2026 EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Award Categories
- Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
- Excellence in Employer Branding & Talent Attraction
- Excellence in Flexible & Hybrid Work Strategy
- Excellence in HR Communication & Change Strategy
- Excellence in HR Service Delivery & Solutions
- Excellence in HR Team Performance (500 Employees or More)
- Excellence in HR Team Performance (Fewer Than 500 Employees)
- Excellence in HR Team Performance (Finance & Insurance)
- Excellence in HR Team Performance (Retail & Hospitality)
- Excellence in HR Technology & AI Innovation
- Excellence in Learning & Capability Development
- Excellence in Senior HR Leadership
- Excellence in Social Impact & Corporate Responsibility
- Excellence in Talent Acquisition Strategy
- Excellence in Talent Management Strategy
- Excellence in Total Rewards & Recognition
- Excellence in Workplace Culture & Employee Experience
- The ADP Canada Award for Excellence in Emerging HR Leadership
- The Medcan Award for Excellence in Employee Wellbeing Strategy
- The O.C. Tanner Award for Lifetime Achievement In HR
- The SAP Canada Award for CEO of the Year - People First Leadership
- The University of Waterloo Award for Excellence in Early Talent & Future Workforce Strategy
- Woman of Distinction in HR Industry
EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING
WINNER: UPP
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- BDO Canada LLP
- CIBC Mellon
- Dentons Canada LLP
- Horizon Health Network
- Jazz Aviation LP
- McCarthy Tetrault
- Schneider Electric
- Staples Canada
- Westland Insurance
EXCELLENCE IN EMPLOYER BRANDING & TALENT ATTRACTION
WINNER: CAE
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- GoodLife Fitness
- IKEA Canada Limited Partnership
- KUBRA
- Miller Thomson LLP
- Peel Region
- Refrigerative Supply Limited
- Siemens Canada Limited
EXCELLENCE IN FLEXIBLE & HYBRID WORK STRATEGY
WINNER: Syngenta Canada Inc.
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- BlueCat
- iA Financial Group
- MEC Mountain Equipment Company Ltd.
- Miovision Technologies
- Prophix Software
- Purpose Unlimited
- University Pension Plan Ontario
EXCELLENCE IN HR COMMUNICATION & CHANGE STRATEGY
WINNER: Yoplait Liberté Canada
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Compass Group Canada
- Definity
- GoodLife Fitness
- MEC Mountain Equipment Company Ltd.
- Microserve
- MONERIS
- Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
- Trimac Transportation
- University Canada West
EXCELLENCE IN HR SERVICE DELIVERY & SOLUTIONS
WINNER: HR4
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Maximus Canada
- McLean & Company
- Pivotal Integrated HR Solutions
- Queen's University Industrial Relations Centre (IRC)
- The Roundtable
- The Talent Company
- Thrive Career Wellness
EXCELLENCE IN HR TEAM PERFORMANCE (500 EMPLOYEES OR MORE)
WINNER: Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Definity
- Info-Tech Research Group
- Miller Thomson LLP
- Niagara Casinos
- OMERS
- Peel Region
EXCELLENCE IN HR TEAM PERFORMANCE (FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES)
WINNER: Yoplait Liberté Canada
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Cascadia Metals
- Hyundai Auto Canada Corp
- MCAN Financial
- Microserve
- Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada
- Peterborough Police Service
- QM LP
- The Calgary Airport Authority
- Town of Grimsby
EXCELLENCE IN HR TEAM PERFORMANCE (FINANCE/INSURANCE)
WINNER: Definity
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Centurion Asset Management Inc.
- CI Financial
- Fidelity Canada
- MCAN Financial
- Westland Insurance
EXCELLENCE IN HR TEAM PERFORMANCE (RETAIL/HOSPITALITY)
WINNER: MEC Mountain Equipment Company Ltd.
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Compass Group Canada
- Fairmont Royal York
- IKEA Canada Limited Partnership
- Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada), Inc
- Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
- Mississaugua Golf and Country Club
- Niagara Casinos
- Redberry Restaurants
- Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
EXCELLENCE IN HR TECHNOLOGY & AI INNOVATION
WINNER: Interac Corp.
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Assent Inc.
- Miovision Technologies
- Purpose Unlimited
- Siemens Canada Limited
- Symcor Inc.
EXCELLENCE IN LEARNING & CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT
WINNER: iA Financial Group
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Alectra Utilities
- Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
- CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG)
- CIBC Mellon
- Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
- Siemens Canada Limited
- William Osler Health System
- Yamaha Motor Canada Ltd.
EXCELLENCE IN SENIOR HR LEADERSHIP
WINNER: Keri Fraser - Westland Insurance
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Colleen Falco - Niagara Casinos
- David Cantagallo - Ford Motor Company
- Jasmyn Kozlowsky - QM Environmental
- Laura Salvatore - Centurion Asset Management Inc.
- Manisha Burman - CI Financial
- Maria Paquet - Shell Canada
- Marli Salazar - Cisco Systems
- Natasha Lakhani - Super.com
- Nicola Deall - Dentalcorp
- Tatiana Roque - Scotiabank
- Valerie Peticca - Toronto Zoo
EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL IMPACT & CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
WINNER: Staples Canada
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG)
- Fill it Forward
- Nuclear Promise X Inc. (NPX)
- Securiguard Services Limited
- Skyline
- Upper Canada Forest Products
- Westbow Group of Companies
EXCELLENCE IN TALENT ACQUISITION STRATEGY
WINNER: Dentalcorp
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- KUBRA
- MEC Mountain Equipment Company Ltd.
- Peel Region
- Prophix Software
- Refrigerative Supply Limited
- Salt XC
- Securiguard Services Limited
- Staples Canada
EXCELLENCE IN TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
WINNER: Redberry Restaurants
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Fidelity Canada
- NRT TECHNOLOGY CORP
- OMERS
- PCL
- Peel Region
- Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
- Trimac Transportation
EXCELLENCE IN TOTAL REWARDS & RECOGNITION
WINNER: Hyundai Auto Canada Corp
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- BASF
- Bethesda Community Services Inc.
- CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG)
- Centurion Asset Management Inc.
- Compass Group Canada
- Dejero
- MEC Mountain Equipment Company Ltd.
- Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
- Refrigerative Supply Limited
- Taproot Community Support Services
EXCELLENCE IN WORKPLACE CULTURE & EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
WINNER: CIRA
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- 4Refuel
- Applauz Inc.
- Calgary Humane Society
- Colliers
- CWB Group
- iA Financial Group
- LifeLabs
- Northbridge Financial Corporation
- SaskTel
- Yoplait Liberté Canada
THE ADP CANADA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EMERGING HR LEADERSHIP
WINNER: Cylee Wagner-Gasmo - Strategic Group
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Brendan Schwan - Health Shared Services Saskatchewan (3sHealth)
- Jaineeka Shah - Salt XC
- Jimena Torres - Achievers
- Joseph Fiorino - First Student
- Kristie Houlahan - Canada Goose
- Nidhi Chawla - QM LP
- Sofia Arora - Daily Bread Food Bank
- Trisha Sharma - OPSEU/SEFPO
THE MEDCAN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EMPLOYEE WELLBEING STRATEGY
WINNER: CAA Club Group of Companies (CCG)
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Air Canada
- Hyundai Auto Canada Corp
- iA Financial Group
- Medavie
- Metrolinx
- OMERS
- Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
- SAP Canada
- TransAlta
- University of Guelph
THE O.C. TANNER AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN HR
WINNER: Dr. Monica Belcourt - York University
THE SAP CANADA AWARD FOR CEO OF THE YEAR — PEOPLE FIRST LEADERSHIP
WINNER: Dr. Uwe Zachau - MTU Maintenance Canada
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Adam Calvert - Gathering the Circle Society
- Andy Taylor - City of Markham
- Dr. Jake Tran - The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre
- Harold Bonazew Jr. - Arctic Beverages Group of Companies
- Lisa Levin - AdvantAge Ontario
- Nathalie Tanious - TravelBrands Inc.
- Stéphane Giguère - Ottawa Community Housing
- Sudhir Lamba - Regency Fireplace Products
- Tom Jackson - Goodfish Lake Business Corporation
- Warren Spitz - Upper Canada Forest Products
THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EARLY TALENT & FUTURE WORKFORCE STRATEGY
WINNER: Geotab
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- CI Financial
- Fidelity Canada
- MTU Maintenance Canada
- Starlight
- Nuclear Promise X Inc. (NPX)
- Ontario Energy Board
- Salt XC
- Siemens Canada Limited
- Starlight
- The Corporation of the Town of Caledon
- Yamaha Motor Canada Ltd.
WOMAN OF DISTINCTION IN HR INDUSTRY
WINNER: Paloma Tonaco - Purpose Unlimited
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Anna Chartres - Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
- Deborah Maynard - Coast Mental Health
- Diana Valler - TravelBrands Inc.
- Kathleen King - Teranet Inc.
- Kristen Stinson - Regency Fireplace Products
- Laura Debassige - Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency
- Mandy Middelkoop - Deloitte
- Natalie C. MacDonald - MacDonald & Associates
- Sandra Zidaric - Ontario Medical Association
- Sarah Tokar - Aplin