Recognizing Outstanding Entrepreneurship at 2026 Business Distinction Awards
Greater Vancouver's business community filled the Fairmont Waterfront hotel on October 22, 2026 to celebrate and recognize small and medium-sized businesses at our 5th annual Business Distinction Awards (BDAs).
These awards recognize small and medium-sized businesses that have gone above and beyond to set themselves apart in the Greater Vancouver region in a variety of areas, including sustainability, growth, leadership, and more.
Running a business isn’t easy. And in today’s economic, climate business owners face many challenges from rising costs and uncertainty to workforce and regulatory pressures. Yet their impact cannot be overstated. The latest data shows that there are over 500,000 small businesses in BC – comprising 98% of all businesses in the province. SMEs account for nearly half of the GDP generated in Canada and are significant employers, economic contributors, and community builders.
Despite these pressures, thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners continue to show up and work hard every day, building a better future for their employees, their communities, and our province. That spirit of perseverance is at the heart of the BDAs.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade congratulates this year's BDA recipients, as well as all SMEs across the region, for their leadership, determination, and continued commitment to building a stronger economy and vibrant communities. Their success is a reminder that the future of British Columbia is built one small business at a time.
Winners
Business of the Year - 1-20 Employees:
Indigenous Iron Construction
Indigenous Iron Construction is a 100% Indigenous-owned company, specializing in delivering high-quality infrastructure projects. It serves a diverse cross-section of market sectors and supports commercial, institutional, and infrastructure projects for both public and private sector clients, all while honouring Indigenous values and cultures. Indigenous Iron Construction’s model for success is grounded in respect, transparency, and collaboration, and it is committed to creating meaningful employment opportunities within Indigenous communities. The company’s impact extends beyond construction, building pathways to prosperity for Indigenous Peoples and communities across the region.
"This recognition goes to the IIC (Indigenous Iron Construction) team and all you guys do every day. … We want to acknowledge our predecessors who paved the way, the Indigenous leaders and businesses who came before us and made it possible for companies like ours to be here today. We stand on your shoulders."
Watch video to learn about all the finalists in this category.
Business of the Year - 21-250 Employees:
ETRO Construction Limited
ETRO Construction Limited is one of Vancouver’s fastest growing construction management and general contracting firms delivering a diverse range of projects across the commercial, industrial, residential, and infrastructure sectors. Its expertise spans stand-alone commercial and industrial developments, multi-family concrete and wood-frame communities, turnkey design-build solutions, and tenant improvement projects.
Since its founding in 2015, ETRO has been committed to giving its people, team members, clients, vendors, partners, and contractors a valued voice and equal role in its success. ETRO has played a role in shaping some of the region’s most recognizable facilities, including the renovation of BC Place Stadium, expansions at UBC’s Recreation Centre and Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and numerous projects at Vancouver International Airport.
"This recognition means a lot to all of us at ETRO. What started at a fold-folding table 10 years ago in a basement has grown to a team of over 180 people. … To our clients and partners, thank you for trusting us with your projects and being a part of our journey. The company and this award belongs to the team behind it, and we're just getting started."
Watch video to learn about all the finalists in this category.
Employer of the Year:
Destination Vancouver
Destination Vancouver is the non-profit, member-based destination marketing and management organization dedicated to promoting Vancouver as a world-class travel destination. It works alongside partners across Vancouver’s visitor economy to develop exceptional visitor experiences and showcase the city in key Canadian, U.S., and international markets. Guided by a commitment to sustainable tourism, Destination Vancouver plays an active role in balancing the environmental, social, cultural, and economic benefits of tourism to enhance the wellbeing of local communities. Its mission is to responsibly build a resilient and sustainable visitor economy that contributes $11 billion in direct economic impact by 2030. The organization has also been instrumental in securing and supporting major international events that elevate Vancouver’s global profile, including the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"It feels especially meaningful to get this award, considering the year that we've had here at Destination Vancouver and our tourism community, … Tourism can seem or appear to many people as this part-time job, this flow-through job. And that is the case, but it's also an incredibly meaningful career. Just at our table tonight, we have team members who are three weeks into their tenure and 30 years at Destination Vancouver. So thank you very much. We very much appreciate the honor and the privilege of representing Vancouver."
Watch video to learn about all the finalists in this category.
Environmental Impact Award:
Windset Farms
For more than three decades, Windset Farms has been delivering fresh produce to consumers across the globe, growing into one of North America’s largest sustainable suppliers of natural produce. Windset owns and operates 298 acres of greenhouse production across Canada and the United States, including 130 acres in Delta, British Columbia. Its Delta greenhouse is the largest LED-lit greenhouse vegetable facility in Western North America, with 86 acres dedicated to year-round tomato and cucumber cultivation. Windset’s commitment to energy-efficient growing has been recognized with a BC Hydro Clean Energy Champion award and the FortisBC Efficiency in Action Award.
"We just are so humbled to be here amongst a lot of incredible innovative people. We start everything in our business with culture, people, and sustainable practices in our farming operations and environmental considerations. We're just so blessed to be here. Thank you so much, and congratulations to all the other nominees."
Watch video to learn about all the finalists in this category.
Greater Vancouver Vibrancy Award:
Chinese Canadian Museum
Located in the historic Wing Sang Building in Vancouver’s Chinatown, the Chinese Canadian Museum is the country’s only museum dedicated to Chinese Canadian history and culture. The museum shares and celebrates the stories, impact, and living heritage of Chinese Canadian through exhibitions, programs, and community engagement, while connecting communities across the country. Since opening in July 2023, the museum has become a dynamic space for cultural engagement and dialogue, welcoming more than 120,000 visitors and more than 1,900 programs and tours. In 2024, it received the Governor General’s Award from the National Trust for Canada, recognizing its impact in preserving and sharing the important stories of Chinese Canadians.
"Thank you to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and the selecting committee for recognizing how our museum can indeed add to the vibrancy of our city and the region. … Chinese Canadians have been shaping B.C. since 1788, long before Vancouver was a city. We built railways, businesses, and neighbourhoods. We shaped the city's food, art, and culture, even when we were told we didn't belong. We didn't contribute to Vancouver, we helped build it. Congratulations to our fellow nominees who continue that spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship."
Watch video to learn about all the finalists in this category.
Non-profit of the Year:
Vancouver Food Runners Society
Vancouver Food Runners (VFR) works to address the disconnect between food waste, food insecurity, and environmental sustainability. It matches surplus food from businesses and organizations to more than 140 nonprofit partners working with food insecure clients in the Vancouver area. Unlike traditional food banks, VFR’s volunteer drivers deliver directly to smaller, neighbourhood sites and social service organizations, making it easier for individuals to access the food they need. Since VFR was founded by Tristan Jagger in 2019, the nonprofit has completed nearly 40,000 food rescue - which is equivalent to 5.6 million meals - and has saved 6.7 million pounds of food from the landfill.
"When we started Vancouver Food Runners in 2020, we just had a simple idea to connect perfectly good surplus food with people in our community that needed it. We never imagined how quickly it would grow, or how many incredible people would come together to turn this simple idea into something much bigger. … This is a true community award, and we're showing what's possible when we can collaborate and come together to build a more circular, connected, and caring region. Thank you so much."
Watch video to learn about all the finalists in this category.
New Award - Member of the Year:
Solomon Wong
This year also introduced the inaugural Member of the Year award, recognizing outstanding contributions to GVBOT through volunteerism, mentorship, speaking engagements, or committee participation.
The 2026 Member of the Year is Solomon Wong, President & Chief Executive Officer of InterVISTAS Consulting. Solomon has made significant contributions to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade through more than two decades of leadership, service, and advocacy. A leading voice in Canada's aviation industry, he has helped advance innovations that transformed the travel experience, from trusted traveller programs to streamlined security and border processes. He served for many years as Chair of our Regional Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and continues to support the growth of World Trade Centre Vancouver programming. Through his active participation, steadfast commitment, and enthusiastic promotion of the Board of Trade's work, Solomon has become a trusted leader and outstanding ambassador for our business community.
"It is an honor to be the first recipient of this award. One of the things that is really important to me looking back in the nearly 30 years of work in transportation, tourism, and other areas is the degree to which we rely upon transferring knowledge. … The call to action for everybody here is as follows. We are not moving fast enough per generational knowledge transfer. The ability to pass it forward on to the next generation and the generation after. It is really important to make sure we act upon this. I very much appreciate the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade for the award, but also the call to action that's so critical for the future of our region and the different kinds of sectors we serve here in this room."
About the Scale-up Centre for SMEs (SCS)
The Scale-up Centre for SMEs (SCS) is an initiative of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. The SCS works to understand the trends, forces, and issues impacting SME growth, innovation, and competitiveness and develops programming and policy to address these issues. Based on the goals of helping companies to discover gaps, engage with experts, and create solutions to address obstacles to growth, the SCS connects, educates, and inspires SMEs in British Columbia.