Excellence Canada announces the 2024 Canada Awards for Excellence Recipients
Posted on 10/22/2024
Excellence Canada announces that 16 awards will be presented to 15 outstanding Canadian organizations in recognition of their commitment to continual improvement and pursuit of excellence. Award categories include: Organizational Excellence; Excellence, Innovation & Wellness®; Healthy Workplace®; and Mental Health at Work®. Awards will be presented at the Canada Awards for Excellence ceremony on October 28, 2024.
The Canada Awards for Excellence is an annual awards program established in 1984 that recognizes outstanding achievements by organizations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors coast-to-coast across Canada. To be considered for an award, an organization applies for certification of their practices, policies, and culture under Excellence Canada’s progressive excellence frameworks, developed in collaboration with industry associations and professionals. To be successful, organizations must demonstrate progressive implementation and iteration of their programs, as well as the engagement of all stakeholders.
Shirlee Sharkey, Chair of Excellence Canada, said, "On behalf of the Board of Directors of Excellence Canada, I am very pleased to present the Canada Awards for Excellence to this year’s award recipients. I would like to extend congratulations to all of these organizations that have met the rigorous standards and requirements through the Canada Awards for Excellence program. You are all truly role-models of excellence."
Allan Ebedes, CEO of Excellence Canada, remarked, "Over the past 40 years we have recognized over 700 outstanding organizations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors that have met the highest standards for quality, excellence, innovation, and healthy workplaces. We are also honoured to be presenting the Board of Governors’ Special Recognition of Achievement Awards to two distinguished Canadians: The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Former Prime Minister of Canada, accepted by his daughter, Minister Caroline Mulroney MPP, and Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of British Columbia”.
Sean Slater, Excellence Canada’s newly appointed President, says, “The awards represent a years’ long commitment by the organizations being honoured this year. For some, this award represents the first formal recognition of their effort, and for others, it represents an ongoing commitment to, and evolution of, their culture of excellence.” Slater goes on to say, “Whether it’s their first time on our stage, or they’re making a return appearance, all of these organizations, and the people they represent, are inspirational.”
Excellence Canada also takes this opportunity to congratulate Allan Ebedes on his retirement after nearly 20 years as President and CEO of the organization. We are grateful for his leadership and for his oversight of the Canada Awards for Excellence program.
The awards will be presented at the 2024 Performance Excellence Summit and Canada Awards for Excellence on Monday, October 28th in Toronto. For complete event details please visit www.excellencesummit.ca.
Recipients of the 40th Annual Canada Awards for Excellence, 2024
EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION AND WELLNESS®
This award is based on Excellence Canada's Excellence, Innovation and Wellness® Standard which was developed by Excellence Canada in association with its partners and professionals from across Canada.
- Platinum Award Recipient - Region of Peel – Brampton, Ontario
- Silver Award Recipient - ACQ Résidentiel – Montréal, Québec
HEALTHY WORKPLACE®
The Excellence Canada Healthy Workplace® Standard was developed in partnership with Health Canada and in association with professionals from the health and wellness sectors.
- Platinum Recipient - Wajax – Toronto, Ontario
- Gold Recipient - Circle of Care – Toronto, Ontario
MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK® AWARD
This award is based on Excellence Canada's - Mental Health at Work® framework. The Mental Health at Work® framework was developed by Excellence Canada in association with mental health and work safety professionals from across Canada, and the requirements incorporate principles and practices as outlined in the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.
- Order of Excellence Award Recipients
- Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences – Whitby, Ontario
- Sun Life – Toronto, Ontario
- Platinum Award Recipients
- CGI Inc. – Montréal, Québec
- Wajax – Toronto, Ontario
- Workplace Safety North – North Bay, Ontario
- Gold Award Recipients
- Air Canada – Saint-Laurent, Québec
- Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association – Ottawa, Ontario
- Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care – Penetanguishene, Ontario
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
This award is based on Excellence Canada's Organizational Excellence Standard which was developed by Excellence Canada in association with its partners and professionals from across Canada. It is a robust yet flexible framework that uses a data-driven assessment to find gaps and opportunities for continual improvement in all private and public sector organizations, businesses, and institutions. Through Organizational Excellence Standard implementation and certification, organizations will adopt best practices for sustained excellence and peak performance.
- Order of Excellence Recipient - BC Pension Corporation – Victoria, British Columbia
- Platinum Award Recipients
- Engineers Canada – Ottawa, Ontario
- Students and Enrolment Division, Carleton University – Ottawa, Ontario
- Gold Award Recipient - Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency – Regina, Saskatchewan
RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
From time-to-time, the Excellence Canada Board of Governors recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canadian society and/or the global human condition. Past Award recipients have included Dr. David Suzuki, Lt.-General The Honourable Roméo A. Dallaire, The Honourable Flora MacDonald, Sir Richard Branson, Mr. Rick Hansen, Ms. Margaret Trudeau, Rick Mercer, Bianca Andreescu, Mary Deacon, Mitch Fairrais, Phyllis Webstad, Mr. Chris Hadfield. Ajay K. Agrawal, David R. Beatty, and Dr. Samir K. Sinha.
This year, in keeping with the Summit theme “Ruby Jubilee: 40 Years of Canadian Excellence”, the Board of Governors is presenting the Special Recognition of Achievement Award to:
- Posthumous Award to the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Former Prime Minister of Canada, accepted by his
daughter, Minister Caroline Mulroney MPP, in recognition of his exceptional leadership and vision in establishing the
Canada Awards for Excellence in 1984.
- Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of British Columbia, for his exceptional
leadership in post-secondary education at several Canadian universities.