2025 Nanaimo Business Awards

Presented By: 

 

The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize ‘leaders and achievers’ in the 25th annual celebration. The awards presentation will be LIVE at the Coast Bastion Thursday, May 15th, 2025!

This event honours individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations that have contributed to the fabric and growth of the Nanaimo community. 

Nominations were live from February 1 until March 15 and are now CLOSED.
This year, all nominees were required to submit answers to a series of questions designed to highlight their achievements, values, and impact. These responses were carefully reviewed and scored by a panel of independent judges in a blind evaluation process. The People's Choice Award was the only category voted on by the public. The Survey was live April 1 - April 22 for The People's Choice Award.

1. Community Builder: 

• The Community Builder of the Year Award honours a business, non-profit organization, or public sector agency that demonstrates a commitment to the community beyond their usual business practices; has a long-term desire to build diverse, inclusive, and balanced communities; makes a sustainable and tangible impact in the region; and displays a clear commitment to social responsibility..

Sponsored by: Acera Insurance 
Winner: Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation

• The Creative Services award recognizes graphic designers, photographers, videographers, web designers, social media influencers – and anything else in the field that fits in here! 

Sponsored by: The Coast Bastion Hotel 
Winner: Pye Design - Amy Pye  
 

3. Diversity & Inclusion: 

• This award celebrates an organization that demonstrates exceptional dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within their business and the broader community. It recognizes champions who move beyond rhetoric, showcasing unwavering support for underrepresented or marginalized groups through tangible actions and enduring initiatives!

4. Downtown Business Impact Award: 

• This award honours a downtown business that has demonstrated exceptional resilience, adaptability, and commitment to excellence while navigating unique challenges of operating on Nanaimo's core. This business has shown unwavering dedication to its customers, employees, and the revitalization of downtown. The award celebrates innovation, perseverance, and the ability to thrive while contributing to the vibrancy and growth of the downtown core.

5. Family First: 

• Honours a business that creates a culture that supports work/life balance. Demonstrates support and care for employee’s parental needs such as job sharing, option to work from home or flexibility when family matters arise. Staff and owners demonstrate an inclusive attitude towards families with young children for both employees and customers.Aids and support to employees with aging seniors.

6. Financial Services: 

• This award is for businesses in banking, finance, investment, accounting, insurance, consulting services, or other professional services will be recognized for their product and service range, industry knowledge, and expertise. 

• The Food & Beverage award recognizes hospitality businesses that consistently demonstrate excellence in food service, quality, and presentation.  Customers feel special and staff feel safe and supported ensuring an equilibrium.

8. Health & Wellness: 

• The Health & Wellness award goes to a favourite business that seems to always go above and beyond, an alternative health care provider, pharmaceutical, natural/homeopath, RMT, physio, or chiropractor with service second to none! 

9. Innovation: 

• The award honours a business that has developed a process, product or service that is original and contributes to profitability and/or market share. This is demonstrated through the use of science and/or technology to create a business that is original or unique; shows a high degree of originality, creativity.

• This award recognizes a company in any industry for excellence as a business who engages in innovative practices, is outstanding as a pioneer in their field and are focused on positively impacting the community through more than their workforce weight.  These business show promise for growth and increased positive stimulus as a community economic driver. 

11. Micro & Home-Based Business: 

• This award recognizes businesses with up to 10 employees.  This includes start ups, entrepreneurs, and businesses who’ve entered the succession movement.  The interruption in normal business activities has inspired many to enter this entrepreneurial business development model. 

12. New Business of the Year: 

• This award is presented to a new business in operation for not more than three (3) years. This business is recognized for its excellence in the areas of management, branding, marketing, product development and quality, staff training and customer service.

13. Not-For-Profit: 

• This award is presented to a registered not-for-profit organization which, through its activities and initiatives creates tangible benefits to individuals and/or the community at large which demonstrates ongoing achievements for the well-being of those it directly involves.

14. People's Choice Award: 

• This is your chance to shine in the spotlight! The People’s Choice Award is open to any business in Nanaimo, big or small; it is recognition for their outstanding service, community spirit, or impact. It’s all about local love, businesses were voted for and the winner will be announced tonight!!

• The Personal & Aesthetic Services award includes anything that you look and feel good. This award reflects spas, hair stylists, nail technicians, personal trainers, tailors, estheticians, make-up artists etc.  

16. Property Developers:

• Property development drives a large part of Nanaimo’s economy and keeps us housed and our businesses in buildings they need.  Big or small, Nanaimo’s developers shape our neighbourhoods and community.

• This award is given to a business that offers excellence in retail through presentation of a unique concept, an intriguing environment, unique products and/or services and consistent delivery of high-value service. 

18. Small & Medium Business:

• Small & Medium Enterprise targets businesses with 11-99 employees.  This award gives recognition of businesses with a vision and demonstrated capacity for sustainable growth, engagement in innovative practices, demonstrating outstanding performance in their field. 

19. Trades & Skilled Labours:

• This Award is for the people who take your dreams and ideas from paper and turn them into reality: contractors, builders, electricians & plumbers, roofers, carpenters

20. Women in Business:

• The Women in Business Award honours a female who is the founder, CEO, President, or Senior Executive of a company who exhibits business leadership and vision; displays a significant commitment to the success of both their business and the region as a whole; serves as a positive role model or mentor for other business people; and exemplifies professional behaviour maintaining an upstanding reputation in the business community and region as a whole.

21. Young Entrepreneur:

• Young entrepreneurs have what it takes to make it in business – a good idea, vision, and understanding of their marketplace and those unique qualities of a successful business operator – passion, drive, energy, and creativity.