Looking for nominations for provincial 2014 Lauriers de la PME small business awards

WELLINGTON, PEI – Jan. 6, 2014 – After a few years of absence, RDÉE Canada’s national entrepreneurial awards competition, Lauriers de la PME, will be back in 2014. RDÉE Prince Edward Island and the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI are therefore jointly launching the call for PEI nominations for the competition’s five awards.

“Anyone can nominate one or more francophone or bilingual businesses or co-operatives for the five provincial awards between now and Jan. 31; self-nominations are definitely allowed and even encouraged,” says provincial contest co-ordinator Raymond J. Arsenault. “Then, a provincial jury will examine all the submissions and pick a provincial winner in each of the five categories. The winners will be honored during our Acadian Entrepreneurs’ Gala March 15 in Summerside.”

He explains that extensive dossiers on the five provincial winners will then be submitted to the national contest. A Canadian jury will sort the nominations received from all provinces and territories to come up with three or four national finalists in each category. Only these finalists will be invited to the national Lauriers Gala to be held next November at the Delta Beauséjour in Moncton, N.B. (In the past, all provincial and territorial finalists were invited to the national gala, which was always held in Ottawa.)

2014 CATEGORIES

  • Manufacturing Business:  For a business that processes, treats or manufactures goods, through mechanical or physical processes, starting from raw products or materials (including marine and agro-food products) for at least three years.
  • Service Business: For a business that, for at least three years, has been selling services to consumers or to other businesses that use these services as inputs in their own production.  These services must outshine others by their creativity as well as their strong industrial or technological composition.
  • Retail Business:  For a business that, for at least three years, buys products from a supplier, a producer or an importer, either directly or through a wholesaler. The business then resells the merchandise, generally in individual units or small quantities to clients in a store, boutique or by mail through a catalogue or a web site. It is the final link in a chain of distribution. This is what distinguishes it from a wholesaler.
  • Micro-Business: For a small business that has been working for at least the past three years in any sector and that provides work for no more than the equivalent of three people full-time, including the owner. It can also be a single-person business.
  • Young Entrepreneurs:  For a small business, in operation for at least a year, that is owned by one or more owners aged 35 years or less and that has been able to make difference in economic diversification, regardless of its sector of endeavor.


ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES

The Lauriers de la PME competition is aimed at francophone small and medium-sized businesses outside of Quebec. Eligible businesses include sole proprietorships, partnerships, stock companies and co-operatives. A small and medium-sized francophone business, in this case, is described as a business that has fewer than 500 employees and is operated by one or more owners who speak French and who use effective administrative techniques, who have permanent contacts with their staff and who contribute to the development of Canada’s francophone economy.

In addition to providing an overview of their commercial activities, the nominations should clearly demonstrate the companies’ contributions to their community and the way they value the use of the French language within their operation.

Former Lauriers award winners (including the Coup de coeur awards) are not eligible.

To submit a nomination, one only has to download the provincial nomination form from the RDÉE PEI website at www.rdeeipe.net, under the “Documents” tab. The form explains the criteria and the simple method that should be used to submit one or more nominations. Those nominating a business must have permission from that business.

It is expected that the Lauriers de la PME awards will be presented every two years from now on. RDÉE PEI and the Acadian Chamber therefore plan to alternate the Lauriers series of prizes with its own awards every other year.

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CUTLINE: Bonnie Gallant, executive director of RDÉE Prince Edward Island, and Raymond J. Arsenault, coordinator of the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI, officially launched the provincial 2014 Lauriers de la PME entrepreneurial awards competition. Nominations for businesses and co-ops must be submitted by Jan. 31.

For more information:
Raymond J. Arsenault
Coordinator
Lauriers de la PME competition and Entrepreneurs Gala
Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI
(902) 854-3439, Ext. 231
raymond@rdeeipe.org