Retail Council of Canada’s prestigious recognition reflects retailers’ most significant innovations during a period of unprecedented change
TORONTO, ON–Over the last year, retailers across Canada have continued to demonstrate remarkable leadership and have implemented important innovation. Fifteen of those retailers took home top accolades tonight at the 2022 Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala (ERA), a highlight of Retail Council of Canada’s (RCC) STORE 2022 conference in Toronto. In addition to the ERA winners, two Awards of Distinction were also presented, and sixteen Retail as a Career Scholarships were awarded at the Gala dinner attended by Canada’s retailing elite.
Innovations that stood out this year reflected solutions to how retail is addressing the current challenges around: keeping customers and employees protected as we work with the realities of COVID, enhancing store design so it integrates and delivers even better customer experiences, increasing awareness and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion, adding measures to protect against losses at retail, and helping to serve communities through philanthropic initiatives.
The Excellence in Retailing Awards program is recognized as the pinnacle of achievement and industry recognition across all retail disciplines and categories. Competition for the coveted ERA trophies was especially fierce this year with ties for first place being seen in an unprecedented four categories: In-Store Experience & Design, Omni Channel, Philanthropic Leadership and, Retail Marketing. Winning first place for a second year in a row was Longo’s, for Health, Safety and Wellness, and Canadian Tire Corporation, for Pop-Up Experience and Design.
“Retailers in Canada have always demonstrated tremendous adaptability and creativity. The challenges we have all faced recently has inspired even more impressive and significant innovation,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. “We are thrilled to be back in person and this year’s ERA recipients have demonstrated resilience and incredible commitment to superior customer service, progressive business solutions, and operational leadership.”
Brisebois added: “I also join the industry in saluting the recipients of this year’s prestigious Awards of Distinction, Paul Wood of Giant Tiger and Shashi Behl of Joydrop. They have both made game-changing contributions and leave a lasting, positive imprint on their employees, customers, peers, and the communities they serve. Retail in Canada is better because of them and their vision, passion, and business acumen.”
Retail is Canada’s largest private-sector employer with over 2 million Canadians working in our industry. The sector annually generates over $78 billion in total compensation. Core retail sales (excluding vehicles and gasoline) were over $433B in 2021. Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members represent more than two-thirds of core retail sales in the country. RCC is a not-for-profit industry-funded association that represents small, medium, and large retail businesses in every community across the country. As the Voice of Retail™ in Canada, we proudly represent more than 45,000 storefronts in all retail formats, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, independent retailers, and online merchants
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