IQALUIT
With 12.8 per cent of Iqaluit residents identifying themselves as either francophone or francophile, it comes as no surprise that Iqaluit's business community would reflect that demographic.

The category winners, jury members and nominees at the 2014 Carrefour Nunavut Gala on Oct. 21 show off their awards. From left, Graham Dickson, Arctic Kingdom founder and CEO, Sylvie Renaud, Regional Director at CANNOR and jury member, Christine Lamothe, Studio Saimavik, winner of New Promissing Business, Stephane Daigle, executive director of Arctic Co-op and jury member, Ruslan Buyalo, jury member, Louis-Philip Pothier, Inukpak Outfitting and winner of the jury's "Coup de coeur" award, Eric Caouette, Arctic Circle Surveillance and winner of Best Service Business, Jonathan Poirier, president of Carrefour Nunavut and Thola Rusike, Nunaforce and candidate for New Promissing Business. - Vincent Desrosiers photo

As part of the nation-wide BDC Small Business Week, Carrefour Nunavut held its first Galla des entrepreneurs francophones du Nunavut last week.

More than 40 people came to the Astro Hill Cinema for the evening. The award winners included Christine Lamothe, who was awarded New Business of the Year for her recently opened Saimavik studio. Arctic Kingdom was awarded the Tourism Business award, while Inukpak Outfitting won the jury's choice "Coup de coeur" award and Arctic Circle Surveillance took the Service Business category.

Carrefour Nunavut is in its fourth year of serving Nunavut francophone and francophile residents. As of 2011, Statistics Canada said 435 individuals in Nunavut who list French as their mother tongue, up from 370 in 2006.

Francophiles are those who come to the French language later in their lives, whether through marriage, business, or simply personal interest, but who are interested in continuing and identifying with French language and culture.

"It's important for us to value francophiles more and more," said Francois Fortin, Carrefour Nunavut's manager of communications and member services. "There are a lot of them out here and they are welcome to the community."

Carrefour Nunavut is a hub for connecting Nunavut francophones and francophiles to economic opportunities in the North. The not-for-profit organization is funded through the federal government, the GN, Kakivak Association and sponsorship from First Air.

Fortin said there is a growing network of services for French-speaking people in Iqaluit which increases the Northern draw for French speakers to consider visiting or moving to the North.

"There are a lot of services for francophones in Iqaluit," Fortin said. "That influences their choice to come here and then to stay longer. We have a very good French school in Iqaluit. We have a great francophone centre with cultural activities. The (French) community here is very active. It makes a difference in their choice to come here and their decision to stay longer."

Christine Lamothe, who was awarded new young business of the year for Saimavik studio, moved to Iqaluit from Ottawa eight years ago.

Last March, she opened the yoga, dance and wellness study with her business and life partner, Gary Quinangnaq Philip.

"It's growing," Lamothe said of the Saimavik. "There is a lot of interest. There are some people quite devoted to the practice."

Lamothe said Carrefour Nunavut was a big help for her, especially in the initial stages of opening a new business in Iqaluit.

"They've been very supportive and encouraging for my business, especially as a start-up. There are so many hoops to go through, and they were rooting for me," she said.

Lamothe's first trip to the North was with her dance company for a connecting-with-youth pilot program at Iqaluit's Inuksuk High School in 2006.

"It was very profound and moving for me, so I decided to move up here," Lamothe said.

Opening a new business in Nunavut has been rewarding for Lamothe.

"I've taken a year's leave of absence from my day job and I couldn't be happier," she said. "I love getting up in the morning, going to teach yoga, thinking about growing the business, and communicating with people."