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Shopping local has never been more crucial to the success of our communities. Sometimes, we overlook just how important it really is, even if it is something we subconsciously value. According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, nine out of 10 Canadians value having locally owned businesses in their neighbourhood. That same number also believes locally owned businesses are the backbone of a community. They are community members like you and me, trying to make a difference through their products. They care about you, about us as a collective and make our community a better place. When you shop local, you are showing pride in your community. CFIB also says that for consumers who do significantly more of their shopping at small independent businesses, the most important factor for three in four (74 per cent) was supporting their local community. While still important, price was selected by far fewer consumers that prefer shopping small (56 per cent). Supporting local goes a long way for two reasons. The first and most obvious is that money stays in the community and helps build infrastructure, as well as local charities and community organizations. They also provide job opportunities to youth and help potentially jump start the next generation’s career path. It also helps because more than half of Canadians are willing to recommend a local business to friends or family once they have shopped there. Word of mouth and community retail recommendations still carry as much weight in our digital age as they did more than a decade ago. And even taking that into consideration, during a CFIB study, 27 per cent of consumers said they shopped at a local independent business because of a shop local event. It may be tough for all local, independent businesses to participate in events like this, but the true value that consumers feel when participating in shop local campaigns is tangible. And sharing these experiences, whether on social media or to friends and family will boost visibility for local businesses. Leaving a positive review online or with staff can go a long way to helping that business build a brand that people trust and will want to rely on in their community. If you prioritize shopping local first and consider what options you have in your community before your purchase, you might find that the options locally are better and more diverse than you think. This really will force you to challenge your conventional thinking as a consumer, but local independent businesses may offer more competitive pricing options than online shopping. “Even small changes in your habits can positively impact your local economy. By consciously choosing to support local independent businesses, you are contributing to the vibrancy and sustainability of your province,” the CFIB said in a 2023 report on consumer habits and small business. As we will explore later in this series, shopping at an independent, local retailer returns about 66 cents of every dollar spent into the community. That’s a huge boost to the local economy and everything associated with it. I hope you will enjoy the next eight weeks of our shop local campaign, where we dive into our communities and share the stories of successful and unique business endeavours and highlight the importance of shopping local. We would like to acknowledge the Campbell River Noon Rotary Club as our Shop Local initiative title sponsor. For Rotary, investing in local means investing in people—supporting jobs, families, and the programs that make Campbell River thrive. Every dollar spent locally creates a ripple of positive change, helping Rotary continue its mission of building community and changing lives Byron Hackett is a Regional Editor for Black Press Media.
