Business Boost
Canada Life announces Business Boost grant recipients
After receiving almost 4,000 applications from across the country, Canada Life™ chose 12 small businesses to receive a $10,000 grant.
We heard amazing stories of creativity and resiliency from small businesses across the country about how they adjusted to keep their doors open and serve their communities during this challenging time.
At Canada Life, we’re committed to supporting the well-being of Canadians, and we recognize that small businesses are at the heart of the communities we call home. We’re proud to have helped make a difference for these businesses at a time when they needed it most. We hope their stories will help inspire others in the face of adversity caused by the pandemic.
Who are the 12 recipients and where are they located?
- The final 12 recipients are spread across Canada, from coast to coast
- They’re made up of all different types of business models and industries
- A coffee shop, social enterprise, and children’s causes were among the selections
Why did you choose these 12?
We put together a multi-disciplinary team from across our organization to help review applications. We chose these 12 recipients based on things like geographic diversity, business diversity, creative business approaches during the pandemic, how they planned to use the grant and more.
Ace Tennis Academy – Edmonton, AB
This company offers children a variety of different sport and recreation activities indoors and outdoors. They’ll use our grant to buy more sports equipment, puzzles and books. With more of these supplies, they can ensure there are enough to rotate and sanitize between uses to keep kids safe.
Samson Management Ltd. – Maskwacis, AB
Situated on the Samson reserve – Samson Management Ltd. supplies its residents with gasoline, food, prescription medications and other essential supplies. They also provide employment and training opportunities for those in nearby communities. With this grant, they plan to implement a new health and safety initiative where they’ll train employees across the company.
Visit their websiteHFX Learning Centres Inc. – Halifax, NS
This organization supports students who struggle to read and/or have learning disabilities to ultimately help them reach their potential. With this $10,000, they plan to offer more programming and an online platform to meet the increased demand they’re seeing, while staying COVID-safe.
Visit their websiteSan Vito Coffee House – Winnipeg, MB
This local coffee house has embraced new ways of working during COVID-19, like introducing takeout options and free city-wide delivery. They’ve even taken to social media to connect with customers virtually and have posted over 70 kitchen karaoke videos to bring positivity to their community. With our grant, they’ll repair and replace old equipment they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford.
Outcrop Nunavut – Iqaluit, NU
This marketing firm develops campaigns that communicate to Nunavummiut in their own language, and that showcase the art and natural beauty of Nunavut to the rest of the world. They also help promote local businesses in Nunavut. With our grant of $10,000, they plan to train an employee, purchase new lights for their office (it’s dark a lot in Nunavut!) and organize things like a “burger week”, “poutine week” and “pizza week” where they’ll encourage locals to order from nearby restaurants.
Visit their websiteEvelynn by Nicole Snobelen – London, ON
This Canadian-made women’s wear clothing line provides quality, homemade products. But the best part is, it’s a social enterprise that gives back to children in local hospitals. A portion of sales is put towards a program where they design children’s dream dresses and superhero capes and gift them to the children when they’re finished. They plan to use our grant to create a marketing plan and purchase materials and supplies for the program.
Visit their websiteLe Camélia - Maison de répit – Trois Rivières, QC
Le Camelia Masion provides family respite services for people who have lost their autonomy or are living with an intellectual disability. Through various day, weekend, week and long-term programs, they give families, friends and caregivers of these individuals a moment of rest. With our grant, they plan to start a website so they can connect with more people who are on government wait lists for help with their loved ones.
Puddicombe House – New Hamburg, ON
This family-based business includes a restaurant, spa, salon, inn and wedding venue. They’re also heavily involved in the community, donating their hall space to local groups in need, sitting on the local board of trade and getting involved in downtown projects. They’ll invest this $10,000 into their outdoor Winter Wonderland patio, which residents can visit as a safe outing during the pandemic. Specifically, they’ll use it to pay for heaters, geo domes, greenhouses and potentially even an outdoor ice bar.
FlipGive Inc. – Toronto, ON
This fundraising platform helps families raise money for youth sports by earning cash back on their household spending. This helps alleviate the financial impact of youth team sports, which levels the playing field and gives opportunities to families who may otherwise not be able to afford it. They’ll use this $10,000 to fund team grant programs and support marketing activities when it comes time for team sports to start up again.
Visit their websiteNobel HSSE Management Ltd. – Oxbow, SK
Nobel works with employers and their employees to help them meet their health and safety needs, training them to understand the dangers of their work and ensuring their mitigation plans are effective. They also offer programs and counselling to those experiencing mental health challenges. With our grant, they’ll be able to keep their employees, despite the financial challenges they’ve experienced from the pandemic.
Kings Park Child Care Centre – Winnipeg, MB
This early childhood care and education centre has a diverse group of clients and employees, and care for families who have come to Canada from areas all over the world. They also specialize in caring for children with autism, down syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and other medical concerns. They recently had to separate their playground into two sides because of COVID-related health regulations. With our grant, they’ll purchase two portable sinks, one for each side, and purchase play equipment so children on each side have a consistent experience.
Kids Physio Group – North Vancouver, BC
This pediatric physiotherapy clinic offers quality, private and highly specialized treatment in a fun environment. Every session is customized for each child and designed to help them realize their physical capabilities. With $10,000, they’ll invest in new systems to train their employees virtually and purchase additional equipment like plexiglass, cleaning products and personal protective equipment.
Visit their websiteProud supporter and member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
We want to see the Canadian economy thrive, which is why we’re proud to team up with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce so we can help support businesses nationwide. We’re also a corporate member of the Chamber of Commerce in Toronto, Montreal, London, Winnipeg, and Regina, and we’ve experienced firsthand how they can help benefit your business.
