Canada's investment community names the best in investor relations

Announcing the companies and individuals nominated for the annual IR Magazine Canada Awards

TORONTO , Jan. 21 /CNW/ - As investors searched for signs of sustained economic recovery during 2009, they praised Canadian companies for ramping up communications despite the global financial chill. In the recent survey to identify the winners of the 13th annual IR Magazine Canada Awards, nearly one third (30 percent) of analysts and portfolio managers said they're getting more information now than before the crisis, around double the number from last year.

This year's nominees come from a range of different sectors and market-cap sizes, including oil & gas, finance and mining. The survey process focused especially on smaller-cap companies to more accurately reflect the makeup of the Canadian market. A full list of this year's award nominees and a list of the sector leaders are available below, or on our website at www.irmagazinecanada.com.

The independent awards survey was conducted by Mary Maude Research using samples provided by Thomson Reuters and Equicom and additional data from TMX Group. To identify the nominees in two special categories, PrecisionIR Group surveyed retail investors and Erdos & Morgan surveyed US investment professionals. The complete results of the survey will be published in IR magazine's Investor Perception Study, Canada 2010.

The winners will be announced at a gala event at the Fairmont Royal York on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 . Leading companies will be recognized in categories including best investor relations officer, best corporate governance, and best investor relations in the US market by a Canadian company.

The event will be hosted in association with the Globe and Mail and is co-sponsored by Bell, Broadridge, Business Wire, the Canadian Investor Relations Institute, CCR Solutions, CNW Group, Georgeson, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, Marketwire, NASDAQ OMX, NYSE Euronext, OTCQX, RR Donnelley, THE WORKS and TMX Group.

The IR magazine investor perception studies together make up the world's largest survey of this kind, each year canvassing over 5,000 analysts and investors around the world and identifying award winners in seven different countries or regions. For more information on these studies, please contact Katy Littlewood at the number at the bottom of this release.

About Cross Border Ltd and IR magazine

Cross Border Ltd is the publisher in New York and London of IR magazine, the only global publication focused on the interface between companies and their investors. IR magazine hosts events in the US, UK, Europe , Canada , Singapore , Hong Kong , China and Brazil . Visit www.thecrossbordergroup.com for more details.

    
    Full list of nominees
    (Alphabetical order - winners to be announced February 17)

    Grand prix for best overall investor relations - mega-cap*
    CN
    EnCana
    Rogers Communications
    Talisman Energy

    Grand prix for best overall investor relations - large cap*
    Agnico-Eagle Mines
    ARC Resources
    Crescent Point Energy
    Shoppers Drug Mart

    Grand prix for best overall investor relations - mid-cap*
    Canadian Hydro Developers(xx)
    Cascades
    Transcontinental
    Westport Innovations

    Grand prix for best overall investor relations - small cap*
    Allon Therapeutics
    Angle Energy
    COM DEV International
    Theratechnologies

    Best investor relations officer - mega-cap
    Robert Noorigian - CN
    Bruce Mann - Rogers Communications
    John Rogers - Suncor Energy
    Frank Golden - Thomson Reuters

    Best investor relations officer - large cap
    David Carey - ARC Resources
    Sharon Loung - First Quantum Minerals
    Jason Fleury - Penn West Energy
    Lisa Ciulka - Trinidad Drilling

    Best investor relations officer - small or mid-cap
    Patrick Elliott - Canfor
    Didier Filion - Cascades
    Dale Noseworthy - Killam Properties
    Darren Seed - Westport Innovations

    Best investor relations by a CEO - small to large cap
    Sean Boyd - Agnico-Eagle Mines
    John Cassaday - Corus Entertainment
    Jürgen Schreiber - Shoppers Drug Mart

    Best investor relations by a CFO - small to large cap
    David Garofalo - Agnico-Eagle Mines
    J Huw Thomas - Canadian Tire
    Tom Peddie - Corus Entertainment

    Best investment community meetings - small to large cap
    Agnico-Eagle Mines
    ARC Resources
    Corus Entertainment
    Penn West Energy

    Best investor relations website
    PotashCorp
    TD Bank Financial Group
    TELUS

    Best use of conferencing
    EnCana
    Rogers Communications
    Teck Resources
    Vermilion Energy Trust

    Best corporate governance
    Canadian Natural Resources
    CN
    Royal Bank of Canada
    Suncor Energy

    Most progress in investor relations
    HudBay Minerals
    IAMGOLD
    Talisman Energy

    Best CSR practice
    EnCana
    Suncor Energy
    TELUS

    Best investor relations by a TSX Venture Exchange company
    Cervus Equipment Corporation
    Energold Drilling
    H(2)O Innovation

    Best retail investor communications
    Enbridge
    Royal Bank of Canada
    TD Bank Financial Group

    Best investor relations in the US market by a Canadian company
    PotashCorp
    Research In Motion
    Royal Bank of Canada

    * Note about market caps: Mega-cap (over $10 bn), large cap ($1 bn to
        $10 bn), mid-cap ($250 mn to $1 bn) and small cap (under $250 mn) all
        refer to quoted market value as of the end of August 2009. The survey
        was conducted in October and November 2008.
    (xx)Canadian Hydro Developers was acquired by TransAlta in November,
        2009, after the survey closed.


    Sector leaders
    --------------

    Clean technologies
    Westport Innovations

    Communications & media
    Rogers Communications

    Diversified industries
    CN

    Financial services
    TD Bank Financial Group

    Forest products
    Cascades

    Life sciences
    Biovail

    Mining
    Agnico-Eagle Mines

    Oil & gas
    EnCana

    Real estate
    Killam Properties

    Technology
    Research In Motion

    Utilities & pipelines
    TransCanada
    

For further information: Katy Littlewood, Webcomms coordinator, Email: [email protected], Tel (direct): [phone]