Canad Inns founder, Leo Ledohowski, has passed. He left a tremendous legacy on Manitoba's hospitality industry as one of Manitoba's largest employers and the 14th-largest hotel chain in the country.

Canad Inns has nine locations in Manitoba and one in North Dakota.

Born at Winnipeg on 15 March 1944, one of six children of Walter Ledohowski (1916-1987) and Anne Zasitko (1923-2005), he was proprietor of the CanadInns hotel chain. In 1968, he married Joanne Dengis and they had four children. He received a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022), and was inducted into the Order of Manitoba (2022). He died in August 2025.

"The best hoteliers do something very special for a community; they create an unforgettable sense of place, and sense of welcome," Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"Leo achieved this with stunning success, so that people always felt at home and always wanted to return: and all Winnipeggers have benefited from what he accomplished."

Ledohowski was a community advocate who supported local causes, including Partners in the Park, the Health Sciences Centre Foundation and the United Way of Winnipeg.

Michael Juce, president and CEO of the Manitoba Hotel Association, said Ledohowski's death was a huge loss for the industry. Juce said Ledohowski was a member of the association for decades and volunteered as a board member. The Canad Inns founder was always quick to offer to help out, Juce said, pointing to Ledohowski's efforts to grow the industry and the wider community it serves.

"He had a tremendous impact, tremendous legacy and [he's] an icon of the industry," Juce said.

Ledohowski also served on the board of the Hotel Association of Canada and the Business Council of Manitoba.

The Business Council of Manitoba said “Leo was a visionary entrepreneur who transformed the hospitality experience in Manitoba. Under his leadership, Canad Inns evolved into the province’s largest hotel chain”.

Beyond business, Ledohowski was a committed community leader. He served on the boards of the Bank of Canada, Business Development Bank of Canada, Manitoba Hotel Association, and Hotel Association of Canada. He was also the honorary consul of Ukraine in Manitoba and an honorary colonel of the Air Force Military Police Group.

A recipient of the Order of Manitoba and the University of Manitoba’s Distinguished Service Award, Ledohowski was a longtime member and past board director of the Business Council of Manitoba.

Paris — UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has named Exhibition Place as the winner of the 2025 UFI Operations & Services Award.

The 2025 UFI Operations & Services Award topic was “Revolutionising the F&B Experience in Exhibitions: Sustainable, Engaging, and Adaptive Solutions”, with the objective of celebrating innovative F&B initiatives that set new standards for sustainability, enhance the visitor experience, and adapt seamlessly to the ever-changing needs of events. It aimed to showcase how food and beverage services can contribute to the overall success of conferences and exhibitions while promoting sustainable practices across the value chain.

Laura Purdy, General Manager, Exhibition Place, welcomes the award: “Exhibition Place is incredibly proud to receive the 2025 UFI Ops & Services Award for our sustainable food and beverage program.

Exhibition Place, home to the LEED® Gold Certified Enercare Centre, is deeply committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact and was an early adopter in signing the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge. The Exhibition Place NZCE Roadmap includes a commitment to sustainable food sourcing and eliminating food waste.

Exhibition Place together with our F&B partner, OVG Hospitality, have created an innovative sustainable food and beverage program that supports our commitment to Net Zero Carbon while crafting fresh, creative, high-quality menus with an emphasis on authentic regional flavours that are infused with locally sourced ingredients.  Food and beverage plays a crucial role in the success of every event, and together we are revolutionizing the F&B experience for attendees while we lay the path to Net Zero Carbon.”

Stefan Eckert, Senior Vice President Services at Koelnmesse GmbH and Chair of the UFI Operations & Services Working Group, commented, “Exhibition Place impressed the jury with a truly systematic and integrated concept that puts sustainability, customer experience, and operational excellence at the heart of their F&B strategy. From rooftop gardens and creative reuse of food to strong stakeholder collaboration and impactful donations, they’ve set a new benchmark for how exhibitions can become more responsible and attractive meeting places.”

The jury also acknowledged three other finalists ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi – Capital Catering+ (UAE), Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (Thailand), and RAI Amsterdam (Netherlands).

The UFI Operations & Services Award is one of UFI’s annual Award categories, recognising and rewarding successful results-oriented initiatives in the exhibition industry.

These awards celebrate excellence in areas ranging from human resources and digital innovation to marketing and sustainable development. More information on the UFI Awards is available at .

The 2025 UFI Award winners will be officially celebrated and will present their projects at the 92nd UFI Global Congress, which will take place from 19-22 November 2025 in Hong Kong SAR.

For more details on the UFI Global Congress, please visit .

Pacific Reach and Dilawri Group of Companies say they purchased The Ritz-Carlton in downtown Toronto for $247.7 million in a high-profile deal that comes as Canada's hotel industry shows signs of improvement.

"Marriott International will continue to manage the hotel under The Ritz-Carlton brand without disruption to operations," Pacific Reach and Dilawri said in a statement.

Pacific Reach and Dilawri paid approximately $247.7 million, or $941,650 per room, for the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, according to CoStar data.

The seller was Cadillac Fairview, the real estate arm of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan that owned the hotel that is part of a mixed-use tower. The company could not immediately be reached for comment.

"The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto is a true luxury landmark in the heart of downtown," said Kap Dilawri, co-founder of Dilawri, in a statement.

The sale comes as the Canadian hotel market appears poised for an upswing. The average daily rate for hotels in Canada was $239.06 in June, according to CoStar data.

Improving national fundamentals

That represents a 2.9% increase from the same month in 2024. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, was $180.77 in June, a 4.4% increase compared to the same period last year, according to CoStar.

CoStar News reported in June 2024 that the first 20 floors of the Ritz-Carlton at 181 Wellington St. W were being marketed for sale for $447 million. The floors contain 263 hotel rooms.

TORONTO, ON (July 24, 2025) -  is enhancing the guest experience through an exciting new partnership with for " ," a summer-long promotion running from July 16 to September 16, 2025. This innovative collaboration connects guests with the opportunity to win incredible prizes from premium partners like CIBC®, Aeroplan®, and Days Inn hotels across Canada.

The comprehensive promotion brings together an impressive network of partners to deliver exceptional value to Canadian consumers. Guests can enter for free through the or for their chance to win prizes ranging from free gas and groceries to a five-night hotel stay, and up to 250,000 Aeroplan points.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with our friends at Journie Rewards for this exciting summer promotion,” said Ally Wesson, Vice President of Marketing, Days Inns - Canada. “Fantastic collaborations like this further strengthen our brand awareness, while offering added value to Journie Rewards members and our valued Days Inn guests.”

The promotion leverages Journie Rewards' extensive reach, connecting with over 1.9 million members through their database and featuring prominently on their website, mobile app, and at more than 700 participating locations across Canada. Partner locations include On the Run, Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar, and Chevron stations nationwide.

To maximize guest engagement, all Days Inn locations across Canada will receive complimentary display materials featuring a QR code that link directly to the promotion website, making it easy for guests to enter and learn more about available prizes. The campaign is further supported by targeted public relations, social media outreach, and paid digital media initiatives.

The grand prize draw is scheduled for September 24, 2025, giving participants multiple opportunities throughout the summer months to enter and increase their chances of winning.