Peter Simons is the President and Chief Executive Officer of La Maison Simons. Established in 1840, La Maison Simons, commonly known as Simons, is a family-owned fashion retailer in Canada and is known for its outstanding corporate citizenship. Simons, and his brother Richard, took over the business in 1996, becoming the fifth generation of the Simons family to run the company.

Upon a visit to Paris, he discovered one of the seven existing Fontaine de Tourny pieces in an antique shop. The fountain was once located in the Allées de Tourny in Bordeaux. Simons had the fountain restored on Île d’Orléans and donated it to Quebec City as a gift for its 400th anniversary. It was installed in front of the National Assembly of Quebec in July 2007.

Peter Simons was recognized as a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 2008, was awarded the Order of Canada in 2018, and received an Honorary Doctorate from Concordia University in 2019.

3 words to describe Nature?

Powerful. Wondrous. Inspiring

3 things Nature taught you?

Gratefulness

Resilience

Mindfulness

3 most treasured Nature spots?

Lake Lacon

Rivière aux Feuilles, Ungava Bay  

My little vegetable garden

When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel…?

The power of nature

When you see a forest, it makes you feel…?

The harmony of life

When you see a volcano, it makes you feel…?

The mystery of existence

When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel…?

Hopeful or melancholic

When you hear thunder, it makes you feel…?

Like a child again.

When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel…?

Adventurous

Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?

Forest

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?

9

Share with us a childhood nature memory?

Flyfishing with my grandfather in Northern Quebec