Terry Fox on shortlist for new $5 bill

Terry Fox, who captivated a nation as he ran to raise awareness and money for cancer research, is among a group of notable Canadians shortlisted to appear on the new $5 bill.

Fox is among the eight names the Bank of Canada has sent to the government as it considers who should be featured on the bank note when it gets a redesign next year.

Drum roll, please 🥁🥁🥁 — it’s time to meet the short list of eight #bankNOTEable Canadians whose portrait could appear on the next $5 note: https://t.co/bEoMfytfYo

— Bank of Canada (@bankofcanada) November 9, 2020

The bank says it received more than 600 eligible names from nearly 45,000 Canadians.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will make a decision early next year about who should adorn the new bill.

Like the redesigned $10 bill, which in 2018 started bearing the image of social justice icon Viola Desmond, the new $5 bill will have a vertical design.

The bank says the current $5 bill will still circulate for some time and that the image of Sir Wilfrid Laurier will be featured on one of the country's higher-value notes when they are redesigned.