Every two years this important event generates a lot of excitement. On May 9, nearly 350 colleagues, partners and friends gathered at the Montreal Casino Cabaret to pay tribute to the skills and talents of real estate standouts at the 2019–2020 BOMA Awards Gala. Please take a look at our press release. 

Alain Cadieux once again did the honours as host during a very dynamic evening dedicated to those who help propel the industry forward with the force  of their ideas and convictions. What a pleasure it was to be there and to meet and chat with colleagues and friends. It is an event I always love attending, and I hope that everyone present enjoyed the evening.

We had the pleasure of seeing some scenes from the new Montreal Casino production entitled Hollywood-New York, which premières on May 10. It was a colourful, lively performance that evoked the spirited energy of these two legendary cities. A must-see for music lovers.

I would like to thank our presenting partner GWL Realty Advisors and its representative, Mme Pascale Roy, vice-president Asset Management, who did a wonderful job as honorary president this year. We also learned about GWL's vision, ambitions and major upcoming projects. The firm is very keen on real estate in Quebec, and has been a partner of BOMA Quebec and BOMA Canada for many years. 

Raising Quebec's International Profile
The gala promotes the outstanding performance and innovative spirit of our members. Taking part in the BOMA Awards competition is a big commitment. It requires time, energy and a highly motivated team.

Candidates must meet the very high standards of the BOMA Awards. That is as it should be, because we are competing with the best in Canada and around the world. The competition is an opportunity to showcase our industry and our talents. I would like to thank Mme Anne Bélanger and the members of the jury for their great work. It is no easy task choosing the winners from among the finalists. 

On behalf of the board of directors, the committees, the jury and the BOMA Quebec team, I would like to thank all the finalists for participating and for the quality of their work. Our sincere congratulations to the six winning organizations. For some it is the beginning of an adventure that will take them to the national level and perhaps the international level. Good luck to all six of you! 

Thanks to all those who Support BOMA Quebec
The event was also an opportunity to take a moment to thank several people who have worked hard for the benefit of our association, generous individuals who volunteer to take on additional responsibilities in addition to their professional obligations. The President's Award and the new Exceptional Volunteer Award are a way of expressing our thanks and honouring their commitment.

This year it was an honour and a great pleasure to bestow the President's Award on the two co-creators of the Building Energy Challenge: Geneviève Gauthier, a member of the Integrated Technical Management Committee, and Mario Poirier, outgoing president of BOMA Quebec. The presentation video is available here. 

The new Exceptional Volunteer Award was proposed by the Building Management Committee as a way of paying tribute to our loyal volunteers who work very hard, often in the background. The 12 BOMA Quebec committees were asked to suggest outstanding volunteers, and the winners were chosen by a jury consisting of members of the executive committee. The Exceptional Volunteer Award was given to Steve Gilbert, for his proactive involvement on the Greater Quebec City Committee and for his impressive lectures and presentations, and also to Ralph Karawani, for his ongoing work since 2012 promoting the industry and our association among a new generation of young real estate professionals. 

The evening also offered a chance to extend our sincere thanks to Raynald Lachance, who has long provided proactive support to BOMA Quebec, notably as a member of the board of directors from 2012 to 2019, and also as a member of the executive committee from 2016 to 2018. Once again, thank you Raynald.

Bravo for BOMA BESt® Certification
Congratulations to the 31 teams that received their BOMA BESt® certificates at the gala. Bravo for your commitment. You are a model for others to follow. 

Many thanks to those who made this magnificent evening possible, especially Marie-Claude Lavoie and the members of the organizing committee, our full-time staff, our loyal annual partners and our precious sponsors, without whom none of all this would have taken shape. You make a fundamental and much appreciated impact.

Have a wonderful summer! 

Bruno Turcotte
President