And the winner is...

The Ottawa Board of Trade and the Ottawa Business Journal along with our award sponsors, Telfer School of Management, Ottawa Senators and Deloitte, are thrilled to announce two Best Ottawa Business Award recipients.

Congratulations to the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Recipient

Robert Merkley, Merkley Supply Ltd

We are honoured to recognize Robert for his significant economic impact on Ottawa, his demonstrated ability to adapt and innovate, his remarkable community involvement, and his legacy of community building.

Congratulations to the 2024

CFO of the Year

Geoff Simpson, Hydro Ottawa

We are thrilled to award Geoff for his leadership as Hydro Ottawa contemplates climate change and plans for the future of the utility and the service to our city as well as his local charitable and board work.

Join us on November 29th as we celebrate the innovation, community contributions, and strong leadership of our business community at the Best Ottawa Business Awards! Find out which Ottawa businesses will take home the awards for Best Business, New Business, Deal of the Year, Next Big Thing, Best Performance. . . and many more!

Pictured (l-r): Priya Bhaloo, OBOT Board of Director; Kunle Tauhid, BDC; Sueling Ching, Ottawa Board of Trade; Pierre Cleroux, BDC; Riaz Sidi OBOT Board of Director; Glenn Brule, Excelior

Thank you to everyone who attended our Small Business Week event, Preparing for the Future: Leveraging AI Technologies for Growth and Productivity in partnership with BDC.

AI use is expected to increase over the coming years among entrepreneurs and deliver benefits for businesses. Thank you to Pierre Cleroux for sharing insights in AI integration for small businesses and helping our attendees see the opportunities and possibilities.

Thank you to our sponsor Excelior and our community partners Invest Ottawa and OCOBIA for your support making this event a success.

To learn more about how businesses are using AI read BDC’s report The AI Imperative for Canada’s Entrepreneurs:

Mayor's Breakfast

November 21 | 7:00 AM | City Hall

Start your day with the Ottawa Board of Trade, Ottawa Business Journal, as Mayor Sutcliffe sits down with Michèle Boudria, President and CEO of McDonald's Canada in a fireside chat.

Network with 200 Ottawa business and community leaders. Garner insights on key issues impacting your business and our city.

SAVE THE DATE - NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Join us at the LAST Business After 5 of 2024!

Build on the momentum of your work day by networking with business and community leaders at at the Sprott School of Business' Innovation Hub.

Members only registration opens October 28, 2024

General public registration opens October 31, 2024

Canada's #1 Employee Benefits Plan



OBOT members have access to an affordable and accessible health insurance and benefits plan. Alongside standard benefits like dental, health & life insurance, our programs include value-added services like HR tools, resources, and expert advice.

Sign your business up for the Chambers Plan today!

Sueling Ching, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade joined our partners in the Canadian Global Cities Council (CGCC) in Canada's Capital region to meet with elected officials around how to improve productivity and wages, build infrastructure and grow trade.

From 2018-2023 Metro regional populations in Canada grew by 10.9% - Ottawa grew by 9.8% (+143,452). As our populations grow, we must continue to build up Ottawa, and our country, investing in affordable, inclusive, and sustainable city building.

The Ottawa Board of Trade and Ontario Chamber of Commerce are looking for your insights on issues that matter to your business. How confident are you in Ontario's economy and your organization's outlook? What should governments prioritize to drive economic growth?

Your participation in the annual Business Confidence Survey is as important as ever. The results of the survey will inform the 2025 Ontario Economic Report: the landmark research platform of the OCC, offering a unique perspective on the experience of businesses of all sizes across the province.

Share your views by taking a short five-minute survey.

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