Ruby Jubilee - 2024 Performance Excellence Summit & Canada Awards for Excellence

PERFORMANCE

EXCELLENCE SUMMIT & CANADA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

ISSUE | OCTOBER 2024

CREATIVE DIRECTOR / NIKI MARUSIC

COPY EDITOR / BONITA SAVARD

ADVERTISING

NIKI MARUSIC

TEL: 416.251.7600 ext. 231

HOW TO REACH US

Please address all correspondence to: info@excellence.ca

EXCELLENCE CANADA

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COPYRIGHT

IDEAS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE ARTICLES DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF EXCELLENCE CANADA OR THE PUBLISHER. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER.

Message from the Governor General on the occasion of the 40th annual Performance Excellence Summit and Canada Awards for Excellence Ceremony

As patron of the Canada Awards for Excellence, I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings to everyone gathered for this annual event

Excellence Canada is the national authority on best practices in quality and healthy workplaces. During the last four decades, its experienced team has helped thousands of organizations across the country to implement performance improvement strategies, with a focus on employee well-being.

Today, you will have the opportunity to network with your peers, learn about best practices and discover new tools. You will also be honouring the award winners, who have distinguished themselves by achieving the highest levels of excellence in quality, organizational excellence, workplace health and mental health

Congratulations to the organizers and partners of Excellence Canada for 40 years of Canadian excellence!

Mary Simon

Message de la gouverneure générale à l’occasion du Sommet annuel sur l’excellence du rendement et de la 40e cérémonie de remise des Prix Canada pour l’excellence

À titre de présidente d’honneur des Prix Canada pour l’excellence, je suis heureuse de saluer chaleureusement toutes les personnes réunies pour cet événement annuel.

Excellence Canada est l’autorité nationale sur les meilleures pratiques en matière de milieux de travail sains et de qualité. Au fil des quatre dernières décennies, son équipe chevronnée a aidé des milliers d’organisations canadiennes à mettre en œuvre des stratégies d’amélioration du rendement, tout en ayant à cœur le mieux-être du personnel.

Vous aurez aujourd’hui la chance d’échanger avec vos pairs, d’obtenir des renseignements sur les meilleures pratiques et de découvrir de nouveaux outils. Vous honorerez également les lauréats, qui se sont distingués en atteignant les plus hauts degrés d’excellence en matière de qualité, d’excellence organisationnelle, de santé du milieu de travail et de santé mentale.

Toutes mes félicitations aux organisateurs et aux partenaires d’Excellence Canada pour ces 40 années d’excellence canadienne !

Mary Simon

Greetings from Excellence Canada

It is my intense pleasure to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending the 2024 Performance Excellence Summit and the 40th Canada Awards for Excellence Ruby Jubilee presented by Excellence Canada. Thank you for joining us for our annual event recognizing the commitment of Canadian organizations to creating healthy workplace culture, delivering exceptional mental health support to their leaders and employees, and to building and improving approaches that sustain organizational effectiveness. Your dedication to advancing best practices and fostering organizational excellence is truly commendable.

This milestone invites us to reflect on the remarkable achievements of organizations over the past decades, recognizing their dedication and contributions that we honour today. At the same time, it provides a unique opportunity to look ahead with optimism, envisioning the future of excellence and continued innovation.

The challenges faced by Canadian organizations have evolved and changed since the first award winners were announced in 1984. Excellence Canada is committed to supporting leaders and organizations with services and programs that meet today’s requirements and that anticipate tomorrow’s needs. We continue to be on the frontlines of an ever-evolving business landscape, behind you, and beside you.

Thank you for being a part of this special celebration, and memorable afternoon. Enjoy the Summit.

Lastly, I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to the three recipients of the Board of Governors’ Special Recognition of Achievement Awards for their significant contributions to Canadian Society and the well-being of humanity worldwide.

Thank you for joining us on this enlightening journey.

Sincerely,

Shirlee Sharkey Chair, Board of Directors and Governors Excellence Canada

On behalf of the entire team at Excellence Canada, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the 40th Annual Canada Awards for Excellence Ruby Jubilee and the Performance Excellence Summit. Thank you for joining us at this milestone event.

To say this is a big year would be an understatement. In the 40 years since the inception of the Canada Awards for Excellence, we’ve recognized over 700 amazing Canadian organizations, and we’re adding another 15 to that list today.

The Canada Awards for Excellence were established in 1984 by the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney, the Prime Minister of the day. At today’s luncheon, we will be honouring the late Prime Minister’s important role in our organization by presenting his daughter, Caroline Mulroney, MPP, with a posthumous Special Recognition Award.

The purpose of the Canada Awards for Excellence is to encourage all Canadian organizations, (businesses, hospitals, educational institutions, governments and not-for-profit organizations), coast-to-coast-to coast, to raise the bar on the quality of their products and services, their workplace culture and engagement, and their commitment to customer and client service. The awards recognize those organizations that have achieved the extremely high standards set by Excellence Canada (formerly the National Quality Institute) for Organizational Excellence, Healthy Workplaces and Mental Health at Work.

The Performance Excellence Summit is a unique annual event that brings together leaders, managers and professionals from across Canada to share best practices, trends, and innovations, and to network with peers who are all equally dedicated to achieving excellence and long-term sustainability. We have curated an agenda packed with world-class and distinguished speakers and award recipients who will provide you with insights and inspiration to help you on your excellence journeys and to strive for even greater success. We encourage you to engage in discussions and to network with other like-minded delegates.

This 40th anniversary milestone provides a perfect opportunity for us to look ahead and consider how organizations will approach workplace wellness, mental health, and organizational excellence as we integrate new technologies, welcome new generations of employees, and wrestle with the challenges that the post-pandemic landscape presents in our workplaces. Excellence Canada commits to supporting Canadian organizations as we anticipate and encounter the realities of our evolving workplaces. Together.

Thank you for investing your time with us today. We wish you an enlightening and enjoyable Performance Excellence Summit and Canada Awards for Excellence.

Allan N. Ebedes CEO Excellence Canada

Sean Slater President Excellence Canada

Together, we are making a difference!

Excellence Canada continues to inspire organizational excellence in Canada. Allan Ebedes, President & CEO would like to thank our Board of Directors, Board of Governors and Partners for their commitment and continued support.

Richard Perri Chief Financial Officer New Directions Aromatics

Shirlee Sharkey Chair, Excellence Canada

John Wilson Founder & CEO CEO Global Network Inc.

Neil Crawford Practice Leader, Strategic Human Resources Consulting, Stratford Managers Corporation

Dr. Hugh Drouin Director Excellence Canada

Laura Nashman Chief Executive Officer BC Pension Corporation

Canada. It’s Time

From a free prize inside to freeing ourselves from the status quo.

As a child, I vividly remember the excitement of walking through the cereal aisle with my mom. It was a kaleidoscope of colours and cartoon characters, with many boxes promising a free prize inside. My go-to cereal back then was Frosted Flakes, but one day, a shiny offer caught my eye: a free Decoder Spy Ring inside a box of Honeycomb. I had no idea what Honeycomb tasted like, but that didn’t matter. I pestered my mom until she relented. When we got home, I tore open the box, dug through the cereal, and claimed my prize. As you can expect, the reality fell far short of the promise.

The cost of immediate gratification. Our fixation on short-term rewards has buried future generations under a mountain of debt. In the fiscal year 2023/24, Canada will spend an astronomical $81.8 billion just on servicing the combined federal and provincial debt. These interest payments are unsustainable and shackles our ability to invest in the future.

Canada’s productivity growth has stagnated, averaging at best 1.1% annually since 2000—one of the lowest among developed nations. Moreover, we have one of the lowest ratios of entrepreneurs among the OECD countries, as heavy taxation and regulatory burdens drive those who dream and do-to pursue their ambitions elsewhere.

Tony Chapman hosts the popular podcast Chatter That Matters, the founder of Chatter AI a Content that Matters consultancy.

Prisoners of the Status Quo

It’s clear that we’re stuck in the status quo, hesitant to embrace change despite growing concerns about security, uncertainty, and affordability. We hope for a better outcome without altering the conditions for success. But if we continue on this path, our predicament will only worsen. It’s time to break free from this cycle and start making the changes Canada needs.

AI: Our Beacon of Hope:

AI’s relentless drive for efficiency could catalyze the change we desperately need. It could expose the inefficiencies in governing, managing our tax dollars, and investing in critical sectors like healthcare, infrastructure, and education. It will reveal the uncomfortable truth of a country borrowing its way into oblivion, but it can also offer a path to a more efficient and sustainable future.

Canada: It’s Time.

It’s time for Government Efficiency.

Canada’s government spending as a percentage of GDP has risen significantly, yet public sector productivity remains low. We need our government to dramatically shift from growing and working the bureaucracy to working for the citizens on the ground, in communities, and in the lives of everyday Canadians.

It’s time to Reform Education:

Our educational system must urgently shed its obsession with ideology and apology. Instead, it should focus on preparing our children for a world where they will compete for jobs in the cloud or against machines that are getting faster, smarter, and cheaper every day. Canada currently ranks 17th globally in education, with significant gaps in STEM skills among graduates. We must equip our children with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

It’s time for an Infrastructure Overhaul.

More than 40% of Canada’s infrastructure is over 50 years old and needs renewal. Infrastructure development must be driven by the private sector and with a long-term plan rather than changing with electoral tides. We must insist on adopting best practices worldwide, where significant projects like subways get realized in years rather than decades.

It’s time for Resource Management.

Canada, the world’s fourth-largest producer of oil and a top-five exporter of agricultural products must pursue more and lead in sustainability and care for Mother Nature.

It’s time for Strategic Immigration.

It’s time to rethink our approach to immigration. Rather than a random number, immigration should be a strategic asset,focused on attracting talent that aligns with our economic goals. This shift could add up to $100 billion to our GDP by 2040. With the looming impact of AI on jobs, we must prioritize quality over quantity in our immigration strategy.

It’s time for a Healthcare Revolution:

Canada’s healthcare spending is among the highest per capita in the world, yet outcomes like wait times and access to care remain suboptimal. We must reimagine healthcare from the patient’s perspective, rapidly adopting new technologies and embracing the entrepreneurial efforts of the private sector to deliver more for less.

It’s time to unleash entrepreneurship:

Canada can become a petri dish to the world. A hub for ideation and monetisation by providing a the intellectual, emotional and financial conditions for success and a taxation system that celebrates dreaming and doing.

It’s time for Financial Literacy:

According to the OECD, Canada ranks 11th in financial literacy, with many Canadians needing help understanding fundamental economic concepts. Citizens, journalists, change advocates, and our political leaders must understand the principles of supply and demand, the cost of capital, and the long-term implications of their decisions. Only then can we vote for a Canada that ensures future generations have the same opportunities we did.

In conclusion:

Canada stands at a crossroads where a long-term vision for sustainable growth and prosperity must replace the allure of shortterm promises. Now is the time to act, to embrace innovation and efficiency, and to ensure that Canada remains a land of opportunity for all.

EVENT PROGRAMME

7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.

9:10 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.

9:20 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

WELCOMING REMARKS

Erin Davis, Radio Host and Bestselling Author

CHAIR’S WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

Shirlee Sharkey, Chair, Board of Directors and Governors, Excellence Canada

OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS CANADA, IT'S TIME

Tony Chapman, Creator and Host of the Award Winning Podcast and Platform Chatter that Matters

Panelists:

 Dany Assaf, Co-chair of Tory’s Competition and Foreign Investment Group, Author

 Arlene Dickinson, Founder & General Partner of District Ventures Capital

 Jon Love, Executive Chair & Founder, KingSett Capital Inc.

NETWORKING BREAK

SHOWCASE OF EXCELLENCE: SUCCESS STORIES

Moderator: Sean Slater, President, Excellence Canada

Canada Awards for Excellence Panelists:

 Suzanne Blanchard, VP Students and Enrolment Division, Carleton University

 Dr. Jim Chung, Chief Medical Officer, Air Canada

 Jennifer Lombardo, Health & Wellness Manager, Wajax

 Katrena Munsch, Director Workplace Accommodation and Mental Well-being, Sun Life

 Erika Taylor, Vice President People & Culture, BC Pension Corporation

BUFFET LUNCH AND NETWORKING

PRESENTATION OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS' RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

 The Late Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney - Posthumous Honour

Accepted by: The Hon. Caroline Mulroney , Ontario’s President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs

 Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President & Vice-Chancellor, The University of British Columbia

PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE

2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

PRESENTATION OF THE CANADA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

(listed in order of appearance)

Healthy Workplace® — Gold

 Circle of Care

Mental Health at Work® — Gold

 Air Canada

 Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratories Association

 Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care

Mental Health at Work® — Platinum

 CGI

 Workplace Safety North

Mental Health at Work® & Healthy Workplace® — Platinum

 Wajax

Excellence, Innovation and Wellness® Silver

 ACQ Résidentiel

Excellence, Innovation and Wellness® Platinum

 Region of Peel

Organizational Excellence Gold

 Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency

Organizational Excellence Platinum

 Engineers Canada

 Students and Enrolment Division, Carleton University

Organizational Excellence Order of Excellence

 BC Pension Corporation

Mental Health at Work® Order of Excellence

 Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Care

 Sun Life

NETWORKING BREAK

CLOSING KEYNOTE ADDRESS THE PUSH FOR CHANGE – A STORY OF CANADIAN EXCELLENCE

Joe Roberts, The Skidrow CEO

CLOSING REMARKS

Allan Ebedes, CEO, Excellence Canada

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

The Board of Governors’ Recognition of Achievement Award is an honourary award apart from the Canada Awards for Excellence From time-to-time, and not necessarily on an annual basis, the Excellence Canada Board of Governors recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canadian society.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS’ RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Late Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney

Prime Minister of Canada (1984-1993)

The Late Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada (1984-1993), is a recipient of the Board of Governors’ Recognition of Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional leadership and vision in establishing the Canada Awards for Excellence in 1984. This posthumous honor is accepted by his daughter, the Hon. Caroline Mulroney, Ontario’s President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs.

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon

President & Vice-Chancellor

The University of British Columbia

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of British Columbia is a recipient of the Board of Governors’ Recognition of Achievement Award in recognition of his enormous contribution to post secondary higher education.

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon started a five-year term as the 17th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia in 2023.

Before joining UBC, Dr. Bacon served in several academic leadership roles, including as President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University in Ottawa, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) at Queen’s University in Kingston, and as Provost and Vice-President (Academic Affairs) at Concordia University in his hometown of Montreal.

Dr. Bacon holds a PhD in neuropsychology from the University of Montreal, after which he undertook a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. His research focuses on the neurophysiological and cognitive bases of visual and multisensory perception.

Sharing his own lived experience, he advocates nationally for open conversations about mental health and substance use.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Erin Davis, Radio Host and Best Selling Author

Erin Davis has had the honour of waking up Torontonians for 30 years as host of the morning show on 98.1 CHFI and was recently inducted into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame. Erin now resides in Victoria, BC where she host the CREA podcast Real Time, a podcast for seniors’ residences called Elder Wisdom and her dream project: Drift with Erin Davis, sleep stories on Apple and Frequency. Erin loves to emcee and to share her keynote message of hope after tragedy, based on her Globe & Mail bestselling memoir Mourning Has Broken: Love, Loss and Reclaiming Joy (HarperCollins Canada). Erin is delighted to be sharing in this event celebrating Excellence in all its forms.

OPENING KEYNOTE

Tony Chapman, Creator and Host of the Award Winning Podcast and Platform Chatter that Matters

Tony Chapman is an inductee into the Marketing Hall of Legends and the Canadian Advertising, PR and Branding Hall of Fame, cementing a legacy where he founded and built two internationally renowned advertising agencies and a research firm. In 2010 Tony sold his remaining interests to freely speak his mind in the media, and on conference stages worldwide. Tony is also the creator and host of the award winning podcast and platform Chatter that Matters which ranks in the top 0.5% most popular globally. Each week Tony shares a story of someone who overcomes circumstances to chase their dreams and change their world and even ours for the better. Tony’s guests have included Nobel Peace Prize Nominees, Gold Medalists, Oscar Nominees, Emmy and Grammy Award Winners, NY Times Best Selling Authors, Thought Leaders, and many more.

ClOSING KEYNOTE

Joe Roberts, The Skidrow CEO

Joe Roberts aka The Skidrow CEO is an expert on resilience and change. Having experienced both catastrophic failure and extraordinary success Joe teaches how to overcome the roadblocks that get in the way of high performance. He helps companies and individuals redefine what’s truly possible by confronting limiting mindsets. Participants at Joes’ events leave inspired and moved to action. What is most amazing about Joe is that in 1989 he was living on the streets of Vancouver as a homeless skid row addict. Through perseverance, determination and his resilient human spirit, Joe pulled himself out of darkness and despair, to become a highly respected business and community leader.

HOST & KEYNOTES

1

Dany Assaf, Co-chair of Tory’s Competition and Foreign Investment Group, Author Dany is a globally recognized lawyer with deep and broad international business experience advising and helping businesses grow worldwide. Dany is also the author of the books, “Say Please and Thank You & Stand In Line: One Man’s Story of What Makes Canada Special, and How to Keep It that Way”, and “Everybody’s Business: How to Ensure Canadian Prosperity Through the Twenty-First Century”. Dany has taught and lectured at major Canadian universities and written and been a commentator on major Canadian media platforms including the Globe and Mail, the Star and, the National Post newspapers and the CBC, CTV, BNN Bloomberg, and Global television networks. Dany has also been involved in many community initiatives and projects over the years including been President of the Canadian Club of Toronto and he and his wife Lisa also co-founded the annual Fast in the 6 event held on Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square bringing Canadians of all backgrounds together to celebrate its motto: Diversity. Unity. Prosperity. Dany also sits on the boards of the Unity Health hospital network, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

2 3 Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President (Students and Enrolment), Carleton University

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of British Columbia

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon started a five-year term as the 17th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia in 2023. Before joining UBC, Dr. Bacon served in several academic leadership roles, including as President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University in Ottawa, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) at Queen’s University in Kingston, and as Provost and Vice-President (Academic Affairs) at Concordia University in his hometown of Montreal. Dr. Bacon holds a PhD in neuropsychology from the University of Montreal, after which he undertook a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. His research focuses on the neurophysiological and cognitive bases of visual and multisensory perception. Sharing his own lived experience, he advocates nationally for open conversations about mental health and substance use.

Suzanne Blanchard is the Vice-President (Students and Enrolment) at Carleton University, where she leads a transformative portfolio dedicated to enhancing the student experience and refining enrolment strategies. With a distinguished career in higher education administration, Suzanne is dedicated to elevating student services, championing diversity and inclusion, and pioneering innovative programs that empower students to reach their academic, personal and professional potential. Suzanne has led the development and implementation of Carleton’s Student Mental Health Framework and Coordinated Accessibility Strategy, fostering an inclusive campus culture. A University of Ottawa graduate, she has held various leadership roles in education since the late 1980s and currently chairs the Canadian Accessibility Network Governing Council and serves on the Ashbury College Board of Governors.

4 Dr. Jim Chung , Chief Medical Officer, Air

Canada

Dr. Jim Chung is Air Canada’s Chief Medical Officer, overseeing employee and passenger medical regulatory compliance, pilot medical certification, corporate disability management, and the wellness program Unlock the Best in You (UBY). A graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and McMaster University, he served as a medical officer in the Canadian Forces, including deployments to Bosnia and Turkey. Dr. Chung trained as a flight surgeon with the Canadian Forces and earned a Master in Aviation Medicine and a postgraduate diploma in Occupational Medicine from Otago University. After completing his emergency medicine training and certification at the University of Toronto, he practiced as an emergency medicine physician in Toronto before joining Air Canada in 2009 and assuming the role of Chief Medical Officer in 2014.

5 Arlene Dickinson, Founder & General Partner of District Ventures Capital

Arlene Dickinson is a visionary entrepreneur and leader with a remarkable track record of success. She is the Founder and General Partner of District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in innovative companies in the food & beverage and health & wellness sectors. Under her leadership, District Ventures Capital has become a leading force in the industry, with a portfolio of ground-breaking companies that are transforming the way we live and eat. Beyond her business ventures, Dickinson is a sought-after speaker, three-time best-selling author, and philanthropist. She is widely recognized for her role as a Venture Capitalist on the hit television series, Dragons’ Den, where she currently has starred for over 16 seasons.

6

Allan Ebedes, CEO, Excellence Canada

Allan has an MBA degree from the University of Toronto and is a CA/CPA. He also earned an LLM degree at the UofT Faculty of Law. He is a Certified Director with the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D). In his business career, Allan was a partner in a furniture and appliance chain, which grew significantly and was subsequently sold to The Brick. In 1979 Allan started the Toronto School of Business, a career college. Under the holding company, International Business Schools, the school grew to become the largest private career college in Canada, with 50 locations coast-to-coast. In 2005, Allan was appointed President & CEO of the National Quality Institute (NQI), now Excellence Canada.

7 Jennifer Lombardo, Health & Wellness Manager, Wajax

Jennifer Lombardo has a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Health Studies & Sociology from McMaster University, as well as a Post-Graduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness & Health Promotion from Centennial College. For the last 20 years, Jennifer has worked with a variety of organizations in both the private and public sectors, to assist them with developing, implementing and evaluating leading edge Health & Wellness programs. In her present role as the Health & Wellness Manager at Wajax, Jennifer is committed to creating psychologically healthy and safe workspaces at their 120- branches across the country. Ms. Lombardo is an active member on the Conference Board of Canada’s Council on Workplace Health and Wellness. She also volunteers as a Verifier with Excellence Canada, where she assists with evaluating organizations who are applying for certification in Healthy Workplace and/or Mental Health at Work.

SPEAKERS

8

Jon Love, C.M., Executive Chair and Founder, KingSett Capital Inc.

Jon Love is the Executive Chair and Founder of KingSett Capital, Canada’s leading private equity real estate investment business co-investing with institutional and ultra-high net worth clients seeking to provide sustainable premium risk weighted returns through active management in its various fund strategies. Jon is a member of the Business Council of Canada, the Chief Executives Organization, and YPO. In 2023, Jon received the Ivey Business Leader of the Year Award, the NAIOP Rex Icon Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2024 the Fraser Institute’s Founders Award. In 2018 Jon was awarded the Order of Canada.

9 Katrena Munsch, Director Workplace Accommodation and Mental Well-being, Sun Life Financial

Katrena is passionate about building healthier workplaces by helping Employee’s and People Leader’s understand how to optimize their well-being through psychological safety and a data-driven approach to improve mental health outcomes. With a master’s in science from the School of Kinesiology & Health Sciences at York University her career expands across several key areas that support the employee health journey including, disability management, wellness product development, organizational health consulting, mental health strategy, and mental health program management. Katrena leads Sun Life’s Employee Workplace Accommodation and Mental Well-being program. Through her guidance Sun Life has been awarded Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness in Canada for the past three years (2022- 2024), top 3 organizations LifeWorks Workplace Strategy Index for Mental Health and as well as the Order of Excellence for Mental Health at Work through Excellence Canada.

10 Shirlee Sharkey, Chair of Excellence Canada & Former President & CEO, SE Health

Shirlee Sharkey is recognized as one of Canada’s notable experts on home care. As the long-time CEO of SE Health, a unique not-for-profit social enterprise, she has dedicated her career to empowering people, championing compassion, and advancing social innovation. In May 2022, Shirlee stepped down from SE Health following 30 years of breakthrough leadership. Shirlee’s commitment to corporate governance and public service is evident in her leadership and involvement today on many boards, including University Health Network, Toronto Ontario; Chair Michener Institute of Education; The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI); Chair Excellence Canada and BAYADA Home Health Care, Pennsauken Township New Jersey. Shirlee shares her passion and expertise as a thought leader, speaker, author, and mentor.

11 12 Sean Slater , President, Excellence Canada

Sean Slater was named President of Excellence Canada in July, 2024. Prior to joining Excellence Canada, Sean held executive leadership roles at Homewood Health, Solareh, VPI Inc., and Ceridian Canada. Sean is passionate about growth and success and is a transformative leader dedicated to defining and driving positive results and business evolution. His 25 years of experience extends to executive management, sales leadership, business development, quality and process improvement, workplace health and wellness, treatment, and technology-enabled health products and programs. He has collaborated closely with private, public, and not-for-profit organizations of all sizes, across all sectors of the Canadian business landscape. Sean is committed to helping organizations achieve and sustain their success.

Erika Taylor , Vice President, People and Culture, BC Pension Corporation

As the Vice President of People and Culture, Erika spearheads the organization’s talent agenda and helps drive the corporation’s long-term vision and strategy as part of the Executive leadership team. She and her team develop business, talent and culture strategies that empower employees to maximize their capabilities and contribute to their fullest potential. She is passionate about cultivating exceptional experiences for employees and teams, fostering an inclusive, purpose-driven corporate culture where everyone can thrive. With over two decades of experience, Erika is an accomplished leader and has a strong background in driving workforce performance and leading HR initiatives within the BC public sector.

2024 CANADA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS

faites connaissance avec les lauréats get to know the recipients

RÉCIPIENDAIRES DES PRIX CANADA POUR L’EXCELLENCE 2024

RÉCIPIENDAIRES DES PRIX CANADA POUR L’EXCELLENCE 2016

The Canada Awards for Excellence is the nation’s pre-eminent recognition of organizational excellence award. The program involves meeting and exceeding rigourous Standards and Requirements, demonstration of continuous improvement, measurement of progress, and verification by an external team of volunteers from Excellence Canada.

THE AWARD IS THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE. THESE AWARDS ARE PRESENTED ANNUALLY.

To receive the Award, an organization must demonstrate outstanding performance in the appropriate award category including Excellence, Innovation and Wellness ®, Organizational Excellence®, Healthy Workplace ® and Mental Health at Work ®.

The recipients are role models of excellence in the areas of leadership, governance, strategy, planning, customer experience, employee engagement, innovation and wellness. The organizations come from the private, public and not-forprofit sectors, from coast to coast. Each has a unique story to tell of their excellence journey, but one thing that they all have in common is a focus on continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence.

Embarking on an excellence journey takes time and effort. To support organizations on their journey, Excellence Canada offers comprehensive products, tools, and services to help at every stage of the journey - and valuable connections to a network of organizations that have achieved the standards or are en route to achieving them.

Years of planning, hard work and dedication go into achieving and sustaining the high levels of performance that merit these awards. Please join with us as we celebrate these achievements.

Here’s to Canadian excellence and the 2024 Award recipients….Congratulations!

For more information, visit www.excellence.ca/awards

Les Prix Canada pour l’excellence sont les plus hautes distinctions remises au Canada pour l’excellence organisationnelle. Il s’agit d’un programme qui prévoit que les organisations en quête d’excellence doivent atteindre et dépasser des normes et des exigences rigoureuses, et se soumettre à des évaluations des progrès accomplis et à des vérifications de la part d’une équipe externe d’Excellence Canada.

LE PRIX EST LA NORME DE L’EXCELLENCE. LES PRIX

SONT REMIS CHAQUE ANNÉE.

Les prix sont attribués à des organisations qui ont démontré un rendement exceptionnel dans l’une des catégories suivantes : Excellence, innovation et mieuxêtre, Excellence Organisationnelle, Milieu de travail sain et Santé mentale au travail. Les récipiendaires sont des modèles d’excellence dans les domaines du leadership, de la gouvernance, de la stratégie, de la planification, de l’expérience client, de l’engagement des employés, de l’innovation et du mieux-être. Il s’agit d’organisations des secteurs public, privé et sans but lucratif d’un océan à l’autre. Le vécu de chacune d’entre elles est unique, mais elles ont tous une chose en commun – elles sont axées sur l’amélioration continue et sur la poursuite de l’excellence.

La quête de l’excellence exige temps et effort. Pour appuyer les organisations dans cette aventure, le programme d’Excellence Canada offre une gamme complète de produits, d’outils et de services à toutes les étapes. Il offre aussi des liens précieux avec un réseau d’organisations qui ont atteint les normes requises ou qui sont en voie de le faire.

L’atteinte et le maintien des niveaux élevés de rendement qui mènent à l’obtention de ces Prix nécessitent des années de planification, de travail acharné et de dévouement. Veuillez vous joindre à nous pour célébrer ces réussites.

Nous saluons l’excellence canadienne ainsi que les récipiendaires des Prix 2024… Félicitations!

Pour de plus amples renseignements, visitez www.excellence.ca/awards

Any errors or omissions on the following recipient profiles are inadvertent, and we request your pardon if any have occurred.

CANADA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS

ACQ RÉSIDENTIEL

Construction

www.acqresidentiel.ca

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC Employees: 25 AIR CANADA Transportation www.aircanada.com

SAINT-LAURENT, QUÉBEC Employees: 39,636

BC PENSION CORPORATION

Pension Administration www.bcpensioncorp.ca

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA Employees: 600

CGI

IT and Business Consulting Services www.cgi.com/canada/en-ca

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC Employees: 90,000

CIRCLE OF CARE

Healthcare – Community Health Care Services www.circleofcare.com

TORONTO, ONTARIO Employees: 1,159

EASTERN ONTARIO REGIONAL LABORATORIES ASSOCIATION

Healthcare www.eorla.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO Employees: 900

ENGINEERS CANADA

Not-for-profit www.engineerscanada.ca/ OTTAWA, ONTARIO Employees: 54

ONTARIO SHORES CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

Healthcare www.ontarioshores.ca/

WHITBY, ONTARIO Employees: 1,300+

REGION OF PEEL Government

www.peelregion.ca

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO Employees: 5,627

SASKATCHEWAN ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Provincial Government www.sama.sk.ca

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN Employees: 164

STUDENTS & ENROLMENT, CARLETON UNIVERSITY

Education

WWW.CARLETON.CA/STUDENTSUPPORT

OTTAWA, ONTARIO Employees: 348

SUN LIFE Financial Services / Insurance / Asset Management www.sunlife.com

TORONTO, ONTARIO Employees: 1,200+ (in Canada)

WAJAX Industrial Products & Services www.wajax.com

TORONTO, ONTARIO Employees: 3000+

WAYPOINT CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE Healthcare www.waypointcentre.ca

PENETANGUISHENE, ONTARIO Employees: 1400+

WORKPLACE SAFETY NORTH Not for Profit, Occupational Health and Safety workplacesafetynorth.ca

NORTH BAY, ONTARIO Employees: 75

David Martellino General Manager

Directeur général

“ Construction quality is at the heart of ACQ Résidentiel’s operations. For the past 30 years, we have been actively involved in enriching Quebec’s residential landscape by guaranteeing the quality of the buildings we cover.

Through our warranty programs, our mission consists of supporting builders and contractors at every stage of their projects, to maintain high construction standards and protect consumers once the residential housing units have been delivered. ”

« La qualité de construction est au c œu r des activités de l’ACQ Résidentiel. Depuis maintenant 30 ans nous travaillons activement à enrichir le patrimoine résidentiel québécois en garantissant la qualité des bâtiments sous nos couvertures.

Par le biais de nos garanties, notre mission consiste à accompagner les entrepreneurs tout au long de leur projet afin de maintenir des standards de construction de haut niveau et ainsi assurer la protection des consommateurs une fois les unités d’habitation livrées. »

ACQ Résidentiel

With 30 years of experience in the construction industry, ACQ Résidentiel is committed to protecting consumers by providing support to residential construction entrepreneurs.

Through its various residential warranty plans, ACQ Résidentiel aims to ensure that the most rigorous construction standards are respected. Whether you’re building, renovating, selling or buying a property, ACQ Residentiel offers solutions tailored to the realities of today’s market, guaranteeing the highest quality construction and providing ongoing support to residential construction and renovation contractors.

Recipient of a Prix performance Québec, as well as an excellence rating in corporate governance from the Institut de la confiance dans les organisations (ICO) in 2023, ACQ Residentiel continues its hard work and constant commitment to being one of the most successful players in the residential construction sector.

ACQ Résidentiel

Forte de ses 30 ans d’expérience dans l’industrie de la construction, l’ACQ Résidentiel s’engage à protéger les consommateurs en accompagnant les entrepreneurs en construction.

Par le biais de ses différents plans de garanties, l’ACQ Résidentiel a pour but de veiller au respect des normes de construction les plus rigoureuses. Que ce soit pour bâtir, rénover, vendre ou acheter une propriété, l’ACQ Résidentiel propose des solutions adaptées aux réalités actuelles du marché, garantissant ainsi la meilleure qualité de construction tout en offrant le soutien nécessaire aux entrepreneurs en construction et en rénovation.

Récipiendaire d’un Prix performance Québec, ainsi qu’une côte Excellence en matière de gouvernance d’entreprise remise par l’Institut de la confiance dans les organisations (ICO) en 2023, l’ACQ Résidentiel poursuit son travail acharné et son engagement constant pour être un des acteurs les plus performants du secteur résidentiel.

We inspect more than any other warranty plan in Quebec. For projects of 100 units or more, we carry out an average of 11.8 inspections.

2024

RÉCIPIENDAIRE

Air Canada

Air Canada’s Unlock the Best in You wellness program is dedicated to fostering a culture of mental and physical well-being for employees. With a mission centered on innovation, connection, and prevention, UBY empowers staff to reach their full potential, both at work and at home.

The program provides unlimited access to counselling services, wellness facilities, and a custom wellness portal, utilized by 70% of employees. UBY also features innovative engagement initiatives such as peer support groups, UBY Ambassadors, mental health champions, and the UBY Running Club, offering a holistic approach to employee well-being.

Air Canada is committed to being a leader in the industry, supporting employees by offering Mental Health First and Mental Health Workshops. Achieving gold has validated for everyone that Air Canada’s commitment towards mental health is a top priority and is supported by all levels in the organization.

Air Canada

Le programme de bien-être Les clés de votre plein potentiel (UBY) d’Air Canada est conçu pour favoriser une culture de bienêtre physique et mental pour les employés. L’innovation, la connexion et la prévention sont au coeur de la mission du programme UBY, qui est de permettre aux membres du personnel de réaliser leur plein potentiel, au travail comme à la maison.

Le programme offre un accès illimité à des services de consultation et à des installations de bien-être, ainsi qu’à un portail personnalisé sur le bien-être qui est utilisé par 70 % des employés. Le programme UBY propose également des initiatives de mobilisation novatrices comme des groupes de soutien par les pairs, les ambassadeurs UBY, les champions de la santé mentale et le club de course UBY, offrant ainsi une approche globale en matière de bien-être des employés.

Air Canada s’engage à être un chef de file dans l’industrie et à soutenir ses employés en leur offrant des ateliers sur la santé mentale et des cours de premiers soins en santé mentale. Atteindre le niveau or a permis de confirmer aux yeux de tous que l’engagement d’Air Canada en faveur de la santé mentale est une priorité absolue qui est soutenue à tous les niveaux de l’entreprise.

“ Air Canada is proud to receive the Mental Health at Work – Gold Level Certification in the 2024 Canada Awards for Excellence This recognition validates our efforts to prioritize mental health and wellness throughout the organization, and to equip our employees with programs and tools that help them to feel supported and empowered. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of well-being through innovative programs and resources that promote mental health and help us to lift each other up. ”

« Air Canada est fière de se voir octroyer le niveau or aux Prix Canada pour l’excellence 2024 dans la catégorie Santé mentale au travail. Cette reconnaissance témoigne de nos efforts visant à accorder la priorité à la santé mentale et au bien-être dans l’ensemble de l’entreprise, et à offrir à nos employés des programmes et des outils qui les aident à se sentir soutenus et habilités dans leur rôle. Nous restons déterminés à favoriser une culture de bien-être au moyen de programmes novateurs et de ressources qui font la promotion de la santé mentale et qui nous permettent de nous entraider. »

Mike Rousseau President & CEO

Président et chef de la direction

Over 4,100 employees have attended UBY Wellness Day events Canada-wide.

“ We are delighted to receive the prestigious CAE Order of Excellence certification in the Organizational Excellence Standard. This accomplishment reflects the collective efforts of our entire team. Each person at Pension Corporation makes an important contribution to our success. Everyone plays a part and is integral to our success. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of our staff. It is truly an honour to serve as CEO. I am proud of what we do and the success we have achieved together. ”

« Nous sommes enchantés de recevoir la prestigieuse certification de l’Ordre de l’Excellence des Prix Canada pour l’Excellence (PCE) décernée dans le cadre de la Norme d’excellence organisationnelle. Nous retrouvons dans cet accomplissement les efforts collectifs de notre équipe tout entière. Chaque personne chez Pension Corporation contribue fortement à notre réussite. Chacun dans notre corporation y joue un rôle et fait partie intégrante de notre succès. Je suis reconnaissant à tous les membres de notre personnel pour leurs efforts et leur dévouement. C’est un véritable honneur d’être leur chef de la direction. Je suis fier de ce que nous faisons, des réussites que nous avons accompli ensemble. »

BC Pension Corporation

BC Pension Corporation is one of the largest pension service providers in Canada and the largest in British Columbia. They support five pension plans with over 750,000 members and one benefit trust. One in eight British Columbians are members of the pension plans and there are more than 1,000 employers. The corporation pays out nearly $6.2 billion a year in benefits to over 240,000 retirees. They are one of BC’s top employers and employ some of the most influential and exceptional leaders who have helped shape the pensions industry. The corporation has an exceptional culture grounded in a clear purpose: to create peace of mind for those they serve.

BC Pension Corporation

BC Pension Corporation est l’un des plus grands prestataires de services de retraite au Canada et le plus grand de la ColombieBritannique. La corporation soutient cinq régimes de retraite comptant plus de 750 000 membres et un fonds d’indemnisation. En Colombie-Britannique une personne sur 8 est membre de ces régimes de retraite sur lesquels comptent plus de 1 000 employeurs. La corporation verse près de 6,2 milliards de dollars de prestations par année à plus de 240 000 retraités. C’est l’un des plus grands employeurs de la C.-B. employant certains des dirigeants les plus influents et exceptionnels qui ont aidé à façonner le secteur des retraites. La corporation a une culture hors du commun qui repose sur un objectif clair, donner aux personnes qu’elle dessert, la paix de l’esprit.

Laura Nashman CEO Chef de la direction

BC Pension Corporation’s Staff Day is an annual all-employee event that has occurred since 2009. Its purpose is to inspire, motivate and develop our people in alignment with our evolving corporate culture.

RÉCIPIENDAIRE PLATINE PLATINUM RECIPIENT

CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI ranks as one of the largest IT and business consulting firms in the world. Committed to building a more inclusive and sustainable world, CGI actively engages with the communities where its partners and clients live and work.

Workplace health and well-being is integral to CGI’s Management Foundation and corporate culture. The company is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of all CGI Partners, enabling them to thrive both personally and professionally in a safe and respectful workplace. This commitment to employee engagement is essential to CGI’s growth and success.

CGI proudly invests in resources for workplace well-being and mental health, empowering both CGI Partners and leaders to reach their full potential. With over 20 years of dedicated health and well-being programs and rigorous data analysis, CGI collaborates with the scientific community to advance research and promote best practices in workplace health.

CGI

Fondée en 1976, CGI est l’une des plus grandes entreprises de services de conseil en informatique et en affaires au monde. Engagée à construire un monde plus inclusif et durable, elle soutient activement les communautés où les associé(e)s de CGI et ses clients vivent et travaillent.

La santé et le bien-être au travail font partie intégrale des assises de gestion de CGI et de sa culture d’entreprise. L’entreprise s’engage à favoriser un environnement inclusif qui priorise la santé et le bien-être de tou(te)s les associé(e)s de CGI, leur permettant de s’épanouir personnellement et professionnellement dans un lieu de travail sûr et respectueux. Cet engagement est essentiel à leur croissance et au succès mondial.

CGI est fière d’investir dans des ressources pour le bien-être au travail et la santé mentale, permettant aux associé(e)s de CGI et aux leaders d’atteindre leur plein potentiel. Fort de plus de 20 ans d’initiatives et de mesures consacrées à la santé et au bien-être au travail, CGI collabore avec la communauté scientifique pour faire progresser la recherche et promouvoir les meilleures pratiques en matière de santé au travail.

Michael Godin

President Président

“ This recognition marks the culmination of a journey celebrating 20 years of commitment to a culture of wellbeing at work, inspiring us to strive for even greater heights. A heartfelt thank you to the entire Excellence Canada team!”

« Cette reconnaissance vient couronner un parcours de 20 ans dédiés à une culture de bien-être au travail et celle-ci nous motive à nous propulser vers des niveaux encore plus élevés. Un grand merci à toute l’équipe d’Excellence Canada! »

CGI donating to mental health causes and funds.

“Circle of Care remains committed to supporting the health, safety and well-being of our employees, which remains a key strategic priority in our 2020 – 2025 Strategic Plan. We recognize that our success as an organization is dependent upon our people, who are our greatest assets. We look forward to continuing the important work of creating a Healthy Workplace where our employees can feel that they are valued, engaged in their work and can thrive within their roles.”

« Circle of Care reste déterminé à soutenir la santé, la sécurité et le bien-être de nos employés qui demeurent une importante priorité de notre plan stratégique de 2020-2025. Nous reconnaissons que si nous réussissons en tant qu’organisation, nous le devons à nos gens, sans nos employés nous n’y arriverons pas. Nous nous réjouissons à la perspective de poursuivre l’important travail de créer un milieu de travail sain où nos employés peuvent se sentir valorisés, engagés dans leur travail et s’épanouir dans leur rôle. »

Circle of Care

Circle of Care, part of Sinai Health, is a leading not-for profit home care provider for individuals living in the Greater Toronto Area. Our staff and volunteers simplify everyday life for more than 10, 000 clients and their families each year, helping them preserve their independence and live comfortably at home.

Circle of Care is committed to supporting its employees and creating a work environment where all employees feel valued, engaged and can thrive in their roles. We acknowledge and understand that the pro-active management of the four elements of a Healthy Workplace (physical, social, community and psychological well-being), can provide a variety of benefits to our employees and contribute to organizational excellence, Circle of Care was certified Bronze in the Healthy Workplace Standard in 2021, and we continue our journey to Gold level certification in 2024.

Circle of Care

Circle of Care fait partie de Sinai Health. C’est un grand fournisseur sans but lucratif de soins à domicile offrant ses services aux personnes qui habitent la région du Grand Toronto. Notre personnel et nos bénévoles contribuent à simplifier la vie de tous les jours de plus de 10 000 clients et leurs familles chaque année, en les aidant à demeurer indépendants et à vivre confortablement chez eux.

Circle of Care est déterminé à soutenir ses employés et à créer un environnement de travail où tous se sentent valorisés, engagés et peuvent s’épanouir dans leur rôle. Nous reconnaissons et comprenons que la gestion proactive des quatre éléments d’un milieu de travail sain (le bien-être physique, social, communautaire et psychologique) peut procurer de multiples avantages à nos employés et contribuer à l’excellence organisationnelle. Circle of Care a obtenu la certification Bronze de la norme sur un milieu de travail sain en 2021. En 2024 nous continuons notre cheminement vers la certification du niveau Or.

This photo was taken following a Focus Group, facilitated by McMaster University in February 2024, to gain input into the implementation of the Beyond Silence e-mental health program. Circle of Care employees who appear in the photo were involved in the pilot of this e-mental health program and acted as Peer Support Providers (PSPs).

HEALTHY WORKPLACE

Carey Lucki

Chief Executive Officer

Chef de la direction

2024

RÉCIPIENDAIRE OR GOLD RECIPIENT

MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK SANTÉ MENTALE AU TRAVAIL

Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA)

The Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA) is a member-based, non-profit organization operating 18 licensed, acute-care, hospital-based laboratories that service the diverse medical needs of more than 1.4 million residents across Eastern Ontario. The EORLA team delivers over 14 million diagnostic tests in our laboratories annually – using the latest technology, offering exemplary service and turnaround times, and providing ongoing innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.

EORLA recognizes that a psychologically healthy and safe workplace is the foundation of an effective, productive and engaged workforce. EORLA’s Healthy Workplace Committee was formed to support employee health, well-being and psychological safety. Psychological health and safety continues to be an organizational priority. EORLA continues to provide support resources and implement initiatives to improve the health and well-being of all employees.

L’Association des laboratoires régionaux de l’Est de l’Ontario (l’ALERO)

L’Association des laboratoires régionaux de l’Est de l’Ontario (l’ALERO) est une organisation sans but lucratif composée de membres qui exploite 18 laboratoires agréés en milieu hospitalier actif qui sert les différents besoins médicaux de plus de 1,4 millions de résidents de toute la région Est de l’Ontario. L’équipe d’ALERO effectue et délivre plus de 14 millions de tests diagnostiques dans nos laboratoires chaque année – à l’aide de la technologie la plus moderne, offrant un service exemplaire dans les délais prescrits, mettant en œuvre des initiatives d’innovation permanente et d’amélioration continue.

L’ALERO reconnaît qu’un milieu de travail psychologiquement sain et sécuritaire est le fondement sur lequel repose une maind’œuvre efficace, productive et engagée. Le comité de milieu de travail sain de l’ALERO a été constitué pour appuyer la santé, le bienêtre et la sécurité psychologique des employés. La santé et la sécurité psychologiques demeurent une priorité organisationnelle. L’ALERO continue d’offrir des ressources de soutien et de mettre en place des initiatives visant à améliorer la santé et le bien-être de tous les employés. essionnelle, en tout confort et en sécurité.

“ As part of the healthcare system our staff encounter unique challenges that impact mental health and well-being. At EORLA, the wellbeing of our employees is integral to our success. We have built programs for our staff to support their mental health, and the resources needed to recognize and support others experiencing mental health challenges. Thank you to Excellence Canada for the recognition in Gold Mental Health at Work certification as we continue on our mental health journey. ”

« Dans le cadre du système des soins de santé notre personnel fait face à des problèmes uniques qui se répercutent sur la santé mentale et le bien-être. La réussite de l’ALERO est indissoluble du bien-être de nos employés. Nous avons créé des programmes pour notre personnel en vue de soutenir sa santé mentale et les ressources nécessaires pour reconnaître et soutenir d’autres encore qui connaissent les mêmes difficultés. Nous remercions Excellence Canada de sa reconnaissance en nous décernant la certification Or pour la santé mentale au travail tandis que nous poursuivons notre cheminement vers notre santé mentale. »

Each year during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, EORLA recognizes and celebrates the excellent work and critical role our staff play in the health care system.

Jeffrey Dale CEO Chef de la direction

Executive Officer Chef de la direction

“ Engineers Canada is proud to have achieved Platinum certification, recognizing our sustained commitment to excellence, innovation, and continual improvement. This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and our ongoing effort to advance the engineering profession through a culture of growth and collaboration. ”

« Ingénieurs Canada est fier d’avoir obtenu la certification Platine qui reconnait l’engagement sans faille envers l’excellence, l’innovation et l’amélioration continue. Cet accomplissement témoigne du dévouement de notre équipe et des efforts constants que nous déployons pour faire progresser la profession d’ingénieur par une culture de croissance et de collaboration. »

Engineers Canada

Engineers Canada’s vision is to advance Canadian engineering through national collaboration. On behalf of Canada’s engineering regulators, we provide expertise, services, and tools to help shape the direction and growth of the engineering profession in Canada, to establish consistent high standards, and to inspire public confidence.

As an organization, we have made great strides in our Commitment to Excellence, including sustaining our organizational performance throughout the pandemic, fostering strengthened relationships with our clients, innovated our workplace collaboration to adapt to new work environments, and improved processes across number of programs. Engineers Canada is an organization viewed as a leader in the sector, where continual improvement is a way of life, and employees feel valued and fully engaged in advancing our work.

Ingénieurs Canada

La vision d’Ingénieurs Canada est de faire progresser le génie au Canada par la collaboration. Au nom des organismes canadiens de réglementation du génie, nous offrons notre expertise, nos services et nos outils afin d’aider la profession à trouver son orientation et sa croissance au Canada, d’établir des normes toujours élevées et inspirer la confiance au public.

Notre organisation a fait de grands progrès dans son engagement envers l’Excellence, non des moindres, nous avons su maintenir la performance de notre organisation tout au long de la pandémie, renforcer nos relations avec nos clients, trouver des façon innovatrices de collaborer dans les lieux de travail, nous adapter à de nouveaux environnements de travail et améliorer les processus dans de nombreux programmes. Ingénieurs Canada est considéré comme un chef de file du secteur, où l’amélioration continue fait partie de nos mœurs, où les employés se sentent valorisés et entièrement impliqués dans la progression de nos travaux.

Engineers Canada staff participate in an annual volunteer day, giving back as a team to the community.

Philip Rizcallah, P.Eng. Chief

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) is a public speciality mental health hospital, providing a range of specialized assessment and treatment services to those living with complex and serious mental illness. Ontario Shores’ more than 1,300 staff, and its 150 volunteers, are dedicated to providing excellent patient and family-centred care in a safe, respectful, healing and positive environment.

Ontario Shores began its journey with Excellence Canada in 2016. Over the past 8 years, it has guided the organization to implement a robust integrated wellness strategy, employee engagement activities, positive workplace culture, with a strong emphasis on psychological and physical safety.

Ontario Shores is deeply committed to providing a safe and healthy place to work and receive care. It is proud of the robust offerings available to support total health and wellbeing of its dedicated and talented staff.

Centre des sciences de la santé mentale

Ontario Shores

Le Centre des sciences de la santé mentale

Ontario Shores (Ontario Shores) est un hôpital public spécialisé en santé mentale qui offre une gamme de services spécialisés d’évaluation et de traitement aux personnes vivant avec une maladie mentale complexe et grave. Les quelque 1 300 employés et 150 bénévoles d’Ontario Shores se consacrent à la prestation d’excellents soins axés sur les patients et la famille dans un environnement sécuritaire, respectueux, propice à la guérison et positif.

Ontario Shores a commencé son parcours avec Excellence Canada en 2016. Au cours des huit dernières années, notre organisme a été guidé dans la mise en oeuvre d’une solide stratégie intégrée de mieux-être, d’activités d’engagement des employés, d’une culture positive en milieu de travail et d’un accent marqué sur la sécurité psychologique et physique.

Ontario Shores s’engage fermement à offrir un lieu de travail et de soins sûr et sain. Il est fier de l’ensemble des services qu’il offre pour favoriser la santé et le mieux-être de son personnel dévoué et talentueux.

“We are incredibly proud of our team members and the impactful work we do to advance mental health care, creating an environment where everyone thrives and makes a meaningful difference.”

« Nous sommes extrêmement fiers des membres de notre équipe et du travail formidable que nous accomplissons pour faire progresser les soins de santé mentale, en créant un environnement où tout le monde s’épanouit et apporte une importante contribution. »

Staff wear pink for Pink Shirt Day against bullying and harassment.

Karim Mamdani President and CEO

Président et chef de la direction

Gary Kent Chief Administrative Officer Chef de l’administration

“ We are honoured to accept the Platinum Award for Excellence, Innovation and Wellness from Excellence Canada. As the first regional municipality in Canada to earn this distinction in 2019, being recertified in 2024 is a proud testament to our commitment to organizational excellence. This year, as we celebrate 50 years of delivering uninterrupted, highquality services to our community, we remain dedicated to continuous improvement, prioritizing the health, safety, and well-being of both our employees and the Peel community. ”

« Nous sommes honorés d’accepter le prix Platine pour l’excellence, l’innovation et le mieux-être décerné par Excellence Canada. En tant que première municipalité régionale au Canada à obtenir cette distinction en 2019, le renouvellement de la certification en 2024 est un fier témoignage de notre engagement en faveur de l’excellence organisationnelle.

Cette année, alors que nous célébrons 50 ans de prestation ininterrompue de services de haute qualité à notre communauté, nous restons déterminés à nous améliorer constamment, en accordant la priorité à la santé, à la sécurité et au mieux-être de nos employés et de la communauté de Peel. »

PLATINUM RECIPIENT

EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION & WELLNESS

Peel Region

Since 1974, Peel Region has provided critical and essential services to a growing population that has increased from 265,000 to 1.5 million residents and is projected to reach 2.28 million by 2051. As one of Canada’s fastest growing and most diverse communities, Peel’s vision is to create a Community for Life where everyone belongs and can access services at every life stage. Peel’s mission, “Working with you,” reflects the dedication to building a healthy, safe, and connected community and is at the core of all we do. Peel has a long history of organizational excellence. Receiving the Platinum Award for Excellence, Innovation, and Wellness in 2019, and being recertified at this level despite the significant challenges of the past four years, is truly reaffirming.

Our excellence journey reflects an unwavering commitment to effective planning, continuous improvement, innovation, and providing value for money while delivering exceptional services and programs for our community. A healthy workplace continues to be top priority, ensuring that Peel Region remains a vibrant and supportive place to live and work.

RÉCIPIENDAIRE PLATINE EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION et MIEUX-ÊTRE

Peel Region

Depuis 1974, la région de Peel fournit des services essentiels à une population croissante qui est passée de 265 000 à 1,5 million d’habitants et qui devrait atteindre 2,28 millions d’ici 2051. En tant que l’une des communautés les plus diversifiées et à la croissance la plus rapide du Canada, Peel a pour objectif de créer une Communauté pour la vie, où chacun a sa place et peut accéder à des services à chaque étape de la vie.

La mission de Peel, « Travailler avec vous », reflète la volonté de construire une communauté saine, sécuritaire et connectée et est au cœur de tout ce que nous faisons. Peel a une longue histoire d’excellence organisationnelle. La réception du prix Platine pour l’excellence, l’innovation et le mieux-être en 2019, et la nouvelle certification à ce niveau malgré les défis importants des quatre dernières années, constituent une réelle confirmation.

Notre parcours vers l’excellence reflète un engagement inébranlable en faveur d’une planification efficace, d’une amélioration continue, de l’innovation et de l’optimisation des ressources, tout en offrant des services et des programmes exceptionnels à notre communauté. Un lieu de travail sain reste une priorité absolue, assurant ainsi que la région de Peel reste un endroit dynamique et favorable à la vie et au travail.

Peel Region’s water and wastewater system is the fourth largest in Canada and hub of excellence and innovation.

RECIPIENT

ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA)

SAMA was established in 1987 to provide reliable, up-to-date property assessment valuations – the pillar upon which governments set tax policy and property tax rates. With new executive leadership in 2022, SAMA’s strategic directions were refocused to include continuous improvement and quality. There was a clear realization that a sustainable quality framework was needed to ensure the long-term success of the agency.

For SAMA to continue to deliver high value products and services, we recognized that quality needs to be maintained at all levels and is the combination of processes, systems, knowledge and people that are behind the work we do.

SAMA chose to work with Excellence Canada and use their Organizational Excellence Standard (OES) roadmap for continual improvement. The framework provides a progressive model that builds on each level to ensure that organizations can implement and sustain, in a manageable and practical manner, a focus on organizational excellence.

RÉCIPIENDAIRE OR EXCELLENCE ORGANISATIONNELLE

SAMA

SAMA a été créée en 1987 pour fournir des évaluations foncières fiables et à jour – le pilier sur lequel les gouvernements fixent la politique fiscale et les taux d’impôt foncier. Avec une nouvelle direction exécutive en 2022, les orientations stratégiques de SAMA ont été recentrées pour inclure l’amélioration continue et la qualité. On s’est clairement rendu compte qu’un cadre de qualité durable était nécessaire pour garantir le succès à long terme de l’agence.

Pour que SAMA puisse continuer à fournir des produits et services de grande valeur, nous avons reconnu que la qualité doit être maintenue à tous les niveaux et qu’elle est la combinaison de processus, de systèmes, de connaissances et de personnes qui sont à l’origine du travail que nous effectuons.

SAMA a choisi de travailler avec Excellence Canada et d’utiliser la norme d’excellence organisationnelle (NEO) pour créer une culture d’amélioration continuelle. Le cadre fournit un modèle progressif qui s’appuie sur chaque niveau pour garantir que les organisations peuvent mettre en œuvre et maintenir, de manière gérable et pratique, l’accent mis sur l’excellence organisationnelle.

“ Being in the property assessment industry can be challenging at times. Our staff work tirelessly to ensure that SAMA produces high quality results for all of our stakeholders including the municipalities in our province. We are honoured to be receiving the CAE Gold certification in Organizational Excellence. This recognition celebrates our staff and the way they operate – with integrity, dedication, professionalism and solution-focus. We will continue on our excellence journey with great pride! ”

« Être dans le secteur de l’évaluation foncière peut parfois être difficile. Notre personnel travaille sans relâche pour garantir que SAMA produise des résultats de haute qualité pour toutes nos parties prenantes, y compris les municipalités de notre province. Nous sommes honorés de recevoir la certification CAE Or en excellence organisationnelle. Cette reconnaissance célèbre notre personnel et la manière dont il fonctionne – avec intégrité, dévouement, professionnalisme et orientation vers les solutions. Nous poursuivrons notre parcours d’excellence avec beaucoup de fierté! »

Betty Rogers CEO Chef de la direction

Scavenger Hunt Photo for Divisional/Regional Challenge.

Vice President (Students and Enrolment)

Vice-présidente (Étudiants et inscription)

“ The Students and Enrolment Division is honoured to be awarded Platinum in the Organizational Excellence Standard and is delighted to be celebrating this achievement at Excellence Canada’s Ruby Jubilee. Reaching Platinum is a significant milestone for us. It signifies our commitment to excellence and recognizes the dedication of every member of the Students and Enrolment Division. As we celebrate this recognition, we remain passionate about continuing our pursuit of excellence while striving toward our aspirations together.”

« La Division d’appui aux étudiant(e)s et gestion des effectifs est honorée d’avoir reçu le statut Platine dans le cadre de la Norme d’excellence organisationnelle et ravie de célébrer cet accomplissement lors du Jubilé rubis d’Excellence Canada. Atteindre le Platine est une étape importante pour nous, témoignant de notre engagement envers l’excellence et reconnaissant le dévouement de chaque membre de la Division. En célébrant cette reconnaissance, nous restons passionnés par la poursuite de l’excellence tout en visant nos aspirations ensemble. »

Students and Enrolment, Carleton University

Carleton University is a dynamic research and teaching institution with a tradition of anticipating and leading change. The Students and Enrolment Division is made up of 31 units consisting of almost 400 professional staff with a broad reach across all aspects of the student experience. The division is proud to be a Canadian leader in the delivery of support services that are personalized, varied and effective.

Organizational Excellence is a cornerstone of the Students and Enrolment Division’s strategic plan, and it is reflected in the work they do every day to support students and colleagues. The division’s commitment to excellence serves as a framework for continuous improvement, guiding their ongoing efforts to enhance their support to empower students to achieve their academic, personal and professional potential.

Carleton University – Étudiants et inscription

L’Université Carleton est une institution dynamique de recherche et d’enseignement qui a une tradition de vision et de leadership en matière de changement. La Division d’appui aux étudiant(e)s et gestion des effectifs est composée de 31 unités regroupant près de 400 professionnels, ayant un large impact sur tous les aspects de l’expérience étudiante. La division est fière d’être un leader canadien dans la prestation de services de soutien personnalisés, variés et efficaces.

L’excellence organisationnelle est un pilier du plan stratégique de La Division d’appui aux étudiant(e)s et gestion des effectifs, et elle se reflète dans le travail qu’ils accomplissent chaque jour pour soutenir les étudiant(e)s et leur collègues. L’engagement de la division envers l’excellence sert de cadre pour l’amélioration continue, guidant leurs efforts constants pour renforcer leur soutien et permettre aux étudiant(e)s d’atteindre leur potentiel académique, personnel et professionnel.

Suzanne Blanchard

Members from across the Students and Enrolment Division gather to welcome new international students at a special orientation event to help prepare them for their academic, social and cultural transition to Carleton and Ottawa.

Sun Life

Sun Life is in the business of helping Canadians achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. As a leader in health, wealth and protection solutions, it offers trusted products and services that put Clients’ needs at the centre.

As an employer to more than 12,000 employees across Canada, Sun Life also recognizes that a healthy, engaged workforce drives business success. The company created a culture that emphasizes caring and authenticity, and a deep commitment to the well-being of its people. Through Sun Life’s trusted and empathetic leadership, employees are empowered to take action on their mental health.

The company’s commitment to mental health is also reflected in its products and solutions, designed to support the well-being of its Clients. Sun Life’s mental health journey is a powerful example of the positive impact that can be achieved when organizations prioritize the mental health of its people.

Sun Life

La Sun Life aide les gens à atteindre une sécurité financière durable et un mode de vie sain. Ses produits et services de confiance en santé, en gestion de patrimoine et en protection sont axés sur les besoins de ses Clients.

Employant 12 000 personnes au Canada, la Sun Life reconnaît qu’un effectif sain et engagé contribue à sa réussite. Elle a créé une culture de bienveillance et d’authenticité et s’est engagée à garantir le mieux-être de ses Employés. Par ses valeurs de confiance et d’empathie, la Sun Life invite ses Employés à agir pour leur santé mentale.

Son engagement se manifeste dans ses produits et solutions axés sur le bien-être de ses Clients. Son parcours en santé mentale est un bel exemple de l’incidence positive qui peut être obtenue quand une organisation priorise la santé mentale de son effectif.

“ At Sun Life we believe mental health is health. As a leader in employer benefits, we lead from the front and are proud to be recognized as a trailblazer for mental health innovations and programs for our people. We are committed to breaking down stigma and helping people access the resources needed to reach their full potential. This is the essence of our purpose – to help Canadians live healthier lives. ”

« À la Sun Life, la santé mentale s’inscrit dans la santé globale. Comme chef de file dans le secteur des régimes de garanties offerts par les employeurs, nous donnons l’exemple et nous sommes fiers d’être reconnus pour notre rôle précurseur en matière de santé mentale grâce à nos innovations et aux programmes que nous offrons à nos gens. Nous sommes déterminés à éliminer les préjugés et à aider nos gens à accéder aux ressources dont ils ont besoin pour atteindre leur plein potentiel. C’est l’essence même de notre raison d’être – aider les Canadiens à atteindre un mode de vie sain. »

Jacques Goulet Executive Chair Président exécutif

A group of SLC employees volunteering to clean up their office neighbourhood.

Iggy Domagalski President & CEO

Président

et directeur général

“ Eight years ago, Wajax experienced a painful tragedy; four of our employees died by suicide. This harsh reality, along with our responsibilities as an employer, prompted us to devote dedicated resources to prioritize the mental health and well-being of our teammates and their families. In line with our core value – we commit to safety and well-being, Wajax has created and implemented a best-in-class Health & Wellness program designed to support and empower every member of our Wajax family.”

« Il y a huit ans, Wajax a vécu une douloureuse tragédie : quatre de ses employés se sont suicidés. Cette dure réalité, ainsi que nos responsabilités en tant qu’employeur, nous ont incités à consacrer des ressources à la santé mentale et au bien-être de nos coéquipiers et de leurs familles. Conformément à notre valeur fondamentale - nous nous engageons à assurer la sécurité et le bien-être - Wajax a créé et mis en œuvre un programme de santé et de bien-être de premier ordre, conçu pour soutenir et responsabiliser chaque membre de la famille Wajax. »

Wajax

2024

PLATINUM RECIPIENT

RÉCIPIENDAIRE PLATINE

MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK SANTÉ MENTALE AU TRAVAIL

HEALTHY WORKPLACESANTÉ AU TRAVAIL

Founded in 1858, Wajax (TSX: WJX) is one of Canada’s longest-standing and most diversified industrial products and services providers. The Corporation operates an integrated distribution system providing sales, parts and services to a broad range of customers in diverse sectors of the Canadian economy, including: construction, forestry, mining, industrial and commercial, oil sands, transportation, metal processing, government and utilities, and oil and gas.

Environment, Health, Safety & Wellness are integral to the way Wajax conduct their business. “We commit to safety and well-being” is one of their core values. The company provides a workplace that is psychologically healthy and safe. The Wajax Leadership Team, the Health & Wellness Committee and the 100+ Wellness Champions work together to provide resources to employees, and to build a safe and supportive work environment to ensure everyone is as healthy as possible.

Wajax

Fondée en 1858, Wajax (TSX : WJX) est l’un des fournisseurs de produits et services industriels les plus anciens et les plus diversifiés du Canada. La société exploite un système de distribution intégré qui fournit des ventes, des pièces et des services à un large éventail de clients dans divers secteurs de l’économie canadienne, notamment : la construction, la sylviculture, l’exploitation minière, l’industrie et le commerce, les sables bitumineux, le transport, la transformation des métaux, le gouvernement et les services publics, ainsi que le pétrole et le gaz.

L’environnement, la santé, la sécurité et le bien-être font partie intégrante de la façon dont Wajax mène ses activités. L’une de ses valeurs fondamentales est « Nous nous engageons pour la sécurité et le bienêtre ». L’entreprise offre un lieu de travail psychologiquement sain et sûr. L’équipe de direction de Wajax, le comité de santé et de bien-être et la centaine de champions du bien-être travaillent ensemble pour fournir des ressources aux employés et pour créer un environnement de travail sûr et favorable afin que chacun soit en aussi bonne santé que possible.

Team Wajax worked together to pack nutritious, child-friendly food packages for families in need to access throughout the summer when school-centered supports aren’t available.

2024

RÉCIPIENDAIRE OR GOLD RECIPIENT

MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK SANTÉ MENTALE AU TRAVAIL

Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care

Waypoint is a 315-bed academic and teaching hospital that provides specialized mental health, addiction and geriatric care. Whether directly or indirectly, mental health affects us all, but within every struggle lies the opportunity for growth and resilience.

Waypoint’s journey to improve mental health at work started in 2014 with the adoption of the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety. It has evolved into a leading-edge suite of programs focused on quality improvement and accountability. The hospital’s recognition in 2022 at the Essentials level for Mental Health @ Work affirmed its solid foundation and created a pathway for further advancement. Through standardized systems and monitoring of delivery approaches, Waypoint is always looking for ways to support staff to be their best – healthy and thriving in an inclusive and welcoming environment with opportunities to learn and grow.

Waypoint Centre de soins de santé mentale

Waypoint est un hôpital universitaire et d’enseignement de 315 lits qui prodigue des soins spécialisés en santé mentale, toxicomanie et gériatrie. Que ce soit directement ou indirectement, la santé mentale nous affecte tous, mais chaque lutte dissimule une opportunité de croître et de résister.

Waypoint a commencé son parcours vers l’amélioration de la santé mentale au travail en 2014 en adoptant la Norme nationale sur la santé et la sécurité psychologiques en milieu de travail. Ce cheminement a donné lieu à une série de programmes de pointe axés sur l’amélioration de la qualité et la responsabilisation. La reconnaissance de l’hôpital en 2022 au niveau des Essentiels de la Santé mentale au travail a assis sa solide fondation et ouvert une voie vers une plus grande progression. Se servant de systèmes et de méthodes de prestation normalisés, Waypoint cherche constamment des façons d’appuyer le personnel afin qu’il soit à son meilleur – en santé et prospère dans un environnement inclusif et accueillant avec des possibilités d’apprendre et de croître.

“ I am so proud of the progress we’ve made in our healthy workplace programming. From caring for our staff, to leading the development of an organizational health and well-being strategy for central Ontario hospitals, to implementing approaches that set us apart as an employer of choice. I share my thanks with everyone involved in the work to get us here. I’m excited to continue learning and growing to make Waypoint the best place to be for staff and patients. ”

« Je suis tellement fière de nos accomplissements dans le cadre de notre programme pour un milieu de travail sain. Qu’il s’agisse de prendre soin de nos employés, du développement d’une stratégie de santé et de bien-être organisationnel pour les hôpitaux du centre de l’Ontario, ou de mettre en œuvre des approches qui nous distinguent en tant qu’employeur de choix. Je remercie toutes les personnes qui ont participé au travail qui nous ont permis d’en arriver là. J’ai hâte à continuer à apprendre et à progresser pour que Waypoint soit un meilleur endroit pour nos employés et nos patients. »

Dr. Nadiya Sunderji President & CEO

Président et chef de la direction

During Mental Health Week, Waypoint’s annual Mental Health in Motion event brings the community together to enjoy entertainment, a walk, activities and booths showcasing well-being initiatives and resources. This day is a chance to support the well-being of patients and encourage the community to make their mental health a priority. Over the past nine years, Mental Health in Motion has raised more than $138, 000.

“ As we accept this prestigious Platinum Award from Excellence Canada, we are not just celebrating a recognition; we are honoring our commitment to creating a safer, more supportive workplace for everyone. At Workplace Safety North and Ontario Mine Rescue, we believe that mental health is just as vital as physical safety, and this award reflects our dedication to fostering an environment where every individual can thrive. Thank you to our incredible team and Excellence Canada for making this achievement possible. Together, we are setting new standards for mental health in the workplace.”

« En acceptant ce prestigieux Prix Platine décerné par Excellence Canada, ce n’est pas simplement une reconnaissance que nous célébrons, mais la tenue de notre engagement de créer un lieu de travail plus sécuritaire qui est une plus grande source de soutien pour chacun. Pour nous chez Workplace Safety North et Ontario Mine Rescue la santé mentale est tout aussi vitale que la sécurité physique et ce prix témoigne de notre détermination à favoriser un environnement où la réussite est à la portée de chacun. Un grand merci à notre formidable équipe et à Excellence Canada sans lesquels cet accomplissement ne se serait pas fait. Ensemble nous posons les bases de nouvelles normes pour la santé mentale dans le lieu de travail. »

Workplace Safety North

Workplace Safety North (WSN) is a not-forprofit health and safety organization helping build safer, healthier, stronger workplaces in Ontario. Headquartered in northern Ontario, WSN oversees the provincial mine rescue program and delivers Ministry-approved workplace health and safety training and services across the mining and forest products industries. A trusted health and safety advisor, WSN and its legacy organizations have been helping make workplaces safer since 1915. WSN’s commitment to excellence is demonstrated by its recognition from Excellence Canada, earning platinum awards in Healthy Workplace and Mental Health. As a values-based company, continuous improvement of physical and psychological health and safety at work is a way of life at WSN.

Vision: Every worker, home safe and healthy.

Mission: We are a force for positive actionanticipaing and responding to the greatest needs of our clients, and bringing together our partners, members, and diverse communities to build safer, healthier, stronger workplaces.

Values; Compassion, integrity, respect, and team spirit shape who we are and how we work.

Workplace Safety North

Workplace Safety North (WSN) est un organisme de santé et de sécurité sans but lucratif qui aide à rendre les lieux de travail plus sécuritaires, plus sains et plus solides partout en Ontario. Situé dans le nord de l’Ontario, WSN encadre le programme provincial de sauvetage minier et offre la formation et les services approuvés par le ministère en santé et sécurité pour tout le secteur des mines et des produits forestiers. WSN et les organismes qui l’ont précédé offrent des conseils en santé et en sécurité en toute fiabilité, aidant les lieux de travail à être plus sécuritaires depuis 1915. L’engagement de WSN envers l’excellence est attesté par la reconnaissance d’Excellence Canada qui lui a décerné le prix platine pour Milieu de travail sain et santé mentale. Reposant sur des valeurs, l’amélioration continue de la santé physique et psychologique et la sécurité au travail sont un mode de vie à WSN.

Vision: Nous voulons que chaque travailleur rentre chez lui sain et sauf

Mission: Nous sommes un vecteur d’action positive – Nous anticipons les plus grands besoins de nos clients et nous y répondons; pour ce faire, nous regroupons nos partenaires, nos membres et les diverses communautés dans le but de créer des lieux de travail plus sécuritaires, plus sains et plus solides.

Mike Parent President & CEO

Président et chef de la direction

At Workplace Safety North, we focus on health and safety for Ontario workers: that includes safety from the neck up. Sabrina Missere, Adrienne Allam, and Chris Serratore of Workplace Safety North provided mental health awareness materials to successful participants from a Mental Health Awareness course facilitated in Northwestern Ontario.

Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council

The Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council (BDDEC) is the most Northern education body in the Northwest Territories. All eight communities and nine schools are located North of the Arctic Circle. BDDEC serves 1498 students in the region and is responsible for 328 administrators, teachers, and support staff. A board of elected members from eight local district education authorities, the Gwich’in Tribal Council and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, governs BDDEC.

BDDEC has a strategic plan focused on improvement in Literacy, Indigenous Languages, Numeracy, and Social Responsibility. The BDDEC Strategic Plan was co-created with the District Education Council, senior leadership team with input from staff, students and stakeholders. BDDEC is currently implementing a longterm vision to ensure sustainable growth for the students of the Beaufort Delta. The fundamental purpose of the district vision is to work collaboratively with each other and BDDEC’s partners to provide the best possible education for all Beaufort Delta students. Accordingly, building and maintaining effective working relations with each other, and caring relationships with parents/guardians and students, is essential to the vision’s success.

The research base for the vision initiative continues to include what is already working (Indigenized Education) within the Beaufort Delta region combined with what the literature says is working out there (Inquiry learning). Inquiry-based learning was identified as a pedagogical foundation for the district vision that would complement the existing Indigenized education efforts of the Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council (BDDEC). Online networks of teachers and principals were formed for professional learning to help increase student engagement and achievement. The networks focus on Inquiry based education, which include Project Zero thinking routines, whole school inquiries and making learning visible for students.

In 2022, a renewed emphasis on schools hosting student council meetings was put in place to improve student voice and agency. In September of 2022, BDDEC conducted a self-assessment with Catherine Neville. Overall, it was determined that BDDEC averaged 72% based on EC’s Organizational Excellence Essential standards. The top two categories for BDDEC were partners and planning.

The next steps for BDDEC included closing gaps in areas such as Equity & Diversity and the development of a people plan. Excellence Canada’s Catherine Neville conducted further engagements with employees and parents/guardians to determine if any changes were needed in the scoring of the Organizational Excellence Essential standards.

Catherine Neville conducted interviews with employees, parents/guardians, and stakeholders. BDDEC senior leadership promoted Excellence Canada and initiated circulating a letter and text messaging parents/guardians. A staff survey was developed and distributed.

Further engagement with BDDEC senior leadership, a former superintendent, and a graduate student was also hosted to ensure a wide variety of feedback was generated. Once feedback was generated, Catherine Neville helped identify areas of growth for BDDEC, which included.

BDDEC leadership took all feedback provided by Catherine Neville and stakeholders. Major changes included the BDDEC Risk Assessment Plan, a new draft EDI policy, and this written submission. The development of the BDDEC strategic plan also took into consideration feedback from stakeholders.

Under the advisement of Excellence Canada Coach Catherine Neville, a verification submission was written as an overview of BDDEC’s work towards all aspects of the Organizational Excellence Essential Standards. Catherine Neville led a team of verifiers that did focus group interviews with volunteering employees. On October 16, 2023, Excellence Canada with BDDEC hosted five separate focus groups. The verification results led to BDDEC being nominated and receiving Excellence Canada’s Silver Award for Organizational Excellence in 2023. Banners and swag of the award were made available to schools across the Beaufort Delta region. A delegation from the Beaufort Delta including leadership from local District Education Authorities attended the ceremony on November 17th 2023 in Toronto. BDDEC continues to work with Excellence Canada to engage employees and stakeholders with system wide improvements. BDDEC is thankful to everyone that has participated in surveys and working groups to provide feedback through Excellence Canada.

Bell

Bell fosters a safe and inclusive workplace where the mental health of all team members is a top priority.

Since 2010, the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative continues to spearhead a movement for positive change in Canadian mental health, focusing on four key pillars: reducing stigma, improving access to care, supporting research, and workplace health. Bell Let’s Talk Day initiated the world’s largest conversation about mental health and is a great source of pride for the entire Bell team. Feedback indicates that Bell Let’s Talk Day has raised awareness and is having a positive effect on perceptions of mental health in Canada, as well as helping to make progress with access to care.

Bell leads by example with innovative workplace mental health and well-being programs available for our team members, including unlimited mental health benefits. By aligning our efforts with the National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety, created partly with funding from Bell, we recognize the mental well-being of our employees is essential to their personal success and the organization’s ongoing progress. Bell’s support is reaffirmed through its mental health policy, Code of Business Conduct and day-to-day work.

A dedicated team develops and implements best-in-class workplace programs for leaders, prioritizing overall mental health and wellness. Mandatory leader training programs, such as our Workplace Mental Health Leadership training certified by Queen’s University, and our annual internal mental health campaigns, provide comprehensive education on a wide range of mental health services, workplace policies, and practices that foster a psychologically safe environment.

Bell maintains a solid governance practice, continuously assessing, adapting, and monitoring program outcomes to meet evolving employee needs and industry standards. Consistently recognized as a top Canadian employer, Bell is focused on helping everyone on #TeamBell reach their full potential. The company provides team members with the tools and resources they need to succeed, support their career development and foster wellness.

Bell recognizes that continuous improvement is key, which is why we highly value the Excellence Canada Mental Health at Work Award. The independent audit helps Bell refine its practices and maintain its leadership position in workplace mental health. Participating in the award process also allows Bell to benchmark its mental health programs against other leading Canadian organizations.

In 2022, Bell received the Canada Order of Excellence Award for Mental Health at Work for the second time, a testament to its unwavering commitment to strengthening and supporting mental health in the workplace. Previously, Bell was also awarded the Excellence Canada Gold award in 2014.

Bell is committed -to continuing its journey to create a psychologically healthy and safe workplace for all team members and encourages other companies to join them in creating a more supportive and inclusive work environment for all.

BC Pension Corporation’s journey to excellence

“BC Pension Corporation’s Order of Excellence certification reflects the dedication, hard work and unwavering commitment of the entire organization. Each employee has played a crucial role in this achievement, which has been many years in the making. I am proud of the collective efforts and the spirit of collaboration that has brought the organization to where we are now and I’m excited to see what the future holds. On behalf of the board of directors, congratulations to everyone involved.”

Our Canada Awards for Excellence Order of Excellence certification is a celebration of our leadership, the capabilities of our staff, relationships with our partners, and our deep commitment to create peace of mind for those we serve.

BC Pension Corporation is one of the largest pension service providers in Canada and the largest in British Columbia. We serve more than 750,000 plan members from five different pension plans—that’s one in eight British Columbians—and more than 1,000 employers. We pay out nearly $6.2 billion a year in benefits to over 240,000 retirees.

Our journey to excellence began in 2009. As the world and technology became more complex, we began to assess how we do our work. We reshaped our organizational culture and prepared ourselves for change—to build resiliency, strengthen our growth mindset and transform into a more efficient, performant organization.

In 2012, our first nine-year strategic plan, From 12 to 21: Our Way Forward, advanced us on the path of organizational excellence. It shifted us away from a reactive business model to a service organization that anticipated changing needs and expectations. We established a member services centre, enhanced member and employer online services, and enabled online retirement. We committed to people-first service for plan members, meeting our service and financial targets as an efficient, effective and professional pension services provider. Achieving the Canada Awards for Excellence Gold certification in Excellence, Innovation and Wellness® in 2016 validated our strong foundation and that we were moving in the right direction.

Our platinum journey was built on our gold achievements. We continued our transformation to an agile organization, driven by insights and analytics, all the while caring deeply for our people and clients. Operational excellence became a focus; we embedded it into our culture and the way we work, and created an environment where our employees could thrive. Even as the pandemic changed the world, we were able to adapt processes and technol-

ogy, and work in new, virtual ways. Our hybrid work environment emphasized flexible options, sustained productivity, and collaborative new tools and technology while we continued to maintain our connected community. As a result of these efforts, we received the Canada Awards for Excellence Platinum certification in 2020. In 2021, we transitioned to a new nine-year strategic plan, Plan 20|30: Our Future is Insight, with new technologies in place, greater efficiency and deeper insight. We strengthened our control of many aspects of the business to ensure they were running at the level of excellence we and our partners had come to expect. We gained a deeper understanding of how to improve efficiencies, reduce risk, plan our future workforce and enhance the employee experience.

Digital transformation was critical to achieve operational excellence; it allowed us to measure our performance and provided rich data to drive insights, efficiencies and improvements. As we measured our performance, we could chart our progress. By the end of the first wave of Plan 20|30, our achievements showed the success of our transformation: over 90 per cent of our operational targets were met, we achieved a 30 per cent increase in privacy and security maturity, saw 99.9 per cent pension accuracy, 86 per cent leadership effectiveness and workplace culture scores, and over 50 plan innovation projects completed. All of this resulted in a 90 per cent client satisfaction score. We are proud of these achievements, and proud to receive the Canada Awards for Excellence Order of Excellence certification, which reflects our organizational excellence and world-class service.

Our accomplishments are a testament to our leaders and staff, a community of forward-thinking professionals whose hard work, dedication and commitment to a common purpose helped drive our evolution. We are proud of what we have achieved together in our journey of excellence and are excited for the future.

C ANMET ENERGY-Ottawa Our Journey to Excellence

CanmetENERGY-Ottawa supports Natural Resources Canada’s commitment to improving the quality of life of Canadians, through its Vision to Transform Canada’s Energy Future and its Mission to Deliver Energy Solutions for Canada’s Environmental and Economic Benefit. With over 260 scientists, engineers, technicians, technologists, managers, and support staff, CanmetENERGYOttawa develops, directs and implements science and technology (S&T) programs, projects, and services aimed at addressing the technology needs of Canadian stakeholders, and help them achieve Canada’s overall decarbonization targets. CanmetENERGY-Ottawa provides S&T knowledge and expertise in 7 key technology areas, including: carbon capture utilization and storage, improving industrial efficiency and processes for heat and power, emissions and methane management, bioenergy, the built environment, renewables electrification and transportation, and addressing unique needs of northern and remote communities.

For over 20 years, CanmetENERGY-Ottawa had followed a quality management system based on a rigid system of quality improvement which did not appropriately consider the value of employees as a resource. As our organizational structure and priorities evolved, we saw the need to refocus efforts not only on organizational excellence and strong client-focused standards, but also on employee well-being, development and retention. Since the Organizational Excellence Standard integrates both organizational excellence and the health and well-being of employees (via The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace), we decided to pursue certification through Excellence Canada.

Initially, CanmetENERGY-Ottawa created a working group with a cross-section of employees from various groups and functional areas to assist in improving our system and to close gaps identified during our Excellence Canada assessment. Through this group’s efforts, we began addressing gaps in our system and identified areas requiring improvement. Each Director within CanmetENERGY-Ottawa was designated as Champion in one of four areas outlined in our Mental Health & Well-Being Strategy namely, Communications, Leadership Development, Optimizing & Modernizing, and Employee Engagement & Appreciation. This

ensured accountability for initiatives requiring that implementation be tracked and reported on during Executive Committee meetings.

In 2016, we earned the Silver Certification in Excellence Innovation & Wellness and Bronze in Mental Health at Work and accepted this prestigious award at the Excellence Summit in Toronto.

Building on this success, we focused efforts in the areas of client satisfaction, continual improvement, training and development, and building an equitable, diverse, accessible and inclusive workforce. To address specific process improvement initiatives and focus areas of development, we created working groups responsible for implementing changes and communicating to all CanmetENERGY-Ottawa employees.

CanmetENERGY-Ottawa’s emphasis on employee engagement, mental health, and wellness is a cornerstone of our organizational culture and reflective of Natural Resources Canada and public sector priorities. This focus has been instrumental in shaping our planning and direction, leading to our achievement of Gold Certification in both Excellence, Innovation & Wellness, and Mental Health at Work, in 2019. We continue to strengthen our two-way, ongoing communication to ensure employees are well-informed about organizational changes and have access to the resources needed for both personal and professional development.

2020 marked the beginning of a challenging period for everyone, as the COVID pandemic spread across the world, compelling us to adapt to significant changes in our work environment and re-emphasize the importance of the mental and physical safety of our employees. Despite these challenges, we continued to excel and were honored with Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month Great Employer Award in both 2021 and 2022, marking four consecutive years of recognition.

Currently, CanmetENERGY-Ottawa is actively working towards achieving Platinum Certification in both the Organizational Excellence Standard and Mental Health at Work Standard by 2025. Through our commitment to organizational excellence, we aim to attract and retain top talent, establishing CanmetENERGY-Ottawa as an employer of choice.

Carleton University

Carleton University’s excellence journey began more than 15 years ago in one of our divisions. At that time, continuous improvement was not part of the Carleton culture or the language that we used. Today, all those years later, the university is proud to showcase that we have achieved the Order of Excellence in the Healthy Workplace standard and Platinum level in Mental Health at Work – both of which have a university-wide focus – and that our Students and Enrolment division has earned Platinum level in the Organizational Excellence standard.

At each level, the standards guided us and provided a roadmap for continuous improvement. Working our way through Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and ultimately achieving the Order of Excellence, has embedded innovation and a sense of well-being. When people are involved in the process, they are more likely to feel invested in the outcome and actively contribute; continuously conduct consultations and gather feedback allowing for diverse perspectives, which will lead to a better outcome and, ultimately, foster continuous improvement. Incorporating these elements into our every day work ensures that any initiative is dynamic, inclusive and responsive to evolving needs. The value of continuous improvement is not only talked about, but the results have been demonstrated in how we approach strategic planning or launch critical initiatives on our campus, for example.

As a result of the tools and foundational building blocks that the standards have given us, our approach is to look to our strengths, as well as understand where we can improve. The standards also offered us the ability to customize and adapt them to our campus culture to ensure they are meaningful and impactful. It is now common practice at Carleton University to consult to best identify needs and gaps; to assess ourselves and to collaborate because we know we are better when we work together toward a common goal. The Excellence Canada verification process associated with each level allows us to learn about our strengths and opportunities to improve from an external perspective. We have taken to heart the verification feedback over the years and have, as a result, grown and strengthened our ways of working over the course of our excellence journey.

As we worked through the various levels within the standards, we have had the benefit of learning from other organizations and their best practices. And now, having achieved Order of Excellence, we pay it forward by sharing our best practices with other organizations across the country as they look to us as a leader in Healthy Workplace and Mental Health at Work practices.

Reflecting on our growth, our Excellence Canada journey highlights the positive impact it has made. By embracing the standards, we have provided training, improved the way of working, embedded process management and other tools provided, offered Healthy Workplace initiatives. These efforts have not only enhanced operational quality but also fostered a culture where continuous improvement and well-being is ingrained in daily practices. This shift means that progress is no longer seen as one-time goal but an ongoing commitment, seamlessly integrated into both individual work habits and the broader organization structure.

Continuous improvement is now part of Carleton’s DNA. We believe that by continuing to learn about ourselves and identify those areas where we can do better, we will only be stronger. The impact of embarking on the road with Excellence Canada has resulted, quite simply, in Carleton becoming a more resilient and open organization that is better equipped to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

We are proud of our accomplishments, but we know that the journey never ends and we are excited by the possibilities.

Michael Garron hospital

Written by Melanie Kohn, President & CEO, Michael Garron Hospital

Healthcare is a rewarding field. We have the honor of caring for people at every point in their lives. From welcoming a new baby and supporting children as they grow; to providing emergency mental health and surgical services for people of all ages; to caring for patients with compassion and dignity at the end of life. Healthcare is also not without challenges. Providers face daily exposure to trauma, loss and violence, patients with more complex, acute illness, manage a constant pace of technological and systemic change as well as the necessity to do more with less. These challenges are compounded by the aftermath of COVID 19 and the current health human resources shortage.

We understand the inextricable link between workplace wellbeing and delivery of high quality, safe care. Michael Garron Hospital’s mission: Building a Healthier Community Together requires our leaders ensure the psychological and physical health and safety of staff, physicians, volunteers and learners to provide quality patient care. An environment that supports mental health in the workplace is a critical imperative. It’s incorporated into planning and decision making as it supports staff which in turn are able to provide the best patient care. Participation in Excellence Canada programs has helped sustain this commitment by ensuring rigorous planning, promotion, measurement, evaluation and cultivate leaders with a mandate to support psychological health and safety.

Our Wellness Program was introduced in 2006 with a focus on physical health and fitness. This priority was launched in direct response to our first engagement survey, the results of which outlined a need to build organizational trust and confidence. In 2008, with feedback from Excellence Canada, we developed our first Mental Health Strategic Plan and began to incorporate the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in 2010, taking a more holistic approach to wellbeing in the workplace. The wellness strategy is anchored in the principle of equipping staff with the training, skills development and supports to enable them to thrive in the workplace and better serve the community. Foundational programs like Workplace Violence Prevention training and Emotional Intelligence training set clear expectations for behavior, communication and respect. As well, acknowledges that no violent incident occurs without psychological impact.

We have worked diligently to reduce the stigma of mental health in the workplace by building awareness for burnout, compassion fatigue, workplace grief and trauma informed care. All leaders have attended the Queens Leading a Mentally Healthy Workplace and Canadian Mental Health Association’s Fostering Wellbeing Through Leadership. Additionally, leaders are encouraged to attend our Leadership Essentials Excellence Program (LEEP) - a series of workshops focused on both foundational leadership requirements as well as relational leadership skills such as Difficult Conversations of Leadership, Coaching, Inclusivity, Debriefing, and Change Leadership.

Our partnership with Excellence Canada (then National Quality Institute) began in 2004. We are honoured to partner with Excellence Canada. MGH became the first hospital to be awarded the Order of Excellence in 2010 and again in 2014 after implementing the Quality and Healthy Workplace framework.

The framework was well aligned with Accreditation Canada requirements and helped us understand and articulate the relationship between quality, safety, innovation and the care environment. To address the undeniable challenges in healthcare, we committed to apply the Mental Health at Work Framework, earning a Platinum Award of Excellence in 2015 and the Order of Excellence in 2018. Our relationship with Excellence Canada was extremely valuable; helping us to develop partnerships with the Mental Health Commission of Canada and providing research and collaborative opportunities to advance psychological health and safety in the healthcare system.

This 20 year commitment to workplace wellbeing and safety, both psychological and physical, is one that requires responsible stewardship and investment. In our experience, the work is never complete, demanding continual consultation with frontline staff, clinicians and learners to ensure effective communication, evaluation and innovative programs.

We are dedicated to our values of compassion, integrity, inclusion, courage and respect. We remain steadfast to our goal of building a healthier community together and look forward to furthering our commitment to wellbeing as we embark on developing our new Strategic plan.

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health ScienceS Building a work culture that reflects the care we give

At Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, we strive to cultivate a workplace environment that mirrors the supportive and nurturing care we provide to our patients. Our journey to enhance workplace culture expanded when we partnered with Excellence Canada. Their Mental Health at Work framework aligned with our goal to build an exceptional, supportive environment for our employees, proving to be a powerful catalyst for positive change.

Starting with Gold-level recognition in 2017, Excellence Canada acknowledged our wellness strategy and its positive impact on employee engagement, culture, and safety. By 2019, our commitment to improving mental health initiatives earned us Platinumlevel recognition, marking another significant milestone. We were recognized for our innovative employee wellness programs, proactive risk management, and new psychotherapy services for staff.

When Excellence Canada revisited us in August 2021, they not only reaffirmed our Platinum-level status but also awarded us the Order of Excellence in Mental Health at Work®. Obtaining the Order of Excellence status during the pandemic was an extraordinary feat. Even amid restrictions and challenges, we stayed committed to our team, finding innovative ways to stay engaged and providing crucial support to each other and our patients.

During the pandemic, we kept our teams connected and uplifted with themed spirit days, treat tables, and thank-you gifts from the community. Our team photo submissions and tribute video highlighted and celebrated our efforts and achievements. Most notably, we launched #RisingUp, a service culture initiative that quickly became a defining part of who we are at Ontario Shores. More than a hashtag, #RisingUp embodies our commitment to serving others with dedication and compassion, celebrating when staff go above and beyond for each other and our patients. We are proud that Excellence Canada has recognized our vibrant culture

of joy and appreciation, confirming our role as a model for others. Fast forward to August 2024, and we’re thrilled to announce that Excellence Canada has once again reaffirmed our Order of Excellence status. This ongoing recognition reflects our commitment to being the best workplace for our employees, and we’re incredibly grateful for the guidance that has helped us reach new heights.

As the first hospital in Canada to receive this recertification for the Order of Excellence, Mental Health at Work®k Framework, we celebrate our achievement and the collective effort that makes our workplace exceptional. This award is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the mental health and well-being of our staff, and we are more motivated than ever to continue serving as a beacon of excellence in our field.

“Thank you, Excellence Canada, for your invaluable guidance in shaping our workplace into a model of excellence. Your support has been instrumental in helping us reach our highest potential. We are incredibly proud of our team members and the impactful work we do to advance mental health care, creating an environment where everyone thrives and makes a meaningful difference.”

- Karim Mamdani, President and CEO at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health

Sciences

SE Health’s Excellence Journey: 115 Years of Making an Impact

It’s a journey of 115 years – and counting.

“Our people bring incredible hope and happiness every day. It’s our people who make our journey exceptional.” – John Yip, President and CEO, SE Health

Where excellence shines and making an impact and serving people and communities is meaningful and memorable. For SE Health, a not-for-profit social enterprise and one of Canada’s largest healthcare organizations, that journey began in 1908, when four pioneering nurses had a vision to make healthcare accessible to everyone. Inspired by our namesake, Saint Elizabeth, they provided care to the poor, new moms and babies, and other people in need – sharing their compassion, kindness and care.

From these humble beginnings, SE Health has grown from a pioneering care provider at home to a dynamic, innovationfocused, global leader with a diverse portfolio that includes education, research, hospices, seniors living, small care homes and digital health solutions. This journey of excellence is inspired by a continuous pursuit of progress and a deep commitment to the health and wellbeing of people, First Nations, Inuit and Métis and numerous partnerships, while delivering exceptional care to over 25,000 people daily in the places they call home.

Commitment to People and Communities

At the heart of SE Health’s success is its dedication to people – staff, clients, patients, partners and communities. From the beginning, SE Health has recognized that its strength exists in the talents and passions of its workforce. Our more than eight thousand amazing people are dedicated professionals, compassionate champions, and authentic staff who believe in a shared purpose— to bring hope and happiness to the clients and communities we serve. Every day, they embody our values, making a big difference in the lives they touch.

Throughout the decades, the organization continues to foster a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-oppression, ensuring it’s listening to every voice and placing value on every idea. This commitment to people is captured in SE Health’s People Everything philosophy and in our robust employee, and education and training programs that empower our people to grow and excel in their careers.

In 2023, SE Health launched Communities of Inclusion – employee-led groups fostering belonging and collaboration. These groups provide opportunities for employees to share experiences and insights related to specific identity-based communities. At SE Health, we encourage employees to “Be you, with us.”

In recognition of our commitment to people and communities and in celebration of our milestone anniversary, we offered our teams $1,115 to help make an impact in their communities. Our teams purchased a refrigerator for a local community food centre, they bought dementia-friendly pet companions for those in need, and hand delivered care packages containing food and hygiene

products to local shelters and tent cities.

Our commitment to communities reaches far and wide. Last year, we also introduced a $5,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Health Services Scholarship aiming to improve health care and services for Indigenous communities across Canada. The Scholarship is making a meaningful difference for Indigenous students, training in health careers, across Canada.

Drive for Innovation

As SE Health continues to celebrate its 115-year anniversary, we reflect on our service; on every milestone and every achievement that has shaped us. Our drive for innovation remains constant.

From leading early treatments, like the delivery of chemotherapy at home, to embracing cutting-edge technology, SE Health has always been ahead of its time, dedicated to pushing the boundaries, advocating for care at home and putting people first.

The organization’s focus on digital transformation is revolutionizing care at home by harnessing human-centered design and empowering our people to enhance the employee experience. Through our MySE Life digital mobile application for direct care providers, SE Health is enabling its people to co-design their own solutions and write their own stories.

Our focus on innovation also inspires our impacts globally. A SE Health case study on our age friendly affordable housing work was included in the United Nations Progress Report, 2023. SE Health was also chosen as the Canadian lead for Global Intergenerational Week 2023, an annual worldwide campaign encouraging intergenerational practice and relationships.

Our innovation continues and our people are inspiring every step of the way.

Looking Ahead

As SE Health embarks on the next chapter of its journey, the organization remains committed to ensuring a future where everyone receives the care they deserve.

We are expanding our reach, investing in groundbreaking projects, growing, and scaling new models of care, and building important partnerships near and far that will redefine home and community care and our commitment to people everywhere.

With over a 115-years of knowledge and expertise, and hearts full of ambition – to do the right thing, we are always moving forward. We are a very proud recipient of the Canada Order of Excellence Award and thankful to Excellence Canada for this honour.

For every life we touch, and for the future, SE Health promises to keep caring, keep innovating, and keep inspiring. We believe the best is yet to come.

Social Services Department

The Regional Municipality of Durham

In 2015, the Social Services Department was awarded the prestigious CAE Order of Excellence for our quality programs and services. This achievement was a result of a deep commitment to excellence across our organization, a strong foundation of principles, along with a priority of having an inspired workplace. The Order of Excellence is a testament to the strong commitment and high level of quality service provided to the people we serve.

The longstanding partnership with Excellence Canada provided the department with a continual improvement framework that we knew to be our Excellence Journey - always striving to be better. The Social Services Department’s senior management team embraced this framework, and because of this, our staff were encouraged to bring new ideas to the forefront. To acknowledge and celebrate new ideas and innovation we held an annual Innovation & Research Forum. This initiative was an important opportunity for our staff to share their ideas, successes, and also some failures – all of this to reinforce our commitment to excellence.

Care, Excellence, Learning and Leadership are 4 principles that guide our programs, services and have helped shape a positive workplace culture. Identified by staff, over a decade ago, these principles have become a foundation for over 2,500 employees today. The principles of the department are not a poster on a wall, but a way of life. They are demonstrated in the way in which staff go over-and-above for the people they support and provide service to. We strive for excellence in an environment that fosters learning from one another. These foundational principles are at the forefront of operations and have readied our staff for extraordinary situations, calling on their strength and expertise.

While providing quality programs and services is a priority, so is creating a positive and inspiring workplace. Opportunities for staff to learn and grow have been developed across the department’s six divisions in various capacities. One of our most impactful initiatives was with Leadership Circles. These circles involve groups of

8 staff from various offices, with 2 staff trained facilitators, coming together monthly. A person’s formal role in the organization was irrelevant in Leadership Circles – everyone is a leader. During the Leadership Circle 2-year commitment; people learned about new leadership theories, enhance communication skills and build relationships. Leadership Circle participants described a greater sense of belonging and fulfillment in the workplace.

Today, staff development continues as a priority – encouraging new ideas and supporting staff to create new ways and approaches for human service delivery. A new leadership development program established across the department is aimed at personal growth, compassionate leadership, and strong ‘team’ approach to doing our work. Our history with Excellence Canada created the wisdom of an organizational dedication to strive for excellence, and we embrace our commitment to grow and learn.

Receiving the Order of Excellence marked an important part of our organization’s history and inspired us to sustain high level of organizational performance. The Social Services team holds pride in this history and our deep commitment to ensuring our clients, families and residents receive the best quality service across Durham Region.

Unlocking the Power of Mental Health: Sun Life’s Journey to Excellence

Sun Life is committed to the mental health of its employees, recognizing the impact of a rapidly changing world and the importance of health and well-being in delivering on their purpose, helping employees and clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Its culture emphasizes caring, authenticity, and a deep commitment to the well-being of its people. Since 2014, Sun Life has invested in prioritizing employee mental health, adopting a forward-thinking strategy that has established their leadership in workplace mental health

Partnering with industry experts like Excellence Canada and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) ensures their programs are evidence-based and resources support the unique needs of its diverse workforce, in alignment with the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety. Through their customized mental health training and leadership development programs, Sun Life empowers its people leaders to lead by example, to become empathetic leaders who foster healthy teams. These initiatives are a part of Sun Life’s systems approach that aligns to their culture and purpose.

Over the years, Sun Life’s mental health program has made a positive impact on employee well-being, with individuals using the tools and resources to proactively care for themselves. Guided by employee feedback, data, evidence-based research, internal and industry experts, the program is continuously evolving and bringing best in class products and solutions to our employees first. The organization has taken steps to address concerns like burnout, adequate mental health coverage and access to care. This has resonated with employees, who have reported incremental improvements in their well-being year after year.

But Sun Life’s success story extends beyond its internal walls. The company’s commitment to mental health has also been reflected in its products and solutions, which are designed to support the mental health and well-being of its clients. By collaborating across the organization, Sun Life has been able to engage both employees and clients in anti-stigma campaigns, awareness-building

events, and research initiatives, further demonstrating the positive impact that mental health programs can have in the workplace.

As Sun Life looks to the future, the organization remains steadfast in its commitment to leveraging insights, best practices, and cross-functional collaboration to enhance the well-being of its employees and clients. The recognition received through the Canada Order of Excellence for Mental Health at Work® is a testament to the positive impact that can be achieved when organizations prioritize the mental health of their people. Sun Life’s journey is a powerful example of how a strategic, holistic, and employee-centric approach to mental health can not only transform the workplace but also inspire and empower organizations to prioritize the well-being of their most valuable asset – their people.

Excellence in Action: The Town of Aurora Story

The Town of Aurora’s journey toward excellence began in 2010, when the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) established continuous improvement as a key strategic priority. This commitment laid the foundation for the formation of the first Excellence Canada Committee, which aimed to align the town’s operations with the criteria set by the National Quality Institute (NQI) Level 1 requirements for Organizational Quality and a Healthy Workplace.

Between 2011 and 2013, Aurora made significant strides in its business improvement journey, achieving Level 1 certification under the NQI Organizational Quality and Healthy Workplace Standard. The establishment of “Excellence Matters Aurora,” a cross-functional project team sponsored by the CAO and ELT, played a crucial role in driving these efforts forward.

In 2014, the town set its sights on achieving Bronze certification under the newly developed Excellence Canada framework. After completing a comprehensive self-assessment, Aurora exceeded the required threshold and was awarded Bronze certification. This achievement was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Excellence Matters Aurora committee, which collaborated closely with Excellence Canada.

Key accomplishments at this level included:

• Establishing and recognizing a continuous improvement committee

• Establishing and embedding the vision statement

• Investing in staff development and training towards delivering customer service excellence

From 2015 to 2018, Aurora continued to build on the foundation established during the Bronze certification phase, focusing on key initiatives across the five pillars of excellence: People, Processes, Leadership, Planning, and Customers. This period saw the town gain momentum toward achieving Silver certification, culminating in the successful accomplishment of this milestone in 2019.

Key accomplishments at this level included:

• Aura awards – staff recognition program

• Interactive citizen engagement platforms

• Leadership in Digital Records Management

• Spring Fever event to share knowledge and showcase great practices

In 2020, the Town of Aurora embraced the Excellence Canada Organizational Excellence Standard (OES) and committed to achieving Gold certification. The Excellence Canada Committee, meeting monthly, ensured that progress and momentum were maintained. By mid/late 2022, Aurora had successfully obtained Gold certification, marking another significant achievement in its excellence journey.

Key accomplishments at this level include:

• Integrated Business Planning Process (IBPP) and Automated Project Prioritization

• Use of data and analysis for decision making

• Engage Aurora – community engagement platform

The town’s commitment to continuous improvement did not stop there. In 2023, Aurora commenced planning for Platinum certification, with the goal of achieving this prestigious level by 2025/26. Throughout this journey, the town has consistently demonstrated its dedication to organizational improvement across the six pillars of Excellence, setting an exemplary standard for municipalities across Canada.

The Town of Aurora’s journey toward excellence is a story of unwavering commitment, collaborative effort, and a steadfast focus on continuous improvement. As the town prepares for its next milestone, it remains dedicated to fostering a culture of excellence true to its mission of “Delivering exceptional services that make people proud to call Aurora home”.

Waypoint

Waypoint’s journey to improve mental health at work started in 2014 with the launch of the “Not Myself Today” wellness program. It has evolved into a leading-edge suite of programs recognized by Excellence Canada in 2022.

Waypoint is a 315-bed academic and teaching hospital that provides specialized mental health, addiction and geriatric care. Located on the shores of Georgian Bay, we serve some of the most complex and disadvantaged individuals in Ontario and are the sole provider of high-secure forensic mental health services in the province.

Our initial three-year plan to adopt the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety built on existing strengths while introducing new programs and education to address gaps. There is a continued focus on quality improvement and accountability, which are essential for a healthy workplace.

The first year of our plan focused on developing targeted systems and strategies to reduce psychosocial risk factors. We raised awareness and engaged staff with the “Not Myself Today” program, and provided psychological health conversation kits to leaders to help continue these efforts within their teams. We also focused on leadership development to foster supportive conversations and create a compassionate workplace.

Using the Guarding Minds Survey, we established a baseline assessment. Ongoing employee engagement surveys offer additional quantitative and qualitative data to guide corporate actions. These measures continue to mature and impact current and future assessments as we measure progress in areas like employee assistance programs, sick leave, burnout and trust.

Being recognized in 2022 at the Essentials level by the Canada Awards for Excellence in Mental Health @ Work program affirmed our solid foundation for healthy workplace programming and model sustainability, creating a pathway for further advancement. Through standardized systems and monitoring of delivery approaches, we are seeing more consistent staff well-being experiences and outcomes - demonstrating our commitment to mental, physical and social well-being in the workplace.

The health human resource crisis has been identified as one of the greatest threats to health care delivery in Canada. Waypoint has made strides to innovate and differentiate ourselves as an employer of choice by caring for our staff, modifying the way we work

to enable our people to thrive, and adequately staffing psychologically safe teams. These initiatives, including the introduction of a hybrid work model, have successfully fostered support and trust among our teams.

We have taken the lead in the health-care system by developing an organizational health and well-being strategy for hospitals in central Ontario. The Stepped Care Model for Employee Emotional and Psychological Support represents efforts to develop consistent well-being programming and is being used by 16 hospitals and community organizations in our region to provide high-quality mental health supports for health care staff.

Our staff are internationally recognized for their care, leadership and research, which they approach with professionalism and humility. We are always looking for ways to support them to be their best – healthy and thriving in an inclusive and welcoming environment with opportunities to learn and grow.

We are thrilled to receive Gold level recognition from Excellence Canada in the Mental Heath @ Work area in 2024. As we look to the future, our ongoing initiatives and collaborative efforts will continue to set the standard for mental health and addiction care, ensuring that every patient’s journey is met with dignity, hope, and unparalleled care and that staff are feeling their best to care for them.

YORK REGION PUBLIC HEALTH’S JOURNEY TOWARDS ACHIEVENING GOLD LEVEL

CERTIFICATI0N FOR THE EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION AND WELLNESS STANDARD

The York Region Public Health (YRPH) journey to achieving the Gold Level Certification against Excellence Canada’s Excellence, Innovation and Wellness Standard® was a remarkably positive experience. Collectively, we embraced the Excellence Canada Standard, as it emphasized rigorous benchmarks in leadership, strategy, customer focus, measurement and results. This commitment to excellence was driven by a desire to enhance service delivery, improve health outcomes and respond effectively to the evolving needs of our community.

As one of six branches within the Community and Health Services Department, YRPH is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the health of a diverse and growing population. Under the direction of the Medical Officer of Health, YRPH professionals serve York Region’s nine municipalities with programs and services that prevent disease, promote health and improve wellbeing. Programs and services are delivered through four distinct divisions, each with specific sub-mandates and focus areas. Our approach has been characterized by an emphasis on evidence-informed practices, community engagement and strategic partnerships. These core principles guided our path toward achieving the Gold Level Certification, recognizing outstanding performance and commitment to quality.

The journey began with recognizing the need for a systematic approach to improve public health services. Between November 2016 and June 2018, YRPH’s four divisions individually achieved Silver Level Accreditation against Excellence Canada’s Excellence, Innovation and Wellness Standard®. Striving for Gold level certification against this Standard was the next logical step towards enhancing our ongoing commitment of demonstrating a culture of quality.

In order to prepare for success, an Accreditation Steering Committee was developed and conducted a gap assessment. This gap assessment incorporated a review of divisional Silver level recommendations as well as the Gold level requirements of the five drivers against current practices and initiatives. Achieving the Gold Level standard required more initiatives and processes to be fully implemented, monitored and evaluated.

Based on the results of this gap assessment activity, the Accreditation Steering Committee recommended:

• Investing time and resources into addressing prioritized areas for improvement.

• Enhancing staff engagement, communication and promotion activities to highlight:

• The importance of a culture of quality.

• Certification as a framework to maintain a culture of quality.

• The benefits to our work.

• Regular updates related to progress.

Our leadership team played a crucial role in fostering a culture of continuous improvement through staff engagement and promoting a shared vision of excellence. Equally as critical was a commitment to fostering a supportive and collaborative culture. As a Branch, we recognized that achieving excellence required the collective effort of a motivated and cohesive workforce. To this end, we implemented initiatives to support staff wellbeing and increased efforts towards encouraging an open and transparent work environment across the Branch.

In 2019, York Region Public Health collectively and proudly achieved Gold level certification.

YRPH had an incredible experience working with Excellence Canada throughout the verification process. The collaboration was marked by Excellence Canada’s professional approach, thoroughness and clear communication, which facilitated a smooth and efficient verification journey. Their commitment to high standards and detailed feedback not only ensured that all aspects of the process were meticulously addressed, but also enhanced YRPH’s organizational practices. The positive and supportive interaction demonstrated Excellence Canada’s dedication to fostering excellence, furthering our commitment to continuous improvement efforts.

Achieving this prestigious recognition acknowledged the Branch’s exceptional performance in delivering high-quality public health services, fostering innovation and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement. By adhering to these principles and continuously striving for improvement, YRPH set a benchmark for excellence in public health, making a significantly positive and enduring impact on the health and wellbeing of its community.

EXCELLENCE CANADA GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS OF CANADIAN EXCELLENCE

THANK YOU

"We couldn't have done it without you!"

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