Celebrating business excellence in Brant

The Arlington Hotel & River’s Edge and St. George Apple Fest shared the Good Times in Brant Award at the 2026 Salute to Brant awards. Operated by Carmen’s Group since 2022, the Arlington has been a downtown Paris landmark since 1851 and is a popular wedding destination. St. George Apple Fest, established in 1984, has grown into a two-day festival featuring hundreds of vendors and performers and drawing visitors to the community each September. 

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Five local business awards were handed out last Thursday night as the County of Brant business community gathered for the annual Salute to Brant event.

STG Health and Wellness, Browndale Farm, Active Metal Recyclers and 1200 Degrees Ontario were among this year’s recipients, while St. George Apple Fest and The Arlington Hotel & River’s Edge shared an award.

The annual event, held at the TF Warren Group Cainsville Community Centre, brought together business owners, community leaders and elected officials for an evening of networking, local food and drink, a keynote address and the presentation of the 2026 Salute to Brant Awards.

“Salute to Brant is one of my favourite events of the year,” said Mayor David Bailey. “Our local businesses contribute so much to the strength and character of the County of Brant, and I am proud to have an evening to bring us together to celebrate their many accomplishments.”

The awards recognize local businesses across five categories.

STG Health and Wellness received the Accessible Brant Award, while Browndale Farm was presented with the Brant Farms For All Agriculture Award

Active Metal Recyclers received the Brant Works Innovation Award, and 1200 Degrees Ontario was recognized with the Our Future Brant Sustainability Award.

The Good Times in Brant Award resulted in a tie, with both St. George Apple Fest and The Arlington Hotel & River’s Edge receiving the honour.

Each recipient received an award statuette as well as certificates from Brantford-Brant MP Dan Muys and Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma.

Jan Vilaca, also known as Spicy Jan, returned as master of ceremonies for the event, which featured guest speaker Ken Edgar.

Edgar, a seventh-generation farmer, spoke about his family’s experience opening and operating The Paris Beer Company and shared lessons about perseverance and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.

“Salute to Brant is an opportunity to champion our local business community and show our appreciation for the businesses that call the County of Brant home”, said Zach Gable, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for the County of Brant. “Their continued resiliency, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit help strengthen our local economy and make Brant a vibrant place to live, work and invest.”

Nominations for the 2026 awards opened to the public in February, allowing residents to nominate local businesses for recognition. Award recipients were selected by a committee of industry experts.

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate a County of Brant business,” said Mayor Bailey. “Recognizing and supporting the businesses in our community is an important way to celebrate the people behind them and the contributions they make to Brant every day.”

Videos featuring the 2026 award recipients and additional information about the Salute to Brant program are available on the County of Brant’s website.