TORONTO, Ontario, November 17, 2009 — The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), extended her congratulations to the winners of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) 2009 Chairman’s Awards.
“I congratulate the many winners from across the country recognized at the CYBF celebration last night. They represent the best and brightest young Canadian entrepreneurs, the mentors who offer their time and expertise to help them, and the community organizations that support them,” said Minister of State Ablonczy. “Our Canadian entrepreneurs are a source of tremendous change and progress; they seize opportunities, turn their ideas into commercial success and, in so doing, benefit their communities.
“Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our government is supporting our next generation of entrepreneurs to help them innovate, create jobs and generate wealth in every region across the country.”
The 2009 CYBF award winners are as follows:
2009 CYBF National and Quebec Best Business Award
GG Telecom
http://www.ggtelecom.ca
Yan and Sébastien Gagnon
2009 CYBF Nation Builder Award:
David Aisenstat, President & CEO, The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
W. Brett Wilson, Chairman, Prairie Merchant Corporation
2009 CYBF National and Alberta Outstanding Mentor Award
Rosemarie Enslin, Mentor to Sarah Khallad, She Was Stunning, and Melanie Breitkreutz, Be’ato Coffee Company Inc.
2009 CYBF National and Ontario Outstanding Community Partner Award
Hamilton Small Business Enterprise Centre
http://www.investinhamilton.ca/small-business/small-business.html
Chris Farrell/Kristin Huigenbos
2009 CYBF British Columbia Best Business Award
GumDrops Wet Weather Boutique
http://www.gumdropsonline.com
Shanda Jerrett
2009 CYBF British Columbia Outstanding Mentor Award
Fi Dastoor, Mentor to Shanda Jerrett, GumDrops Wet Weather Boutique
2009 CYBF British Columbia Outstanding Community Partner Award
Self Employment Entrepreneur Development Society (SEEDS)
http://www.seedsbdc.com
Monika Laul Verma
2009 CYBF Alberta Best Business Award
Douglas Square Physiotherapy Centre
Bryan Shopka
2009 CYBF Alberta Outstanding Community Partner Award
Small Business Resource Centers Inc.
http://www.bizwhiz.com
Linda Griffioen
2009 CYBF Central Prairies Best Business Award
Hoopla Clothing
http://www.hooplaclothing.ca
Jessica Williamson
2009 CYBF Central Prairies Outstanding Mentor Award
Al Norman, Mentor to Jessica Williamson, Hoopla Clothing
2009 CYBF Central Prairies Outstanding Community Partner Award
Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/youth/index.html
Shaun Hampton
2009 CYBF Ontario Best Business Award
BioPed North Bay
http://www.bioped.com
Crystal Kaufman
2009 CYBF Ontario Outstanding Mentor Award
Shevaun Voisin, Mentor to Janine Keller Ng, Blue Skies Yoga & Eco Store
2009 CYBF Quebec Outstanding Mentor Award
Michel Girard, Mentor to Pierre-Alexandre Villeneuve Tremblay and Mélanie Larin,
Lavéco Mobile Inc.
2009 CYBF Quebec Outstanding Community Partner Award
Développment économique — CLD Gatineau (DE-CLDG)
http://www.directiongatineau.ca
Gérald Lanoix
2009 CYBF Atlantic Canada Best Business Award
The Brooklyn Warehouse
http://www.brooklynwarehouse.ca
George Christakos
2009 CYBF Atlantic Canada Outstanding Mentor Award
Lana Pinsky, Mentor to Kim Dao and Bang Dao, Talay Thai Restaurant Limited, and to Kim Dao and Chitsanupong Prathumma, Cha Baa Thai Restaurant Limited
2009 CYBF Atlantic Canada Outstanding Community Partner Award
Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED)
http://www.ceed.info
Shawn Cunningham
For more information on the awards, please visit the CYBF website.
For more information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, please visit Canada’s Economic Action Plan website.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Catherine Godbout
Office of the Honourable Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
613-947-5856
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
