Twenty-two Canadian companies recognized for their excellence in investor relations
In an event packed with the highest achieving IR teams in Canada, it was two small-cap companies and a mid-cap firm that punched hardest, with Aecon Group, Calian Group and TransAlta Corporation each taking home three IR Impact Awards at the black-tie ceremony in Toronto last night.
TransAlta took the trophy for best overall investor relations and best investor relations officer for Tamara Cook – both in the mid-cap category – as well as winning its sector award in utilities.
The two small-cap companies also won some of the most prestigious awards of the night, with Aecon claiming best overall investor relations in the small-cap category, as well as best ESG reporting (small cap) and best use of social media and video. Calian’s Jennifer McCaughey took the award for best investor relations officer (small cap), while the firm also walked away with a best in sector trophy in the healthcare category and the best IR website award.
You can view the full list of winners here.
Rounding out the coveted best overall investor relations award was Element Fleet Management (large cap), while Geoffrey Weiss of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was named best investor relations officer (large cap).
Three other key awards include the trophies for best IR by a senior management team, where Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO Keith Creel and Nadeem Velani, the firm’s CFO, took the large-cap award. In the mid-cap category, Patrick Decostre, CEO, and Bruno Guilmette, CFO, of Boralex came out on top.
IR Impact also recognizes the Canadian company that has done the best IR in the US market. This year, that trophy went to Brookfield Corporation.
Overall, 22 companies were recognized for their IR efforts across 33 different categories – including two new awards introduced for 2025: best buy-side management and best sell-side management, with Celestica taking home the win in each of those self-nomination categories.
IR Impact Awards come in two categories. The awards-by-research categories are decided by a survey of portfolio managers, buy-side analysts and sell-side analysts who cover Canadian companies and who choose the winners for the best overall IR, best IRO, best IR by a senior management team and the best in sector categories.
The awards-by-nomination categories cover a range of IR practice areas, including annual reports, ESG reporting, investor meetings, use of technology and crisis management – as well as the rising star award, which this year went to Martin Miasko of Altus Group. Companies can submit entries for the different awards, with winners chosen by a panel of expert judges.
Judging this year was a panel featuring:
- Isabelle Adjahi, vice president, communications at CDPQ
- Brian Christie, former vice president, investor relations at Agnico Eagle Mines
- Janet Craig, vice president of investor relations, Maple Leaf Foods
- Colleen Johnston, former CFO at TD Bank
- Nathalie Megann, president and CEO at the Canadian Investor Relations Institute
- Gord Nelson, CFO at Cineplex
- Laurie Havelock, editor at IR Impact.
