In 2001 he and his family helped to establish The Christopher J. Rubes Center For EMS Studies, named after his physician son who died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1996.
Became a member of the Order of Canada in 1995, a civilian honour awarded to Canadian citizens for outstanding achievement and service to the country or to humanity at large.
He appeared in the first CBC (Canada) telecast with pianist Glenn Gould in 1953.
Has a house in Ontario, Canada, where he lives in summer and a second
home in Florida, USA, where he stays in winter.
Ranked 2nd in Canada among competitive senior tennis players in 1991.
He was a founding member of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. He performed with the company more than a thousand times between 1949 and 1989.
His grandson is called Jasan Rubes. His name means "ash tree" in Slavic languages.