical space, the spaciousness of their lives, their community of friends, and visitors, lots of us, all of whom loved gathering with them there.
Julia and Ed have together supported so many people and causes over a long period of time, often quietly and under the radar. They truly are committed to people and the places that they call home.
Thank you, Julia. To Ed and your family, we acknowledge your deep loss with Julia’s passing.
With gratitude,
Jacqueline Koerner and the Ecotrust Canada family
[Published on Jan. 29, 2025]