03/07/2025
Farewell to Regina Filippov
With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to our dear Regina Filippov — co-founder of Wave Magazine, a woman of generous spirit, tireless strength, and visionary soul. More than an entrepreneur, Regina was a friend, advisor, and partner in countless projects and dreams. To all of us at the Wave team, she was — and always will be — a living inspiration. Regina passed away today, July 3, 2026, in Petrópolis (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
Born in Brazil, with Swiss roots, married to a Russian, and mother of Canadians, Regina carried the whole world in her story. She lived in Australia before arriving in Canada in 1968, during one of the harshest winters ever recorded in Montreal. Between the shock of the extreme cold and the courage to start from scratch, she began a journey that would forever mark the presence of Brazilians in this country.
She lived in Montreal, Hamilton, and Toronto. She worked at Radio Canada International, SPAR Aerospace, and led various pioneering initiatives in communication, business, and community support. She was also a real estate agent for 25 years, offering ethical, dedicated, and heartfelt service to so many Brazilians arriving with the same dreams she once had.
Regina was one of the great Brazilian pioneers in Canada. She served as president of the women’s social group Clube Samambaia and later took part in the founding of the associations Grupo Brasil and Brasilnet. She also co-produced the publication Interlista de Negócios, the first directory dedicated to Brazilian enterprises in Canada, which later became Guia Brasil-Canada. Always an innovator, she brought the spirit of Brazilian Carnival to Toronto through her company Fiesta Promotion. For many years, she organized carnival balls, feijoadas, and other cultural events that celebrated Brazilian roots on Canadian soil.
As a partner at BRZ Group Inc., alongside Teresa Botelho and Murilo Guimarães, Regina was also a key figure in various initiatives: Unibras, the first formal business dedicated to the sale and distribution of Brazilian products in Canada; Revista Quinas, aimed at the Portuguese community; and the online directory and magazine Sotaque Brasileiro, which later became Brazilian Wave — now celebrating 22 years of continuous circulation. It was her son, Mike, who suggested changing the name from “Way” to “Wave,” creating a brand that would become a symbol of Brazilian identity in Canada.
At Wave, in partnership with Teresa, Regina poured her heart and soul. Each issue reflected her keen eye, tireless curiosity, and genuine desire to see Brazilians thrive in Canada. Even after retiring, when Teresa fully took over the magazine’s direction, Regina remained involved — she read every article, shared her thoughts, and celebrated every achievement.
“The magazine is like a daughter to me too,” she would say, proudly and lovingly.
But Regina was more than a pioneer — she was presence. She was affection. She was a guiding light. She had a huge heart and an energy that could move mountains. She was one of those rare people who left a mark wherever she went. When she believed in something, she made it happen.
Behind the scenes at Wave, Regina was a friend to everyone. She always had a story to tell, a memory of the “old Toronto,” or a joke about her many “foolish” attempts to return to Brazil — as she herself would say, laughing about life’s twists and turns.
With deep emotional ties in both Brazil and Canada, Regina understood well the paths that life can take. She warmly supported her daughter Sandi’s decision to build her life in Brazil, even though she was born and raised in Canada.
Regina, in turn, chose to remain in Toronto, where her granddaughter Sofia lived. “She’s the only granddaughter I have, and she’s here in Toronto. So I’m not going anywhere,” she’d say, her eyes lit up with grandmotherly love. But the years went by, and Regina eventually decided to move to Brazil to be with her daughter and son-in-law in Petrópolis, RJ, where she passed away, surrounded by love and memories.
Regina watched the CN Tower being built and would often laugh, saying that when she first arrived in Toronto, the Royal York Hotel was the tallest building in the city. She witnessed profound changes in Canada — in immigration, communication, and communities. She believed in the potential of Brazilians abroad and tirelessly sought ways to bring us together, represent us, and open paths for those who came after.
With her passing, we have lost a pioneer. And we have also lost an irreplaceable friend, who inspired us with her courage, her generosity, and her ability to dream big — always with her feet firmly on the ground.
We will miss her immensely. But her legacy lives on — in every edition of Wave, in every initiative she helped create, in every story she inspired.
Thank you, Regina, for your friendship. Thank you for dreaming. Thank you for believing. Thank you for bringing us together.
Your wave continues.
With love and eternal gratitude,
Teresa Botelho and
The Wave Magazine Team
Toronto, July 3, 2026
