Grow the North Contest Winners announced

Entrepreneurial ventures highlight the strength and expertise of local businesses

April 16, 2021 – PRINCE GEORGE, B.C.– MNP, in partnership with the City of Prince George Economic Development department, are excited to announce the winners of the Grow the North contest. The event recognized Prince George businesses which made it through three challenging stages of competition, supported by MNP Business Advisors.

The winners are:

First place: ARC Off-Road Training Ltd.

Second place: Mo’Bettah Bands Canada Inc.

Third place: Farmhouse Catering Company Ltd.

Grow the North unfolded in three stages: Stage one called on contestants to submit a business proposal identifying the stumbling blocks they were experiencing, and a solution and estimated budget to mitigate the problems. Six finalists were chosen and invited to move on to Stage two, where they had the opportunity to meet with an MNP business advisor for preliminary advice in preparation for Stage three.

The final stage involved a live presentation from each finalist to present their proposal and engage with the panel of judges.

“We wanted to do something positive to support the business community, while spotlighting some of our local businesses,” says Jameel Sayani, Regional Managing Partner for MNP. “We have some amazing businesses in our community and our winners really shine a light on the strength of the Prince George business community.”

Melissa Barcellos, Manager, Economic Development with the City of Prince George, noted the contest highlighted the diversity and drive of local business, and was made possible through the partnership with MNP. “As an entrepreneurial firm built for entrepreneurs, MNP understands what it takes to thrive in challenging times. This contest was just one of the ways they continue to support the business community.”

About the Winners

ARC Off-Road Training Ltd.

ARC Off-Road training is a professional 4-wheel drive training company based in Prince George, which takes the time to understand their client’s needs, while developing effective training programs. By receiving first place in the Grow The North Contest, ARC Off-Road wins 75 hours of professional business consulting from MNP LLP.

Mo’Bettah Bands Canada Inc.

Mo’Bettah Bands, a family inspired invention, is a band used to hang a cellphone on the seat in front of you of a commercial airplane. The product idea came after the family struggled with finding ways to secure their phones to watch movies or listen to music during the flight. By receiving second place in the Grow the North contest, Mo’Bettah bands wins 25 hours of professional business consulting from MNP LLP.

Farmhouse Catering Company Ltd.

Farmhouse Catering, based in Prince George, offer a variety of delicious seasonal flavours, with an emphasis on fresh, local and sustainable ingredients. They have a simple philosophy they stand behind: local, ethical and sustainable. By receiving third place in the Grow the North contest, Farmhouse Catering wins 10 hours of professional business consulting from MNP LLP.

MNP’s Simon Bach, Gary Blair, Clarisse Halbert, Dorie Pesicka and Craig Vannevel provided support and expertise to contestants throughout the event.

Local business leaders Sean Friend, Partner at Brownridge Company Insurance; Robyn Holling Vice President at RBC; and Allan Stroet, Economic Development Officer, City of Prince George helped select the winners.

“By partnering with the City of Prince George this was a great opportunity to help local businesses thrive and we got to work with some amazing businesses within our city,” said Sayani. “It never ceases to amaze me how many businesses are doing great things in our community and we’re proud to be part of many of their journeys.” 

About MNP

MNP is a leading national accounting, tax and business consulting firm in Canada. We proudly serve and respond to the needs of our clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Through partner-led engagements, we provide a collaborative, cost-effective approach to doing business and personalized strategies to help organizations succeed across the country and around the world. For more information, visit www.mnp.ca.

Contact

For more information, please contact MNP’s Sydney Hall at [email protected] or 250.564.1111