TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/21/10 -- As investors searched for signs of sustained economic recovery during 2009, they praised Canadian companies for ramping up communications despite the global financial chill. In the recent survey to identify the winners of the 13th annual IR Magazine Canada Awards, nearly one third (30 percent) of analysts and portfolio managers said they're getting more information now than before the crisis, around double the number from last year.

This year's nominees come from a range of different sectors and market-cap sizes, including oil & gas, finance and mining. The survey process focused especially on smaller-cap companies to more accurately reflect the makeup of the Canadian market. A full list of this year's award nominees and a list of the sector leaders are available below, or on our website at www.irmagazinecanada.com.

The independent awards survey was conducted by Mary Maude Research using samples provided by Thomson Reuters and Equicom and additional data from TMX Group. To identify the nominees in two special categories, PrecisionIR Group surveyed retail investors and Erdos & Morgan surveyed US investment professionals. The complete results of the survey will be published in IR magazine's Investor Perception Study, Canada 2010.

The winners will be announced at a gala event at the Fairmont Royal York on Wednesday, February 17, 2010. Leading companies will be recognized in categories including best investor relations officer, best corporate governance, and best investor relations in the US market by a Canadian company.

The event will be hosted in association with the Globe and Mail and is co-sponsored by Bell, Broadridge, Business Wire, the Canadian Investor Relations Institute, CCR Solutions, CNW Group, Georgeson, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, Marketwire, NASDAQ OMX, NYSE Euronext, OTCQX, RR Donnelley, THE WORKS and TMX Group.

The IR magazine investor perception studies together make up the world's largest survey of this kind, each year canvassing over 5,000 analysts and investors around the world and identifying award winners in seven different countries or regions. For more information on these studies, please contact Katy Littlewood at the number at the bottom of this release.

About Cross Border Ltd and IR magazine

Cross Border Ltd is the publisher in New York and London of IR magazine, the only global publication focused on the interface between companies and their investors. IR magazine hosts events in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Brazil. Visit www.thecrossbordergroup.com for more details.

Full list of nominees
(Alphabetical order - winners to be announced February 17)

Grand prix for best overall investor relations - mega-cap(i)
CN
EnCana
Rogers Communications
Talisman Energy

Grand prix for best overall investor relations - large cap(i)
Agnico-Eagle Mines
ARC Resources
Crescent Point Energy
Shoppers Drug Mart

Grand prix for best overall investor relations - mid-cap(i)
Canadian Hydro Developers(ii)
Cascades
Transcontinental
Westport Innovations

Grand prix for best overall investor relations - small cap(i)
Allon Therapeutics
Angle Energy
COM DEV International
Theratechnologies

Best investor relations officer - mega-cap
Robert Noorigian - CN
Bruce Mann - Rogers Communications
John Rogers - Suncor Energy
Frank Golden - Thomson Reuters

Best investor relations officer - large cap
David Carey - ARC Resources
Sharon Loung - First Quantum Minerals
Jason Fleury - Penn West Energy
Lisa Ciulka - Trinidad Drilling

Best investor relations officer - small or mid-cap
Patrick Elliott - Canfor
Didier Filion - Cascades
Dale Noseworthy - Killam Properties
Darren Seed - Westport Innovations

Best investor relations by a CEO - small to large cap
Sean Boyd - Agnico-Eagle Mines
John Cassaday - Corus Entertainment
Jurgen Schreiber - Shoppers Drug Mart

Best investor relations by a CFO - small to large cap
David Garofalo - Agnico-Eagle Mines
J Huw Thomas - Canadian Tire
Tom Peddie - Corus Entertainment

Best investment community meetings - small to large cap
Agnico-Eagle Mines
ARC Resources
Corus Entertainment
Penn West Energy

Best investor relations website
PotashCorp
TD Bank Financial Group
TELUS

Best use of conferencing
EnCana
Rogers Communications
Teck Resources
Vermilion Energy Trust

Best corporate governance
Canadian Natural Resources
CN
Royal Bank of Canada
Suncor Energy

Most progress in investor relations
HudBay Minerals
IAMGOLD
Talisman Energy

Best CSR practice
EnCana
Suncor Energy
TELUS

Best investor relations by a TSX Venture Exchange company
Cervus Equipment Corporation
Energold Drilling
H2O Innovation

Best retail investor communications
Enbridge
Royal Bank of Canada
TD Bank Financial Group

Best investor relations in the US market by a Canadian company
PotashCorp
Research In Motion
Royal Bank of Canada

(i)Note about market caps: Mega-cap (over $10 bn), large cap
($1 bn to $10 bn), mid-cap ($250 to $1 bn) and small cap (under $250 mn)
all refer to quoted market value as of the end of August 2009.
The survey was conducted in October and November 2008.

(ii)Canadian Hydro Developers was acquired by TransAlta in November, 2009,
after the survey closed.

Sector leaders

Clean technologies
Westport Innovations

Communications & media
Rogers Communications

Diversified industries
CN

Financial services
TD Bank Financial Group

Forest products
Cascades

Life sciences
Biovail

Mining
Agnico-Eagle Mines

Oil & gas
EnCana

Real estate
Killam Properties

Technology
Research In Motion

Utilities & pipelines
TransCanada