Ten local businesses honoured at the Calgary Small Business Awards, presented by Alberta Blue Cross
Calgary, AB, October 23, 2026 – The Calgary Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Small Business Awards, presented by Alberta Blue Cross. This year’s award program drew an impressive 335 applicants across ten categories, reflecting the breadth of talent, innovation and resilience that define Calgary’s small business community.
“On behalf of the Calgary Chamber, congratulations to this year’s Small Business Award winners,” says Deborah Yedlin, President & CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s winners and runners-up showcase the changing nature of Calgary’s small business ecosystem, spanning energy, technology, health care, successful social entrepreneurship and so much more. Small businesses comprise 94 per cent of Calgary’s business community; they fuel our economy by creating jobs, investing in our communities, contributing to the city’s overall vibrancy and economic resiliency. This year’s winners and nominees highlight Calgary’s position as a dynamic place to live, work and grow a business, which often starts with an idea.”
“The Calgary Chamber is honoured to host the 43rd annual Small Business Awards Gala, a long-standing tradition that allows us to shine a spotlight on the incredible small businesses that define our city,” says Melanie McDonald, Vice-President of Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships & Engagement at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “The depth of talent in our small business community has never been more evident. Behind every business is a team of people taking risks and making a difference for their customers and their communities. We’re proud to celebrate their impact tonight.”
2026 Award Winners
Servus Credit Union Small Business of the Year Award: Ava Industries Ltd.
Ava is a Calgary-based healthcare technology company making electronic medical records simpler and more intuitive for healthcare professionals. Its cloud-based EMR platform, built by physicians, now supports more than 8,500 healthcare professionals and clinics across Alberta, B.C. and Ontario.
Doane Grant Thornton Emerging Growth Award: HomeFree Homecare
HomeFree is taking a different approach to homecare, combining physician oversight with dedicated care teams to support people with complex medical needs in their own homes. Its Medically-Supervised Homecare model is designed to give families the clinical support they need while helping loved ones remain at home.
RBC Inclusion Award: Pedesting Corporation
Pedesting is changing how people move through Calgary by making indoor and outdoor navigation more accessible. Its free app helps pedestrians find routes, entrances, elevators, ramps and other accessibility features, giving people more information to navigate the city with confidence.
Air Canada Community Champion Award: Devon & Lang
Known for their seriously fun prints and comfortable underwear, the Calgary-based company has also made giving back part of its business model. With every purchase, Devon & Lang donates underwear to organizations supporting people in vulnerable communities across Canada, with a goal of donating more than 500,000 pairs over 10 years.
AlphaKOR Innovation Award: AbaData
For more than 20 years, AbaData has been building technology designed around the realities of the energy industry, connecting field teams, engineers, operators and analysts through software and GIS mapping tools.
ATB Indigenous Entrepreneurship Award: 49 Native Design
Founded by J. Nathan Rainy Chief, a member of Kainai First Nation, 49 Native Design brings Indigenous culture, storytelling and contemporary design together through apparel, accessories and other products. Through its work, the Calgary-based business creates space for Indigenous identity and culture to be celebrated through modern design.
CPA Alberta Social Entrepreneurship Award: cSPACE Projects
cSPACE Projects creates spaces and opportunities for Calgary’s creative community, bringing artists, nonprofits, entrepreneurs and the public together through its creative hubs, studios, programming and partnerships. By transforming spaces into places for creativity, collaboration and connection, cSPACE supports the people and organizations contributing to Calgary’s cultural life.
TikTok People’s Choice Award: Audiology Innovations
Founded by Dr. Carrie Scarff, Audiology Innovations has been serving Calgarians since 2005, providing hearing assessments, hearing technology and personalized audiology care. The locally owned practice combines clinical expertise with a focus on helping clients stay connected to the people, conversations and experiences that matter to them.
Avenue Magazine Made in Calgary Award: AFTI Watchdog
Built in Calgary and used across North America, AFTI WatchDog has spent more than a decade developing technology that gives oil and gas operators a virtual view of their wellsites. Its WatchDog platform helps monitor production, detect leaks and identify issues remotely, reducing the need for routine trips to the field.
Rogers Business Small Business Leader of the Year Award: April Hicke (Toast Consulting)
As the founder and CEO of Toast, April is leading the company’s work to advance women in tech through recruitment, community and technology that connect women with opportunities and help close gender equity gaps in the industry. Her leadership and vision are helping drive meaningful growth while creating opportunities for others in Calgary’s business community.
Quick Facts
- 2026 marks the 43rd year the Calgary Chamber has celebrated Small Business Week.
- Around 85 per cent of Calgary Chamber members are small businesses.
- In 2025, small businesses represented 94 per cent of businesses in Calgary.
- In 2024, small businesses employed approximately 5.8 million Canadians, representing 46.6 per cent of Canada’s private-sector workforce.
- Between 2018 and 2022, small businesses generated an average of 34.2 per cent of Canada’s private-sector GDP, while SMEs collectively generated 47.8 per cent. 2025 marks the 42nd year the Calgary Chamber has celebrated Small Business Week.
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About the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
The Calgary Chamber exists to empower our business community to advance a prosperous Calgary and Canada. As the convenor and catalyst for a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous business community, the Chamber works to build strength and resilience among its members and position Calgary as a magnet for talent, diversification and opportunity. As an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1891, we build on our history to serve and advocate for businesses of all sizes, in all sectors across the city.
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