Halifax Business Awards Celebrate Success Stories In A Challenging Year
HALIFAX — An upstart internet company, a global seafood distributor, a company that upcycles organic waste into insect protein, and others were recognized as some of the city’s best businesses Thursday night at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Business Awards.
This year, awards were handed out in seven categories, including the new not-for-profit of the year award.
Chamber president Patrick Sullivan says this year’s expanded awards recognized the hard work and resiliency of the city’s business community.
“This event gives us all a chance to recognize local business leaders and risk-takers, and this year they definitely deserve an opportunity to celebrate,” he said.
Speaking to the mostly virtual crowd at the beginning of the night, Sullivan said he was surprised by how significant the ceremony felt.
“I didn’t think it was going to be such an emotional evening. It’s been a year; it’s been a year,” he said.
“By celebrating these 35 finalists we’re celebrating our community at large, we’re celebrating the hardest-hit sectors of tourism and hospitality, we’re celebrating the long nights in the health sector, we’re celebrating the drive and determination of the tech sector, and we’re celebrating the collaboration of all of our businesses and community groups.”
The first award of the night recognized the exact drive and determination Sullivan talked about, going to Purple Cow Internet, for New Business Of The Year.
The internet company offers an alternative to the traditional telecoms that have largely controlled internet access in Canada.
The Rounds — a digital networking platform for physicians — was next, snagging the Small Business of the Year Award.
The Export Business of the year award, meanwhile, went to First Catch Fisheries, which exports Nova Scotia seafood largely to Chinese markets.
This year’s awards also featured a new category, Nor-For-Profit of the Year, which was given to United Way Halifax.
Oberland Agriscience Inc., the company creating insect protein from organic waste took home the Innovative Business of the Year Award, while REDspace Inc. snagged the coveted Business of the Year honour.
Finally, the Business Leader of the Year award was handed out to Matt Symes of Symplicity Designs.
“I think for all the business leaders last year’s survival was success, wasn’t it?” Symes said as he accepted his award.
He said he wouldn’t have been able to accept the award if not for “all the people who went to work every single day to try and make a difference,” and thanked his family and partner for the work they have done to help the business.
He also thanked his father, saying “there is no Symplicity without you.”
“Over the last eight years I’ve failed a lot as a leader, and you’ve been there to pick me up, dust me off, send me on my way again,” he said.
For a complete list of winners and finalists, visit the Halifax Chamber website.