Awards & Recognition

Events East earned significant recognition from our community, industry, and peers for our exceptional events, leadership excellence, and social impact this year.

In September, the Halifax Convention Centre was nominated by the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) for 2SLGBTQIA+ Community Impact Award at the CGLCC's 2024 Business Leadership Awards in Toronto. As one of the first Rainbow Registered businesses in the Atlantic region, the Halifax Convention Centre was recognized by CGLCC for creating an inclusive, welcoming space for our 2SLGBTQIA+ employees, guests, and community. Our initiatives including pronoun training, gender awareness training, EDIA courses, and our participation in the Halifax PRIDE Parade, supported our nomination.

In January, Events East was a proud Finalist for the Business of the Year award at the 2025 Halifax Business Awards. Hosted at the Halifax Convention Centre and presented by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the Halifax Business Awards showcase Halifax’s best and brightest businesses and business leaders who make significant economic and cultural impacts to our city. This year, Events East was recognized for significant financial and performance milestones among businesses like Peace by Chocolate, 7 Virtues, Ambassatours, Dash Social, and many more who keep Nova Scotia’s business community innovative, competitive, and thriving. 

"This recognition as a Finalist for Business of the Year is truly notable for our organization. It would not have happened without the contributions of our exceptional event and management teams.”

- Carrie Cussons, President & CEO, Events East.

In the spring, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) released its 2024 City and Country Rankings, which measures the volume of international events at convention centres around the world and provides insight into the popularity and performance of event destinations. This year, Halifax ranked fourth in Canada for the number of international conventions hosted (just behind Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver). This is a climb of four spots from eighth in 2023 from more than doubling qualifying events. 

“This incredible recognition reflects the momentum we’re seeing in Halifax and the hard work of our amazing team at the Halifax Convention Centre, along with partners like Discover Halifax who champion our city on the global stage,” 

- Suzanne Fougere, Events East’s Executive Vice-President.

In May, the MPI Atlantic Canada Chapter announced the Halifax Convention Centre as a nominee for the new Waves of Change Award in the 2025 MPI Atlantic Awards. The Waves of Change Award recognizes efforts towards inclusion, accessibility and sustainability. The 2024 JUNO Awards, jointly hosted at the Halifax Convention Centre, was also a nominee for the Event of the Year Award, and our Senior Manager of Event Operations, Jenn Cotterill, was nominated for the 2025 Member of the Year Award.

In 2024-25, the Halifax Convention Centre reached significant business and financial performance milestones. And, like any organization, the momentum towards our success is driven from the top. Since 2018, President & CEO Carrie Cussons has set the direction and vision for the Halifax Convention Centre, inspiring our teams to achieve targets, optimize processes, and enhance guest and event experiences.

For her leadership excellence, Carrie was awarded the Fellow designation from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Nova Scotia, the profession’s highest mark of distinction. The honorary designation was awarded to CPAs whose career achievements and service to the community honour the profession. Carrie was among 10 outstanding CPAs celebrated at the 2024 Member Awards Dinner in October. The FCPA designation recognized Carrie’s excellence in corporate governance, financial performance, and dedicated service to the community, demonstrated with the support of colleagues and peers throughout her career.

In November, Carrie was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful CEOs in the 2024 WXN Top 100 Awards in Toronto. The Top 100 WXN Awards celebrate women leaders like Carrie who redefine possibilities for women in leadership through their power, passion, and purpose. This prestigious national award from the Women's Executive Network acknowledged Carrie’s leadership and impact regionally and across Canada. Her achievements as President & CEO have meaningfully transformed the events industry, the local community, and improved the reputation of Halifax on a national scale.

In May, Atlantic Business Magazine named Carrie one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada at the 2025 Top 50 CEO Awards Gala at the Halifax Convention Centre. Since 1998, the annual celebration has recognized business leaders across all four Atlantic provinces who demonstrate exceptional performance in their organization’s corporate growth, industry innovation, and community involvement, and Carrie’s vision and passion have placed her among our region’s best. “It is an honour to be named among other CEOs in Atlantic Canada who are working to create a vibrant, diverse, and economically strong region full of opportunity,” Carrie shared.

"Accessibility for all is the essence of a vibrant, caring, and inclusive community.”

- P. Earl Muise, Event East Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Following the release of Events East’s Accessibility Framework, we set to work on investing in building upgrades and accessibility enhancements that would improve meaningful access to the Halifax Convention Centre for our employees and guests. This year, the Halifax Convention Centre reached a major milestone and achieved Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ in October – a national approval that tells clients and staff that the Convention Centre is accessible to all.

The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) is a Canada-wide program that evaluates public-access buildings on their level of accessibility from a people-first perspective. RHFAC adjudicators measure everything from entrances and exits to wayfinding, washrooms, and emergency systems. Since 2021, Events East has made significant investments and capital upgrades to improve accessibility throughout the Halifax Convention Centre, including the installation of:

• Tactile flooring indicators, which help visitors navigate with ease.
• Barrier-free entries and exits, ensuring navigable access points for all.
• Accessible, clear, and easy-to-read signage for better navigation.
• Washroom improvements, including upgraded signage to assist guests.
• Enhanced security procedures to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort.

With the support from our Accessibility Advisory Committee, a dedicated group of public members and advocates with lived experience, the Halifax Convention Centre will continue to improve accessibility standards to achieve RHF Gold Certification in the future. Beyond meeting accessible building standards, the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ ensures that everyone, regardless of abilities, can fully participate in and experience the Halifax Convention Centre.  

"This accomplishment is a testament to the Halifax Convention Centre's commitment to inclusivity. The upgrades demonstrate a dedication to creating an environment that is welcoming and accessible for everyone. This achievement not only contributes to the broader goals of an Accessible Nova Scotia by 2030, but also reflects the values of an inclusive community." 

- Dawn Stegen, Executive Director, Accessibility Directorate, Province of Nova Scotia.