Canad Inns founder Leo Ledohowski remembered as 'icon of the industry'

Canad Inns founder Leo Ledohowski left a tremendous legacy on Manitoba's hospitality industry, business and political leaders said Tuesday as they shared memories of the late hotelier.

The cause of Ledohowski's death and his age are unclear.

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

"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."

Community advocate

His post said Canad Innss is one of Manitoba's largest employers and is the 14th-largest hotel chain in the country.

Gillingham said 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 council's president and CEO, Bram Strain, said Ledohowski was a very active member for two decades, leaving a lasting impact on the province's business community.

"Leo was a great man who cared a great deal about the community, the business community, the social fabric of our city and our province," Strain said. "He's going to be missed."

Ledohowski became a member of the Order of Manitoba in 2022. 

In a post on X, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said Ledohowski was a "great business leader in Manitoba and a trailblazer in Canada's hospitality industry" and a "generous community builder whose impact will be felt for generations."