16 Facts About Michael DeGroote

Michael George DeGroote was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist from Hamilton, Ontario, who resided in Bermuda.

Michael DeGroote emigrated to Canada with his family in 1948, when he was 14 years old.

Michael DeGroote dropped out of school in ninth grade to help his family by working in the tobacco fields near Tillsonburg, Ontario.

Michael DeGroote subsequently purchased a former army truck when he was 18 and used it to transport manure to those fields.

Michael DeGroote sold the team four years later, and was the last owner of the Tiger-Cats to make a profit from the franchise until 2015.

In March 1988, Michael DeGroote sold his Laidlaw shares to Canadian Pacific.

Michael DeGroote paid $23 million to the Ontario Securities Commission to settle a claim regarding insider trading of Laidlaw stock.

Michael DeGroote maintained that he did not collude with organized crime that had become entangled in the financial squabble.

Michael DeGroote suffered a stroke in 2001, which restricted his activities.

Michael DeGroote died on September 12,2022, at age 89.

Michael DeGroote was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in October 1990 and invested six months later in April of the following year.

Michael DeGroote had earlier made a major donation to McMaster University in 1987, which funded the construction of a new business school.

Michael DeGroote was granted an honorary doctorate from McMaster that same year.

Michael DeGroote consequently became the first benefactor in Canada to have a medical building renamed in his honour, having earlier been the first donor in Ontario to have a business school named after him.

Michael DeGroote gave $10.5 million to Hillfield Strathallan College in 2009.

Michael DeGroote was consequently made an honorary member of the college's 2009 graduating class.