CANS Awards
Nominations Due August 14
Nominations are open! Help us celebrate the full scope of talent, dedication, and progress happening across the sector. Submit your nominations before Friday, August 14, 2026.
The Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) is proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and companies shaping the future of our province’s construction sector. CANS Awards highlight leadership, innovation, community spirit, and the advancement of women in the industry.
Awards
Champion in Education & Training
The Champion in Education & Training Award recognizes a CANS member company that champion education by creating opportunities for their teams to learn, grow, and advance. This award celebrates organizations that invest in learning as a core part of how they do business.
This award honours an individual whose selfless contributions, leadership, and active engagement have created meaningful and lasting impact in their community. The Community Leader Award recognizes individuals who dedicate their time, energy, and resources to building stronger, healthier, and more connected neighbourhoods across Nova Scotia.
This award recognizes an organization that demonstrates a strong commitment to keeping their workplace health and safety. This award celebrates companies that make safety a daily priority, through practical programs, clear communication, engaged leadership and a culture where workers look out for one another.
Excellence in Innovation Award
This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated creativity and forward-thinking by implementing innovative construction practices within the past two years through through new approaches to project delivery, process design, mentorship, digital technology, or environmental sustainability.
Trailblazer Award: Celebrating Women in Construction
This award recognizes women who are shaping a more welcoming and equitable construction sector, whether within their own workplace, their community, or the industry at large. This award honours not only professional success, but the positive influence a nominee has on others.
This award recognizes an emerging professional in the construction industry who is contributing to a strong, innovative, and resilient sector. This award celebrates individuals who demonstrate initiative, leadership potential, and a commitment to making construction a better place to work—through their actions, attitudes, and impact on others.
Building Futures for Youth Long-Term Host Employer Award
The BFY Long-Term Host Award recognizes a Host Employer who has demonstrated sustained, year-over-year commitment to the BFY Program, providing ongoing experiential learning opportunities and contributing to the program’s long-term success.
Building Futures for Youth Ambassador Award
The BFY Host Employer – Ambassador Award recognizes a Host Employer who has gone above and beyond to welcome, mentor and support BFY students, demonstrating leadership and commitment to workforce development in the skilled trades and construction sector.
Important information for Nominators and Nominees
All award recipients will be announced publicly at the CANS Awards Gala. As part of the submission process, entrants will be required to designate a point of contact to serve as CANS’ official liaison in the event the submission is selected as a winner.
This designated contact will be required to keep all winner-related information strictly confidential until the public announcement at the Gala. They must also commit to attending the CANS Awards Gala or, if unavailable, designate an appropriate representative to attend on their behalf. In the event of a win, the point of contact may be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Selected winners will be interviewed following the conclusion of the judging period and prior to the Gala. This process will include an in-camera interview segment for use during the Gala.
Timeline
- Submissions open: July 2, 2026
- Submission deadline: August 14, 2026
- Judging period: August 21– September 1, 2026
- Awards presentation: October 23, 2026
Tips for a strong submission
- Be specific: Use concrete examples, data, and stories to demonstrate impact.
- Follow the rubric: Address each question clearly and stay within the word limits.
- Draft it: We suggest drafting your submission in Word to help you stay within the word limit. Submissions that exceed this limit may not be reviewed by the selection committee.
- Support your case: Where applicable, include reference letters, photos, or documentation that strengthen your submission.
- Start early: Gathering strong content and supporting materials takes time — plan ahead.
FAQ
Who is eligible?
All nominees must be affiliated with a CANS member company in good standing. Additional eligibility requirements are outlined in each award’s specific criteria.
CANS encourages participation from member firms of all sizes, trades, and regions. The awards are designed to reflect the full diversity of roles, experiences, and communities within Nova Scotia’s construction sector.
Who can nominate?
Submitting a nomination is free. Nominations are open to both self-nominations and third‑party submissions. Colleagues, supervisors, peers, and community members are encouraged to nominate deserving individuals or companies.
You may nominate more than one individual or company and submit nominations for multiple awards, provided each submission is tailored to the specific award criteria. Multiple contributors may collaborate on a single nomination—particularly when compiling program descriptions, photos, or reference letters. Each submission should focus on the impact of one individual or one company.
Deadlines
Individual deadline extensions will not be granted. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. Applicants are encouraged to review requirements carefully and begin early to allow time to prepare strong, complete submissions.
How are submissions judged?
All nominations are reviewed by an independent panel of industry professionals and subject matter experts. Judges assess submissions using a standardized and transparent scoring rubric based on the published criteria.
All judges are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest before scoring begins. Winners are selected based on merit and overall impact.
What do winners receive?
In addition to recognition at the CANS Awards Gala, winners will be featured through CANS communication channels, including media releases, and may be profiled in future CANS publications.
Being nominated is a significant recognition in itself and offers valuable visibility for individuals and firms across the industry.
Questions? For more information or help with the process, contact Taylor Shaw.