TORONTO — Stars will be minted for Sarah Polley, Nelly Furtado, Eric McCormack, Farley Mowat, Clara Hughes, David Clayton-Thomas and the late Doug Henning, named Tuesday as this year's inductees to Canada's Walk of Fame.

Established in 1998, the annual awards recognize achievements in music, sport, film and television, as well as the literary, visual and performing arts, and science and innovation.

The program is also designed to encourage young Canadians to think big, said president Peter Soumalias.

"(We) celebrate these extraordinary Canadians and through that celebration encourage the next generation of talent to also follow their dream," Soumalias said.

"They all have a common denominator, and that common denominator is a passion for their art as well as following their dream."

Polley, a filmmaker and actress, has appeared in dozens of films and TV shows, including "Splice," a sci-fi horror movie that's currently getting great reviews. McCormack is best known for his role on TV's "Will and Grace" and also has an extensive filmography, as well as a background in theatre.

Furtado has won a Grammy and half a dozen Juno Awards and has topped the charts with several singles. Clayton-Thomas fronted Blood, Sweat and Tears during part of the band's career, including the release of its second self-titled album, which won a Grammy for Album of the Year.

Mowat is the bestselling author of dozens of books and an officer of the Order of Canada.

Hughes carried the flag at the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics and won a bronze medal at those Games, bringing her career total to six.

Henning, who died in 2000, was a world-famous magician and was nominated for seven Emmys for his television show "Doug Henning's World of Magic."

Actress and musician Jill Hennessy said it was a great honour to get her own Walk of Fame star in 2007, calling it an "extremely emotional event."

"It was pretty astounding, it was hard to really grasp it in the moment," said Hennessy, who was in Toronto for the announcement of the new inductees.

"To be a part of this incredible group that I'm so impressed by -- so overwhelmed by to be honest -- is a real honour. It's still hard to get my mind around it."

The stars are on display in Toronto's entertainment district. To be eligible, a candidate must have been born in Canada or spent their formative years here and must have a minimum of 10 years in their career and a significant body of work, Soumalias said.

Past inductees include James Cameron, Michael J. Fox, Shania Twain, Bryan Adams, Neil Young and Mike Myers.

The new crop will be honoured at a Toronto gala to be held Oct. 16. New this year, an award will also recognize contributions by a young person in the arts.