How It Works
The Small Business BC Awards recognize the contributions and achievements of BC small business owners – entrepreneurs just like you. This year’s competition consists of two categories, the Business Impact Award and the returning Premier’s People’s Choice Award. Starting January 20th, British Columbians are encouraged to nominate their own business (or a business they love) for our awards and show their appreciation for the resiliency and creativity of our hard-working entrepreneurs.
Once a small business is nominated, they must gain as many public votes as possible for their business until February 28, 2022. The businesses with the most votes in the SBBC Business Impact Award category (after a normalization process to allow for regional populations) will be narrowed down to the top twenty, then judged by an internal panel of business experts to select the Top Five finalists.
The Top 5 Finalists for the SBBC Business Impact Award will be invited to present to a panel of judges, pitching why their business should win the award. The winner of the Premier’s People’s Choice award will be selected based on the most votes, after a normalization process to allow for regional populations.
On April 28, 2022, a virtual gala will be hosted by Small Business BC to announce and honour the winners of the 19th Annual Small Business BC Awards.
Prize Money
Our finalists and winners will split a prize pool worth $15,000.
Business Clarity
Discover key insights and tips to help grow your business.
Brand Exposure
Access powerful marketing opportunities just by taking part.
Community Connection
Meet and learn from entrepreneurs and mentors in your industry.
Support Throughout Event
Nominees receive ongoing support from SBBC staff throughout.
Finalist Prize Package
Finalists receive free SBBC education, media shareables and more.
Who Can Participate?
The Small Business BC Awards are open to BC-based businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Click the link below to visit our category page and learn more about the criteria for each of our categories.
FAQs
Will the number of votes be published on the site or made available to nominees?
No. Vote tallies will not be made public on the Small Business BC website, or made available to nominees. Because a normalization calculation (see the next question) is applied to the votes to determine the Top 5 finalists, pure vote numbers are not indicative of performance in the competition.
I live in a small town. How can I compete with businesses in bigger cities with bigger networks?
We understand that all BC communities are different sizes and that different businesses have different sized networks. To level the playing field, votes will be normalized against British Columbia Regional District Population Figures.
Once I submit my nomination, can I go back and edit it?
If you made a mistake or typo in your nomination form and realize after submission, you can edit your submission by logging into your account.
Once my business is nominated, how do I get people to vote for me?
Once your business is nominated, you’ll be given a dedicated page on this site where you can send your supporters to vote for you. Brag about your business through social media, e-mail and on-site promotions. Let your customers, employees and colleagues know about your nomination through whatever ways you can think of. Shout it out from the rooftops!
Remember, deadline for votes is February 28th, 2022.
If I nominate a business, is my name kept confidential?
If you think a business owner is amazing enough to be nominated for an award, then we believe they should know who was amazing enough to nominate them. When we get in touch with the business you nominated, we will let them know who they can thank for putting their business up for an award.
Why are there only two award categories this year?
In the 2022 Small Business BC Awards, there are 4 opportunities to win a cash prize.
Our Business Impact Award has prizing for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and the Premier’s People’s Choice is awarded to one winner.
This format provides more value to our winners with a total prize pool of $15,000! Our nomination criteria also ensures the vast majority of BC-based small businesses qualify for participation.
Learn More About the Awards
Find resources, best practices and inspiration for your awards application in our Awards articles. Hear from previous winners and learn how to maximize your 2022 Awards nomination.