HR Reimagined: Leading the New Era of Work

31 March – 1 April 2026
International Convention Centre, Sydney

Canada’s Defining Stage for HR Excellence

Thursday, October 1, 2026 | Rebel Toronto
 

Nominations will open  on March 30

THE BENCHMARK FOR HR LEADERSHIP IN CANADA

For 13 years, the Canadian HR Awards has recognized the individuals, teams, and organizations shaping the future of work across the country. It stands as the industry’s most respected platform for celebrating innovation, impact, and leadership in human resources.

The 2026 awards will once again spotlight the trailblazers redefining people strategy — those driving culture, championing talent, and delivering measurable business impact through HR excellence. From rising stars to industry leaders, this is where Canada’s HR community is recognized at its highest level.

Nominations are open from March 30 to June 19, 11:59 PM EST.

All entries must be submitted through the Nominate page. A nominator may submit the same nominee across multiple categories, and multiple nominators may endorse the same candidate.

There is no fee to submit a nomination.

Previous Winners

CAA Club Group-01
Celestica-01
KPMG Canada-01
AstraZeneca Canada-01
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Bayer-01
CIRA-01
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Dentalcorp-01
Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO)-01
Rexall Pharmacy Group ULC (Human Resources Department)-01
Sun-Life-01
Harris-Company-LLP-01
Prospera-Credit-Union-01
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The event has been great. This is wonderful to network, but also to recognize so many great people that are not always at the forefront or in the news or the most known people, but all these individuals make a difference.

– Nicole Desloges
HRPA

It's great to be surrounded by so many amazing people because in this room there are people doing things in all parts of HR and learning and development in all these areas, so we're gonna pick up a lot of ideas tonight.

– Chris Pepper
Fidelity Canada

I'm incredibly honored to be recognized by the HR profession. It is incredibly meaningful and I really believe that the HR profession is a fantastic career path for people, and for me, it's been the result of mentors I've had, the passion I have for the work that has really helped.

– Mona Malone
BMO Financial Group

It's so important to come together and celebrate excellence in our industry. Our industry gets under-recognized. So to have an award ceremony like this where there's a chance to celebrate excellence is so, it's so appreciated.

– Nicola Deall
DentalCorp

Why enter the Canadian Legal Awards

  • Build trusted credibility 
    Recognition signals quality and judgment to clients, recruits, and peers. 
  • Win more mandates 
    Stand out in pitches and RFPs with clear proof of excellence.
  • Attract and retain top talent
    Showcase a culture where great lawyers do their best work.
  • Raise your profile
    Gain high-visibility exposure across our platforms and event programming.
  • Benchmark with the best
    Measure your work against national peers and refine your strategy.
  • Celebrate your team
    Recognise the people behind the results and strengthen firm pride.
  • Turn recognition into results
    Leverage your shortlisting or win across marketing, BD, and client communications. 

What Makes the Canadian Legal Awards Unique?

  • Multi-Channel Media Exposure: Digital, print, and event coverage at every stage. 
  • Exclusive Access: Speaking, judging, and research opportunities for winners and finalists. 
  • Powerful Network: Direct connection to Canada’s leading legal professionals. 
  • VIP Networking Reception: Mingle with the nation’s top legal minds, industry influencers, and decision-makers at an exclusive, invitation-only pre-awards reception. 
  • Winners’ Showcase: Be featured in a special edition of Canadian Lawyer magazine and across our digital platforms, highlighting your achievements and sharing your story with the entire legal community.  

Don’t just celebrate excellence—elevate it.

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What awaits you: 

  • Main Stage: Dive into a robust agenda focused on the most pressing workforce issues and actionable strategies for success.
  • Directors Forum: An exclusive program for senior HR executives tackling enterprise-level challenges and opportunities.
  • Learning & Development Stage: Specialised sessions for L&D leaders looking to empower teams and drive continuous growth. 
  • HR Innovation Stage: Essential tech, zero hype. See what HR leaders are using to drive their business, people and culture forward.
  • Workshops: Level up your team with practical, interactive sessions

NEW for 2026!

Find your people. Connect with peers on the topics that matter most to you.

Step into action with our all-new themed discussion tables—built for leaders who want results now. These fast-paced, interactive sessions go beyond theory, delivering tactical conversations and proven takeaways you can put to work immediately. Choose from 90+ roundtables and workshops, each focused on real-world challenges and led by industry experts.

Key Themes Include:

  • What’s actually working with AI in HR right now
  • How to map skills for real workforce agility
  • Tactics for developing leaders who thrive through change
  • How to get ahead of new psychosocial risk rules
  • Real steps to make performance feedback continuous
  • Data-driven ways to attract and keep great talent
  • How to bake measurable inclusion into every HR process
  • Proving L&D ROI with metrics that matter
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MARCH 30, 2026

Nominations Open

Start your journey to recognition! Submit your nominations from this date and help us celebrate outstanding achievements in our industry.

JUNE 19, 2026

Nominations Close

Don’t miss your chance—this is the final day to submit nominations for consideration. Make sure your entries are in before the deadline!

AUGUST 3, 2026

Excellence Awardees Announced

Find out who made the shortlist! We’ll reveal the outstanding individuals and teams selected as Excellence Awardees.

OCTOBER 1, 2026

Awards Night

Join us for the main event, where winners will be announced and excellence across the industry will be celebrated.

4 Content Stages. 90+ Peer-Led Roundtables. Your Blueprint to Elevate HR

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Main Stage

Unlock the future of HR. Top leaders tackle culture, AI, and workforce transformation with bold keynotes and actionable panels.
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Director's Forum

Connect with Australia’s boldest HR minds. No filters—just sharp ideas, real talk, and next-gen strategy shaping the future of work. 

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HR Innovation Stage

Tackle the future of work at the HR Innovation Stage—where bold ideas and new tech redefine what’s possible in people and culture.

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Learning & Development Stage

Supercharge your people with the latest in AI, digital skills, and learning innovation. Real insights, real tools—transformative learning starts here. 

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Learning & Development Stage

Supercharge your people with the latest in AI, digital skills, and learning innovation. Real insights, real tools—transformative learning starts here. 

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HR Innovation Stage

HR Innovation Stage: Essential tech, zero hype. See what HR leaders are using to drive their business, people and culture forward.

 

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Workshops

Get hands-on with expert-led sessions. Master compliance, tech, and leadership—walk away ready to make an impact. 

2026 Sponsors

Legal Sponsor
Workshop Sponsor

2025 Sponsors

Venue

ICC Sydney

International Convention Centre, Sydney

14 Darling Drive
Sydney, NSW 2000
Website: iccsydney.com.au

Contact Us