Jubzi is a social enterprise providing cheaper delivery options in Windsor for local restaurants while also fundraising for Windsor’s Downtown mission

CUIxLocal | Food | Shop Local

Under the Jubzi model, restaurants pay five per cent of an order to the mission and receive a tax receipt at year’s end. Customers pay a surcharge of 4.9 per cent to Jubzi and the cost of delivery. Delivery costs are $5 for trips up to six kilometres and one dollar per kilometre thereafter. A takeout option on the platform is also available. Jubzi has generated over $100,000 in sales in its first 40 days covering the cost of 1,500 meals for the Downtown Mission. See: https://www.jubzi.com/

Shop Old Town Toronto: A shop local campaign that splits prize money wins between individuals supporting local businesses & the local business

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

The St. Lawrence BIA and OLD Town have launched a support local campaign. Save & upload receipts of $25 or more (excluding delivery and tip) from local businesses February 8 – April 5, 2021, for multiple chances to win — $500 is for the shopper and $500 for a local business.  In addition there is one grand prize of $2K to be split with local business. Prize money is donated by BMO bank

 

Toronto Market Co. is a curated artisanal food market that works with 100+ small vendors to offer a one stop shop & delivery (or pick up from a central depot)

Food | General: Online communities and networks | Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

The site is designed to feel like a well curated in-person market. You can see the items available online and they are available for purchase. There is no minimum order required.  How It Works:

1. Shop from over 100 local vendors using one basket.

2. Select contactless pick-up or delivery at checkout

3. After order is placed, vendors are contacted with quantities ordered. Orders must be placed by 11:59PM on Sunday evening to receive pickup/delivery the following Thursday. 4. Thursday orders are delivered or picked up at a central depot.  Pick up order or wait for delivery confirmation notice.

Delivery costs for Central Toronto is $15 flat & and surrounding area $25-30.

A Model for Cities to use to move towards more local procurement of goods and services

Local businesses | Policy leadership | Shop Local

The City of Albuquerque spends around $400 million a year on purchasing goods and services. About 65 percent of that already goes to local businesses in Albuquerque, including Diverse Office Supply, a partnership of two woman-owned Albuquerque businesses — one a manufacturer of office supplies, where 60 percent of its employees are adults with special needs, and the other a distributor. Albuquerque’s city code already had local and small business preferences in city purchasing for contracts that require a public bidding process. It defines “local” as having a headquarters and principal office in Albuquerque or the surrounding Bernalillo County, and “small” as having fewer than 50 employees. The process targets smaller purchases for local small business vendors that has the additional knock-on effect of tilting the playing field ever-so-slightly in favor of businesses owned by women and people of color.

 

Albuquerque’s procurement process to benefit local business

Local businesses | Policy leadership | Shop Local

The City of Albuquerque spends around $400 million a year on purchasing goods and services — excluding any CARES Act spending. About 65 percent of that already goes to local businesses in Albuquerque, including Diverse Office Supply, a partnership of two woman-owned Albuquerque businesses — one a manufacturer of office supplies, where 60 percent of its employees are adults with special needs, and the other a distributor. The partnership took on a $5 million-a-year contract with the city in 2019 that was previously held by a Florida-based supplier.

Free shopper tool during COVID-19

Local businesses | Shop Local

Find local businesses OPEN for WALK-IN, PICKUP or DELIVERY. Searchable, mobile-friendly directory and map of Greater Toronto area stores.

Black Owned Toronto is an online platform dedicated to highlighting Black-owned businesses.

General: Online communities and networks | Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

Often times it is very difficult to find Black-owned businesses in the city. This is a one stop shop for all shopping/service needs. This is also a great way to buy locally, and support the city’s economy!

‘Not Amazon’ is a website of (mostly) user-submitted small businesses to support across 4 Canadian cities and growing

General: Online communities and networks | Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

The site operates like an online mall directory of exclusively independent businesses throughout the cities and online. Currently featuring thousands of shops in Toronto, Halifax, Calgary and Vancouver. It is free to submit a local business. You can search or just browse around by category: handmade, spirits, coffee & tea, stationery, music, home decor, vintage and more. Black and Indigenous-owned businesses and businesses owned by people of colour and people with disabilities are featured.

Next for Not-Amazon is to expand to more cities. People from other cities in Canada have volunteered to collect initial lists of businesses, which the website will then convert into the Not-Amazon website. Hamilton and Ottawa are next.

 

Calgary business network is offering Calgarians a $79 gift card to anyone who cancels their Amazon Prime membership

CUIxLocal | CUIxYYC (Calgary) | Local businesses | Main Street

To motivate Calgarians to buy from locally-owned and operated shops, the 200 member business network will give a $79 gift card to anyone who cancels their Amazon Prime membership. That’s the price of an annual Amazon Prime membership. “We really want to remind Calgarians that even though they may be doing more online shopping this Christmas, that they can still support local,” said Meredith Perich, social business coordinator with Momentum, the organization behind the Be Local YYC network.

Winnipeg’s goodlocal allows you stay home, stay safe, buy essentials AND support local – all on one platform!

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

Shop All Local Vendors. Buy whatever you need, from local makers & merchants, online in a single cart purchase.

One Low Delivery Fee. Buy from as many vendors as you like. We bring it all to you for just $5.

Local good. When you shop local, your money stays nearby and your community thrives.

Ottawa’s ByWard has created a Holiday Box with curated food items found in a variety of local shops 

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

Each box lets the purchaser support over a dozen local businesses and helping them and their family have a better holiday season as well. There are two options: pick up or local delivery.

Bag of Toronto – lets you order a curated assortment of specialty products from local vendors in 5 Toronto neighbourhoods

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

There are five editions that you can purchase, each from a different neighbourhood. Each version will include between 5-7 products from a random selection of different businesses in the neighbourhood. These products are subject to availability and may change week-to-week. A portion of profits and all tips made at checkout will be allocated to five different charities, one in each neighbourhood. Click on the links below to learn more about each edition of the Bag of Toronto. Every bag is $60, tax included. Each one includes products from local businesses that total $55 in retail value. The remaining $5 is used to cover delivery, web-hosting, and a donation to a local charity in each neighbourhood. Any tips made during purchase will also be donated to each charity. There’s only a limited number of bags available each week

The Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) is showing the public that downtown is #OpenwithCare by providing businesses with PPE and materials to demonstrate their commitment to safety.

Main Street | Public health | Shop Local

The #OpenwithCare toolkit includes:

  • Disposable masks that can be given to customers free-of-charge
  • Refillable hand sanitizer
  • Door decals outlining provincial health guidelines

Downtown businesses can also take the #OpenwithCare pledge online. Those who take the pledge will be listed on Downtown Winnipeg BIZ’s website and featured on social media. The campaign is designed to show customers that businesses are making health and safety a top priority. The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ hopes #OpenwithCare will encourage Winnipeggers to support local by shopping, eating and exploring downtown safely.

Love Yarmouth – A Nova Scotia Buy Local Campaign

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

Love Yarmouth is about supporting neighbours, celebrating our community, and recognizing the people behind the businesses that make Yarmouth a vibrant place to live. This initiative calls on businesses, organizations, governments and citizens to show our love for Yarmouth and give the gift of local this holiday season.

Residents are encouraged to Take the “Love Yarmouth” Holiday pledge! After doing so, email is sent with exclusive local offers, and ideas on how to show love for Yarmouth. 

The Pledge:

This holiday season, I pledge to “give the gift of local” by shopping locally, and supporting local businesses within the Yarmouth area. I make this pledge since I know that our local economy depends on all of us coming together to support it. I also pledge to encourage others to do the same, so that we can all collectively show that we Love Yarmouth!

City of Toronto launches ShowLoveTO Winter Activation Grant Program to support Toronto’s main street businesses by promoting events celebrating art, culture and community to encourage business during winter

Arts and Culture | Local businesses | Main Street | Policy leadership | Street activation

ShowLoveTO Winter Activation Grant. Business Improvement Associations (BIA), community groups, not-for-profits and charitable organizations are eligible to apply. The program will fund 50 per cent of eligible project costs such as winter lighting, additional marketing and advertising, and supplemental sidewalk snow clearing. Applications are now available and the deadline to apply for the ShowLoveTO Winter Activation Grant Program is Monday, November 30 at 4:30 p.m. Applications are available online.

ShowLoveTO Partnership Program
The ShowLoveTO Partnership Program is intended for community activations in Toronto between January 1 and December 31, 2021. Registered not-for-profit organizations, community groups and charities that serve Toronto residents and promote opportunities for the community to give back are eligible to apply. Activations may be online or in person and may include performing arts, dance, drama, comedy, virtual-online events, music, visual arts, literary arts, interdisciplinary arts, photography, craft, design, as well as expressions of history and heritage. All activations must demonstrate the capacity to follow current provincial and municipal public health guidelines. Applicants can apply for one-time support of up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs. Applications are now available and the deadline to apply for the ShowLoveTO Partnership Program is Friday, December 11 at 5 p.m.

The City of Montreal is rolling out new winter activities for the pandemic for the entirety of the 2020-21 winter season.

Economic Recovery Plans | Local businesses | Main Street | Mobility and transportation | Parks and public space | Policy leadership | Public health | Street activation

This includes:

  • implementation of 25 “winter stations” designed to allow Montrealers to enjoy the city’s outdoor public places — including squares, parks or vacant spaces near commercial hubs — during the winter. The winter stations were designed in collaboration with local architects and designers and are part of the city’s effort to encourage Montrealers to buy local, as the downtown stations will be situated near shops.
  • winter activities in Montreal parks and beyond. This will include winter markets, but also winter sporting activities in almost every major Montreal park beginning in December. Since sports-related activities are prohibited in COVID-19 red zones, the city is allowing for outdoor play by making cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, ice skating and fat biking available. Montrealers can borrow equipment for free.
  • heated areas and restrooms will be available to allow Montrealers to warm up after a day of activities.
  • parks will also offer an outdoor “ocean” expedition presented by the Biosphere, to allow Montrealers to observe the birds, flora and fauna of the area.

Activities can be booked online through the city’s website. More details will be made available in the coming weeks on the city of Montreal’s web portal.

A Toronto Neighbourhood unveiled the NOT FOR LEASE campaign to encourage those to shop local

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

The campaign, created by ad agency The Local Collective, spans three blocks and features more than 50 storefronts along Roncesvalles Avenue papered up with signs that say “For Lease.”

Downtown Prince George’s Plaid Friday asks you to show local businesses some love

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

Plaid Friday, the local alternative to ‘Black Friday’. The annual event to encourage people to spend their dollars locally, have some fun wearing plaid and to celebrate the diversity and creativity of local and independent businesses is taking place this Friday in Prince George. The fifth annual Plaid Friday campaign for Prince George will look a little different in 2020 as organizers adhere to all COVID-19 public health restrictions. This year all you have to do is put on something plaid —pretty much the uniform of northern B.C. – and shop locally.

British Columbians have purchased over $439,000 in gift certificates from 1,430 businesses in the 109 communities on the Support Local BC website. 

Fundraising and volunteering | Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

The Neighbourgood is a website that matches businesses that need marketing help with freelancers willing to donate time as well as selling gift cards on behalf of local businesses

Fundraising and volunteering | Local businesses | Main Street

A shop local campaign in Edmonton encourages locals to #adoptashopYEG

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

A local Edmonton blogger spearheaded this campaign which is on its third iteration. Struggling businesses are nominated to be adopted and people sign up and commit to spending a certain amount in the shop (i.e., $60). The list of shops represented 50% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour)-Owned shops. In November 2020, 200 sign up spots were filled for #AdoptAShopYEG: ATB Neighbourhood Hop! At a $60 minimum spend per person, we’ll collectively spend $12,000 at 64 businesses across Edmonton. Patrons are also encouraged to post on social media. 

Social Enterprise UK: Choose Communities, Buy Social campaign

Fundraising and volunteering | Local businesses | Main Street

Social enterprises are so important – reducing inequalities, keeping wealth in their communities and empowering the people they support. Polling has shown that people want to support a different and better way of doing business – 76% said they’d prefer to buy products from businesses which have a positive impact on the wider community and 77% stated that they’d like to see more businesses set up which use their profits and businesses operations to have a positive impact on the community. With the social investment market having grown and developed extensively since its creation, there’s now more opportunity for newly set up social enterprises to find investment that is relevant to them, be that start-up capital, blended finance or working capital so that they can grow their products and services enabling more consumers to #buysocial

https://www.goodfinance.org.uk/latest/post/blog/choose-communities-buy-social

The Big Spend is a one day activity (July 25) to encourage purchases at local businesses to revive the local economy with a goal of getting 1M Cdns involved

Economic Recovery Plans | General: Online communities and networks | Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

3 STEPS TO BE PART OF THE BIG SPEND

1. BUY LOCAL

On July 25, make an intentional purchase at a local small business of your choice.

2. REPORT YOUR SPEND

Add your name to our Big Spend list*, so we can map spending across Canada and track the economic impact we’re making together.

*the Big Spend List will go live on the site closer to the big day.

3. SHARE THE NEWS

Share a story or photo about where you made your Big Spend on Facebook or Instagram! Use hashtag #TheBigSpend 

This initiative encourages local business recovery and support. In addition, it has set aside August 28-30 for a national buy local weekend and will provide grants of up to $5K for businesses

Fundraising and volunteering | General: Sector resources | Local businesses | Shop Local
The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund was established by RBC in collaboration with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the support of other chambers and partners to help small Canadian businesses with their recovery efforts as a result of COVID-19. Local businesses can also apply for grants of up to $5K that can be used for
  • Purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, face shields, and latex gloves
  • Renovating physical space to adhere to local, Provincial or Federal reopening guidelines
  • Developing or improving e-commerce capabilities for your business

 

City of Quebec launched a currency to encourage purchases from local merchants

Local businesses | Main Street | Shop Local

Quebec City residents can buy “packages” of the local currency in various denominations that can be redeemed for 20-60% more than their purchased cost. Within a few hours the entire packages on offer had been sold out raising over  $ 130,000 for local businesses.

Ma Zone Québec is a transactional platform for discovering Quebec-based local entrepreneurs and local products and services.

General: Online communities and networks | Local businesses | Shop Local

There is recognition that even if you want to buy local, sometimes it’s difficult to find products and services. The objective of this platform is to favor local purchases in a simple, practical and friendly way to really allow a change in consumption habits. The mission of Ma Zone Québec is also to participate in the influence of our local entrepreneurs. Ma Zone Québec is a showcase that challenges itself to make the people behind the products and services known. Craftsmen, entrepreneurs, creators, founders, they are the ones who must be highlighted and made discover their inspiring stories.

L’achat local c’est vital, surtout en ces temps de crise. La @Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec lance la campagne «J’ACHÈTE BLEU». http://jachetebleu.ca/ Elle relaiera régulièrement des exemples d’entreprises d’ici offrant des services en ligne.

Food | General: Online communities and networks | Local businesses

La campagne J’achète bleu est une initiative de la FCCQ visant à soutenir l’économie québécoise et le commerce de détail par la découverte d’entreprises locales. Sur son site internet et via ses réseaux sociaux, la FCCQ relaiera régulièrement des exemples d’entreprises d’ici offrant des services en ligne. Nous invitons également les entreprises à faire part des différentes initiatives et offres commerciales qu’elles mettent en place à leur chambre de commerce locale.

Pin It on Pinterest