Salah Bachir brief bio…
Salah Bachir is a philanthropist, patron of the arts, entrepreneur, President of Cineplex
Media and Publisher of Cineplex Magazine and Le magazine Cineplex. He also owns the
sponsorship/marketing company Phamous Characters Inc.
When not at his day job, Bachir is an avid art collector and enthusiastic patron of mostly
Canadian art. His diverse collection of more than 3,000 pieces features many works by
Canadian artists such as Betty Goodwin, Stephen Andrews and Attila Richard Lukacs, as
well as pieces by international icons. His Andy Warhol collection is particularly
renowned. Bachir has donated pieces to the Art Gallery of Ontario (where a room was
named in his honour), Oakville Galleries, Canada’s National Gallery, Rideau Hall and the
Canadiana Fund. The University of British Columbia and the Art Gallery of Hamilton have
produced shows featuring Bachir’s collections.
But to many, Bachir is best known as a philanthropist, having served on numerous
boards and committees including those of the Canadian Film Centre (of which he is a
founding member), Art Gallery of Ontario, Luminato arts festival, Business for the Arts,
Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, and The 519 Church Street Community Centre
Capital Campaign. Bachir has raised more than $6-million for The 519’s expansion
project, and in 2010 the community centre’s new wing was named in his honour. He has
also promoted equal rights for same sex couples, supporting LBGT human rights
organization Egale Canada’s “‘I Do’ Means the Same Thing Whether You’re Straight or
Gay” campaign and he is a member of Egale’s Board of Advisors.
Bachir has earned many honours for his charitable works. The Variety Club of Ontario
gave him the Heart Award in 1996, he was voted Grand Marshal of Toronto’s 25th
Annual Pride Parade in 2005, was named the Famous PEOPLE Players’ Man of the Year
in 2008 and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Toronto Pride Gala in
2009. In 2010 he was named Honorary Patron For Life by The 519 Church Street
Community Centre. He has also been honoured by the Canadian Civil Liberties Union for
Excellence in Business and later this year he will be the recipient of the Canadian Centre
for Diversity’s 2012 Human Relations Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize
individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Canadian society. Bachir is
scheduled to receive this prestigious award during the CCD’s 65th Anniversary
Celebration which takes place on November 8th in Toronto.