By Cheryl Jahn

Buying into BC Buy Local Week

Nov 30, 2023 | 3:39 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – It is the start of the Christmas shopping season and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, as well as B.C. Chambers of Commerce, are promoting the idea of shopping local this time of year more than ever.

“It’s the season of giving, and when you shop local, you’re not only purchasing from those stores, but you’re supporting those families. You’re supporting job creation in our community,” says Quynlan Young, CEO of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce. “Those dollars stay in our community. And so it’s just extra giving. It’s like a double whammy almost.”

In fact, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the spin-offs of shopping local are significant for communities.

“When you spend a dollar on a small local retailer in your community, about $0.66 is actually recirculated into the provincial economy, which that is huge,” says Emily Boston. “But when you consider that if you spend that same dollar at a large multinational retailer like Walmart, only eleven cents makes it back. And that falls even further. When you spend an online giant like Amazon, eight cents.”

With high inflation and labor shortages, small businesses are facing a double whammy. But there are advantages to shopping local. The uniqueness of what sold. And more.

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“There’s a good mix of different products for sure. I think that especially in our downtown, I mean all over town we’ve got such niche, great little stores that can fulfill anyone’s Christmas wish list,” says Young.

“One advantage you have with shopping the local business is you have customer service. When you walk in, you know, the people you’re dealing with are trying to help you get what you’re looking for,” says Cameron Stolz, owner of Great White Toys.

And while the emphasis is on people supporting local and often small businesses, there is a certain onus on the business to make themselves desirable to the shopper.

“There’s a lot of competition out there, and it’s difficult for small retailers to make themselves stand out when these big businesses just have so many advantages and so much more marketing,” says Boston. “But there’s a lot of consumer misconceptions about what small businesses are able to offer.”

So when you head out to pick up those knickknacks for the stockings, think local.