Several Vancouver Island businesses are among those vying for the top prizes in the 2021 Small Business BC Awards.
Justo’s Craft Dips (Victoria), Big Foot Donuts (Courtenay, a 2019 Douglas 10 to Watch winner), Spirits of the West Coast Art Gallery (Courtenay) and CORE Landscape Products (Courtenay) are among the Top 5 finalists in various categories this year.
A total of 937 nominations were received, representing 558 small businesses (some businesses nominated in multiple award categories) in 88 communities across BC. Nominations were received from a wide range of industries – from Vancouver Island based donuts to Okanagan tiny homes, Vancouver charcuterie to a Valemount spa – offering diverse products and services.
“I think it’s clear from the overwhelming number of nominations and the more than 50,000 public votes, that the spirit of support for small business runs strong in our province. This has been the most difficult year for small business owners and now their communities are standing behind them, recognizing what they’ve been through and celebrating their success,” said Small Business BC CEO, Tom Conway.
“This is a terrific opportunity to celebrate the province’s hard-working small business owners,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “Their success and innovation is inspirational. I congratulate all of the nominees for their hard work – they deserve the recognition. They also deserve our gratitude for the contribution they make to communities throughout B.C.”
After being nominated, small businesses had until March 8, 2021 to gain as many votes as possible from the public. Votes were collected by Small Business BC through their website, and the businesses with the most votes in each category (after a normalization process to allow for regional populations) were narrowed down to the top 20.
After being assessed and judged by an internal panel of business experts, the top five finalists in each category were announced on March 22. Here is the full list:
Top 5 Awards Finalists
Best Youth Entrepreneur Award
Purpose Smoothie Co. – Richmond
Sea to Sky Sourdough BReD Inc. – Whistler
Justo’s Craft Dips – Victoria
MisMacK Clean Cosmetics – Canoe
Bigfoot Donuts – Courtenay
Best Community Impact Award
Bubbles Blossom Designs – Clinton
Sisters Sage – New Westminster
MisMacK Clean Cosmetics – Canoe
Sḵwálwen Botanicals – Squamish
Bigfoot Donuts – Courtenay
Best Solopreneur Award
Jak. Natural Designs – Blue River
Chiwis Kiwi Chips – Squamish
Aspect Film Works – Kamloops
Jada Creations – Terrace
Emerald Earth Organic Spa – Valemount
Best Innovation Award
Spirits of the West Coast Art Gallery – Courtenay
CORE Landscape Products – Courtenay
Big Bold Brand Inc. – North Vancouver
Matidor – Vancouver
MisMacK Clean Cosmetics – Canoe
Best Immigrant Entrepreneur Award
Soul Bite Food Inc. – Coquitlam
Audielicious Restaurant – Fort St. John
Charcuterie Vancouver – Vancouver
Artemex Mexican Handcrafts – West Kelowna
Kleiner Services Inc. – Burnaby
Premier’s People’s Choice Award
Bigfoot Donuts – Courtenay
Raven Reads Books Ltd. – Logan Lake
Summit Tiny Homes – Vernon
Sḵwálwen Botanicals – Squamish
Justo’s Craft Dips – Victoria
The Top Five finalists will now be required to make a presentation about their business to panel of judges, pitching why their business should win an award. The panel of independent business owners and professionals will then select the winners and they’ll be announced over the course of a three-day virtual gala, from May 4 to May 6, 2021.
Winners receive $1,500, a short video shot by a professional film crew of their business, and an all access pass to Small Business BC’s services.
Tickets to the virtual gala celebrating the winners are free. Register at smallbusinessbc.ca/awards/gala.
