Shopping local: making your dollar go farther this holiday season

With holiday shopping already underway for many, the Calgary Chamber encourages families and companies to shop local. Purchasing goods and services from within your local community supports local jobs, community vibrancy and economic development right where you live.

“Calgary has the second highest number of small businesses per capita of Canada’s major cities – a true testament to our city’s entrepreneurial spirit,” says Deborah Yedlin, Calgary Chamber president and CEO. “Small businesses are represented across sectors and across every quadrant in the city, and we encourage all Calgarians to shop local this holiday season.”

Particularly around the holidays, shopping local is a critical time to support your community, extending the giving spirit beyond your friends and family, and to the local businesses in your neighborhood. And, with over 50,000 small businesses in the city, there are a plethora of businesses to choose from.

“It’s so important to shop local, especially around the holidays. When you shop local, you are voting with your wallet on what kind of community you want to see, what kind of community you want your business to be involved in and what kind of values you want to be reflected,” says Connor Curran, founder of Local Laundry.

Shopping local means supporting local, often small businesses, which are critical to both Calgary and Canada’s economies. They make up over 95 per cent of the total number of all Calgary businesses, meaning our economy is largely driven by small, independent firms. In Alberta, companies with fewer than five employees make up a full 87 per cent of all businesses operating across the province.

“It’s important for people to shop local, especially during the holiday season, because it really helps boost — for one, our local economy, and two, it helps support the smaller businesses that really thrive and depend on the holiday season,” says Melrene Saloy-EagleSpeaker, owner and designer of Native Diva Creations. “There are some [businesses] that are very seasonal, so I think that’s the best time of the year to shop locally.”

Not only do small businesses make up the majority of businesses, they also create jobs, making up two-thirds of employment in Calgary. Further, local businesses drive community vibrancy, which is critical to attract and retain talent, investment and new opportunities for our city.

Crave co-founders Jodi Willoughby and Carolyne McIntyre Jackson explain, “your support enables us to not only sustain our operations but also to generate employment opportunities, invigorate the local economy, and enhance the overall quality of life in our shared neighbourhoods. This collective effort is instrumental in maintaining the unique character and charm of our communities, making them even more enticing for residents and visitors alike.”

Shopping local creates a domino effect, as the money you spend is reinvested back into your community, including through supporting local employment.

“Not only are you supporting a local business, but you are supporting all of the businesses that that company uses and supports, because they’re reinvesting back into the local economy,” explains Curran. “By shopping local, your money goes further into the Canadian economy than it would when you shop at a big box store. When you choose to support and buy locally, you are making a value driven decision of what you want to see more of.”

Now is a particularly critical time to shop local, too. According to the third quarter Business Conditions Survey, conducted in partnership with Statistics Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, data suggests that small businesses are struggling, with 62 per cent of Calgary businesses citing rising inflation as a major obstacle, so we encourage you to support local where you can this holiday season. Particularly given inflation is curbing people’s spending, your dollar matters even more to helping small businesses succeed and drive our city’s economic growth.

“By shopping locally, you also get something unique or something that’s one of a kind. Shopping local at Christmas time and during the holiday season is definitely the time of year to really support the local economy and buy something unique and different for those that you love,” added Saloy-EagleSpeaker.

ABOUT THE CALGARY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce exists to help businesses reach their potential. As the convenor and catalyst for a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous business community, the Chamber works to build strength and resilience among its members and position Calgary as a magnet for talent, diversification and opportunity. As an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1891, we build on our history to serve and advocate for businesses of all sizes, in all sectors across the city.

Media opportunities

For media inquiries, please contact Shannon Hazlett, Senior Public Relations Advisor, at media@calgarychamber.com.