Business of the Year
Over 20 Employees, Under 20 Employees & Over 100 Employees. This will be awarded to three businesses with respective award winners and nominee(s) differentiated by the number of full-time employees that they have.
Female Leadership
Nominee(s) must have demonstrated excellence in their field. In addition, they must be acting in a leadership capacity and have demonstrated leadership qualities in enhancing entrepreneurship for women.
Environment & Sustainability
Nominee(s) must have demonstrated outstanding leadership in economic, social, charitable, or environmental activities. They have shown a dedicated focus on achieving a vision and mandate aligned with ongoing contributions to the environment and/or sustainability
Emerging Entrepreneur
The nominee(s) must have demonstrated bravery by opening their business during the COVID-19 pandemic (Since April 2020). As well, nominees in this category must be sustainable in nature and show growth potential.
Indigenous-Owned Business
The nominee(s) must be a business that is owned and operated by Indigenous individuals or communities. They support Indigenous cultural values and create opportunities for supporting and growing their communities.
Youth-in-Business
The nominee(s) must be an individual under the age of 30. The nominee(s) must have played a direct and primary role in the planning and establishment of the business, and must be currently operating in a leadership capacity.
Adaptation
The nominee(s) must be a business that successfully pivoted in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or changing business environment in innovative ways that allowed their business to show growth or sustainment during closures and economic or pandemic challenges.
Lifetime Business Achievement
The nominee(s) must be an individual (or duo if appropriate). This award is to recognize a business leader’s contributions over their whole career, rather than a single contribution or time.
Corporate-Social Collaboration
The nominee(s) must be a business that demonstrates a robust corporate-social responsibility program and promotes impact within the community through work with the social-profit organizations and volunteer programs found within Wood Buffalo. The winner will be one that is incredibly collaborative and committed to ensuring a better community.
Franchise
The nominee(s) must be a business that is a part of a franchise and operates under a franchise agreement. They have shown a dedicated focus on achieving a community-forward approach to operations and are consistently involved in giving back to the local community and supporting regional initiatives.
Hospitality and Tourism Business
This award recognizes the active role of the nominee(s) in the development of the local tourism industry, making Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo a place to visit. The nominee(s) could have a business in the following areas: accommodations, restaurants/cafes, recreational facilities, attractions, etc.
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