IR Magazine Awards – Canada
Celebrating IR Excellence

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Virtual event; timings to be announced

About the awards

The IR Magazine Awards – Canada 2021 will take place on Thursday, April 8 as a virtual awards ceremony. We will once again be bringing together the investor relations community to celebrate and honor excellence in the IR profession. Further details about the 2021 awards ceremony will follow in due course including information about how to access our virtual platform and timings.

Since the annual event first launched in 1996, tens of thousands of analysts and investors have voted in the surveys behind 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 present two types of award categories – researched and nominated – both celebrating the success of those individuals and companies that are 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.

Timings

Timings shown are Eastern Time (ET)

16:00 PM
Pre-event networking

Be matched at random with another attendee and you have a few minutes before you move onto the next attendee
17:00 PM
Award ceremony

Join us in recognizing excellence in IR teams across 26 categories
17:55 PM
Award for best viewer photo announced

It’s your time to shine. Send us a photo of you watching the event to get in the running to win a prize and an award!
18:00 PM
Post-event networking

We’ll be joining all winners and nominees to celebrate their nomination and wins
18:30 PM
Award ceremony ends

What our virtual attendees say

"The whole agenda was seamlessly executed; especially having gone 100% virtual! The networking portion was great, I found the 5-minute limit to be the perfect amount. Overall, a well-done event, engaging content, and professionally executed. Thank you IR Magazine!"

RBC

"Very smooth run through. I liked the prerecorded acceptance speeches to help keep the suspense. Very well done, given the circumstances!"

Anonymous

"I like how it moved quickly - winners kept their remarks short - it had a celebratory feel. Really good."

Anonymous

"The event flowed very well. MC was great."

Anonymous

"Classy and efficient"

Anonymous

"Very good flow, and on time"

Agnico Eagle

"The show and the entire process was fantastic. Your team does a great job bringing the IR community together to celebrate accomplishments and learn from each other, despite the unusual circumstances!"

MSA Safety

"It was fast paced and the platform interface seemed to flow seamlessly from presenter to presenter. I look forward to next year's event!"

Discovery

"flawless! fun, great pace and all the hosts were amazing!!"

8x8

"Great execution, clear planning, and wonderful networking!"

Telsey Advisory Group

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 Magazine editorial team members.

The entry deadline for 2021 nominations has now passed and we are no longer accepting entries. We will be in touch with successful short-listed companies at the beginning of February.

Please note that categories are subject to change based on the final number of submissions received. Some categories may be split by market cap size.

View the entire list of 2020 nominees and winners here

Nominated categories
How the winners are chosen

Best crisis management

Have you recently dealt with an unexpected event threatening your company's business or reputation? How did your company respond to the Covid-19 pandemic? 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.

Best ESG reporting

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?

Best investor event

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.

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.

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.

Best use of technology & social media for IR

Are you a tech-savvy IRO always looking out for cutting-edge technological solutions for IR? Describe the innovative ways you have incorporated video, audio, infographics or webcasts into your IR program. Judges will be looking for evidence of heightened investor and analyst engagement via these channels.

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 five years and has less than 10 years of professional experience.

Lifetime achievement

The winner of this award is selected by our panel of judges. If you would like to suggest a worthy winner to be considered, please email Ben Ashwell, editor of IR Magazine at [email protected].

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 Magazine editorial team members.

The judging process consists of three simple phases:

Phase one: Once the entry deadline has passed, the IR Magazine editorial team reviews all submissions and produces the short list

Phase two: The short-listed entries are shared with an independent judging panel made up of industry experts. The judges review each short-listed entry and select their top two picks per category

Phase three: The judges come together to discuss, debate and select the final list of winners who will go on to win an award

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.

Meet the judges

Click on the judges' photos below to find out more

Ben Ashwell
Editor
IR Magazine & Corporate Secretary

Ben Ashwell is the editor at IR Magazine and Corporate Secretary, covering investor relations, governance, risk and compliance. Prior to this, he was the founder and editor of Executive Talent, the global quarterly magazine from the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. Before moving to the US, Ben was the vice president and editor at Executive Grapevine, overseeing a daily news website, ten annual supplements and HR Grapevine, the UK’s leading HR and talent management magazine. In his spare time, Ben writes fiction, poetry and arts and culture reviews. Eyewear Publishing recently named him in their list of the Best New British and Irish Poets.
Janet Craig
Executive director, investor relations
Deloitte

Janet Craig – formerly of Fortis, Loblaw, Nexen, Nortel Networks, Angiotech and ATI – started her career in investor relations in 1995, when she says the function was still largely administrative. By contrast, she says today that she has ‘not encountered a board that does not want to be informed or kept up to date, or a management team that doesn’t consider IR to be a highly strategic function.’

This means IROs should ‘be mindful of developing skills in finance, communications, marketing and relationships, but also understand that there are probably two or three things you really excel at, and capitalize on them,’ she says. As a winner of 20 IR Magazine Awards, a member of our editorial advisory board and an active CIRI board member, Craig embodies the profession’s growth from operational to strategic.
Lorne Gorber
Formerly CGI

Lorne is an executive communications professional with 15+ years of success leading global strategic reputation management initiatives. He delivers effective communications strategies and campaigns for multiple stakeholders within large, global, and publicly-traded companies.

Recognized as a passionate and effective listener with the ability to synthesize complexity into actionable insights and develop messages relevant to all audiences. He also has a strong background in creative arts and writing, and brings a talent for crystalizing key messages and engaging as the company spokesperson.
Colleen Johnston
Former CFO
TD Bank

Colleen currently serves on the boards of Shopify, McCain Foods, Q4, Blue Shield of California and Private Debt Partners. Colleen is Chair of Unity Health Toronto, which includes St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and Providence Healthcare; a member on the Board of the Shaw Festival; and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Business. She previously served as the Chair of Bridgepoint Health and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

Colleen Johnston retired from TD Bank Group in 2018. Prior to this, she was the Group Head Direct Channels, Technology, Marketing and Corporate & Public Affairs, TD Bank Group. Colleen served as TD’s Chief Financial Officer from 2005-2015. Prior to joining TD in 2004, Colleen spent 15 years with Scotiabank in various senior finance positions. Colleen started her career at PwC in 1982. She received her CA designation in 1984 and in 2006 was elected an FCA (FCPA) recognizing her outstanding career achievements and dedication to community activities.

At TD, she was actively involved in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace as Chair of the Women in Leadership Committee for ten years. In 2013, Colleen was awarded the Catalyst Canada Honours in the Business Leader Category. Colleen has received numerous top industry honours as a senior finance executive including Canada’s CFO of the Year in 2012. She was recognized by Women’s Executive Network as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women three years in a row and inducted into Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2011, for the third year in a row, she was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker. Colleen has received Honorary Degrees from St. Mary’s University and York University (Schulich School of Business).

View our awards best practice guide for insights from our past winners and partnersAccess the guide

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 the US. 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.

For the current research survey, the deadline to submit lists has now passed. If you have any questions on this process or wish to access our data sharing agreement, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. For any further queries about the research, please contact [email protected].

Please note that categories are subject to change based on the final research results. Some categories may be split by market cap size.

View the entire list of 2020 nominees and winners

Researched Categories
How the winners are chosen

Best overall investor relations (large cap)

Best overall investor relations (mid-cap)

Best overall investor relations (small cap)

Best investor relations officer (large cap)

Best investor relations officer (small to mid-cap)

Best IR by a senior management team (large cap)

Best IR by a senior management team (mid-cap)

Best IR by a senior management team (small cap)

Best financial reporting

Best corporate governance & disclosure

Best IR by a Canadian company in the US market

Best in sector: communications

Best in sector: consumer discretionary & consumer staples

Best in sector: energy

Best in sector: financials & real estate

Best in sector: industrials

Best in sector: materials

Best in sector: technology

Best in sector: utilities

The first thing to explain is that our researched 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 2020: Sample selection

IR Magazine has been building investment community databases for more than 30 years. As part of the updating process, listed companies are contacted every year for details of the professionals who currently cover their stock.

September – November 2020: Telephone survey

The telephone survey then gets under way. The researchers conduct in-depth interviews with an additional 200 portfolio managers and analysts based in 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 2020: Electronic survey

IR Magazine 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 then go to Mary Maude Research for initial analysis. The research firm 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 short lists for the awards categories, and the points are further analyzed to identify the best exponents of IR by sector. The independence of our research is crucial to the integrity of the whole awards program, so IR Magazine sees the results only once the research is complete. This ensures a transparent, independent set of results that IROs can trust as a valuable bench-marking tool.

January 2021: Short list compiled

IR Magazine receives the results in January and contacts the short-listed companies to give them the good news. The short list is then published to the entire IR community one month before the event.

March 25, 2021: Winners announced

And finally… the winners are announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday, April 8, 2021!

March 2021: Report published

Shortly after the awards, the Investor Perception Study – Canada 2021 report is published and made available to IR Magazine subscribers.

Inquire about partnership

Partners

Become a partner

Why partner with us?

The IR Magazine Awards – Canada brings together some of the most influential people in the IR community.

Partnering with us is the perfect way to raise your organization’s profile and cement your position in the IR community.

The unique buzz we create at our virtual awards enables you to:

Reach thousands of industry leaders through our multi-channel marketing campaign
Raise your organization’s profile with unrivalled brand exposure
Align yourself with those who excel in the industry

Put your brand in the spotlight and benefit from months of targeted, high profile publicity across multiple channels pre-and post-event.

We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience through the IR Magazine Awards – Canada. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 212 430 6865.

Register now

The event is free to attend and open to all IR professionals. Please fill in the form below to access the event.

If you have any questions, please contact Chloë Rutter at [email protected] or call +44 20 3002 0396.

FREE TO ATTEND

St. Stephen’s Community House

IR Magazine are supporters of the St. Stephen’s Community House. For over fifty years, they have been creating opportunities and strengthening communities by working with individuals and communities primarily in downtown Toronto to identify, prevent and alleviate social and economic problems by developing and delivering a range of highly effective and innovative programs.

As our virtual awards are free to attend we are encouraging our guests to instead make a donation, of any size, directly to St. Stephen’s in place of the usual awards fee. To make a donation, please visit: www.sschto.ca/Ways-to-Give/Donate

What to expect

Last year we brought the awards to you via our first ever virtual ceremony.

Watch the short highlights reel below for what to expect in 2021!

Who attends our virtual 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	Job title	Company
Advisor, investor relations	WSP Global	Manager, capital markets ESG, investor relations	TC Energy
AVP, investor relations	Manulife	Manager, investor relations	Lundin Mining
AVP, investor relations	Canadian Tire Corporation	Manager, investor relations	Zymeworks
CFO	Altus Group	Manager, investor relations and corporate development	Precision Drilling
CFO	OneSoft Solutions	Manager, sustainability disclosure & impact measurement	BMO Financial Group
Chief communications officer	AmTrust financial services	Managing counsel, commercial & securities	Rogers
Communications director	Jamieson Wellness	Senior Director IR	RBC
Director – finance	Waste Connections	Senior manager, corporate development	Ero Copper
Director – investor relations	Boralex	Senior manager, investor relations & communications	Cineplex
Director investor relations	Intact Financial	Sr. director, investor relations	Shopify
Director investor relations	Suncor Energy	SVP investor relations and strategic analysis	Teck Resources
Director, communications & government relations	Eldorado Gold Corporation	SVP, head of investor relations & capital management	Sun Life Financial
Director, corporate access	TD Securities	US chief representative	Samsung Life Insurance
Director, investor relations	Aecon Group	Vice president investor relations	Agnico Eagle Mines
Director, investor relations	Canopy Growth	Vice president investor relations & treasurer	Superior Plus
Director, investor relations	Cenovus Energy	Vice president, head of institutional business development	Instar
Director, investor relations	Home Trust	Vice president, investor relations	Alamos Gold
Director, investor relations	Hudbay	Vice president, investor relations	Fortis
Director, investor relations & treasury	CP Rail	Vice president, investor relations	Hydro One
Director, strategy, risk, and investor relations	Enerflex	Vice president, investor relations	Royal Bank of Canada
ESG manager	Liberty Utilities	Vice president, investor relations	Algonquin Power
EVP investor relations	Sagicor Financial Company	Vice-president and treasurer	Dollarama
Executive director	Activa	VP capital markets	Baytex Energy
Head of investor relations	Maritime Resources	VP investor development	Exchange Income
Head of IR	Goldmoney	VP investor relations	MediPharm Labs
Investor relations	LMA	VP investor relations	Stantec
Investor relations analyst	ARC Resources	VP investor relations	Vermilion Energy
Investor relations analyst	Endeavour Mining	VP marketing & investor relations	Blockstation
Investor relations associate	Caldas Gold	VP strategy & IR	Endeavour Mining Corporation
Investor relations, marketing	Lotus	VP, investor relations	CN
IR manager	IFC	VP, investor relations	Nutrien
Manager investor relations	BRP	VP, IR	Deloitte
Manager investor relations & corporate planning	Enerplus	VP, strategy, planning & IR	Gibson Energy

Request full past attendee list

Past awards gallery

IR Magazine Awards – Canada 2019

Winners of the IR Magazine Awards – Canada 2019

Master of Ceremonies, Ramy Inocencio, anchor & correspondent, Bloomberg Television & Radio

Martin Simmons, sales director, DFIN, presents the award for Best IR during a corporate transaction to Katie Brines, director of investor relations, Empire Company

Wesley Gee, director of sustainability, The Works Design Communications (left), presents the Best ESG reporting award to Rachel Guthrie, head of ESG reporting and impact measurement, TD Bank Group

Award recipient Katie Brines, director of investor relations, Empire Company

Ryan Levenberg, SVP of finance, Q4, presents the award for Best use of technology and social media for IR to Catherine Painchaud, investor relations analyst, Canadian Pacific Railway

Ian Robertson, EVP of communication strategy, Kingsdale Advisors, presents the Rising star award to Ashley Connolly, Precision Drilling

Guy L’Esperance, regional director, AST, announces the Lifetime achievement award honorees

Alyna (right) and Brennan Wyatt accept the Lifetime achievement award on behalf of their mother Elaine Wyatt, Wyatt Strategic Communications

François Thibault, EVP, CFO and treasurer of Metro accepts the Lifetime achievement award on behalf of Roberto Sburgnera, VP of treasury, risk and investor relations, Metro

IR Magazine honors Elaine Wyatt and Roberto Sbrugnera, winners of the Lifetime achievement award

Courtney Craib, president, Craib Design & Communications (right), presents the award for Best financial reporting to Ryan Clarke (center) and Matthew Cook, VP of finance both from Agnico Eagle Mines

Ben Chodor, president, West (right), presents the award for Best investor meetings to Dave Mun, SVP of performance management and investor relations, RBC

Dave Mun, SVP of performance management and investor relations, RBC

Yvette Lokker, president & CEO, CIRI, presents the award for Most progress in IR to Mark Chyc-Cies, vice president of strategy, planning & IR, Gibson Energy

Paul Marcus, director, IHS Markit, presents the award for Best IR by a Canadian company in the US market to Paul Butcher, vice president of investor relations, CN

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, (right) presents the award for Best in sector: consumer discretionary, to Shawn Altman, corporate reporting and investor relations manager, Air Canada

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, (left) presents the award for Best in sector: consumer staples to Jean-Philippe Durivage-Lachance, senior director & treasurer, Dollarama

Master of ceremonies Ramy Inocencio (right) and Chris King, SVP of corporate services, OTC Markets accept the award for Best in sector: Energy on behalf of Suncor Energy

Susan Kushneryk, partner, Hansell LLP

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, OTC Markets presents the award for Best in sector: Financials (including real estate) to Dave Mun, SVP of performance management and IR, RBC

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, OTC Markets (right) presents the award for Best in sector: Industrials to Paul Butcher, VP of IR, CN

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, OTC Markets presents the award for Best in sector: Information technology and communications to Samantha Taccone, CGI

Tanya Rowntree, global head of client success, TMX Group

Ben Ashwell, editor, IR Magazine

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, OTC Markets presents the award for Best in sector: Materials to Aurea Dela Resma, director of IR, Agnico Eagle Mines

Award recipient Samantha Taccone, CGI

Chris King, SVP of corporate services, OTC Markets (right), presents the award for Best in sector: Utilities to Stephanie Amaimo, VP of IR, Fortis

Steve Mills, regional head, TMX company services, presents the award for Best IR by a senior management team (small & mid-cap) to Ian Tharp, VP of IR, Algonoquin Power & Utilities

Stephanie Beirne, corporate access and marketing department, CIBC, presents the award for Best IR by a senior management team (large-cap) to David Smith, SVP of Finance and CFO, Agnico Eagle Mines

Craig King, managing director, equity capital markets, National Bank presents the award for Best investor relations officer (small & mid-cap) to Bevin Wirzba, ARC Resources

Craig King, managing director, equity capital markets, National Bank presents the award for Best investor relations officer to Brian Christie, VP of IR, Agnico Eagle Mines

Warren Maynard, senior director of sales, Broadridge, presents the award for Best overall IR (small cap), to Sadiq Lalani, VP and CFO, Kelt Exploration

Award recipient Sadiq Lalani, VP and CFO, Kelt Exploration

Warren Maynard, senior director of sales, Broadridge, presents the award for Best overall IR (mid-cap) to Bevin Wirzba, SVP, business development, capital markets and IR, ARC Resources

Warren Maynard, senior director of sales, Broadridge, presents the award for Best overall IR (large cap) to David Smith, SVP of Finance and CFO, Agnico Eagle Mines