2026 event returns in October at new location — and nominations are now open
The email or phone call telling you that you’ve been shortlisted for an award is one thing. Walking into a packed venue knowing your name might be read out on stage is something else altogether.
For HR leaders and their teams across Canada, the opportunity is coming once again for that moment to become a reality.
The 2026 Canadian HR Awards, presented by HRD Canada and supported by Canadian HR Reporter — in partnership with ADP, O.C. Tanner, the University of Waterloo, PwC, and Dean Davidson — are returning with a gala event on October 1, 2026, at Rebel Toronto, to celebrate excellence in the HR profession.
Nominations are now open and run until June 19 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
Big moment for 2025 winner
For Diana Valler, 2025 Canadian HR Leader of the Year and 2024 excellence awardee, that moment at the Canadian HR Awards when her name was called validated the hard work she and her team had been doing, as well as that of HR teams across the country.
“It’s a night where the actual HR profession is being celebrated, and you feel the accolades and that proud moment, and you really feel like a celebrity,” says Valler, CHRO at TravelBrands. “It's such a big moment that you'll never forget, so kudos to the [awards] team, they put on a phenomenal night."
Being involved with the CHRA solidified her credibility and success both in her own mind and with others, she says. “Quoting all the initiatives we have done and succeeded in throughout the year, the impact on KPIs in realizable and achievable numbers from the nomination process, and then being there on the screen and announcing your name, it's such a phenomenal impression,” says Valler. “The moment you see it, you know you made it right, and the award is known and reputable.”
A favourite moment of Valler’s, as a winner, was being interviewed about her team’s success — and, she says, “the pictures, the fun events, and having the cheers and celebrating with your peers.”
Celebrating innovation, impact, and leadership
The Canadian HR Awards in 2026 will highlight HR professionals who drive culture, champion talent, and deliver measurable business impact through HR excellence. Companies that submit their HR leaders, teams, and initiatives can showcase their successes and raise their organization’s profile with the chance of being recognized in the industry’s most respected platform for celebrating innovation, impact, and leadership in human resources.
Past winners include Lindt & Sprüngli, GoodLife Fitness, Hyundai, AstraZeneca, Bayer, CIBC Mellon, and Sun Life.
Categories for the more than 20 individual, company, and team awards in 2026 include:
- Excellence in Senior HR Leadership
- CEO of the Year - People-First Leadership
- The ADP Canada Award for Excellence in Emerging HR Leadership
- Excellence in Learning & Capability Development
- The University of Waterloo Award for Excellence in Early Talent & Future Workforce Strategy
- Excellence in HR Communication and Change Strategy
- Excellence in HR Service Delivery & Solutions
A nominator may submit the same nominee across multiple categories, and multiple nominators may endorse the same candidate. Entering is free on the official 2026 Canadian HR Awards website, so anyone can nominate themselves, colleagues, or their organization.
Global recognition from employer
And the recognition of success isn’t just limited to the gala or an event recap. Valler says that the nominations and award had a ripple effect inside her organization.
“[The global leadership] from Japan congratulated me and, because of that, I was appointed to speak in front of Global HR in Japan to share with them our success and how we got there,” she says. “I'm extremely blessed and I think it's a milestone that can not only show that you climbed a mountain, but look at the higher mountain ahead of you and what can you do next?”
The reaction from her people told its own story, according to Valler. “These types of moments make the culture better and more vibrant, because the people feel that, ‘Hey, we got there, that means our culture is really good’ — so it's engaging people.”
Valler also pins the impact back to hard levers. “It's a very good retention tool, it's a very good hiring tool, and it's a very good transformative tool, because when you actually get people to thrive and become better, you can show them that there’s an award for all that success,” she says.
Sharing knowledge gained from success
Looking ahead, Valler frames her next steps as an obligation to her colleagues on her team and in the HR profession.
“Number one, share the knowledge, communicate, and make sure you continue to inspire each other,” she says adding that the responsibility to lift standards lands on everyone who benefits from that visibility. “And let's be honest, you learn from the others and seeing your peer nominees, you're thinking, ‘What did they do to be there?’"
Over the course of 13 years, the Canadian HR Awards have become the benchmark for HR leadership in Canada. Valler encourages her HR leader colleagues to submit nominations and attend the gala on October 1, and be part of the celebration of success in shaping the future of work in Canada.
“It's really that HR-for-HR type of moment, and that celebration for the HR profession is truly showing that being human and having the people aspect deserves to be celebrated,” says Valler.
