Celebrate your work.
Acknowledge your team.
Each year, the Excellence in Retailing Awards (ERA) recognize the industry game changers that go above and beyond to serve their customers and push Canada into the future of retail.
Awards Gala: A Night to Celebrate Your Team
Revel in industry-wide recognition of your work, celebrate with your colleagues in person, and make new connections. Guests enjoy a cocktail reception, a delicious dinner, and inspiring awards ceremonies.
2026 FINALISTS
SIMU – Transforming Retail & Call Centre Talent Development and Customer Experience
Bell
SIMU – Transforming Retail & Call Centre Talent Development and Customer Experience
Bell
Bell launched SIMU, an AI powered Customer Experience (CX) simulator that generates realistic, back-and-forth
customer interactions for both retail frontline staff and call centre agents. Codeveloped by Bell’s Product Technical team and Internal Learning & Development, SIMU enables safe, repeatable space to practice customer interactions—from greeting and discovery to value articulation and solutioning. This unique experience blends digital microlearning, guided roleplay, and standardized coaching tools based on Bell’s sales and service models. By providing instant feedback, flexible self-serve coaching, and leadership visibility through a Dashboard Tab. SIMU improves morale, accelerates employee ramp-up, and improves customer engagement—driving consistent operational excellence at scale.
The Unreal Deal
Save-On-Foods
The Unreal Deal
Save-On-Foods
For more than a decade, Darrell’s Deals was Save-On-Foods’ trusted weekly promotion, delivering strong value and building deep brand loyalty. With the retirement of Darrell Jones in February 2025, Save-On-Foods saw an opportunity to modernize the platform and better connect with families, leading to the launch of Unreal Deal. Designed to carry the legacy forward in a fresh, energetic way, Unreal Deal reinforces one clear message: the deal is on at Save-On-Foods.
Win, Win, Win: Trade-in is Good for Customers, Business, and the Planet
Staples Canada
Win, Win, Win: Trade-in is Good for Customers, Business, and the Planet
Staples Canada
Staples Canada partnered with Allstate to launch Staples Trade-in by Allstate, a nationwide program that turns old devices into instant value. Designed to be flexible and effortless, Canadians can convert the old tech they’ve got stashed away in drawers into Staples e-gift cards they receive in moments. Each device is then securely refurbished or responsibly recycled.
Easter Activation - Gold Bunny
Lindt & Sprungli (Canada)
Easter Activation - Gold Bunny
Lindt & Sprungli (Canada)
Lindt Canada Retail’s 2025 Easter merchandising campaign centred around the iconic Gold Bunny, creating
engaging window displays and exclusive in-store experiences. The initiative aimed to attract Easter shoppers, boost foot traffic, and drive sales with visually striking décor and dynamic messaging. By showcasing the largest selection of Gold Bunny products, the campaign positioned Lindt stores as the prime destination for seasonal premium chocolate gifts, achieving increased sales and brand visibility.
Redefining the Appliance Retail Experience
Corbeil Appliances
Redefining the Appliance Retail Experience
Corbeil Appliances
Corbeil Appliances’ enhanced in-store experience and design initiative as expressed through our new concept stores in Boucherville and St-Hubert, Quebec. Created with NoBrainer Agency, Dyda Architecture, Léger Market Research, and appliance manufacturer partners, the concept transforms appliance shopping from a traditional showroom into an immersive, customer-centered environment. Through a modular layout, persona-led merchandising, realistic kitchen vignettes, consultative signage, interactive digital tools, and hands-on testing in “The Lab,” we created a store experience that is more engaging, more intuitive, and more aligned with customer needs—while reinforcing Corbeil’s position as a specialist in home appliances.
Project Bootleg
LCBO
Project Bootleg
LCBO
Over the course of the investigation, police and LCBO investigators identified multiple individuals involved in trafficking the stolen liquor and connected them to ten distinct organized theft groups. These groups are alleged to have supplied the operation with more than $1.3 million in stolen product. The majority of the liquor was sold directly from the accused’s residence or delivered to buyers throughout the GTA. Individuals associated with this trafficking operation were subsequently arrested and charged.
Meet Rose: The AI Assistant Bringing In-Store Service to Online Shopping
La Vie en Rose
Meet Rose: The AI Assistant Bringing In-Store Service to Online Shopping
La Vie en Rose
To enhance the digital shopping experience and replicate the personalized service of in-store associates online, la Vie en Rose implemented Rose, an AI-Powered Shopping Assistance chatbot. This delivers personalized, omnichannel assistance that reduces friction in the buying journey, improves satisfaction, increases engagement and conversion, and creates a more interactive, customer-centric e-commerce experience.
New RW&CO Flagship Store in St-Bruno, Québec
RW&Co.
New RW&CO Flagship Store in St-Bruno, Québec
RW&Co.
Opened in October 2025, RW&CO.’s first-ever flagship store at Primaris’ Promenades St-Bruno marks a key milestone in the brand’s evolution. Designed by Dalziel & Pow, the 7,800-square-foot space brings RW&CO.’s recent rebrand to life through an elevated, customer-centric retail experience. As the brand’s largest store to date, the flagship reflects RW&CO.’s refined positioning as a Canadian fashion authority, blending timeless essentials with occasion-ready fashion.
Mike chez RONA: The Rebirth of an Iconic Brand
RONA
Mike chez RONA: The Rebirth of an Iconic Brand
RONA
In spring 2025, RONA hit a marketing home run in Quebec with its “Mike chez RONA” campaign featuring a fictitious employee named Mike that became an overnight phenomenon in the province. Leveraging nostalgia and entertainment through a parody of the 70’s hit “My Sharona”, the campaign captured the attention of the public and led to an all-out Mikemania. More than a campaign, Mike became a cultural icon, re-establishing RONA as a trusted and locally relevant home improvement partner.
Strengthening Communities Through School Nutrition: The “nourish to flourish” Program
Farm Boy Company Inc.
Strengthening Communities Through School Nutrition: The “nourish to flourish” Program
Farm Boy Company Inc.
Launched province wide in 2024, “nourish to flourish” provides grants for fresh meals; hands on food education; school gardens; farm field trips; and guest speakers—helping students both eat well and understand where food comes from. In its first year, the program funded $55,000 across 30 schools; in its second year, Farm Boy expanded the program to $161,000 in grants for 46 schools, significantly increasing impact and reach. This represents a 193% year-over year increase in total funding, clearly showcasing the need for a program of this kind.
Love at First Wash
Sephora
Love at First Wash
Sephora
As Canada’s leading beauty retailer, Sephora Canada wanted to generate excitement and discovery around Sephora’s hair wash category in order to drive growth and shift clients from mass to prestige products. Centred on the core message that good hair starts in the shower, the retailer executed an immersive, experiential wash care pop-up across seven locations, featuring tactile educational fixtures, comprehensive staff training and 360-amplification.
Enchanting the Holiday Shopper
Lindt & Sprungli (Canada)
Enchanting the Holiday Shopper
Lindt & Sprungli (Canada)
Lindt’s Enchanting the Holiday Shopper program transforms the in-store experience into a premium Christmas destination, inspiring shoppers through elevated displays, gift solutions, and festive storytelling. By combining high-impact merchandising, strategic placement, and sampling, the program drives discovery, impulse purchases, across key holiday occasions. The result is a seamless, gift-ready experience that delights shoppers and positions Lindt as the ultimate destination for holiday chocolate.
The ''Be Your Own Breast Friend Campaign'' In Collaboration with the Cancer Research Society
La Vie en Rose
The ''Be Your Own Breast Friend Campaign'' In Collaboration with the Cancer Research Society
La Vie en Rose
Developed in partnership with its Roses of Hope Foundation and the Cancer Research Society, this national, multi-year commitment will contribute $3,000,000 over three years to advance breast cancer research in Canada. The initiative mobilizes customers, employees, and communities through targeted fundraising campaigns, dedicated product collections, and sustained awareness efforts.
New Yorkdale Shopping Centre Boutique
Nespresso Canada
New Yorkdale Shopping Centre Boutique
Nespresso Canada
Nespresso Canada opened our newly rennovated boutique in Yorkdale Shopping Centre in March 2025. This elegant space is the latest concept design by the Nespresso global retail design team in Milan, executed by DK Studio Architects. Our in-store experience centers on tastings at the Coffee As An Art (CAAA) bar, where customers engage with coffee specialists while savoring premium blends. This initiative aims to redefine the retail coffee experience, transforming each visit into a memorable event that highlights our commitment to quality and sustainability.
Brewing a Brand Into Space: Inside Tim Hortons First Experiential TimShop Pop-Up
Restaurant Brands International
Brewing a Brand Into Space: Inside Tim Hortons First Experiential TimShop Pop-Up
Restaurant Brands International
The TimShop Pop-Up at Toronto Eaton Centre marked the first physical retail expression of Tim Horton’s merchandise platform, translating the brand’s most recognizable symbols into immersive design. Sculptural elements such as a donut-shaped cash desk, stacked red cup installation, and retro rec-room lounge transformed everyday icons into architectural storytelling. The result was a discovery driven retail environment that allowed Canadians to step inside the Tim Hortons brand for the first time.
The Art of Home
Silk & Snow
The Art of Home
Silk & Snow
In October 2025, in the heart of downtown Toronto, home retailer Silk & Snow showcased its first experiential marketing experience: The Art of Home. In partnership with experiential marketing agency Mosaic, Silk & Snow created an immersive art gallery experience that transformed our thoughtful, intentional design process into sensory-driven installations and invited the city to experience the brand in a new light.
Real Sleep Campaign
IKEA Canada
Real Sleep Campaign
IKEA Canada
To prove IKEA Canada’s mattress quality, we launched the Real Sleep campaign – a clever, multi-layered effort challenging the idea that a great night’s sleep comes with a premium price tag. We started by capturing attention with late-night DMs targeting people up scrolling when they should have been sleeping and later proved our comfort in the most convincing way possible: real people, caught on camera, talking in their sleep. The campaign resonated with Canadians, driving visitation and sales while cementing IKEA as a credible destination for high-quality, affordable mattresses.
Eliminating Single-Use Packaging Program
La Vie en Rose
Eliminating Single-Use Packaging Program
La Vie en Rose
In summer 2023, la Vie en Rose Group eliminated single‑use shopping bags from all la Vie en Rose banner stores across the country, regardless of municipal packaging regulations. This operational shift was designed to drive a fundamental behavioural change, encouraging customers to transition toward “bring-your-own” and reuse practices.
We’re All In On Ontario
LCBO
We’re All In On Ontario
LCBO
In a crowded “buy local” moment, LCBO turned Ontario VQA from just another local option to an enticing choice by pairing a bold Ontario rallying cry with guided discovery rooted in the LCBO’s most unique brand advantage: in‐store expertise. The campaign spotlighted real product consultants across multiple channels, lending the category credibility and making the LCBO feel like an approachable destination for local exploration. With a flat budget and a short four weeks, the strategy delivered record results: VQA wine sales rose +60% and new-to-category buyers increased +33% vs. last year. Campaign awareness drove +44% higher LCBO community impact perceptions.
Urban Focused Assortment for Small Format Success
Walmart Canada
Urban Focused Assortment for Small Format Success
Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada’s Port Credit store showcases how disciplined merchandising can deliver big‑store capability within an urban format less than half the size of a traditional Supercentre. Through curated assortment, intentional adjacencies, elevated fixtures, and omni‑enabled decision points, the store maintains clarity, confidence, and perceived completeness at Everyday Low Price. The result is a scalable, merchandising‑led model designed for modern urban shoppers.
The Orange Apron Recycling Innovation Program
The Home Depot
The Orange Apron Recycling Innovation Program
The Home Depot
In 2025, The Home Depot Canada diverted over 14,000 pounds of associate aprons from landfill when it launched a national apron recycling program to further advance circular innovation in store operations.
Personalized By Design: Delivering Human-Centred Development at Scale
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.
Personalized By Design: Delivering Human-Centred Development at Scale
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.
Rooted in 70 years as a family business, Longo’s invests in leadership development that meets people where they are. In partnership with Growthspace, leaders receive personalized support through coaching, workshops, and collaborative problem‑solving experiences aligned to real moments and challenges. The result is confident leaders, stronger collaboration, and lasting organizational impact.
Destination Sport Store Concept
SportChek
Destination Sport Store Concept
SportChek
The Destination Sport store concept is an elevated, large‑format retail
experience designed to lead with sport, offering a dominant assortment across key performance categories and making it easier for athletes to shop by sport. It brings brands to life through enhanced visual presentation, elevated footwear experience, and sales‑assisted technology, while integrating expanded service offerings such as custom fitting and equipment services. The result is a modern, highly immersive store that positions the brand as a true sport destination—not just a place to buy gear, but a hub that supports customers throughout their athletic journey.
Supply Chain Transformation
Pet Valu
Supply Chain Transformation
Pet Valu
Pet Valu Holdings Ltd. (“Pet Valu”) undertook a major supply chain transformation from 2022 to 2025, investing over $100 million to modernize and consolidate its distribution network across Canada. This initiative aimed to support long-term growth, improve operational efficiency, and advance sustainability and employee experience.
Commited to a Greener Future
Corbeil Appliances
Commited to a Greener Future
Corbeil Appliances
Corbeil Appliances is redefining what environmental leadership looks like in appliance retail through a practical, circular model that combines responsible recovery, refurbishment, refrigerant recycling, lower-carbon logistics, and customer education. Built in collaboration with partners including GoRecycle, GoRéemploi, PureSphera and the Quebec Retail Council, the program reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions while extending product life. By embedding sustainability across operations and the customer journey, Corbeil is helping set a new standard for responsible retail in Quebec.
Canada's Home Team
Home Hardware
Canada's Home Team
Home Hardware
Home Hardware seized a national moment during the Blue Jays’ playoff run, brilliantly transforming from a familiar brand into “Canada’s Home Team.” Through an authentic campaign featuring their own local Dealers embodying the nation’s underdog spirit, they forged an unparalleled emotional connection. This strategic move ignited widespread engagement, empowered its community, and drove significant, measurable business growth.
Dubai Inspired Chocolate Activation
Lindt & Sprungli (Canada)
Dubai Inspired Chocolate Activation
Lindt & Sprungli (Canada)
The Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Bar launch sought to reinforce Lindt’s premium brand with a Dubai inspired product. Exclusive retail availability aimed to generate excitement, prompt impulse purchases, and position the Lindt bar as a top gifting choice. The activation featured luxury displays to highlight exclusivity, quality, and value, targeting strong initial sales, brand awareness, and lasting impressions for future wholesale success.
S.O.S Spotlight on Shrink & Safety
Staples Canada
S.O.S Spotlight on Shrink & Safety
Staples Canada
S.O.S: Spotlight on Shrink & Safety is Staples Canada’s national engagement program designed to reduce shrink, strengthen operational discipline, and elevate safety awareness across all retail, fulfillment, and delivery operations. Through weekly education, behavior-based recognition, and real-time analytics, the program empowers associates to protect people, property, and profits. In 2025, S.O.S delivered more than 52,000 recognitions, driving measurable improvements in inventory accuracy, hazard reporting, and shrink reduction across high-risk categories.
Putting the Red in InspiRED Design
Appliance Canada
Putting the Red in InspiRED Design
Appliance Canada
Our Richmond BC showroom redefines appliance retail by blending Canadian warmth with aesthetic function, featuring rich wooden ceilings and thoughtfully curated lifestyle vignettes that transform shopping into an immersive experience. Since 1983, we’ve put the RED in inspiRED design, and this innovative space elevates that legacy through refined flow, enhanced lighting, and wider aisleways that invite customers to explore and envision their dream homes. This is our invitation for British Columbians to “”Turn over a New Leaf”” with a revolutionary retail experience that balances sensory appeal with unparalleled customer comfort.
Fresh Baked Design
Cobs Bread
Fresh Baked Design
Cobs Bread
To amplify the brand’s promise of fresh-baked quality, the design reimagines the traditional bakery layout by opening up the back-of-house to full customer view. By integrating visible prep stations and a transparent bread wall, the design maximizes a small retail footprint to create a high-touch, sensory experience where seeing is believing. The result is an elevated front-of-house flow that seamlessly connects the artistry of the bakers with the community they serve.
Awards of Distinction
Retailer of the Year
Longo's
Retailer of the Year
Alimentation Couche-Tard
Ambassador of the Year
The Jilly Box
Award Winner
Browns Shoes
Retail Education Scholarship Program
Each year, RCC awards scholarships to students interested in a career in retail or who currently work in retail. In 2025, $62,000 in scholarships was awarded to students working in retail and who are entering or currently enrolled in a retail-related program at a Canadian post-secondary institution.
Awards Gala hosted by Taylor Kaye
Guests will hear from a variety of industry leaders, including the 2026 Award of Distinction winners, Michael Brownstein and Jillian Harris. Guests will also enjoy an exceptional dinner, prepared under the consultation of world-renowned chef Mark McEwan.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Excellence in Retailing Awards showcases outstanding innovation in the retail section, gathering retail decision makers for a night of recognition and celebration.
Demonstrate thought leadership, build your brand and make new connections through various ERA Sponsorship Opportunities. Contact sponsorship at rccsponsorship@retailcouncil.org
Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala
June 2, 2026. Toronto Congress Centre. North Building. 1020 Martin Grove Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 1J1.
As The Voice of Retail™ in Canada since 1963, Retail Council of Canada (RCC) represents over 65,000 independent, regional, national mass and specialty retail businesses and online merchants in general merchandise, drug and grocery.
Application Timeline
MARCH 13, 2026
First Submission Deadline
MARCH 27, 2026
Deadline to Upload all Submission Details
APRIL 2026
Judging Period
MAY 2026
Finalists Announced
JUNE 2, 2026
Winners Announced at the 2026 Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala
Why Apply?
- Benchmark your work: Compare your projects against the best in retail, with over 50 submissions each year.
- Celebrate achievements: Showcase successful initiatives across 12 comprehensive retail categories.
- Gain expert recognition: Esteemed retail judges evaluate every submission.
- Highlight your team: Reward your team’s hard work by putting their efforts in the spotlight.
Awards Categories
The Excellence in Retail Awards recognize outstanding achievements in twelve distinct categories.
- NEW: Unified Commerce
- NEW: AI Operations Innovation
- NEW: Consumer AI Experience & Marketing Award
- E-Commerce Award
- Environmental Leadership
- Health, Safety & Wellness
- In-Store Experience & Design
- Philanthropic Leadership
- Pop-Up Experience & Design
- In-Store Merchandising
- Loss Prevention
- Retail Marketing
- Supply Chain Innovation
- Talent Development