The MAC Awards is the premier annual celebration for Ontario’s rental housing industry, bringing together over 1,200 attendees - from independent owners and operators to large third-party managers and REITs. This highly anticipated event honours outstanding achievement and elevates the standards of excellence championed by the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO).
We invite member organizations of all sizes to participate in this year’s MAC Awards and take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your leadership, innovation, and commitment to the rental housing sector. The MAC Awards will take place on Thursday, December 4th, in conjunction with The Buildings Show.
Do you have a standout employee worthy of industry-wide recognition? Is your company leading the way in customer service, community development, or building a positive workplace culture? The MAC Awards are your chance to shine. We are pleased to announce that this year's categories include two new additions; Climate Leadership Award and Rental Development of the Year - Secondary Market. Please note that the curb appeal category has been removed for 2025 and will return in 2026 with a refreshed direction.
We have implemented many changes over the last several years in an effort to streamline the submission process. Please review the requirements carefully before submitting your nominations. To learn more about award categories, eligibility, and how to apply, please review the information below and included in our submission package. For any questions, contact us at membership@frpo.org. Stay tuned for more updates as the event approaches!
The 2025 deadline for award submissions is Monday, September 22nd at 12:00 pm. Please allocate sufficient time to complete your submissions prior to the deadline, as late entries will not be accepted. As award criteria are updated annually, we kindly request that you carefully review each category. If you require any clarification, do not hesitate to contact us.
Please review all information listed below to ensure that you are fully prepared for your submissions. Failure to review criteria or eligibility may result in your submission being disqualified. Thank you
Submissions will be accepted until September 22nd at 12 pm and must be submitted via the online portal. Late submissions will not be accepted. Please allow enough time to upload your submissions ahead of the deadline. Depending on the size of your files and the number of people trying to upload, it can slow down the system. We encourage you to upload your submissions as early as possible so staff may assist should you encounter any issues. Thank you
Eligibility Information
The FRPO MAC Awards are open to member organizations of all sizes, and we highly encourage your participation in this process. Independent judging panels will evaluate the submissions and determine the top three finalists, including the ultimate winner. Finalists will be notified in advance. To be eligible for nomination, all applicants must be FRPO members in good standing, and any nominated buildings must be managed or owned by the submitting organization at the time of application and included in your FRPO membership fees. The MAC Awards only include Ontario based projects or buildings. FRPO reserves the right to cancel categories with insufficient entries and disqualify ineligible submissions.
All submissions must be completed directly through the online portal in the provided form fields specific to each award category. More information is provided below about this process. In addition, each organization will be limited to a maximum of two submissions per category unless otherwise noted on the category criteria page.
Preparing Your Submission:
· All required fields must be completed, and word limits strictly observed, in order for your submission to be accepted.
· Please do not include presentation-style documents (e.g., PowerPoint decks or heavily formatted slide layouts). Submissions should be provided in the form fields in the online portal with individual supplemental files
· Accepted file formats include: .jpg, .pdf, .eps, .png, .psd, .doc, .docx, .ai.
· Each file must not exceed 20MB, and each award category has a maximum number of files permitted for upload.
· Please ensure all required supporting materials and images are submitted, including a high-resolution version of your company logo.
· Once you have selected your files, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Submit.
· A confirmation will appear on-screen upon successful submission, and a confirmation email will also be sent from info@frpo.org. If you do not receive email confirmation, you may contact aperoff@frpo.org to check on our end before the submission deadline.
· FRPO reserves the right to amend or cancel award categories, as well as remove submissions that do not adhere to the published category criteria.
· Judging will take place in October, with a list of finalists announced in early November, approximately one month prior to the MAC Awards Gala.
New for 2025 - Virtual Staging and AI Enhancements
Virtual staging or AI enhanced images are permitted for the FRPO MAC Awards but must follow specific guidelines. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.
Only soft goods - such as furniture, rugs, plants, and artwork - may be virtually staged. Hard goods like light fixtures, appliances, faucets, flooring, or window coverings cannot be digitally altered.
Additionally, you may not remove flaws, move walls, or make any changes that present an unrealistic or misleading image. Renderings are NOT permitted in your submissions. FRPO reserves the right to remove any submissions that do not adhere to these parameters.
All virtually staged or AI-enhanced photos must be clearly labeled (as shown in the submission package) and must be accompanied by the original, unedited version for reference. Submissions will be required to identify they include virtual staging or AI enhanced images as part of your entry.
Maximum Number of Files
Each award category has a maximum number of files that may be uploaded, as outlined below:
· Social Media Excellence – up to 25 files
· Best Advertising Campaign – up to 35 files
· Best Property Management Website – up to 15 files
· Rental Development of the Year (Over or Under 200 Units, Secondary Market) – up to 50 files
· Environmental Excellence & Climate Leadership Award of Excellence – up to 20 files
· Best Amenities Renovation – up to 30 files
· Best Amenities - New Development – up to 25 files
· Best Lobby Renovation – up to 25 files
· Suite Renovation (Over or Under $50,000) – up to 35 files
· Personnel Awards (Resident Manager, Leasing Agent, or Property Manager) – up to 12 files
· Customer Service – up to 35 files
· Community Service (Supplier or Rental Housing Provider) – up to 20 files
· Company Culture – up to 20 files
· Impact Award – up to 20 files
Please ensure your total number of uploaded files does not exceed the limit for the category you are entering.
Submitting your Nomination
The award submission portal will open at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Please ensure that all submissions are received by Monday, September 22nd at 12:00 pm, as late submissions will not be accepted. Members will receive an email notification once the submission portal becomes available. Please note that most awards are exclusively open to rental housing providers. However, there is a community service award specifically designated for suppliers, as well as the company culture award, which welcomes participation from both suppliers and rental housing providers.
