Eligibility & Rules

The Carleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce Business Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding achievement, leadership, innovation, customer service, and community impact within our local business community.

Unless otherwise specified, submissions should reflect accomplishments, initiatives, or business activities from the current calendar year.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for nomination, businesses must meet the following requirements:

  • Nominees must be current members in good standing of the Carleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce at the time of nomination.
  • Nominees must remain members in good standing through the date of the Business Awards Gala in order to receive an award.
  • Businesses must actively operate within the Carleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce service area.
  • All submissions must relate to business activities, accomplishments, or initiatives undertaken within the current calendar year.

Category Eligibility

  • Businesses may only compete in one award category per year.
  • If a business is nominated in multiple categories, they will be asked to select the category in which they wish to compete.
  • Previous award recipients are not eligible to be nominated in the same category for a period of five years following their win.

Submission Requirements

  • All nominations and supporting materials must be submitted prior to the published nomination deadline.
  • Incomplete submissions may be disqualified at the discretion of the Chamber.
  • Information provided within the nomination form may be used for event production, marketing materials, media recognition, and awards presentations.
  • Businesses are responsible for ensuring all submitted information is accurate and complete.

Judging & Administration

  • All eligible submissions will be reviewed through the Chamber's independent judging process.
  • The Chamber reserves the right to reassign submissions to a more appropriate category where applicable.
  • The Chamber also reserves the right to combine or cancel categories where submission volume does not meet minimum participation requirements.
  • All decisions of the judging panel and awards administration are final.

Participation in the Awards Gala

The Business Awards of Excellence Gala is the culmination of the awards program and a celebration of the achievements of our local business community. Nominees whose nominations stand are strongly encouraged to attend the Gala and participate in the event. Attendance demonstrates support for fellow nominees and helps celebrate the collective success of businesses throughout our region.

Acceptance of Rules

By submitting a nomination, entrants acknowledge and agree to abide by all published eligibility requirements, rules, and submission guidelines related to the Business Awards of Excellence.