Xat'sull Heritage Village near Williams Lake has been nominated for the 2015 Small Business BC Awards' Best Community Impact Award.
Nominations opened Oct. 1 attracting more than 407 B.C.-based small businesses, who have been nominated so far.
The Best Community Impact Award goes to a company that makes a difference in their community and has taken positive action to invest in their community and sees social responsibility as an integral part of the business's success.
Since its inception in 2003, the annual Small Business BC Awards have become one of the largest and most widely-recognized contests in B.C. Last year, 470 small businesses were nominated from 55 communities across the province.
The awards acknowledge the contribution more than 400,000 small business owners and entrepreneurs in our province make to their local communities and the global economy.
Ninety-eight per cent of businesses in B.C. are small businesses, and the Cariboo is home to close to 12,400 of them.
Nominations and voting will remain open until Nov. 30. Businesses can enter the competition through self- or third-party nomination in one of 10 categories:
• Best Company
• Best Concept
• Best Employer
• Best Online Marketer
• Best Community Impact
• Best Workplace
• Best International Trade
• Premier's People's Choice
• Best Immigrant Entrepreneur
• Best Emerging Entrepreneur
To win, nominated companies must gain as many votes as possible. The top-10 finalists will then submit an extended application to narrow down the competition.
The top five will then face a Dragon's Den-style panel of judges to pitch why they should be named the best in B.C.
Winners will receive the Premier's Prize of $1,500 cash, a one-year all-access pass to Small Business BC education and resources and one-on-one business mentorship opportunities with notable advisors from the award sponsors.
The public is encouraged to nominate and vote for their favourite small businesses up until Nov. 30.
For more details, a list of nominees and to vote visit www.sbbcawards.ca.