2022 Business Excellence Awards Program

PRESENTED BY

#BEA2022

bramptonbot.com

RUNNING HEADER

Proud Proud Proudto to tosupport support support Brampton Brampton Brampton Board Board Boardof of ofTrade Trade Trade 2021 2021 2021Business Business Business Excellence Excellence ExcellenceAwards.

Awards.

Awards.

We’re We’re We’re working working working together together together with with with BBOT BBOT BBOT totohelp tohelp help create create create aafuture afuture future we we we can can can all allall look look look forward forward forward to. to. to.

Renzo Renzo Renzo Ranalli, Ranalli, Ranalli, Vice Vice Vice President, President, President, TDTD Commercial TD Commercial Commercial Banking Banking Banking Gio Gio Bazile, Gio Bazile, Bazile, District District District Vice Vice Vice President, President, President, TDTD Canada TD Canada Canada Trust Trust Trust Emmanuel Emmanuel Emmanuel Koudoumnakis, Koudoumnakis, Koudoumnakis, Vice Vice Vice President President President and and and Market Market Market Manager, Manager, Manager, TDTD Wealth TD Wealth Wealth Gajendra Gajendra Gajendra Rathore, Rathore, Rathore, Area Area Area Manager, Manager, Manager, TDTD Small TD Small Small Business Business Business Banking Banking Banking

® The ® The TD ® The TD logo logo TDand logo and other and other trade-marks other trade-marks trade-marks areare theare the property the property property of The of The of Toronto-Dominion The Toronto-Dominion Toronto-Dominion Bank.

Bank.

Bank.

M05598 M05598 M05598 (1118) (1118) (1118)

Evening Agenda 6:00 PM

Cocktail Reception

6:30 PM

Opening Remarks

7:00 PM

Award Presentations

9:50 PM

Closing Remarks

10:00 PM

Post Event Reception

Entertainment provided by The DNA Project Networking

Donna Fagon-Pascal, Board Chair, VP, HR & Talent Management, Dynacare Daniel Lewis, Chair-Elect, Tea Master & Founder, Daniel’s Chai Bar

Innovation Service Excellence Community Builder Retail Experience Smart Solutions Business Person of the Year Presentation Heather Strati, Partner, Deloitte Global Trade Impact Environmental Sustainability Culture Experience Chair’s Award Workplace Wellness and Talent Development Community Impact

Networking Popcorn Station

2022 Business Excellence Awards

3

RUNNING HEADER

Congratulations ਵਧਾਈਆਂ ‫وہ کرابم‬

Felicitaçoes અભિનંદન Felicitaciones बधाई வாழ்தத ் ுக்கள் Binabati kita Congratulazioni Amazon is honoured to celebrate this year’s winners of the Brampton Board of Trade Business Excellence Awards. Alongside the Brampton Board of Trade, we continue to applaud the outstanding accomplishments of our community and look forward to supporting the bright future of Brampton.

4

Brampton Board of Trade

THANK YOU SPONSORS

Presenting Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

2022 Business Excellence Awards

5

SPECIAL THANKS

Event Supporters Atomic Print Solutions Razor Creative Solutions Inc. Redwood Studio EJSE Studio Shake It Up Events

Selection Committee Boyd Reid, Hop In Microtransit Technologies Nicole MacPhail, Bramalea City Centre Kate Saldanha, Prouse Dash & Crouch LLP Louis Vouloukos, Lawrence, Lawrence, Stevenson LLP Tracy Pepe, The Scented L’air

Co-Emcees Donna Fagon-Pascal, Board Chair, VP, HR & Talent Management, Dynacare Daniel Lewis, Tea Master & Founder, Daniel’s Chai Bar

6

Brampton Board of Trade

ABOUT BBOT

About Brampton Board of Trade

Brampton’s Largest Business Association For 135 years, the Brampton Board of Trade is where businesses of all shapes, sizes and sectors convene, collaborate and create solutions to boost regional economic prosperity.

Brampton business leaders are focused on running their businesses cost-effectively and successfully, while handling a myriad of challenges such as technology, competitiveness, job creation and government legislation. The Board of Trade helps members make the right connections and provides solutions to the toughest problems — shaping change and advocating for Brampton. Members of the Board of Trade also have access to countless tools to help grow their business, increase productivity, and control their bottom line.

In order for our city to realize its full potential and to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities ahead, businesses and all levels of government need to be aligned. Brampton’s moment is now.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

7

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

Heather Strati Deloitte, Partner

The Brampton Board of Trade is proud to award the 2022 Business Person of the Year honour to Heather Strati, who has shown her commitment to our city through her thought leadership, mentorship and important civic-minded efforts. The Brampton Board of Trade recently spoke with Heather about the future of business in Brampton, while reflecting on her admirable career:

Brampton’s Business Excellence – What are you most excited about for our city in the next 5-10 years?

“Brampton has so much opportunity. We have been saying this for years, but we really are on the precipice of something extraordinary and I am very excited about what this means for our community, family and quality of life. We have the opportunity to build Brampton into a world-class city. We are on the path and we need to execute. We need to seize opportunities and ensure we don’t drop the ball. Execution is critical.”

What does community leadership mean to you?

“Taking care of the next generation and the world around us is integral to our future and we must all strive to do better. It needs to be at the community level – we’re all part of a neighbourhood and our actions should always take the bigger picture into account. I’m an optimist. I love to help – providing solutions, trying to help others do better, feel better and have a better experience. There’s always a positive way to look at a problem and I am always curious about finding a solution. This is my purpose.”

8

Brampton Board of Trade

What role do you feel the Brampton Board of Trade plays post-pandemic?

“The Brampton Board of Trade brings important resources to the members, they are the centre point of our business community and can help businesses of every level navigate challenges and mitigate more upheavals. I encourage all businesses to get more involved and connect – it can only make things better.”

What has been most rewarding about working with the Brampton Board of Trade?

“I was very proud to be the Chair. At that time, we were dealing with significant advocacy issues and a new provincial government. We called on all levels of government in Brampton to work together, we increased the level of advocacy and held the government accountable.

Looking back, I feel we made significant impact on key issues and helped improve how the City’s Council fulfilled the needs and expectations of Brampton citizens and businesses. I am very happy to see that the hospital and university expansions are underway. It’s important that we don’t stay silent and we keep fighting for the needs of Brampton.”

Any final thoughts?

“Being awarded as Business Person of the Year is a humbling experience and a wonderful surprise. My first thought was ‘What can I do with this? How can I use this to help push our city forward? We’re at a pivotal moment in time. There is a movement that is taking hold which is long overdue and gaining momentum. People are looking for the right businesses to support now – and into the future. Businesses who help build and give back to the community are becoming the true leaders of our city and so we must all include this in our purpose – climate, diversity, equality, inclusion. It’s a long list. Businesses need to up their game and do things right. Let’s work on this together for Brampton’s future.

We need to start today.”

On behalf of the Brampton Board of Trade and all members, we would like to congratulate you Heather. The dedication you exemplify towards your family, your work, your city and your vision truly makes you an extraordinary recipient of the Business Person of the Year award.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

9

Save the Date

RUNNING HEADER

MAY 4 , 2023 th

10

BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE

bramptonbot.com Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Community Builder Al’s Barbershop

Robert Rutledge acquired the well-known downtown Brampton business ‘Al’s Barbershop’ in 1996, when Al Widdis announced his retirement. As a sign of respect, Rob still keeps Al’s name on the door. In 2009, Rob moved Al’s Barber Shop to a new, larger, 3-chair location in a cool, converted garage a few blocks west of Al’s original shop. In 2018, as a result of years of success, Rob renovated The Garage, adding more chairs and amenities to become what it is today – a community hub and gathering place. In 2020, Rob celebrated his 30th Anniversary as a barber and has always been a strong community leader. He speaks to his audience and clientele with a positive vibe using his social media channels in order to create awareness about current events and opportunities within the community. He has always been a strong voice for small businesses within the city of Brampton and he always does his best to help local businesses within the City succeed. Al’s Barbershop also gives back to many local causes on an annual basis such as: offering free haircuts to the Canadian Army, cadettes and veterans the week before Remembrance Day, fundraises for Adopt-a-Dog and Lucas Day (which supports a family within the City of Brampton who needs financial assistance) and supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel York, the Brampton Excelsior’s local hockey teams and Southlake Regional Health Centre – to name but a few. Al’s Barbershop is a true community champion.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

11

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Billyard Insurance Group Brampton

The Billyard Insurance Group Brampton (BIG Brampton) is an independent insurance brokerage offering home, auto, life, and business insurance from a network of trusted insurance partners. BIG Brampton has a team of over 30 licensed insurance professionals and is well-respected for its willingness to go above and beyond expectations for the staff and clients in Brampton. Much of BIG Brampton’s growth stems from their clients and community mindset. BIG Brampton endeavours to communicate clearly with clients, maintain strong relationships, and administer a 5-star customer service experience. Confident in knowledge and service, BIG Brampton shows their clients great respect by providing honest insurance advice with integrity. In addition to educating residents on the ever-changing insurance marketplace, BIG Brampton has also created many Brampton jobs and is an active community champion. Their goals include organizing community events to prepare Brampton residents for a prosperous future at each stage in life. Billyard Insurance Group Brampton has been praised for an educational and customer-oriented approach, top-performing sales results and trusted knowledge and experience in the industry.

12

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Brampton Library

Brampton Library was founded in 1895 and has grown to a network of 8 branches comprising over 200,000 square feet. As of 2019, the library counted over 2 million visits and over 4 million items borrowed annually by its 155,000 active members. In addition to an extensive collection of books, DVDs, and other physical items, the Library offers an online Digital Library, makerspaces with access to 3D printing, a wide range of literacy and enrichment programs for all ages, study and reading spaces, local history resources and more. Its partnerships with social service organizations include the Library Settlement Partnership, which offers services to newcomers within a number of Library branches. The Library’s vision is “inspiring connections” and this includes connecting community members to learning resources that strengthen their ability to thrive in their careers and business opportunities. These resources include free access to LinkedIn Learning, BrainFuse and JobNow, to name a few. The Library also supports the business community and career development through programs such as ‘Chat with an Entrepreneur’. In the face of competition to reading and physical media from online products, further exacerbated by the pandemic’s restrictions on in-person services, the Library has invested heavily in its Digital Library, offering e-books, e-audiobooks, newspapers and magazines, streaming video, and a range of online learning resources, all free of charge and accessible 24/7. During the lockdowns, the Library also pivoted to curbside service, introducing custom Book Bundles and Grab’n’Go bags to help customers choose material without the ability to browse. Recent accomplishments include the removal of overdue fines in order to increase equitable access, the introduction of a library app featuring mobile checkout, and the establishment of customer service Chat and online program registration. The Library’s approach to serving the community is innovative and focuses on the unique needs of Brampton residents, emphasizing the desire for academic success and career-oriented learning while still maintaining the traditional focus on areas such as leisure reading and early literacy. The Library has established an IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) program with dedicated staff and resources in order to reduce barriers to employment for underrepresented groups as well as ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for users and the wider community.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

13

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Def Events & Beyond

Def Events & Beyond is a company that builds connections between the Deaf/Hard-ofHearing and the Hearing individuals within the GTA community. Providing opportunities to intermingle in an inclusive environment, they run yearly social events for the entire family.

The company’s vision behind hosting social events is to combine the two communities; with a mission to give birth to a new wave of interaction, acceptance and equality – not only in Canada, but around the world. Having grown up hard-of-hearing from the age of six, founder Andrea Zackary suddenly became completely deaf at the age of 25 and subsequently lost her job. She didn’t let this stop her as she went back to school to pursue a career as a Personal Support Worker to help seniors within the Deaf community. Despite finding gainful employment, she soon realized she wanted to do more for her new community and in 2014, she took a leap of faith and decided to start her own business focused on her passion to empower the Deaf community (Deaf Ecosystem). The Def Events & Beyond business model bridges existing gaps in society by bringing diverse Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing people and Hearing customers together at events. In 2018, Andrea’s story of persevering through challenges was featured on CTV news and she won the Young Professional of the year award. In 2019, she was one of the winners of the Brampton Board of Trade’s top 40 under 40 award and soon after won the Brampton Accessibility in Business award. Andrea is a founding member of the Black Deaf Canada Organization, a community advocate for inclusion and accessibility and a business mentor for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community. Having grown up in an athletic family, Andrea is also a Deaf Olympian and a world championship qualifier. Def Events & Beyond is truly paving the way for the hearing community to have a better understanding of inclusion. The company has a goal to make sure every household understands the beautiful language of American Sign Language and is hopeful to help change the narrative for generations to come.

14

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY BUILDER

DSV Solutions

DSV Solutions Inc. operates 5 facilities in Brampton, specializing in warehousing, logistics and distribution to offer a complete solution to their clients’ supply chain. These facilities comprise over 1 million sq. ft, employing over 600 full-time associates and during peak season, this number increases to over 900 associates. DSV works with clients in the following sectors: Consumer & Retail, Automotive, Healthcare, In-Bound to Manufacturing, and Pharmaceutical. They also provide their clients with an option for temperature monitoring and control, as well as GMP compliance. As a worldwide freight forwarder operating in over 80 countries, DSV can easily connect the four corners of the globe to move products both into and out of Brampton. As members of the Brampton Board of Trade, DSV is actively engaged in the Brampton business community and has joined forces with the Red Cross as a global partner in providing disaster relief. Supporting local youth, DSV Solutions participates in a co-operative program with local schools to mentor what they hope to be future employees and is leading the way as a progressive employer and providing equal opportunity to individuals with diverse abilities, aiming to be an employer of choice for talent from all walks of life. DSV Solutions genuinely believe that having a diverse workforce, where employees can realize their potential based on their different individual backgrounds and thought diversity, is a significant business advantage that the company can leverage upon. A diverse workforce in an inclusive culture and community fosters dynamic workplaces and, ultimately, better business decisions.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

15

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Dynacare

Dynacare is a Canadian health and wellness solutions leader with a history that spans more than 50 years. Headquartered in Brampton, every year their 3,000 employees care for more than 11 million Canadians from coast to coast, with a mission to support healthy lives with commitment and care. Dynacare has three laboratory and health services centres across Brampton to serve customers, as well as a main laboratory facility that provides national diagnostics and testing services. Through their initial #Dynacare4Diabetes campaign in the city in 2021, they increased awareness of the risk factors for type 2 Diabetes in Brampton and provided AC1 tests to 10,000 residents. To inspire and support the next generation of STEM leaders from underrepresented and marginalized youth, Dynacare is also a supporter and partner of the non-profit organization ‘Visions of Science’. In support of the province of Ontario’s effort to provide convenient and accessible COVID-19 PCR testing for all Ontarians, in December 2021, Dynacare operated after-hours COVID-19 collection sites at three of its pre-existing Brampton laboratory and Health Service Center locations. The COVID-19 collection locations were chosen for their accessibility and by partnering with public health stakeholders on this initiative, they were also able to reduce wait times and line ups at other COVID-19 assessment centers, for a broader community benefit. To make vaccination easy and convenient for Brampton residents and workers, Dynacare also introduced Workplace Wellness Clinics which provided both COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics at several Brampton based businesses. Many employees expressed their appreciation for the convenience of at-work COVID-19 testing and vaccination and spoke of feeling relieved and safer having been vaccinated.

16

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Happy Baby Spa

Happy Baby Spa provides a warm, welcoming, fun and clean environment, where parents can bring their children to relax and play. Happy Baby Spa offers many out-of-the-ordinary services that also cater to women (especially Moms), who often need late night appointments after putting their kids to bed. This spa is innovative because it found a way to bring a unique and fun, family-friendly activity to the community. The business makes a concerted effort to support local small businesses by showcasing, promoting and selling their handcrafted products at the spa. Happy Baby Spa takes every opportunity to make sure that their community is taken care of – from collecting food and items for moms in need – to raising awareness for autism, they do it all. This spa has allowed many families to relax and connect as a family, where all ages can experience massages and water therapy. Happy Baby Spa recognizes the impact that a small business can have on a large community – especially a community of mothers.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

17

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Inspirely

We can all agree that children are the future and Inspirely Education, a socially impactful, Brampton-based education start-up, is working to ensure that the future is full of innovative problem solvers. This progressive and child-focused enterprise has been working to fill a gap in the education industry by providing high quality, afterschool enrichment programs.

Specifically, Inspirely provides a grassroots STEAM program for kids in grades 1 to 6. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Aerospace, and Math. INSPIRELY afterschool programs are specially designed to keep children engaged and help them build a solid educational foundation through hands-on engineering and invention-based projects, digital skills building and Saturday family events. Moreover, INSPIRELY programs help children develop confidence, trigger curiosity and promote family bonding through their unique ‘Inspirely Time’ events, which have occurred every Saturday since the beginning of Oct 2020. Throughout the pandemic, Inspirely contributed to keeping young Canadian children engaged, active and curious through their exciting online children’s events, workshops and camps — all by keeping them safe at home. These workshops encouraged children and their parents/guardians to collaborate on fun activities with topics including science, technology, engineering, career exploration, world culture and more. Each workshop has a hands-on project and/or trivia quiz which is fun and educational and are important for the local community as they inspire children to develop a positive ‘grit and growth’ mindset.

Launched in 2018, and taught virtually by elite educators, all programs are accessible to local Brampton children. Inspirely is a social enterprise Bramptonians can be proud of!

18

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Jamie’s Cracked Corn

Belinda and Andrew Tait are hardworking individuals who took a chance during Covid to push themselves far out of their comfort zone and become first-time business owners with Jamie’s Cracked Corn. Since purchasing the business just over a year ago, Jamie’s Cracked Corn immediately jumped head-first into doing what they could for their community and proudly supported the fundraising efforts of other small business whenever possible. The Tait family are heavily involved in supporting and giving back to the community, getting involved where and when they can. They are grateful for the support of the Brampton community and embraced the feedback they were provided with to help grow the business. Belinda has been a community volunteer for over 15 years, raising much needed funds for many charity organizations through various initiatives, such as launching the Brampton Mom to Mom sale that raised funds for Habitat 4 Humanity and the Peel Police Children’s Safety Village. Belinda then moved on to create a neighbourhood network that supported small local downtown Brampton businesses once the pandemic hit. This turned into a fulltime venture that directed every dollar back into the community. This past November, the Jamie’s Cracked Corn team organized a Christmas vendor market in Ridgehill Manor that saw over 1000 people attend and the following weekend they were asked to coordinate the same event in Peel Village for Ontario cabinet minister and Brampton South MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria – also a massive success. This family business has truly contributed to the community and supported the residents in Brampton in many different ways.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

19

RUNNING HEADER

Exclusive offers for Brampton business owners

Learn more about our Award-Winning Office and Business Solutions

To see if you qualify, scan QR code or contact your TELUS Business Sales Representative Regina Wang at (647)-654-9581.

Pure Industrial

Pure Industrial is a leader in commercial real estate with a focus on the manufacturing, warehousing and logistics sectors. The company has a significant local footprint with more than a dozen strategically placed properties in Brampton. Many of their properties are geared towards tenants and customers who work directly in the logistics and supply chain sectors, with a large number of them proximate to Pearson International Airport. This makes Pure Industrial’s real estate portfolio an integral part of first-and-last-mile shipping solutions.

With ever increasing pressures on global supply chains and Brampton’s role as a lynchpin in regional and national transport, as well as shipping and logistics, it is hard to overstate the importance of this sector. Real estate opportunities that are professionally managed and well-integrated into the supply chain are important foundations of our local economy.

20

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Scooty

Scooty uses mobility technologies to resolve mobility challenges and helps communities identify and introduce solutions to the problems that they are facing. They collaborate with, listen to and support community stakeholders using their Safety, Courtesy, Partnership approach as is evident in the Chinguacousy Park pilot, their work with community stakeholders to support community plans, and their commitment to the Brampton business and academic communities. The successful Chinguacousy pilot project was the result of a process created by a collective of innovative city builders and entrepreneurs working together and identifying ways to keep businesses active, engaged and vibrant during a challenging time.

Many Brampton small businesses were invited to participate in launching the pilot program and those who joined this project not only saw increased customer numbers but are still operational today. Scooty’s promotion and dedication to electric transportation and transit integration shows its commitment to a cleaner environment and emissions reduction in Brampton. There are still many trips in Brampton that use carbon-based sources, and Scooty is determined to not only offer alternatives, but to also show that these alternatives can work well in Brampton’s communities. Building this new awareness is an important step that will change our mobility culture and move more people toward better and more local mobility options. Scooty intends to establish a home in Brampton’s Innovation District where they will provide learning, mentorship and job training opportunities to Brampton youth and students at Ryerson, Algoma, Sheridan and Guelph-Humber. They are also in conversation with new downtown property developers to include e-Scooters as amenities and are also building academic and research links that will further establish a strong Brampton presence on the Innovation Corridor.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

21

COMMUNITY BUILDER

Wallis for Wellness

A Registered Massage Therapist, Margaret Wallis-Duffy is a dynamic wellness advocate who opened her clinic Wallis for Wellness over 25 years ago. With a passion to lead others to live the healthiest, most fulfilling life they could, Wallis for Wellness grew to become one of the most well-respected multidisciplinary wellness clinics in Brampton and the GTA. The team consists of a compliment of health practitioners including RMTs, Physiotherapists, Naturopathic Doctors and Midwives, while the extended network reaches even further to encompass all aspects of patient care including Optometrists, Pharmacists, Dentists, Nurses and beyond – a truly integrative approach to wellness. Wallis for Wellness is dedicated to helping Brampton residents improve their health and has been a member of the Healthy Communities Initiative Steering Committee in Brampton for the past 2 years.

Moreover, the company is the visionary behind a guidebook that will be co-created by 14 passionate Better Together team members to model an evolved health care system where patients and practitioners can follow a template to better health. Today, the business motivates countless others through their ultra-informative web TV show, WoW Living, and has created an amazing community-based program called The Wow Factor – a movement to spread random acts of wellness and education.

22

Brampton Board of Trade

RUNNING HEADER

CONGRATULATIONS to all 2022 Business Excellence Award Winners algomau.ca

JOIN US!

A TALENT ECOSYSTEM OF THE FUTURE

36

YRS

LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF CANADA’S INNOVATION CORRIDOR

LOWEST AVERAGE AGE IN CANADA

BRAMPTONINNOVATIONDISTRICT.COM HIGHLY SKILLED TALENT: ACCESS TO 4.3 MILLION LABOUR POOL ACROSS THE GREATER TORONTO AREA

Brampton is driving growth in its innovation and technology sector by putting the necessary building blocks in place for a world-class Innovation District. The Innovation District has a sharp focus on start-up scaling, investment attraction and talent development.

Located in the middle of the Canada’s Innovation Corridor gives Brampton the unique ability to attract highly skilled tech talent from both Toronto and Waterloo.

The Brampton Innovation District provides local talent development and support for entrepreneurs and new business owners through every stage of their journey, from education, training and re-skilling to support for companies of all sizes and across all sectors. The Innovation District is a developing ecosystem which also offers resources to support innovation and technology companies in creating new technology.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

BRAMPTON HAS ACCESS TO 20 POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS WITHIN AN HOUR’S DRIVE.

START-UP INCUBATORS AND ACCELERATORS Brampton Entrepreneur Centre + Co-working Space

B

H

I

V

E

B R A M P T O N

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RE-SKILLING

BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

23

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Community Impact Algoma University

Algoma University has been providing access to high-quality undergraduate degree and certificate programming in the heart of downtown Brampton since 2010. Originally focused on providing pathway options for college diploma holders interested in completing a university degree, Algoma has since expanded programming in a range of areas including Business, Computer Science and Psychology to support identified needs within the community.

Options are now available to Brampton secondary school graduates to complete their full degree in the city. Despite the pandemic, the University experienced significant growth, increasing its footprint to include multiple buildings within the downtown core. Algoma’s success has been the result of strategic partnerships with organizations such as the City of Brampton, Brampton BIA, the Rose Theatre Brampton, Inzola Construction and many others. The strategic transformation underway has generated tremendous results; student enrolment has exceeded projections with record enrolment (1,770 FTE in 2021/22, an increase of 227% over the previous year), academic and research programming and partnerships continue to expand, and initiatives tied to EDI and Algoma University’s Special Mission have raised the institution’s local, national and international profile. This success has had notable economic and social impacts within the community of Brampton and beyond. Algoma University has made, and will continue to make, tremendous impact on improving the quality of life for both current and future residents of Brampton and the surrounding Peel region.

24

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Bartley Skills Development Program

Bartley Skills Development Program was founded by Chadwin and Camille Bartley, and was started after noticing the struggles in the community they grew up in. Having an understanding of what it takes to overcome challenges, this community organization provides skill trades & entrepreneurship development programs which help nurture the innate abilities in marginalized and high-risk youth. The program focuses on 3 core values – developing a strong mind, a strong body and strong skills. Through mentorship and support, the program pillars focus on building foundational principles including respect, punctuality and a strong work ethic. Their mandate is to identify an individual’s unique skills that participants can continue to use in order to positively advance their socio-economic status. Bartley Skills are strong advocates for the trades because it has proven to be sustainable and recession proof. Over the past 10 years, they have collectively registered and trained 56 apprentices and introduced countless others to the industry. This past November, Bartley skills development program was recognized by the MLSE and Tangerine Bank as a local community hero.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

25

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel | York

Big Brothers Big Sisters has been providing quality mentoring programs to children and youth in Peel Region since 1967. With a mission to enable life-changing relationships, BBBSPY provides mentoring programs which support children and youth to develop increased confidence and self-esteem, improve relationships with family and peers, expand social skills, and encourage positive attitudes towards school. Their vision is that all young people realize their full potential, with a commitment that no child is left behind. BBBSPY continues to work on addressing the changing needs in their communities to effectively provide quality mentoring programs (virtually or in-person) for children and young people who have struggled with anxiety, loneliness and isolation due to COVID-19. In 2020, the agency provided service to over 1,200 young people (6 – 17 years of age) through 14 core mentoring programs, with outreach that includes one-to-one mentoring along with programs in the community, in schools, with newcomer children/youth and for black youth. It has been their priority to support the mental health and well-being of young people by ensuring they have the support of a caring mentor to help them navigate their way through this challenging time. On January 1, 2022, the Peel and York branches amalgamated their resources as it became profoundly clear, especially with the impact of Covid-19, that this unification will enable a heightened responsiveness to the needs of vulnerable children and youth, promote the sharing of best practices, increase innovation, and ensure sustainable growth and impact for the long term.

This unification will also allow BBBSPY to be more effective and efficient in ensuring that the mentoring of children and youth has an impact that affects their trajectory of success.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel/York is looking forward to continuing to work together with their valued volunteers, families, donors, partners and supporters in the years to come to help ensure the young people in our communities have the mentors they need to excel.

26

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY IMPACT

BGC PEEL

This year, BGC Peel (formerly Boys and Girls Club) is celebrating 40 years of service in Brampton. BGC Peel is committed to building a sustainable organization that embraces diversity, actively pursues equity through policies and programming, and adopts an inclusive environment. The core values of belonging, respect, encouragement & support, working together and speaking out are the standard by which all BGC Peel Club services are measured. BGC Peel continues to value diversity across several intersectional dimensions, which includes, but is not limited to race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs, disability status, and age. BGC Peel strives to ensure an accepting environment with positive relationships. Their unwavering belief comes from knowing that our differences are our strengths, and from there, the association will build healthy, supportive relationships with caring adult role models to positively influence their members’ life path.

Belonging to a Boys and Girls Club is often a life-changing experience. Children can build healthy, supportive relationships with caring adult role models, which in turn can positively influence the life path they choose.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

27

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Help a Girl Out Charity

Help A Girl Out (HAGO)’s mission is to address menstrual inequality in Canada and in other countries, an issue that mostly affects students, refugees, immigrants and low-income families, with people of colour being most susceptible. Inspired by her own experiences, those of her peers in Jamaica and again as a student at both St. Augustine and Notre Dame SS, Yanique Bandford launched the nonprofit in 2018. HAGO encourages youth in Brampton to get involved in their communities through organizing donation drives, conducting school presentations, raising awareness, packing menstrual kits for distribution, and participating in shelter outreach. To date, they have collaborated with the Regeneration Food Bank and Redemption Kitchen (now closed), providing aid to the families they serve and have donated kits to local domestic violence shelters. HAGO has also managed to send hundreds of care/ hygiene products to communities in Northern Ontario this past summer as well as to young women throughout Ontario, New Brunswick, Calgary and Alberta. Their volunteers worked tirelessly to seek donations for care packages which included period products, hygiene products, personal care items, underwear and socks. This involved securing financial support as well as products from communities and manufacturers of period and hygiene products. In early 2021, the organization turned toward finding a sustainable solution, and secured a grant from Toronto Pearson’s Propeller Project to implement a national ‘sewing circle’ for reusable cloth pads. The impetus for this project would provide a lasting solution to menstrual poverty, helping eliminate plastic waste to landfills and promoting sustainable living. The project recruited the support of 120 sewers across the country, some of whom were residents of Brampton. The initiative quickly became an intergenerational effort with mothers, daughters, aunts, uncles, fathers, husbands, brothers, friends and coworkers joining forces remotely in a pandemic through cutting, sewing, sorting, packing, teaching, picking up, and dropping off pads. Youth were able to learn the art of sewing through virtual classes or received volunteer hours for community service for organizational duties. The national and international response inspired many new initiatives following their lead in Mexico, Italy and Jamaica. Most recently, the organization won the Global Citizen Prize “Canada’s Hero Award’ in 2020 and has developed a national and international reputation for advocacy.

28

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Indus Community Services & Punjabi Community Health Services

Indus Community Services is an accredited, not-for-profit community benefit organization that has served local communities for over 35 years. Originally founded as India Rainbow Community Services, this registered charity is supported by its donors and by all three levels of government. Indus Community Services, through its professional staff, is a leader in the provision of culturally appropriate services to newcomers, families, women, and seniors.

Punjabi Community Health Services was founded on July 5, 1990. It was incorporated as a not-for-profit community-based agency on October 25, 1995. PCHS provides health, settlement and social services to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and diverse communities. Both agencies are industry leaders in supporting the communities they serve.

Indus Community Services (Indus) in collaboration with Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS) have been advocates in leading the conversation in the Peel community regarding International Students. Indus recognizes the challenges that these students are facing and has developed programming to provide students in need of settlement counselling, housing assistance, documentation and resources to enhance personal safety and security.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

29

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Punjabi Kids Health

Punjabi Kids Health (PKH) is a social media health promotion program that provides evidence-based health information in English and Punjabi, while honouring cultural perspectives. After 1 year, the PKH community includes followers on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook & YouTube from more than 30 countries across the Punjabi diaspora including over 50,000 followers, 8 million views and over 300,000 likes. The core team includes physicians, students and volunteers across Canada and a few of their community and academic allies such as: the World Health Organization’s Digital Health and Innovation Branch, Facebook Global Health Partners, YouTube Health, school boards, the Canadian Pediatric Society, the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, and a broad range of Punjabi media and partner agencies. As Brampton contains one of the largest Punjabi-speaking populations in Canada, PKH has created content and conducted many advocacy efforts through both language translation and cultural adaptation of health and parenting content. They have also ensured that content delivery is by regulated professionals from the Punjabi community itself. Moreover, they have engaged with online community members and agencies as equal partners in co-designing content, delivery modalities and community advocacy projects. PKH was a community leader in COVID-19 vaccine uptake efforts alongside the South Asian COVID-19 Task Force. PKH has begun to deliver inclusive, culturally sensitive and diverse parenting content for the Punjabi community to support health equity within Peel Region and the global Punjabi diaspora.

30

Brampton Board of Trade

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Roots Community Services

Roots Community Services Inc. is a charitable organization based in Brampton that has been providing programs and services for more than 30 years to individuals from age six to seniors well into their 90s. The organization started operating in 1985 and with a staff complement of 35 and nine Board Directors, RootsCS gives hope and brings joy to over 1,000 individuals, primarily from the Black, African & Caribbean (BAC) communities, through caring and compassionate counselling and support. Individuals and families are equipped with tools and techniques to help them make informed choices that will positively impact their lives and their communities. The past two years have been gruelling for Bramptonians as they struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating impact on their lives. In addition, the increase in anti-Black racism and hate incidents/crimes added another layer of stress for many ethnic groups in the city, resulting in an erosion of people’s mental health.

RootsCS stepped up its programming during this period to provide much needed social support to individuals and families, including counselling, education, organizing and hosting vaccine clinics, delivering food and connecting people to services they need. RootsCS, along with five other community agencies in the Region of Peel, worked assiduously with Peel Public Health and Ontario Health Central to ensure individuals and families had the information they needed to make informed decisions to keep themselves and their families safe. RootsCS focused on the Black, African and Caribbean (BAC) communities, a group that felt the brunt of the pandemic with higher-than-average cases and lower-than-average uptake of vaccines. This concerted effort had a remarkable and positive impact on the region. The organization’s Executive Director, Angela Carter, is co-chair of the Anti-Black Racism & Systemic Discrimination Collective which is working to dismantle discriminatory practices and policies in the region. She is also the co-chair of the Black Health Task Force of Peel which is ensuring that Black communities are not overlooked during the pandemic and for health equity.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

31

RUNNING HEADER

Brampton’s hub for innovative learning.

Create new opportunities with Ryerson.

Sunnyvale Medical Center

Our front-line workers deserve every recognition, and none more than those in our medical community. Sunnyvale Medical pivoted quickly in an ever-changing environment to give their patients the best care possible, provide them with access to resources and helped all navigate through a very tumultuous time. They continue to make strides in patient care and are always putting the patient first. A team of two physicians, with an onsite pharmacist and nurse, this small but effective team started less than 5 years ago and has made a significant impact to the Springdale community in Brampton.

32

Brampton Board of Trade

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Cultural Experience CMJ Entertainment Inc.

CMJ Entertainment Inc. is a premier event planning and production company in Toronto providing clients with a variety of services including event planning, entertainment, catering, design, decor, limos and of course Toronto’s Premier MC! Before opening CMJ Entertainment, Charles Matthews launched his career at CHRY 105.5FM where he was responsible for co-hosting one of the top-rated shows on radio. Charles oversees many special events around the city of Toronto and is trusted by some of the top companies in the industry for his style and open ideas. With more than 25 years of entertainment experience, CMJ Entertainment has been involved in several valuable projects, including JN Bank outlook, Carabram and the 2015 Pan Am Games. CMJ’s expertise and commitment to their audience has allowed the business to be recognized as the voice of Toronto. CMJ has also contributed to a number of different industry publications, charities, events and organizations including Peel Police and The Sickle Cell Association of Ontario. During the pandemic, CMJ entertainment helped different cultures continue with their yearly events, helping produce live-stream productions for people to watch from the safety of their homes. Since starting his business Charles has been awarded with Brampton’s Community Vote 2021 and is a two-time winner at the ByBlacks People’s Choice Award Event, an annual online award celebration, recognizing Black Canadian artists, businesses, professionals and personalities in over eighty categories.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

33

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Fairfield Inn & Suites

Fairfield Inn & Suites is an expert in the Beauty of Simplicity. It starts with their Simple Promise Guarantee, ensuring your stay is perfect or they will make it right. The hotel is designed to help customers be focused and productive. Offering free wifi and a calming design, it has everything needed to breeze through your next business trip. Conveniently located at 410 & Steeles, it provides quick and easy access to Brampton businesses, as well as Pearson Airport. During the pandemic, their ‘Commitment to Clean’ has helped guests feel comfortable travelling as they provided a safe environment that aligns with expert protocols to help defeat COVID-19. Consisting of in-house and outside experts in food and water safety, hygiene and infection prevention, and hotel operations, the Marriott Cleanliness Council is redefining their cleaning and safety standards. They actively monitor and evolve their solutions to ensure a continued focus on the health and safety of their guests and associates. Owned

by Marriott Group of Companies, Fairfield Inn started as a quaint hotel located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Originally intended to provide accommodation services for the economy market, the brand success triggered a global expansion in 2003 with the brand targeting guests and clients from around the world.

34

Brampton Board of Trade

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Hampton by Hilton

Boasting 188 sq. m. in total event space, 3 meeting rooms, and 92 guest rooms, this is one of the ‘go-to’ spaces for events in Brampton. The Hampton Inn amenities include free hot breakfast, free parking, free WiFi, non-smoking rooms, a fitness center, and a business center; making your business stay as comfortable and seamless as possible. Hampton by Hilton has taken additional measures beyond industry-leading cleaning standards by partnering with Reckitt (maker of Lysol & Dettol), to develop their Hilton CleanStay program. This innovative program builds upon their already rigorous cleaning standards by providing enhanced training for team members, increased cleaning of public areas and adjusted food & beverage service, to ensure their guests enjoy a worry-free stay. The Hampton by Hilton team goes above and beyond to make their customer’s stay and experience a pleasant one with their friendly demeanor and caring personalities. Hampton by Hilton, formerly known as Hampton Inn, is an American chain of hotels trademarked by Hilton Worldwide.

Proud to support the Brampton Board of Trade Business Excellence Awards At Bell, we’re committed to giving back to communities across Canada.

We support more than 1,900 community organizations each year, including the Brampton Board of Trade, through projects, sponsorships and volunteer time.

It’s part of a commitment to make our world more prosperous, more sustainable, and more connected every day.

Learn more at bell.ca/BellForBetter

2022 Business Excellence Awards

35

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

J Red & Co.

A celebrity chef and local business owner, Jason Rosso has collaborated with other restaurant owners to bring 3 restaurants to Brampton, as he is committed to supporting the growth of food tourism in Brampton. The restaurant J Red & Co. has been operating in Brampton for over six years with their ‘community-first’ mindset and has helped bring the community together for good food and drinks. From their wood burning pizza oven to hand-crafted burgers and classics with a twist, J Red & Co. always impresses. Additionally, their highly diverse menu is inclusive and incorporates incredible flavours from around the world, with new menu items being added frequently. As the menu is so widespread, the experiences are endless and there is something for everyone. J Red & Co. also provides a family atmosphere – there is often live music planned and the restaurant has special evenings such as Tapas & Music, Buck-a-Shuck Oysters, and Prime Rib Night, to name a few. The restaurant also has their own herb and vegetable garden where their freshly grown ingredients can be found on their menu. Always focused on the community, J Red & Co. often participate in downtown Brampton events such as Taste of Brampton and the Brampton Farmers Market.

With over 30 employees and with endless learning and advancement opportunities, Jason allows his team to use their unique talents to grow their expertise by allowing them to create new menu items, exciting events and new social media strategies. Always providing great service and excellent energy, J Red & Co. is an excellent contributor to Brampton’s cultural landscape and is focused on bringing quality back to the casual dining market in Brampton.

36

Brampton Board of Trade

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Millennium Gardens Banquet Centre Inc.

Danuta Bartoszek is a former Olympic marathoner and represented Canada at the 1996 Olympic Games, where she was the first Canadian to cross the finish line and finished 32nd overall. A rare feat indeed as it took 20 more years for the next Canadian female runner to qualify for the Olympic marathon in 2016! In 2001, she traded in athleticism for hospitality by opening up a small banquet hall in Mississauga and its success led to an expansion. In 2014, the newer and bigger venue opened its doors in Brampton and within months, the company was hosting events for esteemed guests such as then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Millennium Gardens recognizes the diverse cultures that make up the Greater Toronto Area, and in particular, Brampton. As such, the company embraces the cuisines and traditions of our city by including both concepts into Event and Wedding Planning. Upon opening, Millennium Gardens initially catered to a predominantly Polish crowd. Within months, the company welcomed all nationalities and religions by preparing authentic cuisine from countries and regions including Portugal, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, South Asia and the Philippines. The company believes that it is important to keep the traditions flourishing from one generation to the next. The community has noted Millennium’s appreciation for cultural diversity and has welcomed it with open arms and appreciate how MGBC staff are knowledgeable, experienced and respectful when it comes to dealing with various languages, values and traditions.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

37

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Pearson Convention Center

Built with one goal in mind, Pearson Convention Center in Brampton is committed to providing the perfect venue for your special event. From the versatility of the space to accessibility accommodations, parking arrangements and catering, the options can seem endless. Not just a Banquet Ballroom or Convention Center, but a dedicated team of experienced professionals who can help customers navigate choices while keeping that special day in budget.

With 65,000 square feet, the venue’s state-of-the-art kitchen boasts capabilities to cater to an event of any size up to 2000 (seated). In combination with the professionalism of their servers, guests always feel well taken care of. Moreover, Pearson Convention Center has taken the appropriate steps to ensure all clients, suppliers, and vendors are adequately protected and cared for by implementing advanced sanitary measures and procedures. Throughout the past two years, and like many businesses in Brampton, Pearson faced many financial hardships with the business being closed for the majority of the pandemic. However, the company’s philanthropic giving never waivered. In fact, the team at Pearson went above and beyond to give back through food drives and a drive-thru Christmas toy drive, helping those in need. For 18 years, the Trillium Diwali Gala and William Osler Health Foundation have been held at Pearson Convention Center, but this past year they were forced to pivot and shift to a virtual event. To give the supporters the same quality event experience they have come to expect, it was arranged to have three-course meals delivered to sponsors homes, with the food being provided by Pearson. Nishan Minhas, President of Pearson Convention Center, makes every effort to give back to his community and community hospitals and surprised the associations by donating all food and labour – a gesture of thanks for Trillium and Osler Health who were the true heroes during the pandemic.

38

Brampton Board of Trade

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Queen Gypsy

Verica Krasavac of Queen Gypsy grew up in the beautiful valleys and mountains of Loznica, Serbia and now calls Brampton home. Her mother taught her everything about the art of traditional bread and pastry making, as well as some of the most delicious and traditional Eastern European meals that warm the body, the heart and soul. Bringing a unique cultural experience to the city of Brampton and being one of the only Eastern European restaurants in the vicinity, when you enter Queen Gypsy, you are transported across borders. Queen Gypsy is a woman-led establishment celebrated for a strong farmers market presence and community involvement. At Queen Gypsy, Verica shares her family’s beautiful recipes and ways of cooking with every customer and the philosophy is simple: Preservative free, locally and organically sourced, healthy, fresh food from her family – and always made with love. When the pandemic struck, Queen Gypsy was delivering food to front line workers on a weekly basis – feeding hungry nurses and doctors working tirelessly at the hospital. Recently, Queen Gypsy won a Platinum award in the European Restaurants category as well as the Bronze award for the Bar & Pubs Category in the Community Votes Brampton 2021 campaign. Vera was also the recipient of the Ted Rogers Humanitarian Award for her efforts with frontline workers and has been a devoted supporter of City of Brampton initiatives.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

39

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Réveiller Afriq

From pop-ups to a boutique in Bramalea City Centre, Juliann Barry opened Réveiller Afriq, Toronto’s newest Black-owned boutique in 2021 and has never looked back. The boutique focuses on showcasing local black-owned brands and services and she provides opportunities for individual makers to showcase and sell their work. Customers have been delighted to find such a unique store which sells a range of items for those who are African, Afro-Caribbean and from diverse Black communities. Customers often find themselves speaking to staff like old friends, admiring the clothing and unique offerings.

In fact, many feel the boutique is like a special community. RA carries a range of brands

by Black entrepreneurs that Bramptonians and others wouldn’t normally be exposed to, such as gorgeous stationary, jewellery and artwork. The boutique’s goal is to see others rise and owner Juliann Barry stays true to this vision. She’s honest and reliable and faces challenges head on while encouraging and mentoring others at the same time. Leading by example, the success of the boutique inspires and motivates others to pursue their own entrepreneurial journey, and she spreads a strong, positive message to all in her community – even young entrepreneurs such as the Soap Boyz, who are 7 and 9 years old. Juliann Barry is also a member of Touchpoint Group International, an NGO in Lagos, Nigeria, whose goal is to support youth in fulfilling their full potential.

40

Brampton Board of Trade

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

The Studio

The Studio was established in 1972 (originally Nancie’s School of Dance) in Brampton. In 1991, the transfer of ownership to some of Nancie’s students merited the name change to The Studio. The Studio’s current location is a 7995 square feet facility that offers 4 dance studios, 2 music studios, space for homework and waiting areas. Their staff of esteemed professionals offer exceptional dance and music instruction for children ages 18 months to adults.

The Studio’s teaching philosophy is centered on instilling a passion for the arts while building self-esteem and confidence in every student. Their focus is on providing students, no matter the age, with quality instruction in a professional and nurturing environment – any child or adult is welcome no matter their skill level, identification or age. Building character, dedication and self-esteem is at the forefront of all their lessons. Over the years, they have created a family environment and The Studio now serves as a place for families to gather and learn. They are also proud to offer a place where grown members return with their children. In fact, they currently have their third generation of dancers attending The Studio. All students have the opportunity to participate in recitals and various studio events such as camps, weekly classes and special events. Due to the pandemic, their staff quickly flipped their entire schedule to Zoom in order to keep members active and engaged in their arts education. Their 2020/21 season was even more challenging as they were only open 7 out of the 34-week session for live classes due to restrictions in Peel. However, they persevered and this challenge was successfully accepted by the amazing staff and inspiring remaining students. Bringing the community together to appreciate the arts, while building confidence and forever friendships is the most gratifying reason to have a business like The Studio located in Brampton.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

41

RUNNING HEADER

Supporting our community Dynacare proudly supports the healthy lives of the Brampton community, through • • • •

Workplace wellness and occupational safety programs Diabetes prevention initiatives in partnership with Diabetes Canada Laboratory testing for Brampton residents, healthcare providers and hospitals Career opportunities within our laboratory and head office

For more information, please visit dynacare.ca.

Visit us at one of our convenient Laboratory and Health Services Centres in Brampton: 108-10 Cottrelle Blvd

101-7700 Hurontario St

8/9-9525 Mississauga Rd

Vesuvio Ristorante

When they first opened their doors in the heart of Downtown Brampton, they had a vision; to bring people together over the love of food and wine. They wanted to execute a dining experience that captured the magic and authenticity of Italian cuisine; a perfect combination of tradition, culture, and passion that guests could taste through every sip and bite.

Fifty years later, Vesuvio’s Ristorante prides itself on staying true to its roots, and continuing to be a place where great food, company and memories are always on the menu – food so good you’ll think you’re in Italy!

42

Brampton Board of Trade

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Wet’n’Wild Toronto

Wet’n’Wild Toronto opened its gates in the summer of 2017 after investing $30 million into the former Wild Water Kingdom that had been sitting vacant for 2 years. With an emphasis on safe, clean fun for families of all ages, Wet’n’Wild Toronto has provided more than half a million memories, even despite having been closed during the COVID pandemic. Authentically Wet‘n’Wild, distinctly Canadian. For over thirty years the Wet‘n’Wild brand has been known for the biggest and the best water rides in the industry and their first Canadian park is no exception. The park’s revamp included new major attractions like the Krazy Kanuck family raft ride, a bowl slide, free fall speed slides, the Klondike Express mat slide racer, a mega treehouse play structure for the kids, and the Wet‘n’Wild Junior mini water park for the little ones. Since re-opening, parents and kids have been making memories experiencing the longest and tallest drop slides in Canada and the World! Wet’n’Wild Toronto embraces the diverse culture of the area by employing close to 500 seasonal workers every summer and works with employment agencies in the surrounding area that assist with finding employment for new immigrants. The team provides training and development for first time workers and has given many new Canadians their first job. Wet’n’Wild Toronto has also partnered with cultural organizations to host various cultural days including ‘Punjabi Day’ and a ‘Persian Fest Day’ at the park, bringing in outside entertainment and vendors from participating cultures.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

43

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental Sustainability Alstom

Alstom is a national leader in manufacturing infrastructure that supports mobility, specifically in the area of public transit. With a manufacturing facility located in Brampton, it helps build the components that make up the next generation of public transit in Brampton and the Region of Peel. For example, Alstom is manufacturing the trains for the Hurontario LRT, which will be one of the largest new transit projects in the Region in a generation and could end up one day being extended to Brampton. It also manufactures multi-story (bilevel) GO rail trains, which serve a significant number of commuters in the GTA. Alstom’s impact on the environment is difficult to calculate and even harder to overstate. They are the main ingredient behind many of the largest environmental initiatives in the GTA, Region of Peel and Brampton itself – public transit infrastructure that makes commuting easy, therefore taking thousands upon thousands off the road. Additionally, the next generation of transit projects coming down the pipeline – such as the Hurontario LRT – will have an even more outsized impact on commuter habits and the overall connectivity of the region. Further, these GO lines are candidates for future electrification, further enhancing Alstom’s positive environmental impact. In addition to being a local provider of jobs, Alstom’s work on transit projects has had an incalculably large impact on the natural environment in the Greater Toronto Area and specifically Brampton. Driving is a very carbon-intensive activity and Alstom’s projects allow many thousands of would-be drivers to instead be transit users, a service to all of us.

44

Brampton Board of Trade

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Clorox

Clorox Canada is the Brampton-headquartered, Canadian arm of the internationally famous brand. With more than 100 years in business providing residential and industrial supplies, Clorox remains laser focused on their mission of believing that ‘clean matters’. Their products can be applied to almost any part of the home – from the kitchen to the laundry and to general surface cleaners and disinfectants. Additionally, Clorox products can be applied to industrial settings, thanks to their selection of products that help keep workplaces clean.

While Clorox has been widely and internationally recognized for its leadership and culture, winning awards for its environmental responsibility, fostering of female corporate leadership and the inclusion of diverse communities such as LGBT-Q, it has truly been during the COVID-10 pandemic that it has shone. Clorox products have helped millions of Canadians and Bramptonians keep their homes and workplaces clean and their families and co-workers safe. Additionally, the company made a significant donation of $1 million worth of cleaning supplies to help the vulnerable long-term care sector weather the worst of the pandemic by helping keep residents safe.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

45

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Credit Valley Conservation – Fletcher’s Creek SNAP

The Fletchers Creek Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP) was developed with the Fletchers Creek community to make the Fletchers Creek neighbourhood more sustainable and ready for a changing climate. The Action Plan was prepared by Credit Valley Conservation in partnership with City of Brampton and Region of Peel and in collaboration with the local community and partners. It helps advance the Brampton 2040 Vision: Living the Mosaic, the Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan and the Peel Climate Change Partnership at the neighbourhood scale. Together, they’re beautifying the neighbourhood, deepening connections with nature and protecting the environment. Your neighbourhood is home to important natural assets where you live, work and play. Natural assets provide us with many life-sustaining benefits, called ecosystem services, and build resilience to climate change. These assets are shared resources that we all depend on which include: Fletchers Creek – a freshwater creek that connects to the Credit River and drains to Lake Ontario. It is the source of our drinking water. The Natural Heritage System (NHS) – a network of connected natural areas. It provides habitat and food for plants and animals. It also provides natural functions such as flood protection and noise reduction. The NHS connects to the Brampton Eco Park network and supports Greenbelt protected areas. Urban Forest – a collection of trees, shrubs and gardens along streets and in parks, yards, schools and business grounds and roof tops. It provides cooling shade, cleans our air, increases biodiversity, slows and filters stormwater and beautifies the neighbourhood. Parks and Open Green Spaces – an interconnected network of parks and open spaces that support outdoor recreation, physical and mental well-being, and relaxation close to home. Together, we can protect and enhance natural assets to improve community well-being – now and for future generations.

46

Brampton Board of Trade

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Enbridge

Climate change requires serious solutions, and at Enbridge, sustainability is central to everything they do – their goal is to be Net Zero emissions by 2050. As a leading North American energy delivery company, they deliver the energy people need and want – to heat their homes, to keep their lights on, to keep them mobile and connected. They work collaboratively every day to provide safe, reliable energy. Enbridge is supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy through innovative energy solutions and collaboration with governments and partners to keep energy affordable, reliable and reduce environmental impact. Looking towards a clean energy future, Enbridge is innovating to lead Ontario’s energy transition through initiatives such as: Greening the gas supply with carbon-neutral sources, advancing and investing in low-carbon technologies for heat and transportation, helping Ontario homes and businesses save through energy-efficiency programs and providing essential backup to enable renewable electricity. As the global population grows, it’s expected that energy usage will increase by 50 percent over the next 30 years. As such, getting to net zero has never been more important for the environment. Enbridge has been ranked among Canada’s Top 100 Employers 19 times, most recently in 2022.

Green Clean Services

Green Clean Services supports Brampton residents and businesses by offering comprehensive cleaning and household services that only incorporate environmentally friendly products. With a global increase in children’s allergies and many types of cancers, and with conventional cleaning products often identified as the culprit, Green Clean Services’ products make a tangible difference in the lives of all their clients across Peel and in Brampton by offering healthy solutions to everyday needs. By offering cleaning, moving and household services, customers who are concerned about having only environmentally friendly products used in their homes and businesses do not need to shop around for a green vendor in each area - Green Clean Services is an all-in-one solution that will ensure Bramptonians are green in all ways.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

47

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Greenwin Corp.

Established in 1948, Greenwin has grown from a humble construction company into one of Canada’s leading landlords, managers and developers. At the same time, their commitment to the communities they serve has become integral to the company’s operations – they are focused on planting the seeds for lasting community benefits by introducing innovative ideas that facilitate participation and inclusion. Greenwin, along with their partner Sweeny Holdings, has proposed a mixed-use development in downtown Brampton.

The proposal has received accolades from the Brampton Environmental Alliance, which referred to the project as “a model of sustainable urban design in Brampton’s downtown core”. The development’s convenient location at the corner of Nelson and Elizabeth Street in Brampton, along with its design concept, promotes transit-oriented living and enhanced walkability in support of those wanting to live in alignment with One Planet Living principles. In addition to checking many of the boxes on Brampton’s Sustainable Community Development Guidelines, including compact form, mixed use and walkability, the proposal also calls for the conservation and restoration of a heritage property, which is the home of Brampton’s first Mayor located at 24 Elizabeth Street. The proposal includes 205 hotel suites, 694 square metres of retail space, and 771 long-term rental residential units, 40 of which will be affordable housing.

48

Brampton Board of Trade

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Nahanni Steel Products

Since 1968, NSPi has been a responsible Tier 2 supplier of automotive metal stampings, welding and assemblies. In 2000, it moved to the 85,000 square foot Brampton location and in 2010, NSPi decided to develop a complementary product that would not only grow the business but could also have an impact on the environment by reducing the amount of asphalt roofing shingles that end up in the landfills. That product would become the ‘Armadura® metal shingle’ – born and raised here in Brampton. Since then, the business has implemented the use of 24-foot destratification fans, high-speed overhead rubber doors, LED lighting retrofit and, most recently, a smart HVAC monitoring system that yielded a gas reduction of over 40% in the first year. These projects not only reduce costs, but also provide a comfortable and safe environment for their employees throughout the year. For 2022, the focus will be on building a robust EMS with the goal of ISO 14001 while adding measuring tools to allow for data capture. This will become the pillar for future projects. Nahanni Steel is powered by 65 dedicated employees who represent 22 nations under one roof – a true celebration of the diversity of the city of Brampton. The company has hired co-op students for 4-month placements (from various colleges and universities) for over 10 years, which has added to a diverse and caring culture where employees (and leadership) learn from one another and learn to respect each other’s differences. For Nahanni Steele, these types of initiatives have helped embed a sense of teamwork and community, as well as championing the environment. The company is a proud supporter of Autism Canada (Kerry’s Place in Brampton), which serves as a reminder to staff to “give back” to the community.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

49

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

The Food Quotient Inc.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, and a mostly-vegetarian one at that, Amisha Moorjani found that despite having a diverse population, Brampton was lacking in healthy vegetarian options – especially ones that provided value for money. And so, with Amisha’s vision to showcase healthy food with global flavours, along with her MBA and degree in Food & Nutrition, The Food Quotient Inc. was conceptualized and incorporated in 2018. Under the vast experience and able leadership of Executive Chef Maneesh Cornelius, The Food Quotient Inc. has created a reputation for itself in the vegan, plant-based and halal community as THE place for healthy, flavourful and nutritious food. Every meal is prepared fresh from scratch using fresh and premium ingredients and the restaurant is allergy-friendly, where food safety guidelines are strictly followed. New items are regularly added to the menu to keep things fresh, with foods from various international cuisines, while adding their own unique touch.

The Food Quotient also serves ready-to-enjoy weekly meals and prepared dinners for busy professionals and families across the GTA and are able to customize their meals to specific dietary requirements. With their focus and vision to become e-commerce friendly – even before the pandemic began – it is no wonder that they were voted Best Vegetarian Restaurant, Best Organic Cuisine and Best Online Ordering in The Star’s Reader’s Choice Awards in 2020 and 2021. With a focus on reducing their environmental footprint through eco-conscious packaging, The Food Quotient is the first restaurant in Brampton to help build a ‘friendlier’ environment by serving all take-out meals in a reusable container. As a partner to ‘Friendlier.ca’, customers download the app, scan the QR code when they receive their meal, return the empty and clean container to their store at the next visit and a refund will be sent to you once the company collects the returned containers! Similar to the ‘beer store’ deposit system, The Food Quotient and Friendlier.ca are doing their best to reduce landfill and be an example to fellow Bramptonians that one small gesture makes lasting change.

50

Brampton Board of Trade

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Zochem ULC

2021 was a year of challenges, learning, and opportunities. With manufacturing facilities in Brampton and Dickson, Tennessee, Zochem has worked to continuously improve its health, safety, and environmental compliance. Both facilities were recognized for the past two consecutive years by the Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) with its “Gold Safety Award,” presented to an organization exemplifying ‘above and beyond’ safety programs and results within the rubber manufacturing industry. Zochem has built its sustainability story on safety and environmental compliance, supported directly by the Board of Directors and Employees, and shown through years of commitment. The foundation of this philosophy is a focus on people, community, and being the standard for all things zinc oxide. Zochem’s core values are rooted in their integrity and are driven by an immeasurable passion for perfection. The safety of their team members and the environment will always take precedence, while the quality of their product and services will be second to none.

They know that zinc oxide is essential to everyday life and their intent is to help make the planet a little bit better with each passing day. They listen to, and embrace the needs of their constituents, while sharing their unprecedented knowledge of the product. They continually encourage innovative change and the empowerment of every member to cohesively create and deliver the absolute best zinc oxide in the world, while having a positive impact on the community and the environment. They have, and will continue to, set new global standards for the industry by developing and demonstrating best practices in everything they do.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

51

GLOBAL TRADE IMPACT

Global Trade Impact Generation PMCA Corporation

Badar is a Vice President and portfolio manager with Generation PMCA. Prior to joining Generation in 2017, Badar was an investment advisor for high net-worth clients at TD Wealth and has 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Badar is a Member of the Brampton Board of Trade, having previously served as Past Chair and Director, and also volunteers as the Chair of the International Service Committee for the Rotary Club of Brampton. Currently, he is Chair of the Canadian Pakistani Friends of Osler as well as having been elected as the only non-Jewish Director of the largest Jewish Cultural Association in North America. Badar’s journey in international markets started in 2000 as U.S investment professionals tried to understand the impact of low-cost technology solutions being exported to Canada and the United States by tech companies in developing markets (such as India). Badar ended up spending time amongst his colleagues from the Canada India Business council as well as a handful of other emerging market-oriented business Councils including the Canada China Business Council, Canada Turkey Business Council, Canadian Council on Africa and the Canada Pakistan Business Council to learn about international trade and investment related advocacy. By the time he joined the Brampton Board of Trade in 2005, Badar had built an extensive network of international trade and investment related stakeholders and was invited to become a member of the Multicultural committee soon after joining. Being a global investment professional, he realized very quickly that BBOT members were getting bogged down in multi-culture related debates instead of taking about how to grow their enterprise here at home or in international markets, thereby adding to Canada’s overall capacity building. This was the catalyst that led to BBOT starting the International Trade Committee. In 2014, Badar represented the Brampton Board of Trade at Brampton’s first foreign due diligence trip to Kocaeli, Turkey. Since then, he has successfully built a working knowledge of the workings of the Turkish chamber network, their stock exchange, their asset management sector, and has successfully replicated the process with Pakistan. Badar’s work as a global investor and his involvement in international associations promoting bilateral trade and investment activity between Canada and global markets has made a profound impact on Brampton’s global presence.

52

Brampton Board of Trade

RUNNING HEADER

TRENDS & FRIENDS ARITZIA | AMERICAN EAGLE | BEST BUY DECATHLON | H&M | OLD NAVY | RW&CO. + 300 MORE SHOPS & RESTAURANTS!

2 lights east of Hwy 410 on Queen St., Brampton bramaleacitycentre.com

Cookies By Design

Kat and Dave Bhullar brought the very first franchise of Cookies By Design to Canada and are the master franchisees for Ontario. They opened the bakery in November 2019, just four months before the pandemic started. With perseverance and determination, they were able to remain open and thrive during the pandemic – so much so that they are in the process of opening their second location in Barrie, scheduled for April 2022. Cookies By Design is a cupcake and cookie company that makes everything fresh in their store, which is then hand decorated. The company has donated to many events in Brampton such as The Knight’s Table, and also joined forces with J Red & Co. in feeding seniors during the pandemic by supplying a cookie for each person’s meal.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

53

Helping move Brampton forward.

RUNNING HEADER

Sheridan is a hub of learning and innovation in applied health programs such as: • Athletic Therapy • Kinesiology and Health Promotion • Personal Support Worker • Practical Nursing

Now, with your support, we will grow to meet the challenges of our community in Brampton and across Ontario.

sheridancollege.ca

Delivering Optimism

in our commu nity Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited

B ram pto n’s lo cal bott le r

East West International Forwarder Inc.

This company was established in 2002 and has been growing ever since. Working closely with local businesses, they help provide new opportunities and support in business growth.

Additionally, the company services locations throughout Canada and the U.S.A. This family business has been a reputable name within the city of Brampton and is known globally as they focus on exporting goods from Canada and the U.S to worldwide destinations including Dubai, India, Pakistan and South Africa.

54

Brampton Board of Trade

GLOBAL TRADE IMPACT

Yusen Logistics Canada Inc.

Yusen Logistics proudly provides global freight management and supply chain logistical services in 47 countries and regions. By distinguishing themselves abroad, they are helping put Canada on the map and making Brampton an internationally known city on the world stage. In turn, this supports the city in building a strong global reputation, and building trust with new customers. As a Japanese-owned company, they also support the Japanese community by helping with the expansion of new Japanese companies conducting business in Canada. The company regularly provides customers with information on a global scale, always anticipating delays in the supply chain and unforeseen shortages and quickly offering solutions and contingency plans – which was particularly helpful during the height of COVID, the BC wild fires, and the Western Canada floods.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

55

GLOBAL TRADE IMPACT

Zochem

Zochem has been expanding its global footprint onto 5 continents (North America, South Africa, Europe Africa, and Asia) and leads its global approach by direct multinational customer relationships along with strategic distributors to mobilize their product to users of all sizes.

Zochem has created partnerships with freight forwarders, brokers, and financial institutions with their vast export business. In 2021/2022, Zochem created a commodity supplier relationship from Asia into Canada and the U.S. to better protect against supply chain concerns, while reciprocating to these regions for the export business currently conducted out of Brampton. Zochem is a global provider of high-quality zinc oxide products which enrich the health, wellness, and production of essential products to improve the quality of living abroad. Zochem has created a growth market in many countries through the dedicated work of their Brampton employees and business partners who allow Zochem to market itself as the global leader in zinc oxide. It is an honour when customers from overseas come directly to Zochem to procure consistent quality product to meet their discerning specifications.

56

Brampton Board of Trade

RUNNING HEADER

BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE

Have real, candid conversations with other Brampton business leaders Open Door Discussions gives you a place to explore opportunities, solve problems and share insights with fellow business owners and professionals. You’ll connect with like-minded leaders to learn about the resources available to you, uncover opportunities, share challenges, and work towards solutions together.

With free virtual sessions open to members and future members, the Brampton Board of Trade invites you to join the discussion or learn more by visiting bramptonbot.com/open-door-discussions.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

57

INNOVATION

Innovation ABC Technologies

Founded in 1974, ABC Technologies is one of the world’s leading automotive systems and components manufacturers. They cover every facet of the plastics processing technologies, systems and components for the global automotive industry, Fluid Management, HVAC Distribution Systems, Flexible Products, Interior and Exterior Systems and Air Induction Systems. They also provide comprehensive support and services, from advanced research and development to overall project management. Their distinction is their vertical integration and they produce products from concept to production for a constantly growing number of unique automotive components and systems. The research and development, materials, design, testing, tooling, machines, processing technologies and secondary assembly systems are all supplied and controlled within the company. For their customers, this means faster development, increased design flexibility, improved efficiencies in manufacturing and assembly, significant cost savings, and enhanced quality and performance. With continuous operational improvements, innovation and a strong competitive position for serving their global automotive customers, they are positioned for long-term growth that will benefit their customers, employees, and communities, and provide superior returns to their investors. The company maintains a corporate culture where workplace diversity and inclusion is a critical component of their success. They develop, retain and attract exceptional people, all within a collaborative environment where workplace safety is always a priority. Furthermore, ABC Technologies creates positive and significant impacts through their community contributions strategy, focusing on environmental causes, STEM education, skills competitions and healthcare contributions. Developing their surrounding communities is critical to economic sustainability, which is why they are committed to expanding their internship program and intensifying their corporate training.

58

Brampton Board of Trade

INNOVATION

Astrolark Software

Astrolark Software was founded by a team of consultants responsible for improving software development methodologies. They work in a multitude of industries, delivering low cost, innovative solutions and provide custom cradle-to-grave software development to meet customer’s complex business needs. Since 2014, they have developed software and consulted with numerous customers – from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises.

Astrolark Software’s diverse background in electronic/digital systems engineering and software development give them the edge when it comes to client solutions. They undertake a holistic approach towards each project that they work on, honing in on understanding the real needs – and then address them. Their teams are continually researching new and proven technologies to benefit their clients and their experience spans across public and private sector firms of all sizes. They understand business processes and technologies and the challenges that their clients face. From software development to IT support, this company supports all aspects of the backend. Their success formula includes client engagement, business analysis, requirements gathering, design, testing and maintenance. The client is involved every step of the way.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

59

INNOVATION

C3 Specialty Glazing Solutions

C3 Specialty Glazing Solutions’ mission is to be Canada’s leading curtain wall retrofit company. Their focus is on commercial and institutional retrofit work and the majority of this work is completed on occupied buildings. They possess extensive experience working in and around occupied spaces and understand the importance of effective communication and site control to ensure a successful project. The C3 team has completed all types of retrofits including reglazing, over-cladding, design and installation of custom curtain wall and window systems, structural retrofits, and complete removal and replacement of curtain wall and cladding systems. They have retrofitted more than 20,000 vision units, spandrels, and skylights over the past 5 years. C3 Specialty Glazing Solutions has been long involved in the energy-efficient retrofit of existing commercial buildings by upgrading the glazing of the building to be thermally efficient and are very proud to be currently working on providing a thermally efficient, performance improved, heritage retaining and security rated glazing for the podium of MacDonald Block buildings in downtown Toronto, belonging to the Province of Ontario. C3 Specialty Glazing Solutions has been a steady employer in the community. Despite the seasonal nature of the construction business, C3 Specialty Glazing Solutions has offered uninterrupted employment and career progression for Bramptonians, with some staff having worked at the company for upwards of 35 years. This longevity allows them to maintain a high degree of quality, consistency and greater control over the success and safety of their projects.

60

Brampton Board of Trade

INNOVATION

Canon Canada

COVID-19 has changed how offices look and operate, and in the Spring of 2020, an avalanche of employees suddenly found themselves working from home. As offices slowly continue to reopen, employers are rethinking their physical spaces and reassessing how to meet their employees’ needs. Canon has developed technologies that can assist in the new hybrid work model and help a business thrive in whichever setup they choose including cybersecurity and data protection, digitization of paper-based processes and development of hardware and software to effectively do the job. Canon’s Core ITS provides companies of all sizes with a virtual IT department. It focuses on three areas: service and network security; backup and disaster recovery; and end-user support. With cybersecurity top of mind, Core ITS security services detect malware, suspicious activity and other potential network threats to keep systems safe, even when workers are all under different roofs. Secondly, users can scan, capture and sort documents as fully searchable files with IRISPowerscan and can import from any format – the software verifies data, and then exports it to a chosen document format to any destination. Canon’s IRISPowerscan is impeccably accurate at indexing key data, thanks to its award-winning OCR engine. Employees may work remotely, but with this ability to easily retrieve and share documents, they will be in the same space virtually.

Additionally, Canon introduced the Secure Entry Tracking (SET), a system that automates pre-screening with Canon’s Secure Entry Tracking (SET) to promote healthy work environments for visitors and staff. The new TASK system, designed for facial recognition and temperature detection, ensures hygienic touch-free access and health management. The terminal recognizes faces even if the user is wearing a mask (PPE). This biometric solution is designed to promote the health and safety of employees and visitors. All of these innovations have been invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic and will support work models as we move into the future.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

61

INNOVATION

Matcor Metal Fabrication Inc.

Matcor is a designer and manufacturer of precision stamped and assembled metallic components for the automotive industry and is a fully integrated supplier of manufacturing and engineering solutions for the agricultural, construction, mining, energy, heavy truck and industrial equipment industries. Established in Mississauga in 1995, Matcor then launched a new facility in 1999, acquired Brampton-based Clayson Steel in 2001, added a new facility in Mississauga in 2002 and in 2016, launched in Bramalea. The company’s capabilities include: design and engineering, raw material sourcing, profile cutting and bending, welding, painting, machining and assembly. With numerous facilities in Canada and the U.S., Matcor Metal Fabrication Inc has 400 total employees across all of its locations and is committed to building a diverse workforce representative of the communities in which they operate.

62

Brampton Board of Trade

INNOVATION

Out This World

Out This World is an innovative sneaker retailer bringing rare authentic sneakers and streetwear to the avid consumer including Nike, Jordan, Supreme and more. The store purchases pre-owned, authentic sneakers in excellent condition and resells at a favourable cost. As a teenager, Founder Julian Artjukow always faced challenges when trying to purchase specific pairs of sneakers such as older AirJordan’s. As a result, he came up with the idea to purchase past-released sneakers that were not available for purchase at regular sneaker retailers such as Foot Locker and Champs Sports. He came up with the name ‘Out This World’ as the sneakers he sold out of his store were extremely hard to find, and to see them in person was a rarity. Out this world opened its doors in March of 2018 in a small 750 square foot unit on the corner of Hurontario and Dundas. He started the store with 60 pairs of shoes, and as word quickly spread through the region of Peel, the company was able to grow to 300 pairs within the first two months. Almost four years later, they have expanded to four brick-andmortar locations across two provinces, with over 5000 pairs of rare sneakers. On July 24th, they opened their 2000 square foot location in Bramalea City Centre. So popular was this flagship store, that over 500 people were lined up for their Grand Opening.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

63

INNOVATION

Plexxis Software

In 1999, Chris Loranger, a Northern Ontario dairy farmer with a love for technology, was helping a Toronto drywall contractor with his computer system. The contractor was frustrated about the fragmented nature of his spreadsheet solution and the failure of his software provider to respond effectively to his business needs. When asked to build a custom drywall solution, Chris accepted the challenge, enlisted the help of his cousin, Jason Fraser, and Plexxis was born. In the ensuing 20 years, Plexxis has grown from two partners working in a garage in Southwestern Ontario, to nearly 100 professionals, uniting estimating, administration, accounting, project and mobile field operations for construction companies. Plexxis serves subcontractors seeking elite team cohesion and performance as the Plexxis platform enables live feedback between bidding, field and finance, while in-house services drive continuous adoption. Enabling a culture of taking the “path-less-travelled”, Plexxis has dedicated 40% of their space in the spirit of bringing staff and management together – from its professionally equipped exercise facility, basketball court, billiards/games room, to their fully equipped kitchen, yoga classes and spa. Has this made a difference? The company believes so as they have attracted the very best talent and created a family of dedicated professionals who share a passion for doing great work in an environment of trust, honesty and integrity.

Additionally, the industry has rewarded Plexxis consistently for excellence including the 2016 AXCI Excellence in Construction Award and the 2016 & 2017 Constructech Top Product Award.

PS Innovative Construction Solutions Ltd.

PS Innovative Construction Solutions Ltd. is a construction company which applies knowledge, skills and techniques to ensure success. The team’s vision is to become construction leaders and consistently exceed all stakeholders’ expectations. They are passionate about providing innovative construction solutions and products for their customers in order to achieve common strategic objectives. The company offers general contracting, renovation, project management, planning and scheduling, residential and industrial services, and have built a strong reputation for delivering end-to-end solutions.

64

Brampton Board of Trade

RUNNING HEADER

Visionaries.

Change-makers.

Community builders.

Congratulations to the winners of the Brampton Board of Trade’s 2022 Business Excellence Awards. Humber College and the University of Guelph-Humber support Brampton’s thriving service industry and applaud those delivering essential services to promote the well-being of Brampton’s community.

humber.ca. guelphhumber.ca

SPS Commerce

SPS Commerce’s vision is to be the world’s best retail network, and they are well on their way. Their mission is to help retail trading partners work better together and make it easy for 95,000 retail supply chain partners to connect and collaborate – freeing them to focus on what they do best. SPS Commerce empowers data collaboration in the retail supply chain with an expert team, a proven process and industry-leading technology. SPS Commerce’s cloud-based solutions help businesses improve efficiency, strengthen global supply chains and serve their customers better.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

65

INNOVATION

Yusen Logistics Canada Inc.

The global team of 24,000 at Yusen Logistics works together so that they can realize their mission of becoming the world’s preferred supply chain logistics company and enhancing their values of Insight, Service Quality, and Innovation. In 2017, during a period of drastic change in their industry, Yusen Logistics launched their Long-Term Vision: TRANSFORM 2025.

This initiative has made substantial changes to their company, and they are advancing to better understand their diversifying corporate social responsibility. Through their business, they seek not only to contribute to the success of their customers and stakeholders, but to the success of their communities, and the realization of a better future. The company has researched, discovered and adopted new and innovative technologies in order to improve efficiency, provide value and ultimately evolve their business by helping their customers maintain their supply chain – both at home and abroad – at a time when the supply chain has faced numerous obstacles. This anticipated risk management has proved their leadership in a constantly shifting industry and they are a true asset to Brampton and Canada.

66

Brampton Board of Trade

RETAIL

Retail Crock A Doodle

Explore and nurture your creative side through pottery and ‘colourful fun’ painting at Crock A Doodle. With a studio full of ready-to-paint pottery pieces and creative projects to enjoy, customers can go on their own, with friends, or can plan a special event with a group or club. Crock A Doodle allows you to enjoy some unhurried and relaxed social time in their studio where they will guide you in the “fun art” of pottery painting where you can create your own hand-painted pottery pieces – one-of-a-kind art you can use yourself or give as special gifts. Having opened the new studio just before the pandemic hit, and not knowing what the future would hold for the team as a new business, they persevered by providing ‘Take Home Pottery Painting Kits’ and holding Zoom sessions as a way to accommodate the situation over the past two years. As a result, with Crock A Doodle, you can enjoy the fun of pottery painting in studio or at home. On their online store, you can browse through some of their most popular pottery pieces including mugs, bowls, plates and platters, kids’ pieces and more. They also have monthly features, seasonal pieces, project kits and partyto-go options. Choose the pottery piece you want and order ahead for quick and easy pick up in studio. Crock A Doodle Brampton-West has partnered with multiple groups community groups in Brampton, such as Autism Ontario (Peel Region), CAMH (Peel &Dufferin), Indus Community Group, Hope 24/7 and Kerry’s Place (Autism Adult Program). They have also worked with local schools and daycares by providing creative activities for kids during holiday seasons. Additionally, Crock A Doodle has held Zoom birthday parties and pottery painting sessions for seniors throughout the pandemic which became an outlet to help express creativity and also expanded into therapeutic pottery painting sessions – bringing joy even in times of despair when seniors were unable to continue normal acts of daily living.

Currently Crock A Doodle partners with local high schools to provide mentorship through their co-op programs.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

67

RETAIL

Das Brezel Haus

Das Brezel Haus (DBH) is bringing both delicious treats and attention to Brampton through their work in providing fresh and unique food in the form of pretzels. Now a destination in Downtown Brampton, DBH has established a reputation for providing a unique product that you can’t match anywhere else. By bringing customers to the downtown core, DBH is also helping other businesses by attracting new customers. The company is also very active on social media, posting regular content about new products, sales, items that are available on a particular day, also uses these same platforms to promote their special occasion offers (Valentine’s Day, Easter, Superbowl, etc). An active participant in Downtown Brampton BIA events such as Trick-or-Treating, the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Party in the Lanes and more (pre Covid), DBH has proven their commitment to the Brampton community. One might wonder about the feasibility and risk of opening up a shop that serves just pretzels, but the team at DBH, led by Brendan, has proven that through innovation, dedication to freshness and excellent customer service, a pretzel shop can survive and thrive! DBH is consistently looking for new ways to serve customers, whether through participation in the Downtown Brampton Farmer’s Market, catering for large functions or home delivery; demonstrating their continued desire to grow and sustain their business.

68

Brampton Board of Trade

RETAIL

Decathlon Brampton (Bramalea City Centre)

Decathlon was founded in Lille, France in 1976, and has 1,709 stores in 60 countries and 103,138 employees as of August 2021. The first store in Canada opened in Brossard, Quebec in 2018. With the opening of the Brampton store, Decathlon now has 11 locations in Canada.

The Decathlon Brampton store is 44,000 square feet, with a staff of 40-60 teammates. The store offers 7,000 products for over 65 sports. In addition to hiking and outdoors, cycling, winter sports, aquatics, running and team sports, sports enthusiasts will also find products for horseback riding, fishing, dance, archery, racquet sports and more. The store also includes experiential test zones, such as a climbing wall and mini-ice rink, after-sales service workshops (e.g., bike tuneups, ski fitting and waxing, skate sharpening), gymnasium-like space for sports activities, a second-hand section, a co-working space and a lounge. Decathlon Activities is an online booking platform used for registration to classes and activities in Decathlon stores, as well as elsewhere in the community. Some sports offered in our studios and Decadiums are kids sport classes, fitness, basketball, and pickleball for all levels and ages. They offer the space rent-free to local coaches and also make sure that the activities are extremely economical for the general public. In this way, they are able to support the local coaches and also make sports accessible for everyone. Decathalon is also working hard towards their sustainability initiatives and aim to be 100% eco-designed by 2026. Currently they have launched a new project named “Second Hand” where they offer a 365-return policy to members and when they receive products which are unfit to be sold as new, they add them to their ‘second life’ section. Therefore, they give customers the option of giving equipment a second life and help increase sports accessibility in the community.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

69

RETAIL

Jamie’s Cracked Corn

Your One-Stop Snack-Shop! How do you create really great KETTLE CORN? To make the famous, great tasting Jamie’s Cracked Corn, you start with the very best of ingredients – mushroom popcorn (for larger popped kernels and less husks), organic sugar, sea salt and Canadian canola oil. Gluten free, nut free, trans fat free, dairy free, cholesterol free, and GMO free. Blend these superior products with knowledge and experience, and you will have a sweet and salty delight for your taste buds. You will know Jamie’s Cracked Corn are at an event (such as the Brampton Farmers Market) by the irresistible aroma of their cracked corn drifting through the air. Since they took over the business, the Tait Family have exciting plans on how they can best serve their customers’ needs and have already released 5 brand new flavours. They are also excited to be building strong partnerships with many other local small businesses who now proudly carry their popcorn after expanding on their wholesale partner program. The team has also opened an online store, set up delivery with Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats and added many new local small businesses as retailers. Their passion is to only work with other small businesses, and they have turned down offers from large chain retailers so they can stay on the path they first chose, which involves small privately owned family businesses carrying like-minded products. It isn’t about the speed at which they expand, but the quality and integrity of the businesses that want to carry their delicious popcorn.

You’ll find them proudly set up at every city event, the weekly farmers market, the Toronto Premium Outlet Mall and at various charity events around our beautiful city.

70

Brampton Board of Trade

RETAIL

Restyle Beauty Boutique

Restyle is the mother-daughter duo of Evie and Emma who opened their doors in 2016 as a consignment boutique specializing in designer fashion, previously-loved ladies’ fashion, accessories, furniture, locally sourced gifts and home décor. Restyle Beauty Boutique has been a pillar of the downtown Brampton community for over 6 years, serving the community in a variety of ways. They have a vision for empowering women in the community and building up community pride. The boutique curates gift packages for your loved ones and offers wellness workshops including calligraphy, vision board development, DIY paint-andsign-making workshops and many more. As Brampton is their home, they always feature local vendors and provide an ‘event hub’ for the city. When the pandemic started, Restyle didn’t skip a beat and were able to grow and pivot their business in a positive way by finding new ways to reach their customers due to lockdown measures. They started with one-on-one video calls with customers to give a personalized shopping experience from the comfort of their own home, as well as offered free delivery where they personally drove to Orangeville, Toronto, Georgetown and Vaughan to deliver packages. To date, they have had close to 40 live shopping events which provided unique opportunities to communicate and be actively involved with their customers. A large part of the platform is the social responsibility and finding meaningful ways to give back to the community that they live in. They are passionate about raising awareness and funds with their yearly event, ‘Fashion for the Cure’, an event where they were able to group together 170+ women from all walks of life to collectively raise funds and awareness for Wellspring Chinguacousy Cancer Centre – a fundraiser Evie began over 19 years ago. Additionally, any unsold clothing items are donated back to the community to Regeneration Outreach and they have recently partnered with the shoeboxproject.

Restyle is excited to see what is in-store for both their boutique and Brampton – and will continue with their vision to make the community a better place.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

71

RETAIL

Réveiller Afriq

Reveiller Afriq was born to collaborate with quality black-owned brands that would not only serve, but exceed, the needs of their loyal shoppers. Since day one, a genuine love and passion for quality retail and top-notch customer service has defined who they are and what they do. Their dedication to their work is reflected through their great service and merchandise, carefully selected and sorted to make the shopping experience enjoyable and satisfactory.

Juliann Barry opened the store for those who are always on the lookout for that perfect product or experience: unique, lasting and beautiful. Réveiller Afriq has built their reputation on providing exceptional customer service from incredible local brands and they pride themselves on forming great and long-lasting relationships with their customers. As of Nov 2021, Reveiller Afriq became the first African retail fashion and accessories boutique to be in a major Canadian mall.

The Grainery

Having just celebrated 40 years of serving the Brampton community in 2022, The Grainery is a Brampton institution that serves delicious fresh breads, soups, sandwiches and baked goods. Through their long-term commitment to fresh ingredients and customer service, they have a long-standing and well-established reputation in the community and inspire residents to remember all of the regular visits from many years ago, helping build a sense of community pride. Walking into the store, you are greeted with not only the smell of fresh bread, but with a sense of comfort from the small shop. Reasonable prices mean that it’s easy to stop in quickly to pick up something for lunch from their regular selection of delicious soups and leave with an armful of cheese buns, sourdough and lemon squares! The Grainery’s reputation for fresh breads and baked goods has led to it becoming a destination both within Brampton and outside the city.

72

Brampton Board of Trade

Raise Your Profile

RUNNING HEADER

Promote your business through the Brampton Board of Trade to reach a new, wider audience and gain credibility for your business. In doing so, you align your brand to our community’s most trusted and respected businesses.

Sponsorship Website & E-newsletter Advertising Business Directory Listing Member Spotlights Contact Kristi for more information: 2022 Business Excellence Awards kmacgibbon@bramptonbot.com

73

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Service Excellence Astra Medicare

Astra Medicare is fully committed to achieving excellence while performing state-of-the-art medical aesthetic treatments in a professional clinic where their highly educated practitioners deliver safe patient care. Astra Medicare has an extensive menu of cosmetic injectables and face/body treatments (thread lifts, botox, fillers, PRP, hair restoration, mesotherapy, micro needling, laser, facials, InMode face/body contouring, and The Perfect Dermapeel.

Astra Medicare guests can choose their treatments and what they think is best for their individual and desired goals. With their combined 30+ years of experience, Astra Medicare’s dedication to maintaining the highest standard of services and technologies available for their patients has been one of the major reasons the community of Brampton trusts this business so much. Ultimately, the company’s goal is to help their patients restore their natural healthy and youthful appearance with customized treatment plans which are unique to each patients needs and desires.

74

Brampton Board of Trade

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Happy Baby Spa

Happy Baby Spa is the first luxurious baby spa in Brampton that focuses on the well-being and development of babies with services such as hydrotherapy and massage services. In addition, they have added spa treatments for adults as the team understands that parents need to be pampered and well-rested too. Happy Baby Spa is a unique spa that serves its clients on a much deeper level by empowering, supporting and creating long-lasting memories for their clients. The spa started exclusively as a baby spa in February 2020 – just 3 weeks before the pandemic hit – and over time, it has become more of a family-focused service.

They have introduced treatments for children with disabilities, implemented workshops on autism awareness and offer specialized yoga for stress relief. Happy Baby Spa has also introduced special appointments for parents in the evening when kids are asleep. Additionally, the spa empowers moms and parents on their family journey by including supportive professionals on the team such as an RMT, chiropractor, social workers, sleep trainers and grief consultants for couples dealing with miscarriages, as well as offering CPR/first aid training to ensure parents are equipped in emergencies.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

75

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Laser Cosmetics and Pain Treatment Clinic

Laser Cosmetics and Pain Treatment Clinic deals with cosmetic health and wellness. The company started 20 years ago with no employees and limited services, and has grown to its full potential, having treated thousands of patients – many of whom were refused care elsewhere. The clinic has treated people with vitiligo, surgical scars, keloid scars, eczema and many other issues. The team at Laser Cosmetics and Pain Treatment Clinic have been integral in helping improve the lives of patients living with chronic pain, such as those suffering with carpal tunnel and living a life of disability. The clinic’s laser treatments have been extremely successful in treating acute pain and helping patients gain a new lease on life. Treatments are permanent and the impacts are sustainable. Additionally, the clinic has treated thousands of people with addiction who are now living their life without any kind of dependency – a 96% success rate in just one laser treatment. The company now specializes in treating Post Covid-19 pain, especially Myalgia, and has specific treatments for patients who spent time in the ICU, are very weak and can’t get appropriate treatment. Dr. Indira Khurana was one of the panelists at the International Health Care Summit, which took place in March 2021. Her research work on Post Covid-19 pain with laser was accepted and published in the International Journal of Communicable Diseases in September 2021.

76

Brampton Board of Trade

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Millennium Gardens Banquet Centre Inc.

The year was 2001. Danuta Bartoszek hung up the running shoes – having competed in the Olympics in ’96 and World Championship four times – as she was ready to embark on a new journey. The largest Polish Parish in Canada was centrally located in Mississauga. However, there was a lack of hospitality centres to accommodate the Polish community and their milestone celebrations, be it weddings, baptisms, or communions. For this reason, Danuta and her family acquired a banquet hall called Banquet Royale in 2001 and embarked on a new business venture that had the entire family working and learning the ropes. Fast-forward two decades, and the business has expanded to what it is now – the current Millennium Gardens location can accommodate up to 450 guests (either as an entirety or among independent ballrooms) and it caters to more than just Polish clientele. The expansion of the business is a true testament to the company’s commitment, dedication and perseverance.

When you team up with Millennium Gardens Banquet Centre, your special occasion is not just an event – it’s an experience. Whether you’re planning a private celebration, a one-ofa-kind wedding, a casual work outing or an extravagant gala, the team makes it their business to make your event extraordinary and memorable! The venue includes state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, silver chiavari chairs and unique interchangeable backdrops – suitable for both corporate and social events. The grand lobby has been designed accordingly, with separate entrances for different ballrooms to ensure privacy. Each company has different meeting and party needs, and the team at MGBC understands that more than anyone.

For this reason, they customize corporate events from start to finish: from seating plans to the selection of menus, linen colours and A/V – they have your company covered!

2022 Business Excellence Awards

77

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Nirvana Wellness Centre

Nirvana Wellness Centre started in 2017 with the vision of building a healing sanctuary and community hub, while offering a holistic approach to health and wellness in a warm and inviting environment. The Wellness Centre brought their vision to life in the historic Old Shoe Factory space in Brampton – the beautiful space with exposed brick and original wooden beams helps facilitate a calming and restorative space. Nirvana Wellness Centre offers patients access to a professional and friendly healthcare team, along with the latest research, cutting edge technology and treatment techniques to aid you in a speedy recovery. Their motto of ‘Give, Love, Serve, Empower’ are the hallmarks of the company and they recognize that each patient is an individual with unique needs. They believe that taking care of your mind, body and spirit is one of the most important things we can do for longterm health. As part of their integrated approach, they have assembled a dedicated group of practitioners who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service and specialize in the treatment of a broad range of conditions. Over the years, Nirvana Wellness Centre has served thousands of patients, helping many overcome physical, chemical and emotional stressors, most notably during the pandemic when stress and anxiety have been so prevalent. The Nirvana Wellness team goes above and beyond for their patients and treats their community as family. One always leaves the clinic feeling special, well taken care of and provided with outstanding holistic care. One of the benefits of dealing with Nirvana Wellness is a 15-minute complimentary consultation which gives potential patients the chance to do a one-on-one with an array of practitioners including Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists and more. This initial step helps you determine if Nirvana Wellness Centre is the right fit for you and your goals of living a healthier, happier and pain-free lifestyle for years to come.

78

Brampton Board of Trade

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

J Red & Co.

J.Red & Co. is Brampton’s premier urban eatery, located just north of four corners, in a space designed by renowned design firm The Dzign group. The restaurant has been open for six years, two of which were through the pandemic. Despite the constant closing and opening, and the inability to service their community on a regular basis, the team pivoted and persevered every step of the way – a result of incredible team work and a supportive community.

Days after the pandemic hit, the J. Red & Co. team helped initiate the Free Meal Help plan, servicing Brampton seniors and those families less fortunate in our community. This was a strictly volunteer, not-for-profit service put together by established, licensed restaurant and business owners of the Brampton community who wanted to do something positive for those in need. Together, the J Red & Co. team along with their partners helped deliver over 15,000 meals within 3 months. This initiative started with a big heart filled with compassion and concern for fellow community members as everyone in the world found themselves in a place they had never been before. The team realized they needed to do something, despite the fear of the unknown, the what ifs, the how’s, possible legal repercussions and of course the financial concerns. As a result, a small group of special people came together and made some extraordinary things happen. The reward will be everlasting - having the privilege to be part of something great for years to come, having made a difference in people’s lives every single day.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

79

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Phoenix Custom Autobody

Since 2002, Phoenix Custom Autobody, an award-winning auto body shop, has been serving customers in the Brampton area. With ten work bays and over 4200 square feet, their shop features state-of-the-art equipment, a skilled team of experts qualified by years of experience in collision repair, and a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement that meets the evolving repair requirements of today’s cars and light trucks. The company specializes in all areas of auto body repair with a particular emphasis on insurance-direct repairs, repairs prior to lease return, and fleet maintenance. Moreover, the company uses waterborne paints that don’t harm the environment which sets a new bar for caring about the environment in the autobody business. This is not only safer for staff when painting the vehicles, but also from a disposal standpoint. Phoenix Autobody has always provided an exceptional experience when it comes to helping customers at their most vulnerable moments. Getting into an accident is not a situation we look forward to. Phoenix Autobody has always been compassionate about the customer experience and continues to ensure their customers have a seamless experience. Start to finish, they go above and beyond to ensure the customer receives their car like it was when they drove it off the sales lot for the first time. Phoenix Custom Autobody annually supports and makes donations to Cruisin’ for a Cure, a one-day car show to increase awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer, is an annual sponsor of several local youth sports teams, and participates in Co-op Education Programs with local high schools. Staff volunteer and run a car wash at Salon 247 and Al’s Barbershop’s annual Lucas Day, a fundraiser for children with terminal illnesses and disabilities and have also volunteered on a Habitat for Humanity home build project in Brampton.

Lastly, they were chosen “Best Auto Body Repair and Painting Shop” for twelve years in a row (2005-2016) in the Brampton Guardian’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

80

Brampton Board of Trade

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Shake It Up Events

Shake It Up Events has been planning many of Brampton and Peel’s premier events for over 14 years with a successful formula of creative vision, strategic focus and seamless project and vendor management. Founded by Geraldine Cabral, Shake It Up Events supports both the not-for-profit and corporate sectors including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel/ York, the City of Brampton and the Brampton Board of Trade. Whether it be fundraising galas, awards nights or organizing conferences, Shake It Up consistently delivers events that exceed expectations and make an impact. With the onset of Covid-19 and the Brampton community in lockdown, Shake It Up Events was instrumental in helping the City of Brampton develop their first virtual event entitled ‘Hey Brampton! Let’s Eat!’. Alongside the City of Brampton Festivals and Events team, Shake It Up quickly moved from concept to theme to implementation, resulting in 79 participating restaurants, over 7,000 website visits and numerous social shares and interactions over the course of one week – a massive boost during the early stages of the pandemic. During the 2020 Christmas lockdown, Shake It Up also co-founded The Bounty Box – a selection of eight curated gift boxes showcasing up to 14 small businesses in Brampton and Caledon. This community-focused initiative helped drive the #supportlocal campaign and infused the local economy with over $6000 in sales over a period of four weeks. Shake It Up is the creative partner businesses turn to when they need innovative, inventive and inspiring ideas for their business needs. Events are polished, professional and there is always a Plan B. At the same time, their passion and enthusiasm is contagious and you can always expect an engaging and memorable experience. Be a guest at your next event with Shake it Up!

2022 Business Excellence Awards

81

ENERGY TO SUSTAIN CHAMPIONS

RUNNING HEADER

See how we’re helping the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games go green: Alectra.com/Grid-Innovation

Official Energy Supplier

© 2022 Alectra Inc. All rights reserved.

FILE ALU045_ParaAthlete_QuarterPgVert_BramptonBEA_3-25x4-25_PRNT_ID02 NAME:

Tall Pines School

JOB NO. / CLIENT / PROGRAM

DATE

ALU 045 / Alectra Utilities

April 13/22

Tall Pines has proudly been serving families in Brampton for 35 years, providing excepSAFETY BLEED COLOUR tional education opportunities for children aged 9 months to grade 12. With over 350 3.25” x 4.25” 2.25” x 3.25” 3.5” x 4.5” CMYK students currently registered, they proudly adapt to the needs of their diverse community P.M.: MF DESIGNER: – PRODUCTION: ID by constantly evolving and transforming to accommodate the needs of their students and families. As a Region of Peel licensed child-care facility, they work with the needs of the community and assist with bursaries and grants to ensure that as many families as possible have access to an exceptional education. Tall Pines School employs over 60 full time employees and support local small businesses whenever possible.

TRIM

82

Brampton Board of Trade

SMART SOLUTIONS

Smart Solutions AFA Systems

AFA Systems has developed unique packaging machinery solutions to help bring back manufacturing to Ontario as they design, build and program all of their packaging machines in Brampton. The company has been based in Brampton for over ten years and since the beginning, they have created numerous skilled positions in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and machine building. They believe these professional jobs have positively impacted the Brampton community. Furthermore, their product portfolio is sustainable and in demand, as they ship their machines worldwide due to their world-class innovation and workmanship. The company is very proud to be based in Brampton and will continue to create new highly skilled positions. AFA Systems prides themselves on building a diverse team of skilled employees that bring innovation, commitment, and resilience to not only AFA, but to their international customers. With a diverse staff of engineers and technicians from all over the world, they believe that this diverse and highly-skilled workforce has helped them become an export-based company as international sales represent 90% of AFA Systems’ revenues. This diverse team also allows the company to take on high-risk projects which help gain entry into international marketplaces and prove their innovation. AFA Systems believes that they are creating a sustainable business in the community of Brampton that will be a hub for highly skilled positions. Their entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well as they continue to push for excellence in the packaging machinery industry. They look forward to continuing to operate in this diverse and skilled community.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

83

SMART SOLUTIONS

Amazon

In the Peel Region, Amazon employs upwards of 8,000 employees across seven sites and supports over 1,000 sellers and re-sellers who had sales of over $1,000. Amazon’s YYZ4 Fulfilment Centre, located in Brampton, is one of Amazon’s most innovative facilities in Canada.

Launched six years ago, it has used advanced robotics to create high-skilled jobs (3,000 on average a year) inclusive of delivery and sort centres. YYZ4 alone is responsible for 40% of Canadian volume and packages are sorted and shipped through this site. Associates saw the impacts of their work, especially during Covid, when the volume increased at Brampton sites and they felt a sense of pride delivering important products to local Bramptonians.

The large fulfilment centre site located in Brampton serves as a training ground for new sites opening around the province. Once training in Brampton concludes, associates go to their next respective site and grow their careers. In Peel, associates are encouraged to take classes on-site, leveraging relationships with Sheridan and Ryerson Colleges. Laptops are made available and educators come on-site to work with associates. Future plans include offering ESL classes on-site as well as post graduate studies so associates can get bachelor’s degrees. Amazon knows that their investments bring broader responsibility and can unlock opportunity and in 2021 alone, investments in the community across the Peel region totalled nearly a quarter million dollars. Amazon partners with organizations that focus on “Right Now Needs” (such as food, shelter, and basic goods for children, seniors and families). They also worked with a local Toronto based organization “TakingITGlobal” to encourage students between the grades 7–11 to learn coding through Indigenous music. Local partners include Habitat for Humanity, Peel Children’s Aid, Mississauga Food Bank, SEVA Food Bank, Indus Community Services, William Osler Health Services Foundation and more.

84

Brampton Board of Trade

SMART SOLUTIONS

Brampton Transit, City of Brampton

The City of Brampton is home to one of the fastest-growing Transit systems in Canada. Over the past several years, there has been a seismic shift towards environmental awareness and sustainability, particularly in Transit. Following Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency in 2019, the City of Brampton established strong commitments to implementing a green framework for sustainable growth and leading in environmental innovation. During this time, senior level governments also implemented strict mandates to support municipalities in their transition to Zero-Emission technologies. Since then, Brampton has made several notable achievements, including the phase 1 launch of its Battery Electric Bus (BEB) trial, Council’s endorsement of a new and fully electrified third transit facility and a financing arrangement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), which will provide Brampton with up to $400M to support the purchase of up to 450 BEBs between now and 2027. Brampton also expects to launch phase 2 of the BEB trial as well as a Fuel Cell Electric Bus (FCEB) trial in 2023/2024. These trials, in combination with Brampton’s ZEB Strategy, will further explore these zero-emission technologies for potential future full-scale deployment. Brampton also continues to advocate for senior level government funding for the ZEBs themselves, as well as the facility/charging infrastructure required to support full fleet electrification. Through these exciting initiatives, the City of Brampton remains committed to greening our bus fleet and keeping our residents moving with the safe, reliable and sustainable Transit service they depend on.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

85

SMART SOLUTIONS

EJSE

Founded in 2020 as the pandemic hit the live events industry, EJSE is a collaboration between two budding live production companies, EJ Entertainment & Scotia Events. Terry Holdershaw of Scotia Events and Elliot Kravetz of EJ Entertainment combined forces with over 20 years of experience in the events industry to create EJSE and provide production and livestreaming services for virtual events. Helping host and stream professional quality corporate events, conferences, seminars, live entertainment and social functions, EJSE produces interactive and engaging virtual live events based out of their boutique studio with hosts, presenters, and attendees streaming online. As there is a return to in-person events, EJSE has combined their previous audio visual and production services with virtual event services to service hybrid events, which combines in-person and virtual audiences and provides full production, lighting and audio support, stage design, and with a multi-camera setup, a video production suite, advanced broadcast standards, and a professional team of technicians to support – both pre-production and during the live event. EJSE also produces and manages all the behind-the-scenes tech required to stream your event virtually while creating an experience for your audience and will integrate your preferred event platform including Zoom, pheedloop, Obvio, hopin and Whova. EJSE works with many Brampton businesses and Brampton based events including the Brampton Board of Trade.

86

Brampton Board of Trade

SMART SOLUTIONS

Hop In Technologies

Hop In is a smart solutions logistics software that provides a platform which links ride-share services (such as Uber) and bus companies with organizations that require shuttle services for employees commuting to and from work. Hop In’s mission is to provide solutions to help businesses retain more talent, access larger hiring pools by increasing accessibility to the workplace, increase employment rates, provide efficient, eco-friendly commutes and ultimately improve worker lifestyles. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, they did not slow down, but rather, went full speed ahead and pushed forward in three ways: 1) Hop In helped transport essential workforces to work safely. 2) Hop In began a free delivery program for Brampton companies. 3) Hop In donated thousands of PPE masks to Brampton organizations. Hop In currently works with Maple Lodge Farms to provide a safe commute for their staff – having recorded zero cases on their shuttles since operations began September 2020.

The company also plans on continuing to offer transportation services for Brampton companies to fill the gaps left by current transit options and making Brampton more accessible for employers looking to hire. Hop In also partnered with the Downtown Brampton BIA to use their logistics software services to provide a free delivery program for Downtown Brampton businesses who were hit hard by the lack of foot traffic due to COVID. Since November of 2020, this delivery program has delivered over 400 parcels, sparking new life into Brampton businesses. Hop In is improving delivery service by increasing the range of delivery so that Brampton companies can reach more potential customers. Outside of normal business operations, Hop In also partnered with Member of Parliament Sonia Sidhu to donate thousands of masks to Lullaboo childcare service and Regeneration Brampton to assist with operational continuity and safety during the pandemic and plans to continue donations to support essential organizations with operations during these tough times. Hop In is more than just an innovative logistics software solution, they are a proud member of the Brampton Board of Trade and have become a problem solver within the Brampton community contributing to many success stories in 2020 and beyond.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

87

SMART SOLUTIONS

IRIS

IRIS believes in fostering the creativity and innovation of our community’s youth and newcomers and is passionate in giving back. Founder Emil Ramos is also an active mentor for youth in hackathons and other competitions and is a strong proponent for innovation and job creation. In fact, the company was conceived at a Startup Weekend Hackathon organized by Brampton and Startup Peel in 2018. The result: IRIS helps build safer and more resilient communities. IRIS technology enables cities to monitor their road infrastructure at a fraction of the cost they spend today, while protecting the privacy of Brampton residents and visitors. Governments and organizations around the world spend billions collecting and analyzing data to inform policies, assess ongoing programs and prioritize infrastructure investments. From utilities, rail, roads, sidewalks and bridges to street signs, pavement markings and lights, infrastructure assets need to be constantly monitored and managed to continue functioning over long periods of time. These assets are monitored through highly manual audits and assessments involving in-house resources or multiple vendors to collect, analyze and report data. These processes are slow, inefficient, and unsustainable.

More importantly, these assessments are not in real time and only cover a small fraction of infrastructure assets over a given time. Outdated data drastically reduces the capability of governments and organizations to quickly respond, adapt, and strategically recover from system-wide shocks, including those caused by climate change and pandemics. IRIS provides governments and organizations with the data they need to prioritize infrastructure spending and investments intelligently, objectively and sustainably. Emil also helped lobby for the creation of the Innovation District and was granted 100K to move the RICC centre to the district. IRIS has also won numerous awards including representing Canada as the winner of the prestigious G20 Global Infrastructure Challenge supported by the Italian presidency and G20 member countries.

88

Brampton Board of Trade

SMART SOLUTIONS

J D Factors Corporation

J D Factors has been using technology in order to provide paperless funding and management of accounts receivables. The company has an online portal where clients can simply upload pictures of their invoices and back-up paperwork for funding within 24 hours.

Customers can also monitor what invoices have been paid and how they have been paid, as copies of all remittances or cheque payments is available for the client’s records. Clients can also do instant credit checks of new and existing customers, which takes 20 seconds or less, helping them make decisions faster and avoid any bad debt from non-paying customers.

The company’s online system can fund any invoice from $500 to $5 Million, hassle free. Even for initial set-up, J D Factors Corporation has an online application and accepts pictures of all documents, thereby avoiding the need to print or scan. The legal agreements are also signed digitally, which gives clients peace of mind with no need for printers or scanners. This smart solution allows new and growing companies to get funding against invoices without the hassle of trying to fit in a traditional lenders box. J D Factors has been in business for over 30 years and have supported over 500 business in Brampton with accounts receivables financing. The company supports many small community trade shows in the trucking industry, staffing industry and women-empowerment events such as Connectwork. Their team has been working with many Brampton businesses in transport, staffing, manufacturing and IT industry and was awarded the Secured Finance Network North America’s 40 under 40 award for providing exceptional service to clients all over Canada and the USA. The business is involved in supporting the community including volunteering to wrap Christmas gifts for fund raising, sorting and sponsoring presents for a family in Brampton during Christmas, raising funds by joining the Big Bike Ride for cancer research and providing food for a local shelter.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

89

SMART SOLUTIONS

LiVECAST Inc.

LiVECAST was launched pre-pandemic in 2019 when owner Vincent Van Cooten took a leap of faith. Since then, it has expanded from 1 owner/operator to five full-time employees (three of whom reside in Brampton), as well as countless freelancers and partners. LiVECAST Inc. is a local Brampton livestream and production business that continues to bring innovative and strategic business solutions during the pandemic and beyond. At a time when organizations were limited in how they could connect with their audiences, LiVECAST demonstrated leadership excellence and vision by offering custom virtual solutions and inspiring its customers to engage and interact with their internal and external audiences in positive and productive ways. As early promoters of virtual technologies, LiVECAST is a key source of new communication techniques rooted in the traditional, whether supporting in-person, hybrid or virtual events. The company is also a reflection of its Brampton-based team of collaborative, ambitious, high-achieving technical talent. Every member of the team works to achieve client objectives and treats each project as their most important priority. LiVECAST is a keen supporter of the local community, providing in-kind and discounted services to organizations that align with their values, including Be The Change (bethechangecanada. ca), Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation, as well as Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers. LiVECAST continues to support businesses and events of all sizes from small internal meetings to multi-national virtual events with attendees from across Canada and the world (such as the Africa/Canada Summit and NATO Summit). LiVECAST is also committed to nurturing young talent and supports new grads by investing time to mentor, teach, coach and develop their skills and expertise in live, hybrid and virtual AV production. LiVECAST proudly offers local up and coming talent Co-Op opportunities for post-secondary and secondary students and has helped groom young talent from Humber College and St. Roch Catholic Secondary School.

90

Brampton Board of Trade

RUNNING HEADER

MEMBERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE Smart businesses are Board of Trade members.

Make a referral? What can you contribute?

Make change happen Knock-down barriers to growth at all 4 levels of government. Stand together to encourage economic growth and pro-business policies that make it easier for your business to thrive

Build partnerships Take advantage of our local, national, and global connections to stay informed and help you to find new partners to reach your business aspirations.

Attract new clients Find potential new clients and customers through our online member directory or at our many business development opportunities

Grow your network Meet fellow members, local community leaders, and decision-makers at monthly events. Connect directly with Brampton’s business leaders. 91

2022 Business Excellence Awards

WORKPLACE WELLNESS & TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Workplace Wellness & Talent Development DHL Express

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, headquartered in Brampton, was recognized as one of the best workplaces to work in Canada, earning 13th place for 2021. The company also received the recognition for one of the best workplaces for women in 2021 in the country and as the second-best place to work globally of all examined companies around the world in 2020. Founded in 1969, today, DHL is the world’s leading logistics company. More than 400,000 people in over 220 countries and territories work every day to help customer cross borders, reach new markets and grow their business. The DHL Express strategy is built on four key strategic pillars – the first being “motivated people.” To achieve this, the company is committed to engaging, empowering and supporting a safe environment that maximizes productivity. During the COVID-19 outbreak, DHL pivoted to a remote setup for its office staff. To care for its frontline employees, the company ensured safety by providing PPE such as masks and gloves, investing more than $500,000 in physical distancing set-ups throughout its facilities, implementing new safety standards, and granting fully paid sick leave. Throughout COVID-19 lockdowns, the company continued activities and ran a series of initiatives to keep employees active and motivated, including the continuation of its employee scholarship program, granting six new scholarships of up to $8,000 in 2020 and renewing 14 more for past recipients. The company runs other HR initiatives to continuously improve the working conditions of its teams: be it ‘DHL4her’, a program dedicated to supporting and developing women, DHL’s Got Heart, which enables DHL to support the causes that its people are passionate about outside of work, or CIS, the ‘Certified International Specialist’ learning program which offers various curriculums, equipping DHL Express employees with the knowledge that they need to be motivated to deliver the best quality service for customers each day.

92

Brampton Board of Trade

WORKPLACE WELLNESS & TALENT DEVELOPMENT

DSV Solutions Inc.

DSV Solutions Inc. aims to be an employer of choice for talent from all walks of life who want to maximize their potential and have a deep desire to be successful in their career paths.

They genuinely believe that having a diverse workforce, where employees can realize their potential based on their different individual backgrounds and thought diversity is a significant business advantage that they, as a company, can leverage upon. A diverse workforce in an inclusive culture fosters dynamic workplaces and, ultimately, better, more innovative business decisions. The overall goal at DSV Solutions Inc. is to be an equal opportunity employer and provide equal opportunity to all. Their initiative began with focusing on a specific niche of the community – individuals with disabilities – as they have been identified as making up 24% of the unemployed workforce in Canada. In order to meet their goal, they recognized the barriers and addressed these challenges by administering training for their leadership team with the assistance of their community partner organizations. This has helped equip the team with the necessary tools to ensure a smoother onboarding and on-the-job training.

At DSV, they believe that people are their greatest asset. This belief is shaping the policy and progress of DSV Canada’s workforce and the results are already clear; a diverse and inclusive workplace is here to stay and they plan to encourage further development to ensure that employees of all abilities can realize their true potential.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

93

WORKPLACE WELLNESS & TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Nirvana Wellness Centre

In 2017 when Nirvana opened their doors, the team wanted to provide a one-stop shop for holistic treatments addressing the mind-body connection. It was also to build a community hub offering important insights into health and wellness, presenting a platform to connect and empower members of our Brampton community through wellness events. Workshops have included: the Women’s Symposium advocating for women’s health, increasing quality of life by improving components such as nutrition and sleep for families, yoga, meditation, Zumba classes to improve the mind-body connection, support for children/teens, grief, and free consultations with our Psychotherapist for guidance with anxiety and depression.

Practitioners and employees are encouraged to find health, happiness and power in life and the wellness centre has an extensive onboarding process to ensure they are aligned with the company vision. Once selected, Nirvana Wellness provides extensive training so team members can thrive and feel supported and they are encouraged to ‘practice what they preach’ by taking time to enjoy team building events and complimentary wellness services, which in turn creates a supportive and joyful environment (for both staff and patients). Advocating for wellness also extends to employee’s families, who have access to therapies at a family discount. Having started with a team of three, the company now has a team of 15+, serving thousands of patients, yet prides themselves on being a local and heart-centered wellness centre. From the front desk admin that first greet you, to a very passionate team of holistic practitioners that treat you, they are the reason Nirvana has stayed true to its foundation of giving, loving, serving and empowering the community!

94

Brampton Board of Trade

WORKPLACE WELLNESS & TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Wallis for Wellness

Wallis for Wellness has provided a workplace for a wide range of healthcare professionals that include Massage Therapists, Naturopathic Doctors, Chiropractors, Pedorthists, Occupational Therapists, Midwives, Fascial Stretch Therapists, Psychotherapists and Dietitians and has been a mentor and guide to staff, by helping them expand their practices. Margaret Wallis thrives on passing on years of knowledge she has accumulated over her career. Reaching beyond her treatment room walls and collaborating with other health care professionals, the company is determined to provide resources to support the health of businesses and their employees throughout Brampton. Wallis for Wellness has been the proud recipient of many awards such as the 2015 Brampton Board of Trade Award of Excellence in the category of Communication, the 2016 Registered Massage Therapist of Ontario’s Professional Service Award, the Award of Distinction for the company’s Better Together as ONE Health Advocacy movement at the 2018 International Women’s Day Awards Gala and the 2018 Waterfront Magazine Awards for their work in integrative health education and corporate wellness. The Wallis for Wellness team have generously donated over $100,000 to a wide range of local and worthwhile charities over the past 30 years.

2022 Business Excellence Awards

95

36 QUEEN STREET EAST – SUITE 101 BRAMPTON, ON L6V 1A2 905.451.1122