Morningstar Awards: And the winners are…

Morningstar Research Inc., a Canadian subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc., an independent investment research provider, has announced the winners of the 2012 Morningstar Canadian Investment Awards.

In its 18th edition, the annual awards are designed to help investors identify the year’s most exceptional funds and fund managers in Canada.

This year’s awards gala, held last night in Toronto, honoured companies and individuals that have made a difference in the lives of investors through superior investment products, service, marketing, and education.

Read: Morningstar Awards: What the winners say

Here’s a complete list of winners:

Morningstar Domestic Equity Fund Manager of the Year Winner: Oscar Belaiche, GCIC Ltd.

Morningstar Foreign Equity Fund Manager of the Year Winner: David Ragan, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Morningstar Fixed-Income Fund Manager of the Year Winner: PH&N Fixed Income Team, RBC Global Asset Management Inc.

Morningstar Analysts’ Choice Fund Company of the Year Winner: RBC Global Asset Management Inc.

Morningstar ETF Provider of the Year Winner: iShares, BlackRock Canada

Advisors’ Choice Investment Fund Company of the Year Winner: Fidelity Investments Canada ULC Finalists: CI Investments Inc. Dynamic Funds

Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) Investor Education Award Winner: Brandes Scholarship Program, Brandes Investment Partners & Co. Finalists: Brighter Life, Sun Life Financial Retirement U, Mackenzie Investments

Career Achievement Award Winner: Arthur Labatt, co-founder of Trimark Financial

Best Canadian Balanced Fund Winner: Steadyhand Income, Steadyhand Investment Funds Inc. Finalists: Fidelity Monthly Income, Fidelity Investments Canada ULC Norrep Income Growth, Hesperian Capital Management Ltd. TD Monthly Income, TD Asset Management Inc.

Best Global Balanced Fund Winner: CI Signature High Income, CI Investments Inc. Finalists: Dynamic Strategic Yield, Dynamic Funds Mawer Balanced, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Best Canadian Equity Fund Winner: Mawer Canadian Equity, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Finalists: CI Cambridge Canadian Equity, CI Investments Inc. CI Harbour, CI Investments Inc.

Best Canadian Fixed-Income Fund Winner: TD Canadian Core Plus, TD Asset Management Inc. Finalists: Fidelity Canadian Bond, Fidelity Investments Canada ULC PH&N Total Return Bond, RBC Global Asset Management Inc.

Best Canadian Dividend & Income Equity Fund Winner: Sentry Canadian Income, Sentry Investments Finalists: Dynamic Equity Income, Dynamic Funds RBC Canadian Equity Income, RBC Global Asset Management Inc.

Best US Equity Fund Winner: Trimark US Companies, Invesco Canada Ltd. Finalists: Dynamic Power American Growth, Dynamic Funds TD US Blue Chip Equity, TD Asset Management Inc.

Best Global Equity Fund Winner: Capital International Global Equity, Capital International Asset Management Finalists: CI Global High Dividend Advantage, CI Investments Inc. Mackenzie Ivy Foreign Equity, Mackenzie Investments Trimark Global Endeavour, Invesco Canada Ltd.

Best Global Fixed-Income Fund Winner: RBC Global Corporate Bond, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Finalists: DFA Investment Grade Fixed Income, Dimensional Fund Advisors Canada ULC Templeton Global Bond, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp.

Best Equity ETF Winner: iShares S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index, iShares, BlackRock Canada Finalists: Horizons S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF, Horizons Canada iShares S&P/TSX 60, iShares, BlackRock Canada

Best Fixed-Income ETF Winner: iShares DEX Universe Bond Index, iShares, BlackRock Canada Finalist: iShares DEX All Corporate Bond Index, iShares, BlackRock Canada

Best Canadian Small-/Mid-Cap Equity Fund Winner: Mawer New Canada, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Finalists: IA Clarington Canadian Small Cap, IA Clarington Investments Inc. Sentry Small/Mid Cap Income, Sentry Investments Trimark Canadian Small Companies, Invesco Canada Ltd.

Best International Equity Fund Winner: Mawer International Equity, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Finalists: CI Black Creek International Equity, CI Investments Inc. Invesco International Growth, Invesco Canada Ltd.

Best Emerging Markets Equity Fund Winner: Mackenzie Universal Emerging Markets, Mackenzie Investments Finalists: Desjardins Emerging Markets, Desjardins Investments Inc. TD Emerging Markets, TD Asset Management Inc.

Best US Small-/Mid-Cap Equity Fund Winner: Trimark US Small Companies, Invesco Canada Ltd. Finalists: Mackenzie Universal American Growth, Mackenzie Investments TD US Small Cap, TD Asset Management Inc.

Best Global Small-/Mid-Cap Equity Fund Winner: Mawer Global Small Cap, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Finalists: CI Global Small Companies, CI Investments Inc. Trimark Global Small Companies, Invesco Canada Ltd.

Best High Yield Fixed-Income Fund Winner: RBC Global High Yield Bond, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Finalists: Northwest Specialty Global High Yield Bond, NEI Investments PH&N High Yield Bond, RBC Global Asset Management Inc.

Best Specialty Equity Fund Winner: TD Health Sciences, TD Asset Management Inc. Finalists: CI Global Health Sciences Corp. Class, CI Investments Inc. Sentry REIT, Sentry Investments

Best Discount Brokerage Winner: Qtrade Investor Finalists: Scotia iTRADE Credential Direct BMO InvestorLine

Best Fund of Funds Winner: CI Portfolio Series, CI Investments Inc. Finalists: Invesco Intactive, Invesco Canada Ltd. National Bank Meritage, National Bank Mutual Funds

Best Canadian Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy Canadian Equity, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: Bissett Canadian Equity, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. Mawer Canadian Equity, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Best Canadian Income Pooled Fund Winner: Fiera Capital Tactical Fixed Income, Fiera Capital Corp. Finalists: Beutel Goodman Income, Beutel Goodman & Co. Ltd. Leith Wheeler Total Return Bond, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.

Best Global Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy Partners Global, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: Hexavest World, Hexavest Asset Management Mawer Global Small Cap, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Best Canadian Balanced Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy Balanced Pension, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: Bissett Canadian Balanced, Franklin Templeton Investment Corp. QV Canadian Balanced, QV Investors Inc.

Best Canadian Small-/Mid-Cap Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy Canadian Small Cap, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: Bissett Microcap, Franklin Templeton Investment Corp. Mawer New Canada, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. QV Canadian Small Cap, QV Investors Inc.

Best Global Balanced Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy Partners Balanced, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: JF Global Balanced, Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd. Mawer Balanced, Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Best International Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy EAFE, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: Mawer International Equity, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Sprucegrove International Equity, Sprucegrove Investment Management Ltd.

Best US Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Burgundy Smaller Companies, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Finalists: Burgundy American Equity, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. UBS (Canada) US Large Cap Growth Equity, UBS Global Asset Management (Canada)

Canadian Investment Marketing Award Winner: Volatunity, DundeeWealth Finalists: Smart Income, Macquarie Canada Invesco Intactive, Invesco Advisor ToGo, CIBC Asset Management

Best Multi-Strategy or Fund of Hedge Funds Winner: PH&N Absolute Return Strategy, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Finalists: DGAM Diversified Strategies, Diversified Global Asset Management Corp. North Pole Multi-Strategy, Polar Securities Inc.

Best Relative Value Hedge Fund Winner: Amethyst Arbitrage, Crystalline Management Inc. Finalists: CC&L Canadian Q Market Neutral, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. Flatiron Market Neutral, Sprott Asset Management LP

Best Opportunistic Hedge Fund Winner: JM Catalyst, JM Fund Management Inc. Finalists: Sherpa Diversified Returns, Sherpa Asset Management Vision Opportunity, Vision Capital Corp.

Best ETF Initiative Winner: iShares, BlackRock Canada, Investor Outreach Finalists: BMO Exchange Traded Fund, Investor Education Vanguard Investments Canada, Vanguard ETFs Launch

Best Use of Technology Award Winner: adviceDirect, BMO InvestorLine Finalists: Invesco Canada iPad app, Invesco WealthElements, EquiSoft