VRCA honours projects and people at annual awards gala

On October 16, 2026, more than 620 construction professionals came together for the sold-out 37th Annual VRCA Awards of Excellence Gala, celebrating the exceptional work that’s shaping the future of construction across British Columbia.

Hosted by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), the annual Gala saw 19 Gold Awards presented to projects demonstrating exceptional execution, collaboration, innovation, and expertise, alongside seven Outstanding Achievement Awards recognizing the people and organizations whose leadership and contributions are moving the industry forward.

“This is what construction excellence looks like,” said Jeannine Martin, president of the VRCA. “Our Gold Award and Outstanding Achievement winners represent an incredible level of skill, problem-solving, collaboration, and commitment. These achievements are being delivered at a time when our industry continues to navigate real pressures around cost, timelines, and workforce, which makes what these teams and individuals have accomplished even more impressive. Tonight is our opportunity to recognize that work and celebrate the people behind it.”

For 37 years, the VRCA Awards of Excellence have recognized achievement through an established, industry-led process grounded in merit, expertise, and impact.

This year, VRCA received 114 nominations across 19 project categories, representing more than $4.9 billion in construction value. From those submissions, Silver Award winners advanced as finalists for Gold, with the winners revealed live at the Gala.

The 2026 Gold Award winners are:

General Contractor – Tenant Improvement – Up to $10M

EllisDon – UBC Urgent Primary Care Centre

General Contractor – Tenant Improvement – $10 – $30M

ETRO Construction – Din Tai Fung Vancouver

General Contractor – Tenant Improvement – Over $30M

Ledcor Construction Limited – Royal Centre Redevelopment – Phase 1

General Contractor – Civil/Industrial – Up to $30M

Jacob Bros. Construction Inc. – Burnaby Lake Pedestrian Overpass

General Contractor – Civil/Industrial – Over $30M

Peter Kiewit Sons ULC – YVR North Runway Rehabilitation Program – Asphalt and Civil Package

General Contractor – Up to $20M

Chandos Construction – Bella Coola Centennial Pool

General Contractor – $20 – $100M

Kinetic Construction Ltd. – SĆIȺNEW̱ SṮEȽIṮḴEȽ Elementary School

General Contractor – $100 – $300M

Smith Bros. & Wilson – SkyTrain Operations Control Centre – OCC2 Building

General Contractor – Over $300M

EllisDon – The Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower at Royal Columbian Hospital

Trade Contractor – Up to $3M

Maxwell Floors Ltd. – FHA Surrey Memorial Hospital. Cardiac Cath Lab & IR Suites 

Trade Contractor – $3M – $10M

A&H Steel (Vancouver) Ltd. – PNE Amphitheatre

Trade Contractor – Over $10M

Norland Limited – Block Residences

Mechanical Contractor – Up to $8M

Black & McDonald Limited – Pacific Centre Decarbonization

Mechanical Contractor – $8M – $20M

Modern Niagara Vancouver – Amazon YVR21 – North Tower

Mechanical Contractor – Over $20M

Pitt Meadows Plumbing & Mechanical Systems (2001) Ltd. – Oakridge Energy District Energy System Phase 1

Electrical Contractor – Up to $2M

Mott Electric – Telus: RECO – Castle

Electrical Contractor – $2M to $5M

Fettback & Heesterman – Goldstream Water Treatment Plant – Replacement of UV System

Electrical Contractor – Over $5M

Mott Electric – Cologix VAN4 Master Plan

Manufacturers and Suppliers

Solid Rock Steel Fabricating – Burnaby Pedestrian Overpass

“Every one of our Silver and Gold Award winners has something worth celebrating,” added Martin. “These awards are about recognizing work that stands up to the scrutiny of industry peers and demonstrates what our members are capable of. After 37 years, that standard continues to be at the heart of the Awards of Excellence.”

Excellence in construction goes beyond the projects themselves. The Outstanding Achievement Awards recognize the individuals and organizations whose leadership, ideas, and contributions are making the industry safer, stronger, more inclusive, and better prepared for what comes next.

This year’s recipients were recognized across categories spanning workplace health and safety, education, inclusive leadership, innovation and productivity, women in construction, young construction leadership, and zero-emissions building leadership.

The 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award recipients are:

Construction Workplace Health & Safety Innovation

Shepherd Mountain – Canadian Turner Construction Company

Education Leadership

Lindsay Langill – Pacific Pile Marine

Inclusive Leadership in Construction

Graham Murphy – Murphy Construction

Innovation & Productivity

Prefab MEP Washroom – ETRO Construction

Outstanding Woman in Construction

Krista Chisholm – Smith Brothers & Wilson

YCL Excellence in Construction Award

Keeli Husband – EllisDo

Zero Emissions Building Leadership

BCIT Timber – Ledcor Construction Limited

“Construction keeps evolving because people are willing to challenge what’s possible and ask how we can do things better,” said Martin. “Our Outstanding Achievement Award recipients are doing exactly that. They’re opening doors for others, building safer workplaces, finding smarter ways to work, and demonstrating the kind of leadership that moves our entire industry forward.”

From the projects transforming communities across B.C. to the people pushing the industry forward, the 2026 Awards of Excellence showcased the depth of talent, expertise, and leadership within construction. The VRCA extends its congratulations to all this year’s Silver Award winners, Gold Award winners, and Outstanding Achievement Award nominees and recipients.

Featured image: im Pattison Acute Care Tower at Royal Columbian Hospital. (BC Government)