Industry leaders from across Canada gathered near Orangeville on February 3.
The 2026 award recipients reflect the strength, creativity, and professionalism of Canada’s horticulture and landscape industry, their achievements set a powerful example and help move our industry forward.
-CNLA president Anita Heuver.
Congratulations to the 2026 Awards of Business Excellence winners:
The CNLA Awards of Business Excellence recognize Canadian companies and individuals who raise the bar for professionalism across the sector. The awards spotlight strong leadership, innovative thinking, sound business practices, and meaningful community impact.
Best Business Practices Award
Celebrating excellence in business management, employee retention, financial growth, and key achievements.
Winner: Atkinson Landscaping (British Columbia) is a close-knit team committed to delivering reliable, high-quality landscaping services across its maintenance and project divisions. Atkinson is a growing company that values hard work and rewards its staff, and excels at establishing and maintaining long-term client relationships.
Most Innovative Business Award
Recognizing leadership through innovation in technology, products, services, systems, or customer experience.
Winner: Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds (Ontario) is a one-of-a-kind business in the landscape sector. For over 30 years and across 4,500+ projects, many of which throughout North America, Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds has partnered with organizations to create immersive, nature-based play and learning spaces that inspire environmental stewardship and strengthen communities.
Sustainable Solutions Award
Honouring leadership in sustainability, environmental stewardship, and operational efficiency.
Winner: The Silent Gardener (British Columbia) prides itself on providing quiet, full-service landscaping for homes and strata developments, using battery-powered equipment and vehicles for all work
Outstanding Volunteer Award
Recognizing exceptional volunteer leadership and service to CNLA and provincial partners.
Winner: Guy Dowhy, owner of Dowhy Designs and Landscapes, and the Manitoba Landscape and Nursery Association’s representative on the CNLA Board of Directors, has demonstrated over the years a willingness to donate time at industry events in some of the busiest moments of the landscaping season. He is a reliable, thoughtful voice at the board table and at the CNLA’s Professional Development Committee.
Emerging Leader Award
Celebrating an outstanding young professional (40 and under) demonstrating leadership, innovation, and industry commitment.
Winner: Matthew Bell from Geller’s Design | Build | Landscape (Manitoba) has created a work environment that brings out the best of a family business. The Geller’s team designs, builds and maintains award-winning spaces in a variety of styles ranging from modern and contemporary to traditional and classic.
Green for Life: Industry Award
Recognizing significant industry contributions and lifetime achievements that create a lasting legacy.
Winner: Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds (Ontario) has been creating ambitious, large-scale natural playgrounds and outdoor learning environments for over 30 years, guided by a mission to connect one million people to nature every day by 2030. Through this approach, they have pioneered a model for natural play and learning spaces that has helped shape how communities across Canada and around the world think about their spaces and our future.
Landscaper of Distinction
Celebrating exceptional growth, professionalism, innovation, and leadership in the past year.
Winner: Para Space Landscaping (British Columbia) has grown steadily over the years, servicing clients in the metro Vancouver area since 1979. The highly decorated company has won two National Awards of Landscape Excellence and was recently chosen as one of the best places to work by Lawn & Landscape magazine and as a top employer for women by the Best Companies Group. Para Space develops its employees' skills from day one, providing comprehensive orientation, on-the-job training, and opportunities for certification in specialized areas of the industry.
Grower of Distinction
Celebrating growers who set high standards for best practices, invest in their people and facilities, and contribute positively to the strength and advancement of Canada’s nursery and landscape industry.
Winner: NVK Nurseries (Ontario) is a Canadian wholesale nursery recognized for producing high-quality plant material and for its commitment to innovation, efficiency, and industry leadership. With a strong focus on consistency, customer service, and continuous improvement, NVK Nurseries supports landscape professionals and garden centres with reliable products.
Garden Centre of Distinction
This award celebrates outstanding customer experience, strong merchandising and marketing, knowledgeable staff, and a commitment to quality, innovation, and community engagement.
Winner: Connon Nurseries (Ontario) now offers plant material closer to their customers, opening seven The Branch pop-up retail garden centres at several high-traffic locations across the Greater Toronto Area. This 120-year-old business continues to serve customers and landscape trade professionals at their three sales yards in Waterdown, Newmarket and Trenton.
CNLA Leadership Summit & Emerging Leaders Forum
In addition to the Awards of Business Excellence, on February 3, the CNLA Leadership Summit 26 brought together industry professionals for a full day of learning, networking, and leadership developmentat Hockley Valley Resort in Orangeville, Ontario. The Leadership Summit provided members with the opportunity to share ideas, spark innovation, and strengthen connections through a series of forward-thinking sessions that addressed trends shaping horticulture and landscaping today.
New for 2026, the Emerging Leaders Forum was a successful, engaging event that offered a dedicated space for up-and-coming professionals to build their network, share ideas in round-table discussions, and connect with peers and mentors to support career growth in the green industry.
CNLA Board of Directors Winter Meetings
Throughout the week, the CNLA Board of Directors' winter meetings brought national leadership together at Hockley Valley for strategic discussions and planning sessions designed to shape the association’s initiatives and priorities for the year ahead.
Visit CNLA.ca for videos and highlights about the Awards of Business Excellence, the Leadership Summit, and CNLA programs and future events.
