IR Impact Awards – Canada
Celebrating IR Excellence
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
About the event
The IR Impact Awards – Canada by IR Impact took place on Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Toronto. This very special event honored excellence in the investor relations profession across Canada.
WHEN
WHERE
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
About the awards
Since the annual event first launched in 1996, tens of thousands of analysts and investors have voted in the surveys that fuels the awards. The result: vital benchmarking information on which companies do the best IR. In recent years, the awards program has expanded to recognize more aspects of an IRO’s role as we add new categories to the list and give IR teams the opportunity to nominate themselves.
By popular demand, we presented two types of award categories – researched and nominated – both celebrating the success of those individuals and companies that were leading the way in IR across Canada.
For our researched categories, companies do not submit nominations. Instead, hundreds of analysts and investors cast their votes and give their opinions on which companies provide the best IR service. In our nominated categories, companies submit written entries to articulate their success and achievements from the past year, giving any publicly listed company the opportunity to be considered for an award.
Awards by nomination
For our awards-by-nomination categories, individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries, free of charge, to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of investment professionals and IR Impact editorial team members.
WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
We are delighted to reveal the winners for the 2025 Awards! View the full list by clicking here. To view the awards-by-research nominees, either click on the link to view the full list or scroll down to view the research section.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or call +44 20 8004 4989.
Categories
Best buy-side management *NEW FOR 2025*
Finding new ways to collaborate with investors and other buy-side participants is a core part of every IR program. In this category, we’re looking for examples of how teams have found new routes to reach and work alongside the buy side, whether that’s through providing an innovative corporate access opportunity, creating new communications materials or introducing a new event format.
Nominees
Alimentation Couche-Tard
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Canadian Tire Corporation
WINNER: Celestica
CN
Loblaw Companies
Best crisis management
Have you recently dealt with an unexpected event threatening your company’s business or reputation? Tell us about your ‘crisis ready’ plan, the strategy you implemented when the storm hit, and how the IR team’s actions successfully protected or restored shareholder value.
Nominees
Aecon Group
Innergex Renewable Energy
WINNER: Loblaw Companies
NFI Group
Best ESG reporting (large cap)
Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities – they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting? Market cap breakdown: Micro-cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Agnico Eagle Mines
WINNER: CN
Franco-Nevada Corporation
Loblaw Companies
TD Bank Group
WSP Global
Best ESG reporting (mid-cap)
Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities – they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting? Market cap breakdown: Micro-cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Canadian Tire Corporation
WINNER: Definity Financial Corporation
Gibson Energy
Methanex Corporation
RioCan REIT
Torex Gold Resources
Best ESG reporting (small cap)
Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities – they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting? Market cap breakdown: Micro-cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
WINNER: Aecon Group
Calian Group
DIRTT Environmental Solutions
NFI Group
NOVAGOLD RESOURCES
Best innovation in shareholder communications
Judges are looking for IR teams who have had to think out of the box in the past 12-18 months to update their shareholder communications campaign and keep up with the evolving needs and wants of the investor community. We’re looking for that tiny little spark of innovation that sets your company apart!
Nominees
Canadian Tire Corporation
Filo Corp
Hut 8 Corp
WINNER: NEXE Innovations
Best investor event (large cap)
Did you hold a capital markets day, site visit or other investor event that made your company stand out from the crowd? Tell us how you came up with an original initiative, the way you managed its organization, and how your audience’s expectations were met; audience feedback is also welcome. Both virtual and in-person events can be considered for this award. Market cap breakdown: Micro-cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
ARC Resources
Celestica
Cenovus Energy
Scotiabank
WINNER: Shopify
TMX Group
Best investor event (small to mid-cap)
Did you hold a capital markets day, site visit or other investor event that made your company stand out from the crowd? Tell us how you came up with an original initiative, the way you managed its organization, and how your audience’s expectations were met; audience feedback is also welcome. Both virtual and in-person events can be considered for this award. Market cap breakdown: Micro-cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Air Canada
Bird Construction
BlackBerry
WINNER: Bombardier
Calian Group
Definity Financial Corporation
Best investor targeting strategy
Have you gone above and beyond to reach new investors and tell your company story? Have you recently changed your targeting strategy to reach new prospects, adapt to adversarial circumstances, or get a better return from your investor engagements? We want to hear from you.
Our judges will look for innovative use of data and analysis to optimize your marketing schedule and provide better returns on your IR department and management’s time on the road and at conferences.
Nominees
Alamos Gold
Altus Group
NOVAGOLD RESOURCES
WINNER: South Bow Corporation
Torex Gold Resources
Best IR during a corporate transaction
How did your IR team go above and beyond to support a recent corporate transaction? Let us know the details. We’ll be looking at the IR team’s involvement in crafting/releasing the messaging for the financial markets and how it organized outreach and dialogue to gain approval from key shareholders.
Nominees
WINNER: Alamos Gold
Bird Construction
Element Fleet Management
G Mining Ventures Corp
Manulife Financial Corporation
TMX Group
Best IR website
The IR website is the first point of contact for an IRO’s audience. We want to hear from companies that have developed a best-in-class website displaying top-notch customer experience, engaging content that meets analysts’ and investors’ needs, and multiplatform access.
Nominees
AtkinsRéalis
WINNER: Calian Group
Cenovus Energy
D2L
Fortuna Mining Corp
Roots Corporation
Best sell-side management *NEW FOR 2025*
Working closely with analysts is a core part of many IR programs, but it can pose a challenge when thinking about how to prioritize your time and focus on your company’s sell-side followers. In this category we are looking for teams that have implemented new strategies for keeping up with the sell side, working with analysts and deriving the most from their relationships to best serve their corporate strategies.
Nominees
ATCO
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Canadian Tire Corporation
WINNER: Celestica
Loblaw Companies
Torex Gold Resources
Best use of social media and video
Have your IR teams increased visibility and engagement digitally through the use of different communication channels?
Describe the innovative ways you have incorporated video, audio, infographics or webcasts into your IR program. Judges will be looking for evidence of the quality of output, use of creativity and heightened investor and analyst engagement via these channels.
Nominees
WINNER: Aecon Group
Alamos Gold
ARC Resources
Calian Group
Rising star
This award seeks to honor individuals who bring fresh thinking and a unique approach to the profession. This category is open to anyone who has been working in IR for less than 10 years and has less than 15 years of professional experience.
Nominees
WINNER: Martin Miasko
Altus Group
Ana Raman
Canada Goose
Matthew Pallotta
Celestica
Nick Xiang
dentalcorp Holdings
Trevor D’Sa
Filo Corp
Naji Baydoun
Innergex Renewable Energy
How the winners are chosen +
The awards-by-nomination categories differ from our traditional researched awards, as individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries, free of charge, to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of investment professionals and IR Impact editorial team members.
The judges’ votes are not made public, but their comments may be published in articles or reports after the event. Judges are not required to make comments against every submission.
The judging process consists of three simple phases:
Phase one
Once the entry deadline has passed, the IR Impact editorial team reviews all submissions and produces the shortlist
Phase two
The shortlisted entries are shared with an independent judging panel made up of industry experts. The judges review each shortlisted entry and select their top two picks per category
The IR Impact awards team receives the results and contacts all shortlisted companies to give them the good news. The shortlists are then published to the entire IR community a month before the event.
Phase three
The judges come together to discuss, debate and select the final list of winners who will go on to win an award
Meet the judges
We are delighted to announce our judging panel for the 2025 awards! Click on each photo below to find out more.
Hall of Fame
Past winners of our coveted IR Impact Awards are invited to be inducted into the IR Impact Hall of Fame. This is an exclusive alum organization reserved only for individual winners of our awards including the categories – Best IR Professional across all cap sizes.
We wanted to provide a platform that offers ongoing recognition for this monumental achievement and an opportunity for our award winners to help shape the future of excellence in the IR community.
Awards by research
Our awards-by-research nominees are determined by the input of hundreds of analysts and portfolio managers, who give their opinions on which companies provide them with the best IR service in Canada. Every year we invite any publicly listed company to submit their list of buy and sell-side analysts and portfolio managers, so that they have the opportunity to vote via our survey.
WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
We are delighted to reveal the winners for the 2025 Awards! View the full list by clicking here.
For any further queries about the research process, please contact [email protected].
Categories
Best overall investor relations (large cap)
This category covers companies that have most impressed the investment community with their overall IR program. Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Canadian Pacific Kansas City
WINNER: Element Fleet Management
Intact Financial Corporation
Sun Life Financial
WSP Global
Best overall investor relations (mid-cap)
This category covers companies that have most impressed the investment community with their overall IR program. Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Air Canada
Boralex
BRP
Definity Financial Corporation
Equitable Bank
WINNER:
TransAlta Corporation
Best overall investor relations (small cap)
This category covers companies that have most impressed the investment community with their overall IR program. Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
WINNER: Aecon Group
Africa Oil Corp
Calian Group
D2L
Docebo
Innergex Renewable Energy
Best investor relations officer (large cap)
This category is for individual IROs whose knowledge of their company and sector and whose ability to build relationships with members of the investment community and to be transparent, accessible and responsive, sets them apart. Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
WINNER: Geoffrey Weiss
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Rocco Colella
Element Fleet Management
Hung Ko
Manulife Financial Corporation
Amin Mousavian
TMX Group
Quentin Weber
WSP Global
Best investor relations officer (mid-cap)
This category is for individual IROs whose knowledge of their company and sector and whose ability to build relationships with members of the investment community and to be transparent, accessible and responsive, sets them apart. Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Stéphane Milot
Boralex
Philippe Deschênes
BRP
Mike Rizvanovic
Equitable Bank
Travis McPherson
NexGen Energy
WINNER: Tamara Cook
TransAlta Corporation
Best investor relations officer (small cap)
This category is for individual IROs whose knowledge of their company and sector and whose ability to build relationships with members of the investment community and to be transparent, accessible and responsive, sets them apart. Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Adam Borgatti
Aecon Group
Flora Wood
Altius Minerals Corporation
WINNER:
Jennifer McCaughey
Calian Group
Naji Baydoun
Innergex Renewable Energy
Best IR by a senior management team (large cap)
Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
Tayfun Tuzun, CFO & Darryl White, CEO
BMO Financial Group
Victor Dodig, CEO & Robert Sedran, CFO
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
WINNER:
Keith Creel, CEO & Nadeem Velani, CFO
Canadian Pacific Kansas City
Laura Dottori-Attanasio, CEO & Frank Ruperto, CFO
Element Fleet Management
Charles Brindamour, CEO & Louis Marcotte, CFO
Intact Financial Corporation
Roy Gori, CEO & Colin Simpson, CFO
Manulife Financial Corporation
Best IR by a senior management team (mid-cap)
Market cap breakdown: Micro cap = below C$300 mn / Small cap = between C$300 mn – C$2 bn / Mid-cap = between C$2 bn – C$10 bn / Large cap = C$10 bn and over
Nominees
John Di Bert, CFO & Michael Rousseau, CEO
Air Canada
WINNER:
Patrick Decostre, CEO & Bruno Guilmette, CFO
Boralex
Jose Boisjoli, CEO & Sebastien Martel, CFO
BRP
Leigh Curyer, CEO
NexGen Energy
Pamela Kazeil, CFO & Andrew Phillips, CEO
PrairieSky Royalty
Joel Hunter, CFO & John Kousinioris, CEO
TransAlta Corporation
Best IR by a Canadian company in the US market
Nominees
BMO Financial Group
WINNER: Brookfield Corporation
BRP
Element Fleet Management
Teck Resources
Best in sector: consumer discretionary
Nominees
BRP
Cineplex
Gildan Activewear
Pet Valu Holdings
WINNER: Restaurant Brands International
Best in sector: consumer staples
Nominees
WINNER: Alimentation Couche-Tard
Canadian Tire Corporation
Dollarama
Loblaw Companies
Best in sector: energy
Nominees
Africa Oil Corp
ARC Resources
WINNER: Cenovus Energy
Parkland Corporation
Suncor Energy
Tourmaline Oil Corp
Best in sector: financials
Nominees
BMO Financial Group
WINNER: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Definity Financial Corporation
Intact Financial Corporation
Manulife Financial Corporation
Sun Life Financial
Best in sector: healthcare
Nominees
Bausch Health Companies
WINNER: Calian Group
Savaria Corporation
Best in sector: industrials
Nominees
Aecon Group
Air Canada
CAE
Canadian Pacific Kansas City
WINNER: Element Fleet Management
WSP Global
Best in sector: materials
Nominees
WINNER: Alamos Gold
Endeavour Mining
Hudbay Minerals
NexGen Energy
Teck Resources
Torex Gold Resources
Best in sector: real estate
Nominees
Boardwalk REIT
WINNER: Chartwell Retirement Residences
Best in sector: technology
Nominees
CGI Group
Constellation Software
D2L
Docebo
WINNER: Shopify
Tecsys
Best in sector: utilities
Nominees
Boralex
Capital Power
Fortis
Hydro One
Innergex Renewable Energy
WINNER: TransAlta Corporation
How the winners are chosen +
The first thing to explain is that our awards are different from most others: for our awards by research, companies do not submit nominations. The winners are identified by in-depth research and any publicly traded company is eligible to be considered. This survey is the only one of its kind to go directly to the investment community, via a combination of an electronic survey and one-to-one telephone interviews, canvassing the opinions of the people who matter to you most.
July 2024: Sample selection
IR Impact has been building investment community databases for more than 35 years. As part of the updating process, listed companies are contacted every year for details of the professionals who currently cover their stock. These details are combined with IHS Markit’s list of US investment community contacts to produce a total of around 50,000 investors and analysts.
October – November 2024: Telephone survey
The telephone survey then gets under way. The researchers conduct in-depth interviews with an additional 250 portfolio managers and analysts across the US and Canada. Many of them participate in the study year after year, but there is always a healthy proportion of new respondents each year as well. As the research progresses, the sample is adjusted to ensure appropriate weightings are maintained.
October 2024: Electronic survey
IR Impact then conducts an electronic survey of buy-side and sell-side analysts and portfolio managers. The electronic survey typically receives 200 individual responses from the investment community. These responses are then initially analyzed by our in-house research team. Our research team determines what will constitute a representative sample, weighted for industry sector.
Results analysis
Once the survey stage of the research is completed, the final analysis is undertaken. The companies with the highest scores make the shortlists for the awards categories, and the points are further analyzed to identify the best exponents of IR by sector.
January 2025: Shortlist compiled
The events team receives the results in January and contacts the shortlisted companies to give them the good news. The shortlist is then published to the entire IR community the month before the event.
April 3, 2025: Winners announced
And finally… the winners are announced live at the black tie awards gala on Thursday, April 3, 2025!
FAQs +
Why are you asking me to supply IR Impact with my buy and sell-side analysts and portfolio managers?
IR Impact conducts research directed at analysts and portfolio managers to vote for companies, IROs and senior management who they consider have provided them with the best IR service.
What is this data used for?
The data will be used to survey the analysts and portfolio managers, and the results will then be collated to create a shortlist for each category for IR Impact’s regional awards.
Is there a data template I can use?
Yes, click here for the data template. You DO NOT have to use this template if you already have the data in another format.
Can I sign a data-sharing agreement?
Yes, you can. IR Impact has a data-sharing agreement that clearly shows how we will process and use the data. This complies with GDPR.
Can I see your privacy policy?
Please see our privacy policy here.
How do I send you my data?
Either via your company’s FTP secure data transfer site or similar. Send us the FTP site link and password separately, so we can download and save the information securely.
Or
Send the data in an Excel file with their names, firm, job title, direct telephone number and their email address to [email protected]. Please ensure the file is password protected and that the password is sent to us in a separate email.
Will my buy and sell-side analysts and portfolio manager’s data be used for any other purpose?
No. Any data you send to us will only be used for the purpose of identifying the best current exponents of IR and surveying investment community views on IR topics. It will not be used for any other purpose or promotion.
How long will you keep my data for?
IR Impact will only keep your data for the purpose of the surveys, and will not keep it any longer than three years. You can also ask us to delete your data at any time by sending an email to [email protected]
Will my company data be passed on to any third parties?
No, it will not be passed on to any third parties.
Will you let me know when you are conducting the survey?
We will inform you as soon as the survey is underway and give you the opportunity to encourage the investors and analysts who cover your stock to take part.
When will the winning companies and individuals be announced?
The winning companies and individuals will be announced at the IR Impact Awards in the respective region.
If you have any further questions, please contact our research team.
What our attendees say
Who attends our events
Attendees at this event are leading IR practitioners from across Canada. Each participant is someone with an established track record and a strategic IR role within his or her company.
Below is a sample of some of our past attendees:
| JOB TITLE | COMPANY |
|---|---|
| AVP, IR | Canadian Tire |
| CEO | Northland Power |
| CFO | Black Diamond Group |
| Chief executive officer | Element Fleet Management |
| Director | Loblaw |
| Director, IR | Aecon |
| Director, IR | CGI |
| Director, IR | Shopify |
| Director, IR | E3 Lithium |
| Head, IR | Cronos Group |
| Head of IR | Canadian Tire |
| IR | Shopify |
| IR specialist | Cenovus Energy |
| Manager, IR | Telus |
| JOB TITLE | COMPANY |
|---|---|
| Senior advisor, IR | TransAlta Corporation |
| Senior director | Loblaw |
| Senior VP, IR | Cenovus Energy |
| Senior VP, IR | CGI |
| SVP | Loblaw |
| VP, capital markets | Black Diamond Group |
| VP, capital markets & risk | Gibson Energy |
| VP, ESG | Element Fleet Management |
| VP, financial planning and analysis | Northland Power |
| VP, FP&A | Cronos Group |
| VP, IR | Element Fleet Management |
| VP, IR & ESG strategy | EQB |
| VP, strategic finance & IR | TransAlta Corporation |
| VP, strategy | Gibson Energy |
Thinking of becoming an event partner?
Our events provide a unique opportunity to get in front of some of the most influential people in the IR community. As a partner, you will gain an extensive amount of exposure through a wide range of print and digital marketing materials, both pre and post event, as well as on the day itself. Additionally, you can use the event to align yourself with IR excellence and network with key decision makers from across the region – the ones pushing the profession forward through innovation.
Partners
Awards Partners
Corporate Partners
SUPPORTING PARTNER
Key Insights
Cenovus Energy’s double victory at the IR Magazine Awards – Canada 2024
Cenovus Energy received six nominations at this year’s IR Magazine Awards – Canada. The Calgary-based oil and natural gas company earned nominations across multiple categories, including best overall investor relations, best IR by a senior management team and best ESG reporting within its market cap segment. Additionally, it was nominated for best IR website and […]
Dennis Westfall of Definity on celebrating success amid industry challenges
At the IR Magazine Awards – Canada 2024, we spoke with Dennis Westfall, head of IR at Ontario-headquartered insurer Definity Financial Corporation. Westfall was nominated at this year’s awards for best IR officer in his market cap. The company also received a nomination for best in sector (financials). Reflecting on the past 12 months, Westfall […]
‘IR thrives on shared knowledge’: quick-fire Q&A with the editorial board’s Adam Borgatti
IR Magazine is proud to introduce its new editorial board. It is made up of 12 seasoned investor relations professionals from across the world, each working at companies in different sectors and of varying cap sizes, but with one thing in common: a passion for pursuing excellence in the profession. Over the coming weeks, we will […]
Register your interest for 2026
Gallery
Highlights
View the highlights from the 2024 awards ceremony
Contact us
Upcoming events
Webinar – Winning IR strategies for biotechs
In partnership with WHEN 8.00 am PT / 11.00 am ET / 4.00 pm BST / 5.00 pm CET DURATION 45 minutes About the event Biotech companies face a dynamic mix of opportunities and challenges in 2025. Investor sentiment has improved significantly in recent years, and generalist capital may finally…
Webinar – Effective earnings preparation amid macro volatility
In partnership with WHEN 8.00 am PT / 11.00 am ET / 4.00 pm BST / 5.00 pm CET DURATION 45 minutes About the event Amid constant tariff news, geopolitical upheaval and other developments stemming from the new US administration, IR teams have their work cut out as they prepare…
