Despatie and Whitfield are two of the four athletes to be given the honour by the COC, joining weightlifter Christine Girard and diver Émilie Heymans.

The women's ice hockey team at Vancouver 2010, who conceded only two goals en route to the Olympic gold medal, and the women's football squad from London 2012 will also be inducted.

Hiroshi Nakamura, who coached the Canadian judo team at five Olympic Games, and Jack Poole, volunteer chairman and chief executive of Vancouver's bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics who died in 2009, are among the others to be bestowed with the honour by the COC.

The COC will also posthumously induct sports journalist Randy Starkman, who covered Canadian Olympians and amateur athletes for 24 years.

An award in Starkman's name is due to be presented at the induction ceremony at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto on October 23.

It will recognise a Canadian national team athlete who has used their sporting excellence for the benefit of the community.

Despatie won silver medals in the three metres springboard event at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 and is a three-time world champion

The 34-year-old, who now works as a broadcaster, also claimed nine Commonwealth Games gold medals during his career.

Whitfield, who retired in 2013, triumphed in the inaugural Olympic triathlon race at Sydney 2000 and earned silver in Beijing eight years later.

Heymans became the first female diver in the world to win medals at four consecutive Olympics, while Girard is being honoured after she was crowned as Canada's first Olympic weightlifting champion at London 2012.

"The Class of 2019 has defined what it means to be Olympic," said COC President Tricia Smith. 

"These individuals remind us that the Olympic Movement is about more than just victory. 

"It’s about making an indelible impact on our communities, our nation and the next generation.

"We are proud to honour their legacy with the distinction of membership in the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame."