The 2026 Women of the Year Awards

Across British Columbia, the pace of change is accelerating. From housing affordability pressures and the growing impacts of climate change to intense wildfire seasons and the rapid rise of AI, industries across the province are being forced to adapt—and, in many cases, reinvent themselves.

Now in its seventh year, our Women of the Year program captures the leaders stepping into—and owning—that moment. For 2026, we’re recognizing 23 winners whose work reflects both the challenges and the opportunities shaping B.C. today. Spanning ages, ethnicities and industries, this year’s cohort is one of our most diverse yet. The range is expansive: a cannabis scientist revolutionizing a tightly regulated industry, a wildfire technologist rethinking emergency response, Victoria’s first female police chief, a pioneer in Canadian aviation, a young AI entrepreneur and a Dragons’ Den guest who invented healthier underwear for women.

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Behind this list is a rigorous process: our editorial team pored over hundreds of applications, alongside the insight of our all-female judging panel, to arrive at this year’s honourees.

Together, these women are shaping the systems B.C. relies on—running major institutions like BC Hydro and YVR, building global-facing companies from Vancouver, rethinking public safety and Indigenous education and creating products and platforms that are quietly scaling far beyond the province.

Meet our 23 women of the year.

Note: In the coming days, BCBusiness will publish individual profiles of each Women of the Year winner. Below is a first look at the full 2026 cohort.