TORONTO, Oct. 9, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC) announced the recipients of the 2026 Sponsorship Marketing Awards (SMAs) at the awards ceremony held yesterday evening at TIFF Lightbox. The annual awards ceremony honours top tier properties, brands and agencies who have positively shifted the landscape of sponsorship marketing through not only meaningful connections with communities across Canada, but also through elevating business standards to drive brand and business results.

The 2026 SMCC Sponsorship Marketing Award winners are as follows:

AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Gold: The T1 Agency

AMBASSADOR/ TALENT
Award of Distinction: CIBC: The Connor-verse | Courage

ARTS, MUSIC & CULTURE
Award of Distinction: Boston Pizza x Live Nation Canada – Summer Music Campaign | Mekanism Canada

BEST IN SHOW
Gold: RBC Community Junior Golf | Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

BEST NEW INITIATIVE
Gold: SAP-NHL Front Office App Trade Deadline & Playoff Cap Planner Campaign | SAP
Award of Distinction: "Most Interesting Seats in the House" – PROLINE x Toronto Maple Leafs | Entertainment / OLG + WPP Media Sports

BEST NEW INNOVATION
Award of Distinction: SAP-NHL Front Office App Trade Deadline & Playoff Cap Planner Campaign | SAP

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Gold: RBC Community Junior Golf | Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
Award of Distinction: Indigenous Playmaker Marketplace, presented by Mastercard | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

FESTIVALS, FAIRS AND ANNUAL EVENTS
Gold: BMO and the Calgary Stampede | Bank of Montreal (BMO)
Award of Distinction: Osheaga | Scotiabank

MULTICULTURAL
Award of Distinction: CFL x Capital Power: Powering Change Through Football | Canadian Football League

OLYMPICS / FIFA
Gold: Victory. But First, Protein | Maple Leaf Foods, T1, Canadian Olympic Committee, FUSE Create, Sid Lee, The Hatchery Marketing Group
Award of Distinction: BMO Beyond the Blackout | TBWA\Canada

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
BMO and the Calgary Stampede | Bank of Montreal (BMO)

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS (Budget $500K and below)
Gold: TurboImpôt at the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada | TurboImpôt – Intuit Canada
Award of Distinction: Chevrolet Canada – High IQ Baseball Fan | Momentum Worldwide

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS (Budget over $501K)
Gold: Rogers x Toronto Blue Jays — Bring It Home: The 2025 Postseason | Rogers Communications
Award of Distinction: Uber Eats Crave the Stats | Uber Eats, T1, MLSE, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens

PROPERTY OF THE YEAR
Gold: Team Canada | Canadian Olympic Committee

PURPOSE-LED / SOCIAL CAUSE
Gold: RBC Community Junior Golf | Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
Award of Distinction: Hyundai Canada's Greatest Save | INNOCEAN Canada

REGIONAL
Gold: TurboImpôt at the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada | TurboImpôt – Intuit Canada

SUSTAINED SUCCESS
Gold: Purolator x CFL Tackle Hunger Campaign | Canadian Football League (CFL)
Award of Distinction: Kraft Hockeyville 20th Anniversary | SDI Marketing

"Congratulations to all of this year's winners and finalists, whose work continues to push the boundaries of what great partnerships can achieve. The strength of this year's submissions gave us plenty to celebrate, and last night at TIFF was a fantastic reminder of what makes this industry so special - coming together to recognize outstanding work, connect with peers, and celebrate the incredible talent and innovation driving sponsorship marketing forward in Canada." said SMAs Co-Chairs, Marlie McLaughlin and Andrew Westbrook.

"We are thrilled to see the positive response from brands, agencies and properties to this year's SMAs. The pedigree and sheer number of submissions is an indicator of how important sponsorship has become for organizations looking to speak directly to their target market(s). Thank you to our partners and industry colleagues for their support in this milestone year." said SMCC Board Chairperson, Julian Franklin.

About Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC):

The Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC) was created in 2004 to drive advancements in the field of sponsorship marketing. The SMCC's mission is to help brands, agencies and properties unleash the power of sponsorship marketing through education in best practices, networking and celebrating success.

Instagram: @SMCC_CCC
LinkedIn: SMCC – Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada
Website: www.sponsorshipmarketing.ca

SOURCE Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada