In 2022 we held the first annual Richmond EPIC Tourism Awards celebrate the people, places, experiences, and attractions that make Richmond such a vibrant and welcoming place to visit. 

Each epic winner embodies Tourism Richmond’s values of Excellence, Passion, Integrity and, Collaboration in all they do. 

Working together, Richmond’s tourism and hospitality businesses make Richmond an EPIC destination. 

Together we are Pacific. Authentic. Richmond BC

**Nominations for the 2023 EPIC Awards now open!**

2022 Winners

The 2022 winners of the 4 award categories were announced at the Tourism Richmond Year End Celebration on 30^th November. The winners were given deserving fanfare on an evening that included live music and an opportunity for industry peers to connect and recognize the fantastic achievements of tourism businesses across the city over the past year. 

The winners are: 

Excellence Award for Innovation – Richmond Olympic Experience

The Richmond Olympic Experience is the first member of the International Olympic Committee’s Museum Network to be located in North America. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Oval staff utilized the closure period to introduce a bold new design, and create new exhibits highlighting both Canada’s cultural and athletic achievements on the world stage. 

Passion Award for Individual Achievement – Nutcha Phanthoupheng – Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine

A first-time chef and restauranteur, and former nurse and cancer researcher, Chef Nutcha opened Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine on Steveston’s waterfront in 2021. Championing local produce and supporting the local community, Nutcha has made a significant contribution to the profile of Steveston as a culinary destination. 

Integrity Award for Community Impact – Lansdowne Centre

Home to over 120 shops, Lansdowne has long been at the heart of the community in the city centre. In the past year it has put on dozens of community events including planting 40 planter beds that provided fresh produce for more than 1,000 people on low income. They also offered free weekly gardening workshops, morning Tai Chi and Yuan Jyi exercise classes 6 days a week, and a host of fundraisers, local art exhibitions and jobs fairs. 

Collaboration Award for Collaborative Project or Initiative – Grand Prix of Art

Mark Glavina of Phoenix Art Workshop, in collaboration with the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site has brought together over one hundred artists to capture the beauty of Steveston. The 2022 event saw 115 artists placed in 35 locations, in a race against time to draw, sketch or paint the landscape in half a day. The artwork was displayed, judged, and sold in the Seine Net loft at Britannia, putting $10,000 into the pockets of local artists. 

Thank you to everyone that applied for the 2022 Richmond EPIC Tourism Awards. We were blown away by the number of high-quality bids, and the Award Panel had a tough time choosing the finalists.  We have been energized by receiving so many applications displaying the fantastic things happening across Richmond in the past year. At Tourism Richmond, we know how lucky we are to work with such a talented group of industry partners who work tirelessly to make our city such a vibrant and welcoming place to visit.