TORONTO, OCT. 27, 2022 — Today Purolator announced the winners of its annual True North Small Business Grant Contest. The four Canadian recipients will each receive $20,000 in cash and $500 in free Purolator shipping credits. Winners are also being awarded a new “pay-it-forward” cash prize of $5,000 to be distributed in Canadian communities.
“Looking at the number of submissions and nominations from a range of industries across the country, it’s evident that Canadians are dedicated to supporting small businesses and their local economies,” said Stacey Cummings, Director of Marketing, Purolator. “Through the True North Small Business Grant, we have helped past recipients grow their businesses. They have used the funds to develop new product lines, purchase new equipment, expand to new locations or open an online store.”
Winners of Purolator’s 2022 True North Small Business Grant Contest
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EarthPup, owned by Lucy Cullen from Toronto, Ont. This grassroots start-up business focuses on addressing the food waste problem in Canada. The company turns nutrient-dense food, otherwise destined for landfills, into healthy, drool-worthy dog treats. To date, it has prevented over 2,000 pounds of vegetables from going to landfill. Find out more at earthpup.co.
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Équipements RoadLoft Inc., owned by Laurence Dufour and Samuel Gauthier from Quebec City, Que. This business provides van owners with a preassembled “do-it-yourself” camper kit, that converts compatible vans into campervans. Its mission is to bring van camping to more people by helping others enjoy an RV experience at a lower cost. Find out more at roadloft.com.
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Ruth, owned by Nicole Sanchez and Anka Chan from Edmonton, Alta. This company offers women an eco-friendly option when purchasing menstrual products. Its pads are 93 per cent plant-based and made from renewable kenaf and bamboo fibre. The business markets its products directly to consumers as well as in bulk for workplaces and organizations through its online store. Find out more at getruth.ca.
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Westman Soil Sampling Ltd., owned by Jeremy Marvin and Dean Gamey from Brandon, Man. This small business provides soil sampling services for farmers across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Samples are collected, taken to a lab and analyzed to provide information about the condition of the soil (plant-available nutrients, organic carbon removed from atmosphere) that guide farmers on how much fertilizer to use. Westman also monitors soil organic carbon as farmers remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the ground. Find out more at westmansoil.com.
Supporting Canadian communities
“New this year, winners will be sharing a portion of their grant with local charitable organizations, furthering the reach of our support to help communities across Canada,” added Cummings.
The community organizations that this year’s winners will be donating their “pay-it-forward” cash prize of $5,000 to will be announced on Purolator’s social media channels on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.
Learn about the winners and how Purolator is supporting small businesses at purolator.com/small-business-grant.
Small business fast facts
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As of December 2020, Canada contained 1.2 million employer businesses, and of these, 1.2 million or 97.9 per cent were small businesses. (Source: Statistics Canada, 2021)
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Small businesses across Canada account for the employment of roughly 9.7 million Canadians or approximately 64 per cent of the total labour force. (Source: Statistics Canada, 2021)
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At least 152,000 Canadian small businesses have adopted e-commerce since the start of the pandemic. (Source: Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, 2021)
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In 2020, Canadian small businesses accounted for 43 per cent of all exports of goods. This is especially impressive considering that the total value of goods exported from Canada in 2020 was $471.9 billion. (Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 2021)
About Purolator
Purolator Inc. is a leading integrated freight, package and logistics solutions provider. Celebrating over 60 years of delivering its customers’ promises, Purolator continues to expand its reach and renowned service levels and reliability to more people, more businesses and more places across the country and around the world. Purolator is proud of its Canadian heritage and is focused on sustainably positioning itself for future growth and success. Purolator is also committed to contributing to the well-being of the communities it serves and where more than 14,000 of its employees live, work and play.
Media contact
Courtney Reistetter
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Purolator
416 407-5424
[email protected]
