Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

Still Interpreting Inc. is one of the oldest privately owned American Sign Language - English interpreting agency in Canada. Founded in 1990 with the goal of advancing accessibility with high-quality sign language interpretation, Still Interpreting has since grown into a well-respected agency with a stellar reputation for providing and coordinating interpreting services throughout British Columbia.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

Through the years, we have developed expertise in providing high-quality interpreting services in a variety of settings including legal, mental health, medical, education, and employment. Our network of interpreters extends province wide to ensure in-person interpretation is available in rural and remote communities. Furthermore, since the widespread adoption of virtual meetings, we are now more readily available than ever with the ability to join virtual meetings from across the province. As accessibility is at the forefront for many organizations with the Accessible British Columbia Act and Accessible Canada Act, we are seeing unprecedented levels of growth in the industry and have been hard at work over the last two years to modernize our processes to create a seamless booking experience for our clients and scale up our ability to meet the demand for interpreters. In the 2023 calendar year, we booked 3,123 appointments totalling 10,630 hours of interpreting service provided for 153 organizations. In the first six months of 2024, we have booked 2,073 appointments totalling 6,877 hours of interpreting services provided for 133 organizations. With all indicators pointing to an equally busy second half of the year, we anticipate completing the year with a 32% percent increase in appointments, 29% increase in total hours of service, and a significant increase in the numbers of organizations we worked with compared to our 2023 metrics. This growth wouldn't have been possible without the support and referrals of our many long-term clients.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

Having been afforded the privilege of working within and alongside the communities we serve for over thirty years, we have an in-depth understanding of the professionalism and sensitivity required to provide responsive interpreting services throughout the lifespan and in both the most joyous and challenging moments of our client’s lives. Community impact and reciprocity is integral to our identity. Giving back has looked different over the years, but is now structured around three core pillars: 1)Community Sponsorship - We actively contribute to community initiatives by sponsoring events with pro-bono services and financial support. This includes supplying interpreters at no cost, thereby reducing communication barriers and enhancing accessibility for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals. 2)Professional Development - We invest in the growth of interpreters through free high-quality workshops and training sessions. By nurturing their skills and ethical practice, we contribute to the professionalism and well-being of interpreters, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in service delivery. We also support the next generation of interpreters through an annual award presented to a student at Vancouver Community College recognizing a student who has demonstrated reciprocity throughout their education and/or has overcome barriers to education. 3)Discounted Not-for-Profit Rates - Recognizing the financial challenges faced by not-for-profit and community-based organizations, we offer discounted rates on interpreting services. These reduced rates ensure these organizations can prioritize accessibility and inclusion without compromising their budgets. Our business is not just about facilitating communication; it's about fostering inclusivity and creating positive change within our community. We are dedicated to our purpose of connecting people through language and understanding, making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. Our bottom line has always been and always will be so much more than profit. We exemplify purpose, passion, and commitment to fostering meaningful change and an inclusive society.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

While we invested significant time and resources to overhaul our processes and meet demand, we’ve maintained a positive company culture and incorporated flexible working options for our staff. Recognizing that remote working can promote better work life balance, we run our scheduling operations completely remotely. Not only does this promote employee satisfaction, it has helped us recruit highly-skilled employees while also realizing cost savings from not having an office space. While working remotely has many benefits, we also recognize it can lead to employees feeling isolated and as such have made company outings and dinners a regular occurrence to ensure we continue to foster cohesion and in-person connection within the company.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

With accessibility being brought to the forefront through provincial and federal legislation, we sit uniquely positioned to support organizations in meeting the requirements laid out by the Accessible British Columbia Act and the Accessible Canada Act. Having worked in this field for the last three decades, we bring a wealth of experience and a long history of working within and alongside the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind communities to promote and enhance accessibility and inclusion. Our business is not just about facilitating communication; it's about fostering inclusivity and creating positive change within our community. We are dedicated to our purpose of connecting people through language and understanding, making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. Our bottom line has always been and always will be so much more than profit. We exemplify purpose, passion, and commitment to fostering meaningful change and an inclusive society.