The winners of the 1st edition of the Ontario-Québec Francophonie Trade Award unveiled!
Toronto, November 8, 2021—Today, as part of the Francophone component of the Toronto Global Forum, Québec’s Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and Francophonie, Sonia LeBel, and Ontario’s Minister of Francophone Affairs, Caroline Mulroney, announced the winning companies of the Ontario-Québec Trade Award in the Francophonie.
Organized by the Fédération des Chambres de Commerce du Québec (FCCQ) and the Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA), the award is presented each year to a company from Ontario and a company from Québec. This new award aims to recognize excellence in Francophone businesses that have distinguished themselves interprovincially through their significant contribution to increasing and encouraging trade between Québec and Ontario.. Each winning company receives a $10,000 cash prize.
- The winning company for Ontario is Kyan Cuisine
Since 2019, Kyan Cuisine Inc. has been specializing in the production and delivery of plant-based meals in the Prescott-Russell, Ottawa and Outaouais regions. It aims to make healthy and delicious ready-to-eat vegan food and meals accessible through its online platform and home delivery, in addition to grocery stores in the region. As native Franco-Ontarians, the three co-owners value serving the population in French and take great pride in being able to do business in both Ontario and Québec in their official language. - The winning company for Québec is mPhase
mPhase supports organizations in their digital shift and innovation projects. In creating the mTransport technology solution dedicated to school transportation, mPhase sought to facilitate communications, increase student safety, and simplify the daily logistics for all school transportation stakeholders. By doing so, mTransport modernizes the school transportation experience and promotes work-life balance. When Ontario’s School Transportation Consortia sought a technological solution to track student transportation, mTransport’s French-language nature and quality of communications were the deciding factors in their choice to ensure that families and drivers were adequately served.
This first edition was a great success and the quality of the applications made it difficult for the jury of business professionals and institutional stakeholders from both provinces to select the winners. Coming from a wide range of economic sectors, all these companies have placed French language at the heart of their business strategy.
The next edition of the Ontario-Québec Business Award in French will take place in Québec City, Québec in November 2022.
Learn more about the Award: https://prix-onqc.ca/a-propos/
For more information on the jury: https://prix-onqc.ca/jury/
“This first edition is a success, and I congratulate the winning companies for their contribution to enhancing exchanges between the Québec and Ontario French-speaking business communities. This common thread between our provinces must be more widely recognized as an asset for interprovincial economic and cultural relations, and this award is a great opportunity to celebrate the excellence of the business community as well as the Francophonie!”
—Charles Milliard, President and CEO, Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec
”We are extremely proud of the success of this first Ontario-Québec Trade Award in the Francophonie. What an accomplishment! We are delighted with the quality of the entries we received, which once again demonstrate the vitality and excellence of our Francophone businesses. We would like to congratulate the winner from Ontario, Kyan Cuisine, as well as mPhase from Québec, who shine through their commitment to making the French language an incomparable asset for the economic growth of our two provinces.”
– Dominic Mailloux, President, Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA)
“I would like to congratulate the first two winners of the award and the other finalists. The Government of Québec believes it is important to showcase the success of innovative firms that place the French language at the heart of their Canadian activities and export strategies. I am glad that this award exists to highlight the dynamic economic link between Québec and Ontario, two long-standing partners in a trade flow worth $88 billion each year.”
– Sonia LeBel, Minister Responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie
“On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Kyan Cuisine Inc. on receiving this award for its innovative and environmentally friendly food products and services. This award to a promising young company is a shining example of the exceptional contribution of Franco-Ontarian entrepreneurship to our prosperity and a testament to the competitiveness of francophone businesses in Ontario. I would also like to applaud mPhase, the winning company from Québec, for its leading technology solutions that are improving the efficiency and safety of school transportation in both provinces. We are proud to witness the striking vitality of francophone entrepreneurship and its dynamic potential for growth.”
– Caroline Mulroney, ministre des Affaires francophones de l’Ontario.
“Our government is proud to invest in, and celebrate, the very best of our Francophone entrepreneurs and businesses that are leading the way in growing interprovincial trade between Ontario and Québec. Now, more than ever, as we reopen, recover, and reignite our economy, we need to leverage our close economic ties and highly collaborative business environment. To the winners of our first Ontario-Québec Francophonie Trade Award, Kyan Cuisine and mPhase, please accept my congratulations. Your government and your province are so proud of you, and we support you.”
– Vic Fedeli, ministre du Développement économique, de la Création d’emplois et du Commerce de l’Ontario
About the Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA)
The Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario supports, represents and advances the interests of its members and economic stakeholders to fully develop the Francophone business community through principled policy work, resourceful business services and innovative activities focused on Francophone business market development.
About the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ)
Thanks to its vast network of 130 chambers of commerce and 1,100 corporate members, the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) represents more than 50,000 businesses operating in all sectors of the economy throughout Québec. The FCCQ is the largest network of business leaders and companies in Québec and is both a federation of chambers of commerce and a provincial chamber of commerce. Whether they are chambers or companies, its members all pursue the same goal: to foster an innovative and competitive business environment.
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Media Contacts:
FGA
Mélanie Grenier
media@fedefranco.ca
Richard Kempler
Executive Director
richard.kempler@fedefranco.ca
FCCQ
Félix Rhéaume
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
felix.rheaume@fccq.ca
Office : 514-844-9571, ext. 3242
Cell: 514 912-2639
