Woodstock-born brothers Bill and Ed Barrett will be inducted into the Gerry Pond Innovation Hall of Fame at the 2026 InnovateNB Awards in Fredericton on Nov. 26.

The award, presented by Mariner, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada’s technology and innovation sectors, said a statement from TechImpact and the other partners in InnovateNB..

The Barretts began building businesses in 1976 with Barrett Corporation, eventually developing a group of companies spanning telecommunications, distribution, consumer products and technology.

Their most prominent venture was Xplornet Communications, which they founded in 2004 to expand broadband access in rural Canada. The company grew into Canada’s largest rural-focused broadband provider, serving communities across every province and territory. Its sale in 2020 was reported to be worth approximately US$2 billion.

Both brothers have also supported entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. Bill Barrett has invested in Atlantic Canadian startups since 2016 and supported organizations including the Wallace McCain Institute and Creative Destruction Lab.

Ed Barrett has held leadership positions with organizations including NB Power, Medavie, NAV CANADA, Wajax, the Wallace McCain Institute and Acadia University.

In 2022, the brothers jointly committed $2.5 million to the University of New Brunswick and the McKenna Institute to establish the Barrett Chair in Entrepreneurship for Digital Transformation. The initiative links computer science education with entrepreneurship and venture creation.

The Barrett family has also supported a McKenna Institute pilot program, delivered with the Wallace McCain Institute, that is helping 16 New Brunswick small and medium-sized businesses adopt artificial intelligence.

“Bill and Ed Barrett proved that you can build nationally significant companies right here in New Brunswick and compete and win on a national stage,” said Jeff White, CEO of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation.

The Hall of Fame was established in 2022 and renamed this year in memory of its first inductee, telecommunications executive and investor Gerry Pond.

The InnovateNB Awards, now in their fifth year, recognize entrepreneurs, researchers, business leaders and public-sector figures contributing to innovation in the province.

The 2026 awards ceremony will take place Nov. 26 in Fredericton. Tickets and tables are available here.