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Christmas is coming fast, and if folks haven’t already started their holiday shopping, they’ll soon be looking to find the perfect gift for those nearest and dearest to them. For many, Christmas shopping is done efficiently online. Surfing Amazon can yield quick results. Etsy has no shortage of crafts that work as stocking stuffers. But taking the time to shop with a sense of community in mind can have a powerful impact, one more wide-reaching than it may seem. Dollars spent on online retail websites yield the object sought, but dollars spent in the little shop down the street double as a vote of confidence for the shop’s very existence. From now until Christmas, Black Press Media in the Central Okanagan is exploring the benefits of shopping local with an eight-part series. The stories in this series highlight the value of keeping holiday dollars in the local economy, with practical advice on how to fulfill your holiday shopping wishlist while doing so. The series will introduce the people behind the counters at various local stores, provide gift ideas that can only be found locally, and delve into the ripple effect that sees local spending build stronger communities. It will highlight holiday traditions in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, and Peachland and holiday happenings for the family, finishing with a last-minute local shopping guide for those procrastinators out there. This first instalment will seek an answer to the question that underpins the series as a whole: Why does shopping local matter this holiday season? Many will recall the shop-local campaigns that cropped up amid the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic was hammering businesses big and small, the call to shop local was among the leading economic messages coming from business experts across the country. This holiday season is different from past years. The economy has cooled amid a tariff war instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump and taken up by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has made efforts to strengthen relationships with other international trading partners in his first months as prime minister. Regardless of the federal government’s manoeuvres in the world of international trade, Canadians are taking it upon themselves to buy Canadian – a spending decision that mirrors the shop local movement on a national scale. So how can Central Okanagan residents make that decision for their local community? More importantly, why should they? George Greenwood, chief executive officer of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, said it’s an easy decision, explaining that it’s crucial to the local community and economy. “With any year, the Christmas shopping season can make or break for many small businesses, can define their year overall,” said Greenwood. “Having people walk into their storefronts and shop local and spend their money local, there’s a multiplier effect behind that.” That multiplier effect affects the entire community. Shopping local supports local businesses, which in turn fund local employee wages, create jobs, and those employees contribute to the local tax base. That means there is a connection to the dollars spent at the local shop and the dollars available for local projects. According to Buy BC Local, a 10 per cent shift in shopping from chains to local businesses creates 14,150 jobs and $4.3 billion for B.C.’s economy. And with any small business, those owners have a dream to grow the local economy, but are doing so at their own risk. “You have these small business owners putting their lives on the line with these investments that they’re taking out of pocket, risking their money to try and keep these businesses afloat,” said Greenwood, adding that local businesses don’t always have the luxury of offering their goods online. Local businesses are what make the Central Okanagan what it is, added Greenwood. “If we gut out our downtown in our business community because people aren’t shopping local, Kelowna won’t be Kelowna, it’ll just be a shell of itself,” said Greenwood. “We need to rely and lean more heavily on the local population to support these local businesses.” Additionally, many people who buy products on an online marketplace like Amazon are still buying Canadian products. Greenwood said residents should take out the middleman by supporting local businesses in person instead. “Rather than rushing to go to an online shop, check out some of the local stores,” said Greenwood. “We have some amazing products and services right here locally that some people don’t even know about.” This holiday season, think about where you’re spending your money, said Greenwood. “We have everything we need right here at our fingertips,” added Greenwood. “Support these people, they really need your help, and they do have amazing products and services that are competitive.” Shopping local is at the heart of our community, and supporting local businesses helps keep the Central Okanagan thriving. We’re thrilled to bring this special eight-week holiday feature to our readers.
