Thursday, October 22, 2026
Celebrating Business Excellence in Wood Buffalo
Congratulations to the winners and nominees of the 2026 Business Awards! This celebration is about the people, businesses and organizations whose hard work, leadership and commitment continue to shape Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
Our business community came together at Keyano Theatre to recognize the achievements, stories and contributions that make our region stronger. Thank you to everyone who nominated, voted, attended and helped us celebrate the people behind the businesses that call Wood Buffalo home.
Presenting Partners
AWARD CATEGORIES
Emerging Entrepreneur
Winner: Moccasin Media
This award recognizes a business that has demonstrated bravery by opening within the past five years, is sustainable in nature and shows growth potential.
Youth-in-Business
Winner: Sargi & Co
This award recognizes an individual under the age of 30 who has played a direct and primary role in the planning and establishment of the business and is currently operating in a leadership capacity.
Franchise
Winner: Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Fort McMurray
This award recognizes a business that is part of a franchise and operates under a franchise agreement. It demonstrates a dedicated focus on achieving a community-forward approach to operations and is consistently involved in giving back to the local community and supporting regional initiatives.
Adaptation
Winner: Poosh Cleaning Services
This award recognizes a business that successfully pivoted in response to a changing business environment in innovative ways that allowed the business to show growth or sustainment during economic or other significant challenges.
Indigenous-Owned Business
Winners:
Inner City Diesel
Spirit Creative
This award recognizes a business that is owned and operated by Indigenous individuals or communities, supports Indigenous cultural values and creates opportunities for supporting and growing their communities.
Corporate Social Collaboration
Winner: Cooper & Company Law Firm
This award recognizes a business that demonstrates a robust corporate-social responsibility program, promotes impact within the community through work with social-profit organizations and volunteer programs found within Wood Buffalo, and is collaborative and committed to ensuring a better community.
Environment & Sustainability
Winner: Grainger’s Greens
This award recognizes outstanding leadership in economic, social, charitable or environmental activities, with a dedicated focus on achieving a vision and mandate aligned with ongoing contributions to the environment and/or sustainability.
Hospitality and Tourism
Winner: Fort McMurray Golf Club
This award recognizes an active role in the development of the local tourism industry, helping make Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo a place to visit. The business may operate in areas such as accommodations, restaurants/cafes, recreational facilities or attractions.
Female Leadership
Winner: Nicole Bourque-Bouchier
Bouchier
This award recognizes a leader who demonstrates excellence in their field and advances entrepreneurship for women through their leadership.
Lifetime Business Achievement
Winner: Robert Anderson Funeral Services
This award recognizes a business leader for contributions made over the course of their career, reflecting sustained achievement rather than a single contribution or point in time.
Small Business of the Year
Winner: Pinkney Financial Services
This award recognizes an excellent business with fewer than 20 employees.
Medium Business of the Year
Winner: Landmark Cinemas
This award recognizes an excellent business with more than 20 and fewer than 99 employees.
Large Business of the Year
Winner: A.P.E. Maintenance Ltd.
This award recognizes an excellent business with over 100 employees.
The categories of Small, Medium and Large Businesss of the year are decided by an independent adjudication panel from the winners in the various award categories.
People's Choice Awards
Wood Buffalo showed up in a big way this year, casting a record-breaking 5,800 votes in the People’s Choice Awards, 900 more than last year. Thank you to everyone who took the time to support and celebrate our local businesses and leaders.
People's Choice Award:
Small Business of the Year
Winner: Melanie Galea – RE/MAX Connect & DiSCOVER Fort McMurray
People's Choice Award:
Medium-Large Business of the Year
Winner: McDonald’s Fort McMurray
People's Choice Award:
Business Leader of the Year
Winner: Moe Awais – McDonald’s Fort McMurray
About the Nominees
The nominee(s) have enhanced the quality of life for the community, and attracted people to the area. They will have promoted and added vibrancy to the well-being, health, and development of the community. The nominee(s) have demonstrated long-term community engagement, and have taken opportunities to showcase the region through marketing and community events, and/or programs. As well, they have promoted cultural activities, tourism, and/or sporting events.
While nominees in all category will be determined by the Committee based on the predetermined criteria, the winner of the People's Choice category will be determined by public ballot.
About the Award Process
To be eligible as a valid nominee in any category your business must:
- Maintain operations in the Wood Buffalo region at the time of awards
- Have not won in the category in the past three years
- Within the past 2 years:
- Contributed significantly and demonstrably to the economic and social well-being of Wood Buffalo
- Evidenced sustained financial viability, growth and success
- And have derived no more than 30% of annual revenue from any combination of donations, grants and/or subsidies.
All nominations are reviewed & evaluated by an independent judging committee made up of local, qualified members of the business community.
Their mandate is to objectively determine the finalists and ultimately the winner in each category based on the applicable criteria outlined.
In that regard, all nominees will be evaluated as follows:
- People & Clients - This criteria explores the business relationship internally with employees and externally with clients
- Profit & Growth - This criteria explores the history and future plans for growth
- Community Involvement - This criteria relates to the social aspect of business extending to the community
- Global Community & Sustainability - This criteria relates to aspects of business that extends to an awareness of business as it relates to the larger global community
