NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2026 CHAMBER AWARDS ARE NOW OPEN
The Chamber Awards are back, celebrating the best of the Comox Valley Business Community for the 52nd year!
Do you know a person, business or organization that deserves to shine?
ALL CHAMBER AWARDS:
NEW FOR 2026: RISING STAR AWARD Honours an INDIVIDUAL who:
• Has achieved remarkable business success in a short period of time and demonstrates exceptional potential for continued growth and leadership in the Comox Valley
•The nominee should generally be within the first five years of their entrepreneurial journey or career regardless of age
•Demonstrates drive, initiative and an ability to turn ideas into results
NEW FOR 2026: WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP & ENTERPRISE AWARD Honours an INDIVIDUAL who:
• Recognizes an outstanding entrepreneur whose leadership, business achievement and contribution to the Comox Valley demonstrates excellence, resilience and positive impact
• Holds meaningful decision-making authority and be actively involved in the strategic direction and/or day-to-day operation of the business
• Self-identifies as a woman and is an active leader of a Comox Valley business
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD Honours an INDIVIDUAL who:
• Provides leadership and inspiration among their peers
• Makes a positive contribution to the community and/business sector, or as a mentor in business
• Serves as a positive role model in the community and for other businesses for at least five years
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD (10 or more employees, minimum 2 years in business) Honours a BUSINESS that:
• Is community-minded and demonstrates outstanding contributions to the community
• Employs more than 10 people
• Has a sound reputation of exemplary customer service in the Comox Valley
• Demonstrates outstanding achievements for at least two years in business
• Invests in the community by creating employment and partnering with local service providers when outsourcing
CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD Honours a BUSINESS that:
• Exemplifies the principles and practices of excellence in customer service
• Demonstrates exceptional service with each customer interaction
• Has an established reputation for going above and beyond
• Can provide three reference letters OR recent testimonials OR google review awards OR can demonstrate holding industry specific awards & accolades
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AWARD Honours a BUSINESS who:
Goes above and beyond in attracting/supporting a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive work environment in the Comox Valley area. This is demonstrated by:
• Creating an accessible environment for the workforce
• Actively engaging with under-represented employees to advance accessibility
• Diversity is represented in the represented workforce at all levels including leadership and includes, but is not limited to, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, age, and ability.
FAMILY FIRST WORKPLACE AWARD Honours BUSINESS that:
• Demonstrates support and care for employees’ parental or caregiver needs for all dependents
• Creates a culture that supports a healthy work/life balance. For example, with flexible working hours and work-from-home/hybrid working
• Staff and owners demonstrate an inclusive attitude towards families with young children both as employees and customers
HERITAGE RECOGNITION AWARD Honours a BUSINESS that:
• Has operated continuously in the Comox Valley for 25 years or longer
• Has contributed significantly to the community
INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD Honours a BUSINESS that:
• Demonstrates innovation by introducing a new or significantly improved product, service, process, business model, partnership, or approach to doing business
• Has creatively identified and addressed an opportunity, challenge, or unmet need in its business, industry, or community
• Demonstrates meaningful results from its innovation, such as improved operations, customer experience, business growth, access to new markets, stronger partnerships, or other measurable benefits
• Shows initiative and adaptability by challenging conventional approaches and finding practical, effective ways to do things differently or better
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Honours an INDIVIDUAL who:
• Is a fulltime, long-term resident of the Comox Valley AND
• Demonstrates a lifetime of achievement with over 20 years in the Comox Valley
• Is recognized for outstanding voluntary service of an individual nature or through their work with community clubs and organizations. The individual must have received no wages for the services for which they are being recognized
NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Honours a BUSINESS that:
• Has operated for less than two years and within that time has made outstanding contributions to the Comox Valley
• Demonstrates outstanding potential for continued growth
• Has the willingness to employ locally and is community-minded
NOT FOR PROFIT AWARD Honours an ORGANIZATION that:
• Demonstrates outstanding contributions to the community through their services
• Can demonstrate how their services provide benefits to others
• Can show how they differentiate themselves to other organizations in the community
• Must be registered as a non-profit and/or charitable organization
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD (less than 10 employees) Honours a BUSINESS that:
• Is community-minded and demonstrates outstanding contributions to the community
• Employs fewer than 10 employees
• Must be well-established, long standing and have a sound reputation of service in the Comox Valley
• Demonstrates outstanding achievements for no less than two years in business
• Invests in the community by creating employment and partnering with local service providers when outsourcing
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD Honours an ORGANIZATION OR BUSINESS that:
• Has environmental sustainability embedded in their business model or strategy
• Practices environmental responsibility and sustainability through clear goals and actions that reduce environmental impacts and community resource use, such as conserving water, reducing waste to landfill, and using solar energy
• Demonstrates that their environmental responsibility provides an advantage for their overall success
• Additional consideration will be given to nominees who actively promote environmental sustainability through education and awareness among employees, customers, or the broader community