Toronto, ON – May 5, 2021 – Campus Living Centres was recognized for overall business performance and sustained growth with the prestigious Canada’s Best Managed Companies designation for the seventh year in a row, and its first as a Platinum Club member. The 2021 Best Managed program award winners are amongst the best-in-class of Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues over $25 million demonstrating leadership in the areas of strategy, capabilities and innovation, culture and commitment, and financials to achieve sustainable growth.
Now in its 28th year, Canada’s Best Managed Companies remains one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies for innovative, world-class business practices. Every year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates the calibre of their management abilities and practices.
“Growing the business and continuing to exceed client expectations in the midst of a pandemic has been challenging, to say the least,” said Brian Freeman, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Development, Campus Living Centres. “While the focus was on keeping students safe and implementing rigorous protocols around COVID-19, we’ve worked closely with our institutional partners, both public and private, to consider what business could look like, post-COVID.”
Understanding that ‘business as usual’ will not resemble what it did pre-pandemic in the short-term, Campus Living Centres created virtual training modules, enhanced resources around student mental health, and collaborated closely with clients to ensure a safe service delivery model. While 2020 posed unique challenges and obstacles, student beds under the management portfolio increased by 25%. Brian adds, “This is a tribute to our team of dedicated and committed individuals who continue to go above and beyond in taking care of our clients and students, under exceptionally challenging circumstances.”
“To become a Best Managed Platinum Club winner is nothing short of remarkable. Their continued adaptability in an era of uncertainty sets the standard for how to overcome new barriers and demonstrate resilience at the highest levels,” said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte Private and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. “This year’s Platinum Club winners are the Canadian cornerstone for outstanding business in 2021.”
Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel comprised of representatives from program sponsors in addition to special guest judges. 2021 Best Managed companies share commonalities that include (but are not limited to) enabling a remote workforce, making employee health a top priority, acting with an increased sense of purpose and social responsibility, and a significantly heightened focus on cash flow.
In a service driven business, managing student and staff anxiety, particularly at the onset of the pandemic, was overwhelming at times. In an effort to overcome those fears and anxieties, the Campus Living Centres’ senior team quickly pivoted towards developing and implementing COVID safety protocols. Working with the various public health units across the country, a comprehensive manual was developed that would become a living, breathing playbook for how to handle a potential outbreak within a building. “We’re so incredibly proud of all of our employees, as they navigated through a very challenging year. We accept this award on behalf of our 600 employees, as at the end of the day, they make it all possible”, said Michael Paul, Senior Vice President, Operations, Campus Living Centres.
“CIBC is especially proud to celebrate and recognize the winners of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in what has been a very challenging year”, said Dino Medves, Senior Vice President and Head, CIBC Commercial Banking. “These companies had to make tough decisions, adapt quickly to a new environment and most importantly, continue to innovate and invest for the future.
2021 winners of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies award will be honoured at a virtual gala. The Best Managed virtual symposium will address leading-edge business issues that are key to the success of today’s business leaders.
The Best Managed program is sponsored by Deloitte Private, CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business, and TMX Group.
About Canada’s Best Managed Companies
Canada’s Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $25 million. Every year since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices.
The awards are granted on four levels: 1) Canada’s Best Managed Companies new winner (one of the new winners selected each year); 2) Canada’s Best Managed Companies winner (award recipients that have re-applied and successfully retained their Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 3) Gold Standard winner (after three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully retained their award for 4-6 consecutive years); 4) Platinum Club member (winners that have maintained their Best Managed status for seven years or more). Program sponsors are Deloitte Private, CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business, and TMX Group.
For more information, please contact:
bestmanagedcompanies@deloitte.ca
www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca
About Campus Living Centres
Campus Living Centres was founded in 1989 with the purpose of assisting colleges and universities and with the planning, design, financing, and management of student housing and conference facilities. As the largest operator of student housing in Canada, Campus Living Centres has a portfolio of approximately 30,000 beds, which includes a combination of both managed and/or owned student housing developments, and commercial real estate. We are partnered with 27 Canadian post-secondary institutions, and have successfully completed 18 P-3 student housing projects to date.
Contact information:
Clarence Chong
Director, Marketing & Sales
416-620-0635 ext. 8160
cchong@campuslivingcentres.com
campuslivingcentres.com