On April 6, Canadian Business hosted the first annual CB Innovation Awards luncheon, welcoming 150 guests at the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s new downtown office and event space overlooking the Toronto waterfront.

Bringing together Canada’s senior business leaders and emerging entrepreneurs for exclusive networking, enlightening panel discussions and an awards presentation, the event was supported by signature sponsor BMO Financial Group, thought leadership partner Google Canada and patron table supporters Amazon Canada, the TMX, Uber Canada, UHN Foundation, Air Canada, the DMZ, Incepta Solutions, RBC Mydoh, MinervaAI and Microsoft Canada. 

The luncheon was a preview and an opportunity to celebrate Canada’s fastest growing and most resilient companies that are being showcased in the 2023 CB Innovation Awards, out in the Spring issue of Canadian Business in May. Industry leaders shared their insights on the biggest challenges impacting the small business community, including managing remote teams, the importance of inclusivity and purpose, and attracting (and retaining) top global talent.

Following a welcome reception and VIP networking session, the event kicked off with a fireside chat between Kristie Painting, Pinterest Canada’s country manager, and C-suite executive Trinh Tham. Painting shared her story of how she became a leader in the Canadian tech sector, as well as some of the challenges she experienced managing her team during and after the pandemic. She also emphasized the importance of authenticity, purpose and vulnerability when leading an organization through change and innovation.

Attendees were then invited to sit for lunch, provided by Oliver & Bonacini. Mike Bonner, head of business banking at BMO, delivered a keynote address on the topic of innovating small business. Bonner underlined the power of purpose in driving innovation and highlighted the bank’s programs and initiatives, particularly those supporting Indigenous banking and small business development.

A thought leadership panel on reskilling and upskilling followed. Moderated by Jason Maghanoy, publisher of Canadian Business, the lively and vital discussion focused on how Canadian businesses, as well as financial and academic institutions, can foster partnerships and work proactively to develop and advance their talent force. 

Noting that about two million businesses were launched during the pandemic, Isabelle Hudon, CEO of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) called for SMEs to keep in mind the “survival mode trend” that drives innovation, and avoid the pre-COVID “comfort zone.”  

Pedro Barata, executive director of the Future Skills Centre, urged all Canadian businesses to create the space necessary for inclusive skills development. “Innovation is everybody’s business,” said Barata. “The challenge around reinventing skills development that only involves 10 per cent of people, it needs to be a Canada-wide challenge.”

Ana Serrano, president and vice-chancellor of OCAD University, reporting that about 28 per cent of OCAD’s students are international, called upon Canada’s academic institutions to open their doors for newcomers with policies that provide students with more agency.

Laura Pearce, country marketing director at Google Canada, said it’s the responsibility of the employer to give their employees opportunities to upskill, and pointed to Google’s “digital first” certification programs that are helping Canadian businesses train their workers in the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.  

Charlotte Herrold, editor-in-chief of Canadian Business, closed the event by announcing the 2023 CB Innovation Award winners, who were chosen from hundreds of applicants analyzed and ranked by CB in partnership with the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship. 

And the winners of the 2023 CB Innovation Awards are…

Borrowell – best personalized loan innovator

Eco Guardian – best packaging innovator

Solaires – best green energy innovator

Carepros – best social work innovator

Vendasta – best marketing innovator

Geotab – best commercial vehicle innovator

Folds Wear – best fashion innovator

Staffy – best recruitment solutions innovator

Incepta – best 360 tech innovator

Mecademic – best robotics innovator

Minerva – best financial security innovator

Pinterest – best social media innovator

Wattpad – best creative culture innovator

Proxies – best food and beverage innovator

Ecobee – best home tech innovator

AOT Technologies – best software support innovator

Financeit – best point-of-sale innovator

Carbon Upcycling – best construction innovator

Sandpiper – best investment innovator

Wealthsimple – best personal finance innovator

Nixit – best self-care innovator

Maple – best virtual healthcare innovator

Tru Earth – best green consumer product innovator

Trendi – best food waste innovator

Wahi – best real estate innovator

For the full reporting on the 2023 CB Innovation Awards, subscribe to Canadian Business magazine here.