Calgarians urged to ‘Support Local’ during inflationary times – Calgary

The City of Calgary has kicked off its “Support Local” campaign, encouraging Calgarians to shop at locally owned businesses during the holidays.

According to the city, more than half of every $100 spent at local stores recycles back into the local economy.

“This is important because 95 per cent of the businesses in Calgary are actually small businesses and they employ about two-thirds of our workforce. And the value of shopping local is that it has four times the impact on our economy (than big corporations),” Mayor Jyoti Gondek said at a photo opportunity in a boutique she used to shop at for outfits.

“Buy local. It matters because it supports our local businesses and they are the heart of our economy.”

The city maintains an online directory of its 15 business improvement areas around Calgary, which features a number of local businesses.

Gondek visited stores in the Inglewood BIA last year to promote the annual campaign.

“Today we’re in Cityscape because that’s where I come to buy a lot of the things we need,” the mayor said. “It’s where I shop, so I thought I’d invite Calgarians to get to know it a little better.”

Gondek stopped by Pooja’s Boutique and Samosa House on Wednesday afternoon.

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Twenty-year-old owner of Pooja’s Boutique, Bobby Chawala, provides clothes from India for Calgarians to wear, usually for parties.

“We definitely need local support,” Chawala said, noting that shopping for formal wear online is not the same as in person. “We built the store and it’s a beautiful store. And people can see (the clothes), they can touch them, they can feel them.”

The 2022 holiday season marks the fourth year of the campaign.

“December is an important month for business owners,” said Erin Chrusch, leader of business and local economy at the City of Calgary. “While we encourage Calgarians to support local year-round, for the majority of small businesses in Calgary, this is the season that determines their survival and growth.

“By supporting locally, we not only help these businesses thrive and grow, but we also support local jobs and workers, and ensure that more money stays in our community.”

The city also suggested supporting local businesses by providing positive reviews on social media and online, suggesting the use of the “#SupportLocalYYC” hashtag.

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Business confidence is down slightly, according to the latest “Business Barometer” from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, a survey of more than 700 members nationwide. Their long-term index measures how businesses expect to perform in the next year.

In May, Alberta’s index measured 65.2. By November, it had dropped to 50. An index of nearly 65 would normally indicate the economy’s growth at potential.

In October, ATB Financial’s deputy chief economist said the province was expected to ride out “rough economic waters,” but recently adjusted its 2023 GDP growth forecast to 2.8 from 3.0 percent.

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