Salt Spring community members gathered last night at the Harbour House hotel to celebrate business and community award nominees and award winners. The awards and dinner were organized by the Salt Spring Chamber board and staff members to celebrate the best parts of our Salt Spring community and the entrepreneurial spirit of the island. Twenty-nine awards were given out across two business and community award categories.
Thank you for voting the Salt Spring Exchange your favourite Local Media Choice again this year. We're grateful for all our supporters and advertisers who help make the service of the Exchange possible. We'd like to thank all the other local media organizations on the island, The Gulf Islands Driftwood, The Fish Bowl and the Islands Marketplace who all work tirelessly to help share the news and events of our very special island community. We all benefit from their work engaging people on and off island in stories about our island.
Our Local Media Choice award this year is dedicated to Alicia Herbert from Island Savings Credit Union for her early support and suggestions helping to connect community members who helped the Exchange become the service it is today. Event photos courtesy of local photographer Billie Woods.
| Business Awards | Winner | Sponsor |
| Top Young Entrepreneur Under 40 | Billie Woods | Windsor Plywood |
| Top Entrepreneur Over 40 | Anna & Jason Watkins | David Nickoli |
| Top Customer Service | Windsor Plywood | Harold Harkema Repairs |
| Top Health and Wellness Provider | Lady Minto Hospital | Hemp House Hair Salon |
| Your Choice Restaurant/Food Truck | Pacos Tacos | Blue Cat Cottage |
| Best Menu Item | Buzzy's - The Hungry Jew | Windsor Plywood |
| Greatest Trades Person | Graham Outerbridge | Windsor Plywood |
| Top Green Business | Earth Candy Farm | Salt Spring Exchange |
| Top Professional Service | Island Savings | HollisWealth |
| Top Local or Visitor Experience | Salt Spring Island Cheese | Salt Spring Inn |
| Your Stylist, Barber or Spa Service | Alaysha Hunsberger | Thrifty Foods |
| Top Geek or IT Person | Colton Prevost | Mouat's Trading Company |
| Favourite Place to Buy Local | Country Grocer | Westland Insurance |
| Top Tuesday/Saturday Market Vendor | Duck Creek Farm | Wilco Construction Ltd. |
| Local Media Choice | Salt Spring Exchange | Chambers Group Insurance Plan |
| Favourite Farm/Agricultural Business | Bon Acres Farm | PCS Pest Control Services |
| Favourite Non-Profit | Lady Minto Auxiliary Thrift Shop | Country Grocer |
| Top Retail Business | Country Grocer | Island Savings |
| Greatest New Business (under 3 years) | Buzzy's Luncheonette | MLA Adam Olsen |
| Greatest Business Overall | Country Grocer | Island Savings |
| Community Awards | Winner | Sponsor |
| Server Extraordinaire | Jaime Ferguson | Salt Spring Coffee |
| Funniest Person on Salt Spring | John Bateman | Steffich Fine Art |
| Salt Spring’s “Font of All Knowledge” | Dr. Malcolm Bond | Li Read at Sea to Sky Properties |
| Person “Who Goes the Extra Mile” | Bryan Dubien | Moby's Pub |
| Where to Spend your Last $10 | Barb's Bakery & Bistro | Martin Ogilvie Property Maintenance |
| Top First Responder | Chantelle Pohl | TJ Beans |
| Your Volunteer of Choice | Janine Fernandes-Hayden | Country Grocer |
| Top Live Show or Band | The Buck Dodgers String Band | Salt Spring Island Chamber |
| Favourite Salt Spring Writer | John Bateman | Country Grocer |
Salt Spring Exchange Salty Awards for 'Local Media Choice' 2017, 2018 and 2019 (Photo taken on a rock, on the Rock)
