EY Canada honours entrepreneurs driving the Canadian economy forward with 2026 Lifetime Achievement and Family Business Awards of Excellence

EmitenTrust.com The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2026 /CNW/ -- Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples - EY Canada proudly announces the 2026 regional recipients of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Lifetime Achievement and Family Business Awards of Excellence, which recognize accomplished entrepreneurs and family business leaders whose companies have become part of Canada's economic and cultural fabric.

This year's honourees have built nationally recognized brands, created opportunities for entrepreneurs and employees across the country, and demonstrated how Canadian businesses can achieve lasting impact both here in Canada and beyond.

Spanning fashion, real estate, food and beverages, and grocery retail, this year's recipients have challenged convention and built enduring organizations, representing the breadth and strength of Canadian entrepreneurship. They will be celebrated alongside regional winners at the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award shows this October.

"This year's recipients have built businesses that Canadians admire and trust, while creating lasting economic and social impact in communities across the country," says Daniel Baer, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Canada Program Director. "Their achievements remind us that some of the world's most influential companies and brands are built right here in Canada. Canadians should be proud of their legacies."

2026 Prairies Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence

Dale Wishewan, Booster Juice 

When Dale Wishewan opened the first Booster Juice location in Sherwood Park, Alberta in the winter of 1999, the idea of a smoothie and juice quick-service concept succeeding in Canada was far from certain. Dale Wishewan recognized early that Canadians were looking for convenient, great-tasting options that supported more active and health-conscious lifestyles. Over more than two decades, he built Booster Juice into one of Canada's most recognizable homegrown brands, proving that a quick-service concept born in the Prairies could scale nationally. Through the franchise model, Wishewan has created opportunities for entrepreneurs across Canada, supported local job creation and contributed to communities from coast to coast.

Today, Booster Juice stands as one of the Prairies region's most successful business growth stories and a testament to what can happen when entrepreneurs challenge conventional thinking.

"This is a huge honour to be recognized alongside such an esteemed list of past recipients," says Wishewan. "It has been such an enjoyable journey building such a well-recognized Canadian brand and having such amazing franchise partners, team members and loyal customers across Canada."

Learn more about Dale Wishewan's entrepreneurial journey

2026 Eastern Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence

Andrew Lutfy, Groupe Dynamite 

Few Canadian retail leaders have demonstrated the longevity and adaptability of Andrew Lutfy. Andrew started his career at 18 working at the first GARAGE store in Montréal and went on to shape Groupe Dynamite into one of Canada's leading fashion retailers, competing successfully in some of the world's most demanding retail markets. After becoming sole owner in 2002, he guided the business through decades of change in an intensely competitive industry, transforming the company's operating model and building GARAGE into an increasingly global brand.

Today, Groupe Dynamite's brands are recognized by shoppers across Canada, the UK, the US and beyond, while Lutfy's entrepreneurial influence extends beyond retail through Carbonleo, a Montréal-based real estate development company behind iconic destination projects including the Four Seasons Montréal, Quartier DIX30 and ROYALMOUNT.

Lutfy's journey reflects the power of ambition, reinvention and long-term brand building.

"I have never viewed entrepreneurship as protecting what you have built. It is about having the courage to keep reinventing it," says Lutfy. "The greatest privilege of my career has been building alongside extraordinary people -- giving them the trust, ownership and freedom to turn ambitious ideas into reality. I am deeply proud that so much of what we have built began in Québec and is now competing, growing and succeeding on an international stage."

Learn more about Andrew Lutfy's entrepreneurial journey

2026 Pacific Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence

Anthony von Mandl, The Mark Anthony Group of Companies 

For more than five decades, Anthony von Mandl has demonstrated entrepreneurial leadership and global brand-building. Since founding The Mark Anthony Group in 1972, he has transformed a small British Columbia venture into one of the world's most successful beverage companies. His career has been defined by disciplined vision and calculated risk-taking, from helping advance premium wine production in Canada to reshaping the ready-to-drink category through brands including White Claw Hard Seltzer and Mike's Hard Lemonade.

From helping elevate Canadian wine production to pioneering successful consumer beverage innovations, von Mandl's story shows how long-term stewardship can unlock the global potential of entrepreneurship rooted in Canada.

"This award isn't just in recognition of one's career accomplishments, it's a testament to the fact that each one of us has the potential to achieve far more in our lives than we could ever imagine," says von Mandl. "Wholeheartedly, it's the people we bring together who enable us to create our world-class brands and introduce them to the world.

Learn more about Anthony von Mandl's entrepreneurial journey

2026 Ontario Family Business Award of Excellence

Cindy Lee and Tina Lee, T&T Supermarket Inc.

The story of T&T is a reflection and celebration of multiculturalism in Canada. Cindy Lee founded T&T Supermarket to bring culture, family and community into the grocery experience. Since its first stores opened in 1993, T&T has grown from a family-led idea into the country's largest Asian supermarket chain, bringing once hard-to-find foods and traditions to a broader audience while inspiring greater awareness, appreciation and pride in Asian culture.

Today, Cindy's daughter Tina Lee is carrying forward that legacy while leading the company into its next phase of growth and innovation. Under her leadership, T&T continues to expand the reach and visibility of culturally rooted retail, building on the company's role in paving the way for categories such as dumplings, steamed buns, mangoes, k-beauty skincare, which elevate the communities behind them. The transition from one generation to the next exemplifies the strength of family entrepreneurship and the enduring values that underpin many of Canada's most successful businesses.

"This recognition is a reminder that Canadian innovation isn't just alive, it's thriving, and there's real opportunity for the next generation of entrepreneurs to build on that," says Tina Lee. "I'm proud of the role we've played in the evolution of Asian food culture in Canada, helping elevate Asian cooking and making it more accessible, exciting and celebrated."

Learn more about Cindy and Tina Lee's entrepreneurial journey

For more information about the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program and upcoming regional celebrations, visit ey.com/ca/eoy.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program shines a spotlight on entrepreneurs across Canada who master the artful balance of passion, determination, character and skill to create businesses that address the most complex challenges and build a better working world. By joining the program, you'll have the opportunity to celebrate success with your team, inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and gain access to an exclusive global network of program participants to help you build connections, fuel success and navigate long-term growth.

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP.

SOURCE EY (Ernst & Young)