![\"Canadian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/7c813f9ca5ed711de5f9d98d81419887.jpeg\")
Canadian Public Relations Society <\/p>\n Canadian Public Relations Society <\/p>\n
ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) has celebrated the best in communications and public relations programs, projects and organizational excellence from across Canada by recognizing 95 winners as part of the 2026 CPRS Awards of Excellence.<\/p>\n
The Awards Gala was held as part of the CPRS National Conference being held in St. Andrews, NB, from May 24-26.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn behalf of the Board of Directors of CPRS, congratulations to all the recipients of this year\u2019s Awards of Excellence,\u201d said Jane Antoniak, MCM, APR, MCPRS, CPRS National President. \u201cThe work being done by professional communicators in Canada is simply amazing. It represents the best in professionalism, creativity, and purpose. Our awards gala is an opportunity to celebrate that work.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe competition for our awards program is intense,\u201d said Lisa Covens, MA, CAIP, MCPRS, Board Liaison to the CPRS National Major Awards and the Awards of Excellence Committee. \u201cWe receive far more submissions than there are awards to be handed out. This just shows the calibre of professional communications talent here in Canada. It is really a highlight of the conference for me to be able to hand out so many awards in person at the Awards Gala.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among other things, the awards recognized communications efforts related to media relations, non-profit work, internal\/external communications, corporate social responsibility, issues\/crisis management, special events, new product\/service launches, and communications teams.<\/p>\n
The Award Gala Evening Sponsor was Global Public Affairs. They are Canada\u2019s largest, privately owned policy, government relations, and strategic communications firm. They bring expert knowledge to help organizations navigate complex challenges and implement winning solutions.<\/p>\n
The CPRS Awards of Excellence are divided into three sub-categories: Communications Programs, Communications Projects and awards recognizing Organizational Excellence. Submissions may also be recognized for Best in Show, Best Creativity and Innovation or Best Sustainable Development Initiative.<\/p>\n
The full list of winners of the 2026 Awards of Excellence follows:<\/p>\n
Best Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign
GOLD – Craft Public Relations, \u201cFirehouse Subs Touch-The-Truck\u201d
SILVER \u2013 ChangeMakers, \u201cVoices Unheard \u2013 Health disparities for Black women in Canada\u201d
BRONZE \u2013 ChangeMakers, \u201cManitoba Association of Chiefs of Police\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Influencer Campaign
BRONZE – Niagara Parks, \u201cNiagara Takes Flight\u201d
SILVER –\u00a0Mastercard Canada x Weber Shandwick,\u00a0\u201cMastercard \u2013 Putting Fans in Pole Position\u201d
SILVER –\u00a0Shareworthy PR & Communications, \u201c\u00a0Wordfest’s Bookstagrammer-In-Residence Program\u201d
GOLD –\u00a0McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada:\u00a0The 30th Anniversary of the McFlurry<\/p>\n
Best Integrated Communications \u2013 Large Budget
GOLD – Castlemain (a ChangeMakers company), \u201cMcLean Legacy Fund Launch\u201d
SILVER –\u00a0Craft Public Relations x Tim Hortons,\u00a0\u201cTim Hortons Roll Up To Win Event\u201d
BRONZE \u2013 Doctors Manitoba, \u201cSick of Sick Notes\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Integrated Communications \u2013 Medium Budget
SILVER – Wilfrid Laurier University, \u201cExternal Relations & Office of Research Services\u201d
BRONZE – Atlantic Lottery, \u201c$64-Million Lotto 6\/49 Gold Ball Jackpot Communications Campaign\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Integrated Communications \u2013 Small Budget
GOLD – Monogram Communications, \u201cMonogram Communications, Kitselas Treaty Ratification\u201d Campaign\u201d
SILVER – Community Living Toronto, Petronilla Ndebele, Minal Nanda, and Artem Perederii<\/p>\n
Best Integrated Communications \u2013 No Budget\/ Grassroots
SILVER – WCB Nova Scotia, \u201cWork-Connected Recovery\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Non-Profit \/ NGO Campaign \u2013 Small Budget
GOLD –\u00a0Penguins International & Rethink PR, \u201cProtest March of the Penguins\u201d
SILVER \u2013 Calgary Public Library Foundation, \u201cThe Fifth Book Campaign\u201d
BRONZE \u2013 SOMA Public Relations, \u201cConstruction Plastics Initiative Benchmarking Study\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Non-Profit \/ NGO Campaign \u2013 Medium Budget
SILVER –\u00a0Agnostic & Sinai Health Foundation, \u201cHot & Bothered\u201d
BRONZE –\u00a0Agnostic & Terry Fox Foundation, \u201cFinish It\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Publication
GOLD \u2013 CIFAR Publication, \u201cThe 5th Floor Internal Digital Newsletter\u201d
SILVER – Cooke Inc., \u201cCooke Newsletter, Winter 2025\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Special Events Projects \u2013 Large Budget
GOLD – NB Power, \u201cKnowledge is Power. Take charge of your bill.\u201d
SILVER – University of Toronto, \u201cU of T\u2019s World Series Watch Parties\u201d
BRONZE \u2013 Craft Public Relations, \u201cReese’s Cabane \u00e0 Caramel\u201d
BRONZE \u2013\u00a0Pets Plus Us x Weber Shandwick Canada, \u201cReclaim the Skies: Reimagining a Canadian tradition into a day of joy for pets\u201d
BRONZE \u2013 Craft Public Relations, \u201cPENN.Gals Resort\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Special Events Projects \u2013 Medium Budget
GOLD – Niagara Region, \u201cRachel Dedinsky and 2026 Budget Campaign Team\u201d
SILVER \u2013 Atlantic Lottery, \u201cShining Light on Gambling Odds\u201d
BRONZE \u2013 Craft Public Relations, \u201cTims Rewards Steps Up to the Plate for the Toronto Blue Jays\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Special Events Projects \u2013 Small Budget
GOLD – Burson Canada, \u201cYear in Search 2025\u201d
SILVER – University of Toronto, \u201cA conversation with a Nobel laureate\u201d
BRONZE- Toronto Port Authority, \u201cGirls Take Flight 2025\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Use of Media Relations \u2013 Large Budget
GOLD – Royal LePage with Burson Canada, \u201cResearch and Media Relations Program: Building Trust, Igniting Dialogue\u201d
SILVER –\u00a0McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, \u201cMcDonald\u2019s Canada x Shania Twain All Dressed Up\u201d
BRONZE –\u00a0The Coca-Cola Company in Canada and Coke Canada Bottling, \u201cCanada’s Kindest Community\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Use of Media\u00a0Relations \u2013 Medium Budget
GOLD – Capital-Image, \u201cInauguration du Pavillon de soins palliatifs \/ Medifice\u201d
GOLD –\u00a0The Coca-Cola Company in Canada x Weber Shandwick, \u201cFuze\u00a0Iced Tea: Competitor Readiness\u201d
SILVER – Interac Corp. and Burson Canada, \u201cHoliday Spending Squeeze\u201d
BRONZE – Atlantic Lottery,\u00a0\u201c$64-Million Lotto 6\/49 Gold Ball Jackpot\u201d
BRONZE –\u00a0McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, \u201cMcDavid’s\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Use of Media Relations \u2013 Small Budget
GOLD – Craft Public Relations, \u201cThe Moosehead Presidential Pack\u201d
SILVER – Amplify Public Relations, Children First Canada, “Countdown for Kids”:
BRONZE – Metro Vancouver, \u201cMedia Relations Team\u201d
BRONZE – Penguins International & Rethink PR, \u201cProtest March of the Penguins\u201d<\/p>\n
Brand Development Campaign of the Year
BRONZE – Monogram Communications, \u201cMonogram Communications SD 57 Rebrand Project\u201d
GOLD -The Coca-Cola Company in Canada x Weber Shandwick:\u00a0Fuze Iced Tea: It’s the Flavour
GOLD -Craft Public Relations, \u201cCanada Dry X Roots: Two Iconic Canadian Brands, One Crisp Collab\u201d
GOLD: Craft Public Relations:\u00a0Reese’s Cabane \u00e0 Caramel<\/p>\n
Canadian Digital Communications Campaign of the Year
GOLD \u2013 Craft Public Relations, Moosehead Breweries, \u201cThe Last Bottle\u201d
SILVER – Enbridge Gas with Burson Canada, Call Before You Dig<\/p>\n
Canadian Diversity, Equity,\u00a0and Inclusion Campaign of\u00a0the Year
GOLD \u2013 ViiV Healthcare Canada, \u201cEdelman x ViiV: Faces of HIV\u201d
SILVER \u2013 City of Mississauga, \u201cOne Mississauga. Embrace and Celebrate our Diversity\u201d
BRONZE –\u00a0The Coca-Cola Company in Canada x Weber Shandwick, \u201cBalikbayan Magic\u201d<\/p>\n
Canadian Issues \/ Crisis Management Campaign of the Year
SILVER –\u00a0McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, \u201cTariffs Mitigation\u201d\u00a0
BRONZE – Edmonton Public Schools, \u201cCommunications\u201d<\/p>\n
Canadian Government Relations Campaign of the Year
GOLD \u2013 Doctors Manitoba, \u201cSick of Sick Notes\u201d
SILVER –\u00a0Agnostic & Coinbase, \u201cCoinbase Canada Stablecoin Advocacy\u201d<\/p>\n
Canadian Health Care\u00a0Campaign of the Year
GOLD –\u00a0Agnostic & Sinai Health Foundation, \u201cHot & Bothered\u201d
SILVER \u2013 GCI Canada and Hologic Inc., “Early Detection Saves Lives”\u00a0
BRONZE \u2013 Interior Health, \u201cLINK-ED \u2013 Strengthening rural emergency care\u201d<\/p>\n
Employee Engagement and Internal Communications Campaign of the Year
GOLD \u2013 Southlake Health, \u201cWorkday Communications and Change Readiness Team\u201d
SILVER \u2013 BMO Corporate Communications Team, \u201cPowered by us: Mobilizing senior leaders for BMO\u2019s Ambition 2030 strategy\u201d
BRONZE – Sinclar Group Forest Products Ltd.,\u201d We Are Worth It – Safety Engagement Campaign\u201d<\/p>\n
External Communications
GOLD \u2013 Earnscliffe, \u201cAnswer the Call\u201d
SILVER – H\u00e9ma-Qu\u00e9bec, \u201cLe jeu d\u2019\u00e9vasion qui sauve des vies\u201d
BRONZE – City of Leduc, \u201cCommunications and Marketing Services, Public Safety Communications\u201d<\/p>\n
New Product or Service Launch\u00a0
GOLD \u2013 Craft Public Relations, \u201cYour First Crush, All Grown Up\u201d
SILVER –\u00a0McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, \u201cMcVeggie\u201d
BRONZE –\u00a0Town Of Whitby Communications and Creative Services, \u201cTown Of Whitby Communications and Creative Services\u201d<\/p>\n
Canadian Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year
GOLD \u2013 Craft Public Relations, \u201cYour First Crush, All Grown Up\u201d
BRONZE –\u00a0Mucinex with Talk Shop Media and Cleansheet Communications,\u00a0\u201cFrom Coast to Congested Coast\u201d<\/p>\n
In House Team of the\u00a0Year \u2013 Large
GOLD – University of Toronto, University of Toronto Communications
SILVER – City of Leduc,\u00a0Communications and Marketing Services
BRONZE – The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Communications & Public Affairs and Creative Services
BRONZE – City of Vaughan, City of Vaughan’s Communications, Marketing and Engagement Department<\/p>\n
In House Team of the\u00a0Year \u2013 Small
SILVER – Cooke Inc., PR and Communications Team<\/p>\n
Sole Practitioner\/Solo Practice
BRONZE – APR Amplify Public Relations, Andrea Chrysanthou
BRONZE –\u00a0Simon Falardeau, Relations publiques<\/p>\n
Agency Team of the\u00a0Year – Small
GOLD – Monogram Communications\u00a0
SILVER \u2013 SOMA Public Relations
BRONZE \u2013 Mastercard<\/p>\n
Agency Team of the\u00a0Year \u2013 Medium
GOLD –\u00a0Town of Okotoks Communications\/Community Engagement Team
GOLD \u2013 Rethink PR
SILVER \u2013 Alberta Blue Cross, Alberta Blue Cross Corporate Communications
BRONZE – Impact Public Affairs<\/p>\n
Agency Team of the\u00a0Year \u2013 Large
GOLD – Proof Strategies
SILVER \u2013 Craft Public Relations
BRONZE – ChangeMakers<\/p>\n
Best Creativity and Innovation
NB Power, \u201cTake Charge of Your Bill\u201d<\/p>\n
Best In Show
Craft Public Relations, \u201cYour First Crush, All Grown Up\u201d<\/p>\n
Best Sustainable Development
Cooke Inc., \u201cCooke Newsletter, Winter 2025\u201d<\/p>\n