Forge & Form Gala
Award Criteria & Submission
Finalists announced in advance. Winners revealed live at Forge & Form.
These awards are designed to recognize both individuals and companies, depending on the category. Whether it’s a person making an impact, a retailer raising the bar, a manufacturer innovating, or an organization doing something worth celebrating, we want to hear the story.
Explore the categories below and nominate the people and companies setting the standard for what comes next.
Deadline: End of day, Monday, November 16, 2026
Gala Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2027
Location: Rogers Place – 10220 104 Ave NW
Finalists will be announced December 1, 2026.
Submission Process
Keep it simple. Tell us the story.
Choose the award category, tell us who you’re nominating and share why they deserve to be recognized. What did they do? What makes it stand out? What changed because of it? Give us the story behind the person, company, product or idea.
Nominations should include:
- The Story: Up to 500 words telling us why your nominee deserves to be a Forge & Form finalist.
- The Impact: Include results, examples or proof points within your story where relevant. Numbers are welcome, but not required.
- Supporting Materials: Upload up to three attachments — photos, videos, testimonials, articles, supporting documents or anything else that helps bring the nomination to life.
That’s it. No lengthy application. No formal case study required.
We’re looking for great work, meaningful impact and stories worth celebrating.
Self-nominations and nominations of others are welcome.
Award Criteria
Retail & Dealer Awards
Retail Design & Experience Award
Recognizes a dealer that has transformed the retail experience through exceptional store or showroom design, merchandising, yard improvements, renovation or a new approach to how customers experience their business.
Contractor Engagement Award
Recognizes a dealer building exceptional contractor loyalty through service, programs, education, events, technology or relationship-building.
Customer Experience Award
Recognizes a dealer delivering an outstanding customer experience at every touchpoint — in-store, online, over the phone, in the yard or on the jobsite.
Retailer of the Year
Recognizes a building materials retailer setting the standard for overall excellence through leadership, performance, customer experience, innovation, community impact and operational strength.
Best in Retail Leadership Award
Recognizes an outstanding retail leader whose leadership, initiative and commitment have made a meaningful impact on their business, team, and customers.
Open to leaders at all levels, this award celebrates individuals who strengthen performance, develop their people, adapt to change, and help move their organization forward. Ownership is not required.
Excellence in People & Culture
Recognizes a dealer investing in its people and building a stronger workforce through workplace culture, recruitment, training, mentorship, onboarding and career development.
Manufacturer & Vendor Awards
Manufacturer of the Year
Recognizes a manufacturer demonstrating outstanding overall excellence across innovation, service, operations, growth and industry partnership.
Manufacturing Innovation Award
Recognizes a significant advancement in manufacturing through automation, technology, materials, processes, production efficiency or another innovation that improves how products are made.
Dealer Partnership Award
Recognizes a manufacturer, vendor or distributor that goes beyond supplying products to become an exceptional partner in dealer success through service, collaboration, expertise and support.
Sales Representative of the Year
Recognizes an outstanding manufacturer or distributor sales representative who sets the standard for dealer relationships, product knowledge, responsiveness, service and professionalism.
Made in Canada Award
Recognizes exceptional commitment to Canadian manufacturing, sourcing, investment and supply-chain development while strengthening Canada’s building supply industry.
Best New Product
Recognizes an outstanding new product that brings meaningful innovation, performance or value to the building supply industry.
Products entered in the Showcase New Product Showcase will automatically be considered for this award.
Industry-Wide Awards
Open to dealers, manufacturers, distributors, and industry partners.
Industry Impact Award
Recognizes an individual whose involvement with Supply-Build Canada has made a meaningful contribution to the association and the industry it serves.
This award honours someone who has contributed their time, expertise and perspective to advance important initiatives, strengthen industry connections and support meaningful progress through Supply-Build Canada.
Nominees are put forward by Supply-Build Canada staff and/or board of directors and evaluated through the Forge & Form judging process.
The Bold Move Award
Recognizes a company that took a calculated risk, challenged convention, or made a significant strategic move that changed the trajectory of its business.
From expansion and acquisition to succession, technology, new markets or complete reinvention, this award celebrates the organizations willing to make the moves that shape what comes next.
Emerging Leader Award
Recognizes an emerging industry professional under 40, demonstrating exceptional leadership, initiative, ambition and the potential to make a lasting impact on Canada’s building supply industry.
Woman of Influence
Recognizes a woman whose leadership, accomplishments, mentorship and influence are helping shape a stronger future for the building supply industry.
Catalyst Award
Recognizes an individual whose vision, leadership, ideas and actions have created meaningful transformation across the building supply industry.
The Catalyst Award represents one of Forge & Form’s highest individual honours, celebrating a leader whose impact extends beyond their own organization and helps move the industry forward.
