Barbara Ann Scott was born on May 9, 1928 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

She first came to prominence when she won the Junior Figure Skating Champion of Canada in 1940 followed by the Canadian Senior Women’s Champion in 1944 through to 1948. From 1945 to 1948, she won the North-American Figure Skating championships. In 1947 she became the first North American to ever win the European and World Figure Skating Championships making her a Canadian national heroine.

She repeated as World champion in 1948 and at the Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland she became the first Canadian to win the figure skating gold medal.

Ms. Scott was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete of the year in 1945, 1947 and 1948. She was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1948, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1955, and the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1991.

She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1991 and in 1998 was named to Canada’s new Walk of Fame.