May 27, 2026
The City of Edmonton’s Corporate Employee Recognition and Appreciation Framework (CERAF) is the winner of the 2026 Municipal Inspiring Workplace Award in the over 100,000 population category. The national award from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) recognizes Canadian municipalities for fostering outstanding workplace cultures, employee experience and leadership.
The CERAF elevates municipal employee recognition by moving beyond traditional one-size-fits-all models. The framework uses a strategic dual-pillar approach that balances formal excellence awards with the vital practice of daily appreciation for City employees.
“The Corporate Employee Recognition and Appreciation Framework defines our commitment to a workplace where employees feel valued and appreciated. Fostering a culture of recognition is essential to our collective success,” said Eddie Robar, City Manager. “CERAF provides the guiding principles for all our recognition programs, ensuring a safe, seen and appreciated workforce that delivers better public service.”
“CAMA is pleased to recognize Edmonton for the municipal excellence demonstrated by their framework,” said Brenda Orchard, CAMA President, CAMA Representative for Ontario, and Chief Administrative Officer for Lennox and Addington County, ON. “It has served as a cultural catalyst for the City of Edmonton, transforming recognition into a core leadership behaviour.”
Designed with fiscal sustainability and equity at its core, the CERAF brings a previously fragmented system into a cohesive recognition experience for all employees. Its impact is reflected in high-engagement initiatives, including the City’s annual employee recognition event, the Cultural Commitments Awards, which generated more than 15,000 points of engagement in 2025. A peer-to-peer e-card program has also recorded more than 30,000 individual acts of gratitude since its launch.
The programs are grounded in the City’s corporate Cultural Commitments: Safe, Helpful, Accountable, Integrated and Excellent. Each act of gratitude reinforces the behaviours needed to deliver on the City’s Corporate Promise: “Working together, aligned with City Council, we enable a better life for all Edmontonians.”
The CERAF includes a range of programs and services that support recognition and appreciation across the City, including:
- Cultural Commitments Awards: Celebrating peer-nominated employees who champion our Cultural Commitments.
- Long Service Awards: Recognizing employees' dedication at significant service milestones.
- Celebrating You - Employee Appreciation Program: An annual program empowering leadership to express appreciation for their teams.
A cornerstone of the framework is its success in creating a cohesive culture of appreciation across the full diversity of City workspaces, ensuring teams at even the most remote worksites feel seen, heard and valued.
By prioritizing intentional, human-centered connections, the City of Edmonton’s CERAF offers a scalable blueprint for modern municipalities and demonstrates how a recognized, valued and supported workforce is the foundation of exceptional public service.
