Lifelong Humanitarian Wins CA$25M from Ontario Lottery

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has had some exciting news to share after a person decorated as an Officer of the Order of Canada won the lottery’s LOTTO MAX jackpot on Januar 31, 2025, fetching a CA$25-million payday in the process.

Charles Coffey of Toronto, as he was presented in his photo-op, and referred to as simply “Charlie,” has been a humanitarian-minded Canadian who has, for years, worked tirelessly to help indigenous people and children, pushing for the advancements of such worthwhile causes as women entrepreneurship and early child development, as well as championing other liberal causes as education and diversity.

A Distinct Humanitarian Gets CA$25M More to Spend on Good Causes

Charlie’s unfaltering dedication to his chosen field has earned him praise and accolades from locals and the government, which bestowed one of the highest honors on him in 2003 when Coffey was awarded the Officer of the Order of Canada distinction.

He has also won the respect of indigenous people and was named an Honorary Chief for his support of First Nations. Another worthwhile accolade that Coffey added to his name was the Canadian Women’s International Business Initiative Award issued by the Canadian Embassy in the United States.

Coffey shared his story of the incredible win, arguing that he was caught completely unaware by it. Coffey, who is 81 now, stopped for a gas refill at a Shell neighborhood gas station and decided to check two lottery tickets he had.

One came up empty, but the other one, however, held the life-altering jackpot. At first, Coffey dismissed the win, contributing to an old humorous adage that people do not believe their own eyes, but rather what they know to be true, so he thought he had won $25,000.

No Hand-Outs – Just Hand-Ups and Empowering Those Who Need It

However, upon closer look at the ticket, he admitted that he was taken aback at the discovery – it was CA$25 million he had just won! He reached out to a family member back home and asked them for help to confirm the numbers.

“When we finally accepted the fact that the ticket was worth CA$25 million, someone suggested they take my pulse to make sure I was alive and seeing the amount of the win,” he told the OLG.

Charles Coffey

The win is not going to change much in Coffey’s life, but it will certainly empower him to do more good with the new-found funds. He will use the money to build a better Toronto, a better Ontario and a better Canada.

However, Coffey is not naïve with the way he spends his time or money. He believes in a “hand-up” versus “a handout” and wants to empower organizations that can truly benefit from this.