Five Canadian Winners Recognized by Info-Tech Research Group in its 2026 awards span municipal government, financial services, manufacturing and higher education. The recipients were selected for organizational innovation, IT process improvement and leadership supporting women in technology.
The Canadian honourees are The Regional Municipality of Durham and leaders from Manulife, the City of Brampton, Premier Tech and Yorkville University. They are among 68 recipients recognized worldwide in 2026. The Canadian recipients were honored in both the North America Large and Enterprise Division and the North America Small and Medium Division.
Canadian Winners Recognized Across Three Award Categories
The awards program recognizes recipients in three categories: Innovator of the Year, Women Leading IT and IT Excellence. Info-Tech says recipients are selected through diagnostic data, nomination forms and interviews, with criteria tailored to each category.
The Regional Municipality of Durham received the Innovator of the Year Award in the North America Large and Enterprise Division. The category recognizes organizations for technology-driven initiatives intended to solve business challenges, improve efficiency and set new standards.
Recipients Recognized for Leadership and IT Excellence
Dawn Borent, Manulife’s Head of Retirement Technology Transformation, received the Women Leading IT Award for Canada in the North America Large and Enterprise Division. The award recognizes women for innovation, inclusive leadership and mentorship within their organizations and across the industry.
Three Canadian leaders received IT Excellence recognition. Medhanie Tekeste, Chief Information Officer at the City of Brampton, and Pierre-Luc Simard, Vice President of Information Technology at Premier Tech, were recognized in the North America Large and Enterprise Division. Jassi Kaur, Chief Information Officer at Yorkville University, was recognized in the North America Small and Medium Division.
Info-Tech describes the IT Excellence Award as recognition for measurable improvement in IT processes and operational effectiveness. Its assessment compares progress between evaluations in the company’s IT Management & Governance Diagnostic.
The selection process draws on diagnostic data, nomination forms and interviews. The release does not provide individual scoring or describe specific projects completed by the Canadian recipients, so the awards announcement identifies their roles and categories without detailing each person’s work.
How the Awards Frame IT Leadership
Info-Tech Chief Global Services Officer Hannes Scheidegger said effective IT organizations depend on both processes and the people who carry them out. He said the Canadian recipients demonstrate achievements in innovation, operational improvement and leadership.
“Creating a more capable IT organization means paying equal attention to processes and the people who carry them out,” Scheidegger said.
The release presents the honors as examples of work across organizations of different sizes. It also connects the awards to opportunities for the next generation of technology leaders, particularly through the Women Leading IT category’s emphasis on mentorship.
Grit Daily has also covered a corporate leadership reorganization and leadership appointments across petroleum companies. Its coverage of leadership in Jamaica’s police service offers another example of how leadership is discussed across sectors.
Info-Tech said the complete list of global winners is available through its 2026 Info-Tech Awards page. The company also offered interviews or expert commentary about IT leadership and innovation in Canada through its media contact.
