Shop Local – Ontario Chamber Network
Shop Local is a program run by the Government of Canada through provincial and territorial chambers of commerce and boards of trade to support businesses to encourage Canadians to shop local.
The Government of Canada is investing $33 million across Canada in this program to support businesses as they reopen so they can stay open and thrive in recovery. $8.8 million will be invested in Ontario, through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, to support businesses as they reopen so they can stay open and thrive in recovery.
The funding will be provided through provincial and territorial chambers of commerce to support businesses to promote consumer confidence and local businesses! The program is open to chambers of commerce and boards of trade who are members of the OCC.
For more details on how your chamber/board of trade can apply to the Shop Local program, contact shoplocal@occ.ca.
Applications are open from Friday, June 25 – Tuesday, July 27, 2021.
Learn more about the Shop Local program.
More About the Shop Local Program
Chambers/boards of trade may use this funding to support a range of activities that encourage consumers to shop locally in a way that is safe and aligns with current public health guidelines. Chambers/boards of trade may have open calls for proposals from local organizations or businesses that promote consumer awareness and demonstrate benefits to the broader business community.
For example:
- shop-local branding and digital content
- seasonal campaigns intended to direct shoppers to local small merchants
- promotions of online shopping, curbside pickup and delivery, as well as public health measures being implemented to make retail spaces safe and raise consumer confidence;
- marketing materials such as videos, social media visuals, and radio and newspaper ads that encourage consumers to buy from local businesses and patronize local restaurants and attractions.
This investment will be flexible to respond to the unique circumstances in regions across the country and allow chambers of commerce/boards of trade to tailor campaigns to local needs and priorities, and ultimately help small businesses as they recover from this unprecedented public economic crisis.
