People’s Choice Awards
The sixth annual Sunshine Coast People’s Choice Awards(SCPCAs) are proudly presented by the Sunshine Coast Chamber of Commerce and the Coast Reporter.
The 2026 People’s Choice Awards are all about celebrating the amazing local businesses that make the coast so special. It’s a chance to share positive stories, highlight the people behind the scenes, and bring our community together through a fun, inclusive online event.
This year’s event is sponsored by RBC and Gibsons & Sechelt Copy Shop.
Nominations – How it Works
The 2026 Sunshine Coast People’s Choice Awards kick off with nominations, running from Thursday, May 7 to Thursday, May 21, 2026.
This isn’t voting just yet – it’s your chance to nominate your favourite local businesses (or your own!) to be included on the official summer voting ballot. Think of it as the shortlisting round!
There are 134 subcategories within four main categories:
Retail · Health, Wellness & Lifestyle · Services · Food & Drink
How to Nominate:
To get started, just scroll down and click the ‘It’s Time to Nominate’ buttons below (They will become active during the nomination voting period)
✔️ You can nominate in one, some, or all subcategories.
✔️ One nomination per subcategory.
✔️ Organizations must offer a category-appropriate product or service.
✔️ Online-only organizations are not eligible. However, all nominated businesses must have an easily searchable online presence (e.g., website, social media, or online directory).
✔️ Don’t see a business listed? There’s a space to write it in!
✔️ See a business that is no longer operating, a spelling mistake, or have a question? Email info@sunshinecoastchamber.ca
To Qualify for the Voting Round:
- Each subcategory must receive a minimum of 3 nominees.
- A maximum of 10 businesses will move forward in each sub-category – if more than 10 are nominated, the top 10 most-nominated will advance.
- Nominated businesses will be notified by email one week before voting begins in their category.
Want to be the first to know when nominations open? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!
Voting – How it Works
Once nominations are in, we’ll verify the votes, and then it’s time to Coast Your Vote and help choose this year’s People’s Choice!
Voting is split into four separate two-week rounds, each focused on one of the main categories:
Retail · Health, Wellness & Lifestyle · Services · Food & Drink
To keep things fair, only one category is open at a time, so each nominee has the same window of opportunity to receive votes.
- All voting takes place online through the Coast Reporter’s website. Links to each ballot and the voting companion – which includes links to each nominee’s webpage will be available on this page.
- The top 3 businesses in each subcategory will be recognized as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place favourites of the 2025 Sunshine Coast People’s Choice Awards.
- To keep the voting process fair and meaningful, we ask that each person vote only once. Multiple votes from the same individual may be reviewed and removed.
Nominated businesses will be notified by email one week before their voting round begins – so they have time to spread the word and encourage community support! Please note: We do our best to notify all businesses who are on the ballot, but we don’t always have access to everyone’s contact information. If you’re unsure whether your business was nominated, please check the full list under the “Explore This Year’s Nominees” section below.
Become a Sponsor of the People’s Choice Awards!
The Sunshine Coast People’s Choice Awards have succeeded in capturing the attention of Sunshine Coast residents and business owners alike.
In 2025, over 7000 participants voted for over 780 local businesses across 134 different categories, and 1st place favourites received their awards at a sold out gala event at the Gibsons Public Market. The positive response for this campaign has exceeded our expectations, and we are proud to have come together to create a new way to celebrate the unique, vibrant and resilient local business community that plays a vital role in making the Sunshine Coast such a special place.
This year we will have a two week community-driven nomination period during the month of May, an 8-week summer voting period accompanied by an exciting ‘Coast your Vote’ marketing campaign, and winners will be presented their locally made awards at gala event to be held in late October.
Interested in learning more about becoming a sponsor? Contact Us or check out the Sponsorship Package for more information.
2026 Summer Voting Schedule:
Ballot 1 RETAIL
- Opens: Friday, July 3 at 10:00 AM
- Closes: Thursday, July 16 at 11:59 PM
Ballot 2 HEALTH, WELLNESS & LIFESTYLE
- Opens: Friday, July 17 at 10:00 AM
- Closes: Thursday, July 30 at 11:59 PM
Ballot 3 SERVICES
- Opens: Friday, July 31 at 10:00 AM
- Closes: Thursday, August 13 at 11:59 PM
Ballot 4 ‘FOOD & DRINK’
- Opens: Friday, August 14 at 10:00 AM
- Closes: Thursday, August 27 at 11:59 PM
Finalists will be notified via email by mid-September, and official results will be announced on October 16, 2026, both in a special Coast Reporter feature and right here on the Chamber’s People’s Choice Awards webpage.
Download the PDF version of ‘HOW IT WORKS 2026 Sunshine Coast People’s Choice Awards‘
Want to know when voting opens, or find out if you’re one of the People’s Choice favourites? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!
Check out the 2026 Nominees Here!
The People’s Choice Awards aren’t just about voting, they’re also a great way to discover new local businesses, restaurants, services, and experiences recommended by your community!
(Nominees for each category will be uploaded 1 week before voting begins)
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Favourite Art/Craft/Hobby Store
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Favourite Auto Parts Store
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Favourite Book Store
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Favourite Butcher Shop
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Favourite Cannabis Dispensary
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Favourite Car Dealer
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Favourite Children’s Clothing Store
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Favourite Delicatessen/Specialty Foods
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Favourite Dollar Store
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Favourite Electronics Store
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Favourite Flooring Store
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Favourite Florist
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Favourite Garden Centre
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Favourite General Store
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Favourite Gift Store
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Favourite Grocery Store
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Favourite Health Food & Supplements Store
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Favourite Home Appliance/Mattress/Lighting Store
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Favourite Home Furnishing/Decor Store
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Favourite Home Improvement/Hardware Store
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Favourite Landscaping Supplier
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Favourite Lingerie Store
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Favourite Liquor Store
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Favourite Men’s Clothing Store
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Favourite Music Store/School
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Favourite Optical Store
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Favourite Paint/Painting Supply Store
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Favourite Pet Supply Store
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Favourite Pharmacy
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Favourite Pop-Up/Mobile Retail Vendor
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Favourite Seafood Store
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Favourite Shoe Store
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Favourite Sporting Goods/Outdoor Store
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Favourite Thrift/Consignment Store
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Favourite Tire Store
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Favourite Toy Store
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Favourite Vape Shop
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Favourite Women’s Clothing Store
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Favourite Zero Waste/Refill Store
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Favourite Accommodation – B&B/Private Rental
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Favourite Accommodation – Hotel/Motel/Inn
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Favourite Accommodation – Resort/Lodge
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Favourite Art Gallery
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Favourite Barber Shop
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Favourite Campground / RV Park
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Favourite Chiropractor
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Favourite Dance Studio
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Favourite Day Spa & Services
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Favourite Dental Clinic
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Favourite Event/Festival – Coast-wide
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Favourite Event/Festival – Lower Coast (Langdale to Davis Bay)
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Favourite Event/Festival – Upper Coast (Sechelt to Egmont)
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Favourite Event Space Rental
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Favourite Family Entertainment
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Favourite Farmers/Artisans Market
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Favourite Golf Course
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Favourite Gym/Personal Training
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Favourite Hair Salon
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Favourite Hearing Clinic
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Favourite Home Healthcare Service
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Favourite Maternity Care & Support
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Favourite Martial Arts Studio
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Favourite RMT
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Favourite Nail Bar
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Favourite Outdoor Sport Rentals/Lessons
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Favourite Performance Venue
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Favourite Physiotherapy
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Favourite Skin/Laser Treatment Clinic
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Favourite Travel & Tour Provider
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Favourite Wellness Practitioner
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Favourite Yoga/Pilates
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Favourite Accounting Firm
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Favourite Auto Service Centre
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Favourite Autobody/Collision Repair Centre
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Favourite Book Keeping/Administrative Service
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Favourite Dog Walker
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Favourite Environmental Services
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Favourite Home Inspector
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Favourite HVAC/Chimney Service
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Favourite IT Service Provider
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Favourite Landscaper
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Favourite Marine Service
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Favourite Mortgage Broker
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Favourite Painting Company
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Favourite Pet Groomer
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Favourite Plumbing Company
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Favourite Print/Copy Shop
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Favourite Rental Equipment Company
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Favourite Veterinarian Clinic/Hospital
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Favourite Web Development/Graphic Design Firm
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Favourite Animal Trainer
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Favourite Auto/Boat Detailer
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Favourite Bank/Credit Union
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Favourite Cleaning Company
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Favourite Electric Company
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Favourite Home Builder
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Favourite Home Renovations Company
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Favourite Insurance Agency
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Favourite Junk Removal Company
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Favourite Law Firm
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Favourite Marketing/Advertising Agency
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Favourite Moving/Storage Company
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Favourite Pet Daycare/Boarding Kennel
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Favourite Photographer
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Favourite Pool/Spa Maintenance
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Favourite Realtor/Realtor Team
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Favourite Towing Company
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Favourite Volunteer Service Organization
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View the special edition of the Coast Reporter here:
Looking for the gala photos? Check them out on the Coast Reporter’s website!
Get Involved and Promote Your Business!
Every year, we create and update a digital marketing kit packed with graphic assets to help you promote your local business. Use these resources to encourage your customers to nominate and vote for your business for the People’s Choice Award. You can download this kit in bulk from our Google Drive link.
Explore Last Year’s Favourites
Congrats to all the 2025 People’s Choice Award winners, finalists, and nominees!
From local eats to essential services, last year’s favourites reflect the favourites of our Sunshine Coast business community.
Explore the full list, download the Coast Reporter special edition, and view gala photos on our new People’s Choice Awards Archive Page.
Let’s keep celebrating and supporting the incredible local businesses that make the coast one-of-a-kind.
Photo: SCPCA’s Gala 2023,
Bronwyn Beairsto, Coast Reporter Editor
Photo: SCPCA’s Gala 2022,
Dave Moorman Photography
Presented By
Sponsored By
