Canadian entrepreneurs looking for funding, technology support and national exposure have a major opportunity to consider this summer.

TELUS has opened applications for its 2026 #StandWithOwners program, an initiative designed to recognize Canadian business owners, celebrate their impact and provide selected companies with significant resources to help accelerate their growth.

Applications are open until September 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET, giving eligible Canadian businesses just a few more weeks to tell their story and compete for prizes that include funding, technology and promotional exposure.

The largest prize package is valued at $125,000.

For entrepreneurs who have been investing their own time, money and energy into building a business, this is an opportunity worth investigating.

What Is TELUS #StandWithOwners?

#StandWithOwners is more than a traditional business contest.

TELUS describes the initiative as a community built around Canadian business owners who want to connect, learn and grow together.

The program recognizes businesses not simply for financial performance, but also for factors such as:

• innovation;
• business growth;
• community impact;
• use of technology;
• customer experience;
• resilience;
• leadership.

TELUS has also partnered with other organizations for the 2026 program, expanding the range of recognition and resources available to participating businesses.

The message to Canadian entrepreneurs is straightforward:

Tell TELUS what makes the business different, how it is creating an impact and where it wants to go next.

Three Grand Prize Winners Can Receive $125,000

The headline opportunity is substantial.

TELUS says three Grand Prize Category Award winners will each receive a package valued at:

$125,000

The package combines:

Funding

Resources that can potentially be reinvested into business growth.

Technology

Tools intended to help businesses modernize and operate more effectively.

Exposure

Visibility that can introduce the winning businesses to larger audiences.

For a small or growing company, the combination may be particularly valuable.

Cash can fund immediate growth.

Technology can improve infrastructure.

Exposure can create opportunities that extend well beyond the contest itself.

Six Community Award Winners Receive $10,000

The program also includes six Community Awards.

Each Community Award winner receives:

$10,000 in funding

along with additional prizes.

This creates more opportunities for businesses that may not secure one of the three major category awards but have compelling stories, strong community impact or noteworthy business achievements.

An Additional $25,000 People's Choice Award

The competition does not end when the initial winners are selected.

On October 1, 2026, TELUS plans to announce the Grand Prize Category and Community Award winners.

At that point, public voting for the People's Choice Award begins.

One selected #StandWithOwners winner can then receive an additional:

$25,000

in funding.

The People's Choice component introduces another important element:

community support.

Businesses selected as winners will have an opportunity to mobilize customers, supporters, employees, friends and members of their communities to vote.

The People's Choice winner is scheduled to be announced on October 15, 2026.

Important 2026 Dates

Entrepreneurs considering the opportunity should pay particular attention to the program schedule.

June 2, 2026

Applications opened.

September 2, 2026

Applications close at 11:59 p.m. ET.

October 1, 2026

Grand Prize Category and Community Award winners are scheduled to be announced.

People's Choice voting also begins.

October 15, 2026

The People's Choice Award winner is scheduled to be announced.

A winners celebration event is also planned.

For businesses interested in applying, the most important date right now is:

September 2, 2026

Waiting until the final day could create unnecessary pressure.

What Does TELUS Want to Hear From Applicants?

A strong application appears to require more than simply explaining what a company sells.

TELUS is asking business owners to communicate several parts of their story.

1. What Makes the Business Stand Out?

Applicants are encouraged to explain how their businesses differentiate themselves within their industries.

That could include:

• a unique business model;
• innovative products;
• exceptional customer service;
• a distinctive community role;
• technology innovation;
• an unusual founder story;
• a new approach to solving an established problem.

The application is an opportunity to communicate not simply what the business does, but why it matters.

2. How Is the Business Making an Impact?

Community impact is another important part of the program.

TELUS wants to understand how businesses are contributing to the people and communities around them.

That might include:

creating employment

supporting local organizations

providing essential services

mentoring young people

supporting underrepresented communities

improving accessibility

contributing to environmental initiatives

helping other businesses succeed

For many entrepreneurs, these activities happen naturally as part of running the company.

The application provides an opportunity to document that contribution.

3. What Has Helped the Business Grow?

Applicants are also being asked to discuss an initiative that contributed to business growth.

This is where entrepreneurs can demonstrate execution.

For example:

A retailer may have launched e-commerce.

A restaurant may have developed a delivery operation.

A consultant may have introduced webinars.

A creator may have developed a membership community.

A service company may have implemented an affiliate program.

A manufacturer may have introduced new automation.

The important part is showing the relationship between the initiative and its impact on:

• the business;
• employees;
• customers;
• the surrounding community.

A compelling application should therefore contain evidence of progress, not simply aspirations.

4. How Is Technology Helping the Business?

TELUS is also interested in how Canadian businesses are preparing themselves for the future.

Applicants are encouraged to explain how digital tools help them:

• operate more efficiently;
• understand their business;
• improve customer experiences;
• communicate;
• market products;
• manage information;
• automate processes;
• reach new audiences.

This could create an especially interesting opportunity for businesses using:

artificial intelligence

digital marketing

automation

e-commerce

customer relationship management

data analytics

online booking

digital communications

cloud technology

Businesses do not necessarily need to be technology companies.

They need to demonstrate how technology helps them become better businesses.

There Is an AI Innovation Category

One particularly timely element of the 2026 program is the inclusion of an AI Innovation Award among the featured categories.

For Canadian companies experimenting with artificial intelligence, that could provide a natural opportunity to showcase how AI is being used to create measurable business value.

That might include AI being used for:

• customer service;
• content creation;
• marketing;
• analytics;
• sales;
• workflow automation;
• research;
• operations;
• personalization;
• productivity.

The strongest stories will likely not simply say:

“We use AI.”

They will explain:

what problem AI helped solve and what changed as a result.

New Businesses Can Apply

The competition is not limited to mature companies with decades of operating history.

TELUS states that recently started businesses may apply, provided the business is currently operating when the application is submitted.

That makes the opportunity relevant to startups and newer entrepreneurs who have already moved beyond the idea stage and begun operating.

Sole Proprietors Can Also Qualify

Independent entrepreneurs should not assume that they need a large company or substantial staff.

TELUS says sole proprietors are eligible, provided the business is established and generating revenue.

A sole proprietor can indicate an employee count of one.

That potentially opens the program to:

• consultants;
• coaches;
• creators;
• designers;
• photographers;
• tradespeople;
• freelancers;
• independent professionals;
• online business owners;
• personal-service businesses.

Nonprofits and Social Enterprises May Also Be Eligible

The opportunity extends beyond traditional for-profit businesses.

According to the program information, not-for-profits, registered charities and social enterprises may also qualify.

Eligible organizations must operate within Canada and primarily serve Canadian communities through grassroots programs addressing local challenges.

That makes #StandWithOwners potentially relevant to organizations working in areas such as:

• youth development;
• community services;
• entrepreneurship;
• education;
• health;
• accessibility;
• cultural development;
• local economic growth.

The Application Is Really a Business Story

One of TELUS's most useful application tips is also one of the simplest:

Tell the business story.

Why was the company created?

What problem was the founder trying to solve?

Who does the business serve?

What obstacles have been overcome?

What has changed because the business exists?

What is the founder trying to build next?

Statistics matter.

Growth matters.

Technology matters.

But those numbers become more persuasive when connected to a clear human story.

A business may have thousands of customers.

But explaining why those customers care can make the story much stronger.

Passion Still Matters

TELUS specifically encourages entrepreneurs to allow their passion to come through in their applications.

That is important.

Many business competitions receive applications containing similar language:

“We provide high-quality products.”

“Our customers are our priority.”

“We are passionate about innovation.”

Those statements may be true, but they do not necessarily differentiate one applicant from another.

A stronger application demonstrates passion through specifics.

Instead of:

“We care about our community.”

Explain what the company actually did.

Instead of:

“We are innovative.”

Describe the innovation.

Instead of:

“Our business is growing.”

Explain what caused the growth and what happened afterward.

Specific stories are generally more memorable than generic claims.

Get the Community Involved

Businesses selected as initial winners should be prepared for the public-voting stage.

Because the People's Choice Award carries an additional $25,000, companies with strong communities may have another opportunity to increase the value of their award.

That means entrepreneurs may want to start thinking now about the people who could support them:

Customers

Employees

Affiliates

Suppliers

Friends

Community organizations

Social-media followers

Business partners

A company that has spent years developing authentic relationships may find that those relationships become particularly valuable during public voting.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Small businesses frequently face a difficult growth equation.

They need capital to expand.

They need technology to become more efficient.

They need marketing to become better known.

And they need networks that can introduce them to new opportunities.

But accessing all four simultaneously can be difficult.

That is what makes #StandWithOwners noteworthy.

The program combines:

Funding + Technology + Exposure + Community

Rather than providing one isolated benefit.

Even businesses that do not ultimately win may find value in completing the application.

The process forces the owner to articulate:

• the company's purpose;
• accomplishments;
• growth strategy;
• community impact;
• technology strategy;
• future ambitions.

Those are useful questions for any entrepreneur.

Canadian Entrepreneurs: Don't Wait Until September 2

Applications for TELUS #StandWithOwners 2026 are currently open.

Canadian entrepreneurs who believe their businesses have compelling stories, measurable impact, innovative ideas or strong potential should consider reviewing the complete eligibility requirements and beginning the application process well before the deadline.

The program is accepting applications until:

September 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET

With three $125,000 Grand Prize packages, six $10,000 Community Awards, and an additional $25,000 People's Choice Award, the opportunity could provide selected Canadian businesses with meaningful resources for their next stage of growth.

The application begins with something every entrepreneur already has:

a story about what they built, why they built it and where they want to take it next.

Learn more about TELUS #StandWithOwners:

https://www.telus.com/en/business/small/campaigns/stand-with-owners

Apply:

https://www.telus.com/en/business/small/swo-form-one

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