Big wins: 13 awards highlighting Canadian construction

Most of the time, construction work and the professionals that contribute to it go unnoticed. But sometimes, they get their day in the sun. Over the years, a variety of awards have sprung up to celebrate companies and professionals that are doing exceptional things. Some have been around for decades and others are just emerging. The following is a list of just some of the many annual competitions that seek to bring attention to achievements in Canadian construction.

25 Innovators in Construction

Construction is often seen as an industry that lags behind others. SiteNews wants to change this perception and push the sector forward. The 25 Innovators Awards aims to be a yearly award with the goal of celebrating and shining a spotlight on those companies driving progress in our industry. Winners will be chosen by a diverse panel of judges that are experienced in various construction-related fields across the country. Learn more and submit a nomination here. Applications close July 14.

Canadian Construction Association National Awards

The association’s National Awards recognize individuals, organizations and projects that promote and enhance the Canadian construction industry in nine different categories. The awards program is open to all relevant association member organizations and individuals who meet the requirements of each award, regardless of organization size or project scope. The winners are then announced at the association’s annual conference. The next one will take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, March 12 – 15, 2024. Here is where you can nominate.

Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction

Now in its fourth year, these awards celebrate up and coming construction leaders and innovators under the age of 40. The program was created three years ago by SitePartners, a marketing firm that specializes in industrial clients and On-Site Magazine, a construction publication. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges based on professional achievements, innovation, leadership & community involvement. The deadline for nominations is July 28. Nominate yourself or others here. 

The Canadian Council National Awards for Public-Private Partnerships

These awards are all about working together. The awards were established in 1998 to honour governments, public institutions and their private sector partners who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in public-private partnerships. The awards are presented annually to showcase Canadian excellence and innovation in project financing, service delivery, infrastructure investment and/or generation of economic benefit, which result in enhanced quality of public services and facilities. Details of the 2023 program have not yet been released.

Tunnelling Association of Canada Awards

You might really dig this one. The Tunnelling Association of Canada presents annual achievement awards each fall to recognize individuals and projects in the Canadian and worldwide tunnelling sectors. This year’s awards included Tunneller of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Photo of the Year, Project of the Year and many more. Nominations closed in May, but check out all last year’s winners here.

Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards

While applications for this year’s awards have already closed, it isn’t to late to make the awards gala on Oct. 19 in Ottawa. These awards are organized jointly by ACEC and Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine. They recognized the most remarkable engineering feats featured in projects by Canadian firms. he winners are publicized nationwide in press releases, they are showcased on ACEC-Canada’s website, and project details are published in a special issue of Canadian Consulting Engineer.

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Awards of Excellence

While many architecture industry awards focus on projects, the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada‘s have a much broader scope. This year they include The RAIC Gold Medal, the Architectural Practice Award and the Emerging Architectural Practice award. These categories will be joined by three revamped awards previously under the biannual Awards of Excellence banner – the RAIC Advocate for Architecture Award, the RAIC Journalism and Media Award and the RAIC Innovation in Architecture Award. These awards will also be joined by a call for nominations for Honorary Member. Nominations for this year have closed.

CISC Awards of Excellence

Have no fear. The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction’s (CISC) has an awards program that covers all of Canada. The Awards of Excellence series has individual awards shows for these regions: Quebec, B.C., Alberta, Atlantic, Ontario and Manitoba/NW Ontario. The awards highlight projects that showcase complexity, innovation, beauty, uniqueness, originality and other attributes. Finalists are picked by a jury of renown architects, engineers and “steel Industry connoisseurs”. Check out all the individual awards show deadlines and details here.

Canada’s Best Managed Companies

While it’s not an specifically for the construction industry, construction and construction-related companies have been dominating this list for years. The list recognizes excellence in private Canadian-owned companies. Each year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies undergo a rigorous application process, but only the best are awarded with this prestigious designation. This may, the program’s organizer, Deloitte, celebrated the 30th year of doing the list. While this year’s winners have been announced, pre-registration for next year is already open.

Canada’s Safest Employers

On the job site there is nothing more important than making sure everyone returns home in good health. What could be more prestigious than honouring that? For 13 years, the annual Canada’s Safest Employers Awards have recognized the outstanding health and safety professionals and companies for their achievements, leadership and innovation. The awards feature a category just for the construction sector. Nominations for this year’s awards closed in April and winners are usually announced in October. Be sure to check out last year’s winners here.

Wood Design & Building Awards

With technologies like mass timber and prefabrication, there’s lots to celebrate about wood construction in Canada. The Wood Design & Building Awards, presented by the Canadian Wood Council, recognizes and celebrates the outstanding work of architectural professionals around the world who achieve excellence in wood design and construction. This past year saw a record of 181 nominations from 25 countries.

CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence

Presented by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), these awards recognize excellence in new homes, renovations, community development, and residential marketing. The 2023 winners were honoured earlier this year in Banff, Alta. at an awards gala that was the concluding event of CHBA’s Home Building Week in Canada. This year, nearly 800 entries were submitted into 48 categories. Finalists and winners were selected by a group of judges made up of almost 150 industry professionals from all over Canada.

Canada Green Building Council Awards

The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) Awards are intended to shine a light on those advancing green construction. Categories include awards of excellence for buildings, leadership awards for individuals and the Andy Kesteloo Memorial award that highlights inspiring student projects. Check out this year’s winners here.