On Thursday, November 5, the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade recognized nine winners at their 28th annual Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Awards, with Presenting Sponsors DP World Canada, TD Bank and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. Over 400 people attended the event with Master of Ceremonies Baneet Braich of CBC leading the program.
The Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Awards recognize the outstanding businesses and individuals whose vision, dedication, and achievements contribute to our region’s success. Their accomplishments showcase the strength of our business community and the innovation, leadership, and commitment that continue to create opportunities and drive economic growth across Surrey and White Rock.
Joslyn Young, CEO
The judging team’s evaluation assessed the following competencies: organizational profile, leadership, strategy development and planning, customer focus and market knowledge, employee learning and people focus, process management, supplier/partner focus, community involvement, and overall business performance.
2026 Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Award Winners:
Business Person of the Year: Gerard Bremault, The Centre for Child Development
Sponsored by Hamilton Duncan
Gerard Bremault, CEO of The Centre for Child Development, has led BC’s largest child development centre through more than 26 years of growth, expanding its reach from 1,800 children annually to over 8,000 children, youth, and families across 350 locations. His leadership includes securing five consecutive CARF International accreditations and spearheading Sophie’s Place Child & Youth Advocacy Centre, coordinating care for children who have experienced abuse. A former SWRBOT Chair, Gerard’s longstanding community advocacy has earned him the Surrey Cares Community Foundation Serving with Distinction Leadership Award.
Surrey Business Excellence Winner with 1-10 Employees: Slater & Associates Counselling and Psychotherapy
Sponsored by Abbotsford International Airport
Slater & Associates provides compassionate, evidence-based mental health care. Specializing in perinatal mental health, the clinic actively removes barriers to support through free community initiatives, including virtual pregnancy loss support groups with the Butterfly Support Network, and a mom and baby group hosted with Bounce Play Cafe. The practice has served over 2,000 clients, achieving strong growth with revenue increasing 25% year over year and rising to 12 times its inaugural 2023 levels. To meet demand, the clinic is expanding into a larger South Surrey facility tailored to families.
Surrey Business Excellence Winner with 11 – 40 Employees: SALAS Collective Care
Sponsored by FortisBC
SALAS is redefining wellness through integrated, multidisciplinary healthcare. Bringing together chiropractic care, registered massage therapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, clinical counselling, kinesiology, and craniosacral therapy in a 4,800 sqft. facility, it delivers personalized care under one roof. Its innovative Care Coordinator role develops customized treatment plans, while its branded products extend wellness beyond the clinic. SALAS also supports the Founders Cup Classic, Sources Community Resource Centre, Capoeira Brasil Metro Vancouver, Surrey FC Selects, and South Surrey White Rock Fastpitch.
Surrey Business Excellence Winner with 41+ Employees: Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital
Sponsored by MNP
Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital is an independent, family-owned veterinary specialty, emergency, and critical care hospital. Its 24/7/365 facility operates with a team of 202 professionals across 10 specialized disciplines. Equipped with in-house MRI and CT diagnostics, they handle critical cases through a multidisciplinary approach. As a designated VetCOT Level II Trauma Centre and one of only two VECCS Certified Level 1 facilities in Canada, the hospital delivers top-tier emergency care. BBVSH achieved major national recognition as the CVMA 2025 Practice of the Year, the sole Level I facility in Canada to hold this honour.
White Rock Business Excellence Winner: Grounds & Greens Cafe
Sponsored by Oceana Parc
Founded in 2020, Grounds & Greens Cafe is a family-owned, fully plant-based culinary practice operating two locations across White Rock and Fort Langley. The chef-driven cafe delivers an approachable, house-made menu featuring plant-based bowls, pastas, specialty drinks, and pastries designed to make plant-based eating accessible to all. Key organizational milestones include establishing a 500-member loyalty program, implementing a low-waste transition toward reusable takeout packaging, and partnering with local suppliers that share the same sustainability practices.
Not-for-Profit of the Year: Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society
Sponsored by Manning Elliott
The Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society is a 100% volunteer-run charity led by active and retired firefighters, addressing critical community needs across Surrey. Supporting more than 150 programs focused on poverty relief, food security, youth education, and healthcare, the SFFCS has raised over $25 million, invested $2 million in its Nutritional Snack Program, donated $3 million to the Surrey Hospitals Foundation, and awarded $632,000 in student bursaries. With zero administrative headcount costs, every dollar raised goes directly toward improving lives and strengthening the community.
New Business of the Year: ZIKR – Whispers of Indian Flavours
Sponsored by the Commissionaires
ZIKR delivers a refined dining experience centred on authentic regional Indian gastronomy. The restaurant showcases heritage recipes alongside modern interpretations, highlighting slow-cooked regional specialties and elevated fusion fare. Designed to accommodate diverse guest needs, Zikr manages full-service restaurant seating, hotel morning dining, private group events, and off-site catering. It actively contributes to local tourism and culinary culture through involvement in municipal showcases such as Discover Surrey’s Spice Trail and Taste of Cloverdale.
Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Dr. Anmol Dosanjh, The Shelf – Sustainable Healthcare Group
Sponsored by Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Driven to address the impact of traditional medical waste, Anmol established her practice in 2024 to unite quality patient care with environmental accountability. She introduced a sustainability model in pharmacy operations, swapping single-use plastic prescription bottles for reusable aluminum vials and paper packaging, eliminating plastic waste with every prescription. She actively strengthens the local green economy through partnerships with eco-conscious businesses and community education on safe pharmaceutical disposal, setting a fresh benchmark for sustainable leadership in healthcare.
The event also saw the 11th Corporate Social Responsibility Recognition Award, sponsored by Surrey Digital Printing, presented to My Empower Therapy. This award was created to recognize a business working to improve the lives of their employees and to enhance the civic environment in which they operate, through environmental, social and governance principles.
The Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade thanks the corporate sponsors who made this important recognition event possible:
Presenting Sponsors: DP World Canada, TD Bank and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
With Support from PacifiCan
VIP Reception Sponsor: Doane Grant Thornton LLP
Video Sponsor: Langara College
Ice Bar Sponsor: Beedie
Entertainment Sponsor: Trans Mountain
Award Sponsors: Abbotsford International Airport, Commissionaires BC, FortisBC, Hamilton Duncan, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Manning Elliott, MNP, Oceana Parc and Surrey Digital Printing
Community Sponsors: BCIT School of Business + Media, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Export Navigator, Forevery Occasion, Glen Chua Media, Off the Reel, the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel and Vancity
Media Sponsors: CBC and the Surrey NOW-Leader
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Aman Parmar
604.634.0345 | aman@swrbot.com
