December 12, 2016 – Vancouver: Small Business BC, the province’s premier resource for entrepreneurs, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada, asked British Columbians to nominate their favourite small businesses for the 14th Annual Small Business BC Awards between October 1 and November 30, 2016. The Small Business BC Awards is the largest small business awards competition in the province. These awards recognize the outstanding achievements of British Columbia’s entrepreneurs and celebrate the contributions new and existing businesses registered in B.C., with fewer than 50 employees, make to their local communities and the global economy. This year, 699 nominations were received from 72 communities across the province. These businesses were given two months to gain as many votes as possible. Those who activated their communities and received the most votes have been named the Top 10 Semi-Finalists in this year’s competition. They include several Vancouver Island companies: PREMIER’S PEOPLE’S CHOICE Presented by the Province of British Columbia Beachcomber Coffee Company Inc. – Gibsons Bowen Island Massage Therapy – Bowen Island Cowichan Energy Alternatives – Duncan Kaslo Sourdough – Kaslo Picnic Charcuterie – Tofino Pivotstar Designs Inc. – North Vancouver Roxann’s Hats – Fort Langley Sea To Sky Air – Squamish Vintage and Restoration Love – Dawson Creek Wheelhouse Brewing Company – Prince Rupert | BEST APPRENTICE TRAINING Presented by ITA and KPU Benchmark Automotive – Prince George Harbourview Autohaus Ltd. – Nanaimo Heidout Restaurant and Brewhouse – Cranbrook Ironside Design Manufacturing Inc. – Chilliwack K&K Electric Ltd.- Port Hardy Northern Electric – Prince George Northern Legendary Construction – Charlie Lake Rambow Mechanical Ltd. – Kelowna Sprucehill Contracting Inc. – North Vancouver Technicon Industries – Terrace | BEST COMMUNITY IMPACT Presented by Vancity Brook Public Relations Firm – Cranbrook Cowichan Energy Alternatives – Duncan Fraser Lake Dollar Store and Corner Store – Fraser Lake Good Times Games and Electronics – Prince Rupert Greater Vancouver Lice Clinic – Maple Ridge Lighthouse Labs – Vancouver My Mountain Co-op – Terrace Rainbow’s Roost – Kamloops Sea Hiker Swimming Inc. – Bowen Island Tla’amin Convenience Store – Powell River | BEST COMPANY Presented by Sage Dalex Auto Services – Fort Nelson Elite Image – Nanaimo Game Quest – Prince George Northern Lights Estate Winery – Prince George Nucleus Networks Inc. – Vancouver Rocky Point Ice Cream Inc. – Port Moody Vernon Teach and Learn Ltd – Vernon Wheelhouse Brewing Company – Prince Rupert Wholesale Furniture Brokers – Kamloops Yeti Farm Creative – Kelowna | BEST CONCEPT Presented by Small Business BC Canada’s Best Apps – Whistler Infuse I.T. | VinStream – Kelowna Lil Worker Safety Gear – Comox Mint Magazine – Kelowna Next Generation Apparel – Victoria Play Grounds Café – Prince George Studio Robazzo – Victoria The Great Fraser River Salmon BBQ Competition – Hope Vertical Edge Window Cleaning – Kelowna Wine Crush Market – Penticton | BEST EMPLOYER Presented by TruShield Insurance Aequilibrium Software Inc. – Vancouver Blue Pearl Mortgage – Surrey Central Kitchen – Bar – Kelowna Friendly Giant Window & Gutters – Victoria Longevity Graphics – Coquitlam Motherload Transport Services Inc. – Nanaimo Picture This Today 3D Inc. – Victoria RDC Fine Homes Inc. – Whistler Valley Acrylic Bath Ltd. – Mission VictorEric – Vancouver | BEST IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEUR Presented by Small Business BC County Chic Paint Ltd. – Duncan Envisioning Labs – Vancouver Fans of Vancouver Tours – Vancouver FreshWorks Studio – Victoria Lilian Cazacu Notary Corporation – Langley Nirvana Foods Inc. – Richmond Rosewood Photography Studio – North Vancouver Trademark Factory – Vancouver Vancouver ProStyle Contractors Ltd. – Langley Way to Canada Immigration Services – Coquitlam | BEST INNOVATION Presented by BC Innovation Council Filaprint – Tumbler Ridge IT Glue – Vancouver Mazu – Kelowna NZ Builders – North Saanich Phoenix Molecular Designs – Richmond Spark – Vancouver StoryTap – Vancouver Terramera – Vancouver The Alinker – Richmond Two Hat Security – Kelowna | BEST INTERNATIONAL TRADE Presented by UPS Canada Arriba Mexico Food Co. – Esquimalt CanDig Mini Excavators Inc. – Kamloops CPE Systems Inc. – Burnaby Doi Chaang Coffee Co. – Vancouver First Light Technologies – Victoria Fusion Brand – Vancouver Mountain Coffee Ltd. – Delta Numpfer – Vancouver Serengeti Northern BC-International & Specialty Grocery Store – Prince George Wize Monkey – Vancouver | BEST MARKETER Presented by Yellow Pages JY Knows It Business Consulting – Surrey K’pure Naturals – Mission Lifeblood Marketing – Kelowna Loulou Lollipop – Richmond Prince George Airport Authority – Prince George Rocket Web Labs – Vancouver Sue Studio Marketing – Vancouver The Argosy – Prince Rupert The Henna Hut – Penticton What’s Up? Hot Dog! – Vancouver |
The Top 10 Semi-Finalists will be given one month to provide our expert panel of judges a detailed application outlining why they deserve to win the award. These applications will be used to decide the Top 5 Finalists, which will be announced on January 23, 2017. The winners of each category will be announced at the Small Business BC Awards Ceremony on February 23, 2017 at the Pan Pacific Vancouver. Recipients of Small Business BC Awards are recognized with the Premier’s Prize in the amount of $1,500 cash, a one-year all-access pass to Small Business BC education, resources and experts, and one-on-one business mentorship with notable advisors from the award sponsors. More details on the Small Business BC Awards can be found at www.sbbcawards.ca. | 
