Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Awards Relocate to SFU

The 2025 Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Awards will be held at a new venue due to ongoing labour disputes at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel. The awards gala is now scheduled to take place at Simon Fraser University (SFU) on November 6, 2025, starting at 18:00. This year marks the 27th edition of the event, which will honour winners across eight categories during a formal, Academy Awards-style evening.

More than 400 guests are expected to attend the gala, which celebrates the achievements of local businesses and young entrepreneurs. Tickets are available for $150 and up on the event’s official website, swrbot.com. The relocation follows similar challenges faced by the Surrey International Writers’ Conference, which was also forced to cancel its event in mid-October due to the same labour issues. Organisers of the writers’ conference have initiated a $300,000 online fundraiser to ensure the event continues into 2026 and beyond.

At the SFU venue, event planners from the recently merged Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade (SWRBOT) have announced the finalists for this year’s awards. Among the nominees for the prestigious Business Person of the Year award are Jas Oberoi from the Jas Oberoi Group, Kendelle Pollitt of Pier Law & Mediation, and Steve Pisiak from Ultimate Performance.

Recognition will also be given to new businesses, with finalists in the New Business category including Atwal & Associates Trial Lawyers, Mighty Cubs Childcare, and Red Oak Law Corporation. The Young Entrepreneur category highlights emerging talent, featuring finalists such as Hamza Saquib of Oto Hearing Products, Jujhar Mann from Mann and Co. Bakeshop, and Matt Dai of Kingdom Athletics.

In the Not-for-Profit/Association category, the finalists include Mackie’s Place Youth Social House, Options Community Services Society, and Peace Arch Hospice Society. Additionally, the White Rock Business Excellence award finalists are A Little Bud, Architecture Panel, and Laura’s Coffee Corner.

The awards also have three categories based on the number of employees in a business. For the 1-10 Employees award, finalists include Global Conference Alliance, Ignite Dance Company, and U-Lock Mini Storage. In the 11-40 Employees category, nominees are My Empower Therapy, Square One Construction, and SWR Drain Service. Lastly, businesses eligible for the 41+ Employees award are Cancorr, Kasa Supply, and PCB Global Trade Management.

With the shift to SFU, the Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Awards aims to maintain its tradition of celebrating local business achievements while addressing the logistical challenges posed by the ongoing labour disputes.