Chamber picks its winners for 2022

by Stephen Dafoe and Morinville Online 

The Morinville & District Chamber of Commerce held its annual Small Business Week Gala and Awards Show Thursday night at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre. This year’s All In For Business theme was a casino theme with a couple of gaming tables for fun and live entertainment ahead of the awards presentation. 

This year the Chamber received nominations for 34 businesses in nine categories: Small Medium and Large Business of the Year, Home-Based New, and Agricultural Business of the Year, as well as Business Integrity and Business Legacy. 

“The Business Awards recognize outstanding businesses in our region and bring awareness to the variety of services available,” Chamber Manager Roberta Pawluk told Morinville Online in the week leading up to the event. “It’s always hard to choose the winners, and this year was no exception,”  “All of our categories had so many great nominees—they all truly deserve to win.” 

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

New Business of the Year had five nominees: Quartz & Mane Optimal, Yoga & Wellness, iCandy Optical Ltd., Ok Tire Morinville and Panchita’s Taqueria. iCandy Optical Ltd., a boutique eyeglass dispensary on 100 Avenue, took this year’s award. 

HOME-BASED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

Home-Based Business of the Year also drew five nominees: Rentz & Rover Pet Services, Odin Renovations, Reed’s Water Service, Skinsational, and  Destiny Travel. Rentz & Rover, who opened a storefront operation on 100 Avenue on Oct. 7 took the award this year. 

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

There were six nominees this year for Small Business of the Year: Legendary Liquor, Blaire Borle Mortgages, JLS Decals & Signs, Bistro Di Madre Piccola, Total RV Servicing Ltd., and Morinville Barber Shop. This year’s winner was Blaire Borle Mortgages, who operates a mortgage brokerage out of an office in the Re/Max building on 100 Avenue.  

MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

Medium Business of the Year featured three nominees: RT Septic & Water Systems, Wolf Creek Building Supplies Morinville Ltd., and Jiffy Lube #1046. RT Septic & Water Systems Inc. was this year’s recipient. The Sturgeon County business has seen its business grow from 20 to 30 systems a year to more than 100. 

LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

Large Business of the Year had three nominations: Pleasant Homes, Home Hardware, and NAPA Auto Parts, with the latter taking the win. NAPA Auto Parts has been in Morinville for many years, operating as a Bumper-to-Bumper. The company recently switched to a NAPA store and held their grand opening on Friday, Oct. 14.  

AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

Agriculture Business of the Year is a recent award for the Chamber. Three nominees for the award were Chuck’s Berry Farm, G3 Grain Terminal, and FABA Canada Ltd., the latter of whom took the award. Formerly known as the pea plant in Legal, a manufacturer of No Nuts Pea Butter, FABA Canada recently bought the operation and is in the process of developing a fractionation facility for FABA beans, which will separate the proteins for use in other food products.  

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD  

Community Spirit drew just two nominees: Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation (JMMF) and Fusion Thrift Shoppe. JMMF was this year’s winner. The foundation operates Jessie’s House and assists those fleeing domestic violence. This past year, the organization has helped 500 people.  

LEGACY AWARD 

For the Chamber’s Business Legacy Award Quinn’s Plumbing & Heating, Re/Max Morinville, AB’L Auto Electric, and ACFA Centralta were all nominated. Quinn’s Plumbing & Heating Ltd. was this year’s recipient. They are celebrating 50 years in business this year, having been started by founder the late Ross Quinn and his wife Eva in 1972.  

INTEGRITY AWARD 

The Chamber’s own Business Integrity Award had two nominees: AB’L Auto Electric and Re/Max Morinville – Brent Melville, the latter winning the award this year. Melville has been in business for more than a quarter century in Morinville.  

Each award winner received a trophy and certificate to mark their accomplishment.