Business of the Year – Small

Kendrick’s Outdoor Adventures shares its love for the outdoors through a variety of equipment rentals for all seasons, allowing Winnipeggers and visitors to discover the city’s natural beauty from a unique vantage point. Operating at multiple locations, they continue to introduce ways to be active all year.

A staple in Winnipeg arts and music for nearly a decade, the Good Will Social Club sets the bar high for venues in a city known for its rich music scene. The inclusive, community-focused space provides a home-away-from-home for musicians, fostering local talent while also providing a stage for national and international acts.

Jennie O’Keefe and Andraea Sartison started Fête Jockey Events seven years ago. Since then, Fête Jockey has evolved into a full time, four-season events company with a full-time staff of five. Working on projects from Nestaweya River Trail, Holiday Alley and Bike Week Winnipeg, the company saw a need to provide arts workers, who are typically working in the gig economy, with stability in income during their off-contract periods. Fête Jockey currently employs over 300 artists each year.

After researching niche tourism markets during the pandemic, McPhail Travel owners Cassandra and Turner Jamieson embarked on a new adventure: developing four-season glamping experiences that connect guests with nature. Since opening, Moonlit Canopy has seen a 100 per cent occupancy rate and welcomed more than 4,000 visitors to its southwest Manitoba glamping domes.

For nearly 70 years, Kum Bac Kabins has welcomed guests to northern Manitoba. New owners Arleigh and Ed Tomchak continue to make enhancements to the lodge’s cabins and have seen a post-pandemic returning customer rate of 95 per cent. The Tomchaks also work tirelessly with various organizations to improve the fishing/hunting environment, lobbying for the health of the local bodies of water, wildlife and roads.

Voyageur Houseboats is the first houseboat company to operate in Manitoba and the first allowed to operate within Manitoba’s provincial parks. Visitors can now rent houseboats on the Winnipeg River, explore with kayaks and access activities in and around Pinawa. The stylish houseboats produce their own electricity, filter their own water and blend into the scenery, providing complete immersion into nature. Thanks to their personalized information and constant communication, all reviews left by guests during the 2022 operating season were 5-star ratings.