SAULT STE. MARIE—McDougall Energy Inc. has become something of a household brand on Manitoulin since its arrival on the Island several years ago. Since then, the company has seen a rapid expansion from the tiny Sault Ste. Marie fuel provider founded by Allan and Lucy McDougall in the small North Shore community of Thessalon in 1949.
Now headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, the business has expanded to become a major distributor and marketer of heating oil, propane, gasoline, diesel fuel and commercial lubricants in multiple markets across Canada.
Now run by the third generation of McDougalls, the family-owned business is often cited among the best managed operations in the nation.
McDougall Energy Inc. was recently recognized for its outstanding efforts with a Northern Ontario Business Award as Company of the Year (51+ employees).
Northern Ontario Business Award program is celebrating its 36th year with this latest edition and “recognizes the entrepreneurs, companies, and organizations whose extraordinary efforts are generating prosperity in the North.”
Each year, the program recognizes nine recipients.
Jeff Elgie, CEO of Village Media, Northern Ontario Business’ parent company, lauded the resilience and ingenuity of the 2022 winners.
“This year’s recipients hail from diverse backgrounds and specialties, but in their goals they are united: providing a service while creating jobs and generating economic activity through the region,” said Mr. Elgie. “We’re grateful for their unique contributions, and we encourage readers to learn more about each of these recipients.”
Abbas Homayed, publisher at Northern Ontario Business, credited Northern Ontario’s thriving business community with making the Northern Ontario Business Awards program a success. “This initiative began with the simple idea to highlight Northern Ontario’s brightest business achievements,” said Mr. Homayed. “Nearly four decades later, we’re pleased to see the Northern Ontario Business Award legacy continues.”
Submissions to the 2022 awards program were vetted by a panel of judges who evaluated the nominees on “their overall business performance and its impact on the North, from customer service and community involvement to human resource management and future planning.”