2025 WINNERS & EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Award Categories

BEST EMPLOYER BRANDING


BEST EMPLOYER BRANDING

Winner: Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada), Inc.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Centurion Asset Management Inc.
  • CIRA
  • CMHA Grey Bruce
  • Fresh Tracks Canada Inc.
  • KUBRA
  • MTU Maintenance Canada Ltd
  • Tourism Industry Association of Canada
  • William Osler Health System 

BEST HR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY


BEST HR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

Winner: Region of Peel

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Beneva
  • Compass Group Canada
  • Customertimes
  • Redstone Agency
  • TravelBrands
  • Trimac Transportation  

BEST LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM


Winner: Roper Greyell LLP

BEST LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Achkar Law
  • Levitt LLP
  • Sultan Lawyers Professional Corporation 

BEST REWARD & RECOGNITION STRATEGY


BEST REWARD & RECOGNITION STRATEGY

Winner: Definity

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Applauz Inc
  • Assurant Canada
  • BI WORLDWIDE Canada
  • CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG)
  • Ingram Micro
  • NAV CANADA
  • Niagara Casinos
  • Plasman
  • The Good Samaritan Society
  • Wawanesa Insurance 

BEST SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR


BEST SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

Winner: LeedHR

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • BlueSky Personnel Solutions
  • Career Contacts
  • CareerJoy
  • Citation Canada
  • HRWize
  • O.C. Tanner
  • Options Consulting Solutions
  • Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre (IRC)
  • The Roundtable
  • The Talent Company 

BEST TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY


BEST TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Winner: Beneva

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Agnico Eagle Mines Limited<
  • Centurion Asset Management Inc.
  • Compass Group Canada
  • Fidelity Canada
  • MTU Maintenance Canada Ltd
  • Region of Peel
  • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
  • The Good Samaritan Society
  • Trimac Transportation

BEST WORKPLACE CULTURE


BEST WORKPLACE CULTURE

Winner: GoodLife Fitness

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bayer Canada
  • BioTalent Canada
  • Calgary Humane Society
  • CMiC (Computer Methods International Corp.)
  • Daily Bread Food Bank
  • Dentalcorp
  • Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
  • MCAN Financial
  • SiftMed
  • SMS Engineering
  • Turner Fleischer 

CANADIAN HR LEADER OF THE YEAR


CANADIAN HR LEADER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Diana Valler – TravelBrands

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Erin Gordon – Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada), Inc.
  • Gordana Terkalas – Aecon Group Inc.
  • Kiran Benet – Redberry Restaurants
  • Kourtney Shelton – Redstone Agency
  • Laura Salvatore – Centurion Asset Management Inc.
  • Leila Wong – Celestica
  • Michelle Chang – MAD Elevator Inc
  • Omo Akintan – University Pension Plan
  • Shawn Gibson – Info-Tech Research Group
  • Terri Andrianopoulos – RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust 

CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (500 EMPLOYEES OR MORE)


CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (500 EMPLOYEES OR MORE)

Winner: Aurora Cannabis Inc.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Aecon Group Inc.
  • City of Maple Ridge
  • Ingram Micro
  • Metrolinx
  • MTU Maintenance Canada Ltd
  • Procon Mining and Tunnelling
  • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
  • The Corporation of the Town of Caledon
  • University Canada West 

CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES)


CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES)

Winner: Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Coconut Software
  • Cowichan Tribes
  • Fengate Asset Management
  • NRT Technology Corp.
  • Regency Fireplace Products
  • Starlight Investments
  • Syngenta Canada Inc.
  • Willowdale Asset Management
  • YMCA of the National Capital Region 

CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (FINANCE/INSURANCE)


CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (FINANCE and INSURANCE)

Winner: Prospera Credit Union

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Centurion Asset Management Inc.
  • CI Financial
  • MCAN Financial 

CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (RETAIL/HOSPITALITY)


CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (RETAIL and HOSPITALITY)

Winner: Sporting Life Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Fresh Tracks Canada Inc.
  • Glentel
  • Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada), Inc.
  • Mountain Equipment Company (MEC)
  • Niagara Casinos
  • Redberry Restaurants
  • Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
  • The Boulevard Club
  • TravelBrands 

EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION


EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Winner: CIBC Mellon

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Air Canada
  • Calgary Airports
  • Cascadia Metals Ltd
  • CWB Group – Industry Services
  • Elevate Aviation
  • Flight Centre Travel Group
  • Goodwill Industries of Alberta
  • PepsiCo
  • Syngenta Canada Inc.
  • Toronto Pearson
  • Westland Insurance 

EXCELLENCE IN FLEXIBLE WORK STRATEGIES


EXCELLENCE IN FLEXIBLE WORK STRATEGIES

Winner: British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Aurora Cannabis Inc.
  • Bayer Canada
  • College of North Atlantic
  • CWB Group – Industry Services
  • eCampusOntario
  • Info-Tech Research Group
  • Northpoint Legal LLP
  • Save the Children Canada
  • Scarfone Hawkins LLP
  • Symcor Inc
  • The Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families 

MOST EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT STRATEGY


MOST EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

Winner: Fidelity Canada

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Aecon Group Inc.
  • CI Financial
  • Compass Group Canada
  • IAMGOLD Corporation
  • Kinaxis
  • KUBRA
  • NAV CANADA
  • Peterborough Police Service
  • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
  • Upper Canada Forest Products 

MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF HR TECHNOLOGY OR AI


MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF HR TECHNOLOGY OR AI

Winner: City of Barrie

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Coast Mental Health
  • Cooperators
  • Enabled Talent
  • FlightHub
  • Kinaxis
  • PaymentEvolution
  • Province of Nova Scotia
  • Seasons Retirement Communities
  • University Canada West
  • Wawanesa Insurance 

THE ADP CANADA AWARD FOR HR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR


THE ADP CANADA AWARD FOR HR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Winner: Trang Diep – MTU Maintenance Canada Ltd

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bahareh Rahimi – Refrigerative Supply Limited
  • Charles Riegel – Regency Fireplace Products
  • Jessy Manhas – Menno Place
  • Kristen Shaw – Info-Tech Research Group
  • Mondy Azulphar – First Capital REIT
  • Rachel Thomson – Prospera Credit Union
  • Ravi Madas – The Boulevard Club
  • Sofia Arora – Daily Bread Food Bank
  • Wendy Jin – Hootsuite  

THE dentsu CANADA AWARD FOR HR CHAMPION (CEO)


THE dentsu CANADA AWARD FOR HR CHAMPION (CEO)

Winner: Sujata Connors – Menno Place

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Dermot Strong – Refrigerative Supply Limited
  • Faisal Kazi – Siemens Canada Limited
  • Jeff Walker – CAA North & East Ontario
  • Mark Becker – Dexterra Group
  • Nathalie Tanious – TravelBrands
  • Nicolas Caprio – Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
  • Rick Watkin – KUBRA
  • Warren Spitz – Upper Canada Forest Products 

THE MEDCAN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLNESS


THE MEDCAN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLNESS

Winner: CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Air Canada
  • British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)
  • Cognition+
  • Hydro Ottawa
  • iA Financial Group
  • Medavie
  • Metrolinx
  • Refrigerative Supply Limited
  • Symcor Inc 

THE O.C. TANNER AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HR INDUSTRY


THE O.C. TANNER AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HR INDUSTRY

Winner: Nicole Desloges – former SVP, People Lifelabs, and Board Director for the Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) and Universite de l’Ontario Francais (UOF)

THE PAYWORKS AWARD FOR BEST CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY STRATEGY


THE PAYWORKS AWARD FOR BEST CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY STRATEGY

Winner: Hootsuite

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Dejero
  • Fidelity Canada
  • Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
  • Kinectrics Inc.
  • KUBRA
  • Nuclear Promise X
  • Plasman
  • Siemens Canada Limited
  • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
  • The Mutual Fire Insurance Company of British Columbia
  • The Travel Corporation 

THE QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY IRC AWARD FOR BEST LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY


THE QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY IRC AWARD FOR BEST LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Winner: IAMGOLD Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Algoma Steel Inc
  • Dejero
  • Niagara Health
  • Securiguard Services Limited
  • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
  • Tiny Toes Castle Ltd.
  • Upper Canada Forest Products
  • Wawanesa Insurance
  • Yamaha Motor Canada 

THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO AWARD FOR NEXT GENERATION EMPLOYMENT INNOVATION


THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO AWARD FOR NEXT GENERATION EMPLOYMENT INNOVATION

Winner: Starlight Investments

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Centurion Asset Management Inc.
  • CIBC Mellon
  • CIRA
  • Conwest Developments Ltd.
  • Fidelity Canada
  • Nuclear Promise X
  • Sephora Canada
  • Siemens Canada Limited
  • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
  • Zurich Canada  

WOMAN OF DISTINCTION


WOMAN OF DISTINCTION

Winner: Ramneet Aujla – Metrolinx

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Alena Miatlushka – The Boulevard Club
  • Bianca Cuffaro – FlightHub
  • Brenda Okorogba – Momentswithbren Consulting
  • Carmela Marino – Ferrari and Associates
  • Deborah Maynard – Coast Mental Health
  • Kayla Campbell – Canadian Tire
  • Kristen Stinson – Regency Fireplace Products
  • Lisa Smith – Prospera Credit Union
  • Natalie MacDonald – MacDonald & Associates
  • Vickie Laurendeau – WorkJam
  • Yui Nonoyama – University Canada West