TORONTO, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) is pleased to announce that the Traditional (those with brick-and-mortar locations) and Non-Traditional (those that are mobile or home-based) Grand Prize winners of the 2025 CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising are McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada and EverLine Coatings and Services, respectively. The Grand Prize award was granted to two winners to reflect the range of franchise opportunities on the market.
“Franchising in Canada encompasses a broad range of industries, from quick service restaurant franchises like McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada to home-based service franchises like EverLine Coatings and Services. The dedication of franchisees across diverse industries powers the nation forward,” says Sherry McNeil, CFA President and Chief Executive Officer. “To reflect this diversity and to ensure participating franchise systems are being rated against their peers, the CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising program includes seven categories and two Grand Prizes.”
Considered the pinnacle of franchise achievement in Canada, the CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising are given annually to franchise systems that have demonstrated superior franchise relations, leadership, training, and communications. The Grand Prizes were presented at the Awards Gala Dinner during the 2025 CFA National Convention at Sheraton Fallsview, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
“The CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising acknowledges the top achievers in the Canadian franchising industry. The winners have exemplified the significance of Growing Together® by showcasing the symbiotic relationship between franchisor and franchisee,” says McNeil. “Regardless of the size or concept, a strong relationship between the franchisor and its franchisees is fundamental to a franchise system’s success. We congratulate McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada and EverLine Coatings and Services for their outstanding achievements.”
The CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising program received overwhelming participation from CFA member franchise brands this year. Sponsored by the CFA and administered by the Portage Group, a third-party research firm, the winning franchise systems were determined based on the results of a survey completed by participating brands’ franchisees about their experiences and levels of satisfaction with the system.
Entries were separated into Traditional Franchises and Non-Traditional Franchises. Within these categories, entrants were grouped based on their number of franchisees. These categories reflect the diversity of franchising and the spectrum of franchise opportunities available in today’s market.
The CFA also presented the Franchisee of the Year Award, recognizing top-performing franchisees for their unique accomplishments and excellence in business performance, community service, and brand involvement. COBS Bread’s Sarah Lisk received the Gold in the Traditional category and Hickory Dickory Decks’ Greg O’Brien was the Gold winner in the Non-Traditional category.
“The Franchisee of the Year Award credits a franchisee for their outstanding performance and contribution in helping the Canadian franchising community become Stronger Together,” says McNeil. “We congratulate Sarah Lisk and Greg O’Brien for receiving this prestigious honour.”
Separated into Traditional and Non-Traditional Franchises, winners for the Franchisee of the Year Award were determined by the CFA’s Awards Committee based on the strength of the participating entrants’ award submissions.
The 2025 CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising winners are:
The 2025 CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising Grand Prize
Traditional Franchises: McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada | Non-Traditional Franchises: EverLine Coatings and Services
Traditional Franchises (i.e. brick-and-mortar locations)
6-15 Franchises
Gold: Inspiration Learning Center – Tutoring and Private School
Silver: Au Pain Doré
Bronze: Pacini Canada
16-29 Franchises
Gold: Symposium Cafe Restaurant & Lounge
Silver: MaxWell Realty
Bronze: Willowbrae Childcare Academy
30-99 Franchises
Gold: Crock A Doodle
Silver: FASTSIGNS International
Bronze: Oxford Learning Centres
100+ Franchises
Gold: McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada
Silver: Pizza Nova
Bronze: A&W Food Services of Canada
Non-Traditional Franchises (i.e. mobile, home-based, etc.)
6-15 Franchises
Gold: Wise Cracks
Silver: Lice Squad.com
Bronze: Stagecoach Theatre Arts (Canada) Limited
16-29 Franchises
Gold: EverLine Coatings and Services
Silver: CertaPro Painters
Bronze: Heart To Home Meals
30+ Franchises
Gold: Paul Davis Restoration
Silver: PropertyGuys.com
Bronze: Right at Home Canada
For more information about the CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising, visit www.cfa.ca
The 2025 CFA Franchisee of the Year Award Winners are:
Non-Traditional Franchises
Gold: Greg O’Brien, Hickory Dickory Decks
Silver: Robert Daigle, InXpress
Bronze: Dejan and Olga Radulovic, JDI Cleaning Systems
Traditional Franchises
Gold: Sarah Lisk, COBS Bread
Silver: Jean-Sebastien Carre and Sophia Stiperski, Orangetheory Fitness
Bronze: Frank Goldschleger, Mad Science Group
The CFA Franchisee of the Year Program is sponsored by Constant Contact.
For more information about the CFA Franchisee of the Year Award, visit www.cfa.ca
The CFA encourages those considering franchising to Look for the CFA Logo, which signifies that the brand in question follows the CFA code of ethics and is committed to excellence in franchising.
About the Canadian Franchise Association
The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) helps everyday Canadians realize the dream of building their own business through the power of franchising. The CFA advocates on issues that impact this dream on behalf of more than 600 corporate members and over 40,000 franchisees from many of Canada’s best-known and emerging franchise brands. Beyond its role as the voice of the franchise industry, the CFA strengthens and develops franchising by delivering best-practice education and creating rewarding connections between Canadians and the opportunities in franchising. Franchising is the 12th largest industry in Canada and franchised businesses contribute over $133 billion per year to the Canadian economy, creating jobs for almost two million Canadians. Learn more at: www.cfa.ca or http://www.FranchiseCanada.online.
CFA Media Contact:
Akanksha Patil
Fishman Canada
Tel: 647-838-9248 | Email: [email protected]
