Which is Yellowknife’s best business? The shortlist is out

Who deserves the title of Yellowknife’s greatest small business in 2019?

The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce has published its shortlists for 10 different awards to be handed out at its 2019 business awards gala on October 25.

(Full disclosure: Cabin Radio isn’t allowed to win anything this year, so we’re totally neutral this time around. We’ll be hosting the awards show!)

Downtown gym Breakaway Fitness joins pet and home-sitting service YK Sitter on six nominations each as the leading contenders.

Iceblink, the Etandah spa, De Beers, and Top of the World Travel are each shortlisted in four categories. Iceblink received four nominations for the second year in a row – last year, the clothing boutique won the Trailblazers Women in Business award.

Unusually, Welders Daughter – a band – is nominated for small business of the year, a customer service award, and the community impact award.

The band joins no fewer than 17 other nominees for the night’s top award, recognizing the Yellowknife small business of the year.

The breakout new business award, won by Cabin Radio in 2018, is contested this year by Copperhouse, the Farmhouse, Anytime Fitness, Barren Ground Coffee, A-List Organizing, True North Electric, Let Me Knot, and Yellowknife Sportfishing Adventures.

Yellowknife’s Co-op goes up against De Beers, the Gahcho Kué, Northland Utilities, and the Det’on Cho Corporation for corporate business of the year.

YK Sitter and With Media, a digital communications company run by chamber president Kyle Thomas, are the only nominees for young entrepreneur of the year. There is also, for the first time, an “innovation award.”

Businesses have to be chamber members to receive nominations, must have been in business for more than three years (the breakout new business award excepted), and can’t be nominated for something they won the year before.

There is no judged shortlisting process – nominations are based on submissions from members of the public, meaning some categories have expansive shortlists. A panel of judges now decides which of the shortlisted businesses should go on to win each category.

In total, there were 135 nominations for the 10 awards. Winners will be crowned on October 25 at the Explorer Hotel – tickets for the ceremony are $150 plus GST for chamber members or $200 plus GST for non-members.

The show will have a “Yellowknife Foodie” theme. The chamber said attendees can expect “an exceptional meal that incorporates local ingredients” at the show.

Nominees for each category are shown below, in the order provided by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce:

Small Business of the Year

• Destination NWT Ltd
• Angela Gzowski Photography
• Inukshuk Publishing
• Best Movers
• YK Sitter
• Good Times Soap
• Iceblink
• Top of the World Travel
• Moxxy It Up
• Etandah Organic Day Spa
• Roy’s Audio Video Unlimited
• With Media
• Breakaway Fitness Ltd
• Flavour Trader
• Welder’s Daughter
• SheBookie Bookkeeping Services
• Momentum Training Services
• Tom and Jer Catering

Corporate Business of the Year

Sponsored by Business Development Bank of Canada

• De Beers Group
• Northland Utilities
• Det’on Cho Corporation
• Yellowknife Co-op
• Gahcho Kué Mine

Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Award

Sponsored by Northland Utilities

• Flowers North
• B. Dene Adventures
• Det’on Cho Corporation
• Wallbridge Law Office

Customer Service Award of Excellence

Sponsored by De Beers

• Top of the World Travel
• Etandah Organic Day Spa
• Raven Web Services
• YK Sitter
• Good Times Soap
• Best Movers
• Roy’s Audio Video Unlimited
• Iceblink
• Welder’s Daughter
• Breakaway Fitness Ltd

Community Impact Award

Sponsored by Northwest Territories Power Corporation

• Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy
• Northview Apartment REIT
• Iceblink
• Etandah Organic Day Spa
• YK Sitter
• Breakaway Fitness Ltd
• Top of the World Travel
• Yellowknife Co-op
• De Beers Group
• Welder’s Daughter

Breakout New Business

Sponsored by NWT BDIC

• Copperhouse Eatery + Lounge
• The Farmhouse
• Yellowknife Sportfishing Adventures
• Anytime Fitness
• Barren Ground Coffee
• A-List Organizing
• True North Electric
• Let Me Knot

Young Entrepreneur Of The Year

Sponsored by Northwestel

• YK Sitter
• With Media

Workplace Health & Safety Award

Sponsored by WSCC

• De Beers Group
• Gahcho Kué Mine
• Roy’s Audio Video Unlimited
• Northland Utilities
• Breakaway Fitness Ltd
• Kavanaugh Bros Ltd

Trailblazers Women in Business Award

Sponsored by The City of Yellowknife

• Ph8 Studio
• For Women Only
• Breakaway Fitness Ltd
• Inukshuk Publishing
• Angela Gzowski Photography
• Best Movers
• Top of the World Travel
• YK Sitter
• Etandah Organic Day Spa
• Good Times Soap

Innovation Award

• Iceblink
• Yellowknife Co-op
• CloudWorks
• Guy Architects
• De Beers Group
• Det’on Cho Corporation
• Breakaway Fitness Ltd
• Destination NWT Ltd
• Angela Gzowski Photography
• YK Sitter