Winners of Small Business BC's annual Successful You Awards (SYA) will be announced tonight at a gala celebration at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver.

This provincewide contest recognizes B.C.'s leaders in small business and celebrates the important contributions of entrepreneurs to their local communities and the broader global market. Since 2003, the Successful You Awards has attracted 2,000 entrepreneurs in areas ranging from retail trade, manufacturing, technology services, arts, to entertainment and recreation.

The SYA awards criteria are based upon best practice and industry standards and the awards are open to all new and existing small businesses across B.C. Each of the six award categories is nomination-based, with polls collecting public votes for the top nominees. Nominations closed on Nov. 30, 2012. The top 10 small businesses in each category completed detailed applications and provided supporting materials that were reviewed by a panel of judges who then selected the top five finalists in each category.

Small Business BC is funded by the Province of British Columbia and is a resource centre for knowledge-based business products and services for entrepreneurs at any stage or skill level.

The following are this year's finalists:

Best Company, sponsored by Telus

1. Discovery Trekking Outfitters Ltd., Campbell River

2. House Calls Health & Wellness, Langley

3. Loaf Bakery & Restaurant, Fernie

4. ReStoring Data Inc., Vancouver

5. Wedderspoon Organic, Inc., Duncan

Best Concept, sponsored by CGA-BC

1. Cycle City Tours, Vancouver

2. Kids' Revolution, Vancouver

3. Minglz, Vancouver

4. Port + Quarter, Vancouver

5. Western Industrial Solutions and TaskSafe, Kamloops

Best Employer, sponsored by WorkSafeBC

1. Chris's Sign & Lighting Service Inc., Langley

2. Paperclip Law Corporation, N. Vancouver & Vancouver

3. Pemberton Valley Lodge, Pemberton

4. Raised Eyebrow Web Studio Inc., Vancouver

5. Williams and White, Burnaby

Best Green Business, sponsored by BC Hydro

1. Clean Air Yard Care, Victoria

2. Digitech Renewable Printer Cartridges, Vancouver

3. Discovery Trekking Outfitters Ltd., Campbell River

4. Gibsons Recycling Depot, Gibsons

5. Wing Creek Resort, Kaslo

Best Online Marketer, sponsored by Constant Contact

1. Custom Fit Communications Group Inc., Whistler

2. EthicalDeal, Vancouver

3. The Edge Food Energy Company, Qualicum Beach

4. Top Dog Social Media, Kelowna

5. Tweet4Ok Social Media Services, Kelowna

Best Community Impact, sponsored by Vancity

1. 505-Junk, Tsawwassen

2. AdBoom Studio, Quesnel

3. Gibsons Recycling Depot, Gibsons

4. Lighthouse Visionary Strategies, Whistler

5. Lunapads International, Vancouver

Quote:

Minister of State for Small Business, Naomi Yamamoto -

"We greatly appreciate the work that Small Business BC does. They set a great example for the small business community and are an essential resource for hundreds of businesses around the province. I'd like to congratulate all of this year's Successful You Award finalists."

Quick Facts:

• Small business is a huge economic driver in B.C., making up 98 per cent of all business in the province and generating 29 per cent of the province's gross domestic product.

• Small business provides nearly 56 per cent of all private-sector jobs in British Columbia, the highest rate in the country, and employs over one million people.

• B.C. continues to foster an entrepreneurship culture, including the declaration of October as Small Business Month, creating the BC Small Business Accord, and supporting programs that expose youth to business training and prepare them to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Learn More:

To learn more about Small Business BC, visit: http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/

Media Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799