Calgarians urged to support local businesses this holiday season – Calgary

As Calgarians take advantage of Black Friday deals to start their holiday shopping, city officials are asking people to turn their businesses over to local vendors, many of whom are still struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, 78% of small businesses in Alberta forced to close due to the pandemic have reopened.

The CFIB’s monthly survey also showed that 46 percent of small businesses in the province have returned to normal staffing levels, and only 31 percent are making revenue equivalent to before the pandemic.

CFIB Alberta Director of Provincial Affairs Annie Dormuth said the data underscores the importance of the upcoming holiday season to the success of many small businesses.

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Calgary malls, stores start Black Friday deals early in hopes of making money with holiday shoppers

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“It may be even more critical right now, given the amount of debt related to COVID-19 that small businesses have taken on and the fact that they just don’t really see a significant return to sales. normal, ”she said.

“It has been difficult,” said Mary Dela Torre, director of marketing at Moonstone Creations on Friday.

The family-owned, Indigenous-owned business operates in Inglewood and sells traditional art handmade by 60 Indigenous manufacturers and artisans.

The store was forced to rotate when the pandemic hit, which included moving its bead-making courses online.

“We’re basically sending a kit with all the supplies, an instruction sheet and a video,” Dela Torre said. “In this way, we have been able to teach over 500 people how to bead since 2020.”

Moonstone Creations was one of many small businesses in Inglewood to receive a visit from the Mayor of Calgary on Friday.

Jyoti Gondek visited stores, went shopping and even donned a pair of roller skates to kick off the City of Calgary’s Shop Local YYC campaign.

“It’s really easy to click buttons and shop online,” Gondek said. “What’s even better is getting out of the house, hanging out with your family (and) going to businesses and restaurants that desperately need us to support them, not just this time of year. ‘year, but all year round. “

According to Gondek, $ 58 is pumped back into the local economy for every $ 100 spent in a small business.

As part of the city’s campaign, Calgarians are invited to share local businesses they find using the hashtag #SupportLocalYYC.

“You can find things you might not expect, you can interact with people who live in your town and neighborhood, and you can make a good event out of it rather than just acquiring an item,” Roxy Acetylene, owner of Nerd Roller Skates. noted.

Despite the difficulties small businesses face as a result of the pandemic, CFIB said optimism among businesses in Alberta is higher than last year.

CFIB survey results showed that 64 percent of small businesses in Alberta believe the 2021 holiday shopping season will be better for business compared to last year.

“There is a little more optimism this year compared to last year,” said Dormuth. “However, many small businesses are still concerned that most consumers may have made this permanent shift to big-box online shopping.”

Gondek’s small business tour came just days after city council passed adjustments to this year’s budget, which are expected to result in a 3.87 percent tax rate hike. This drew criticism from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, which said the budget “lacks certainty and stability for Calgary businesses.”

Gondek said businesses may still need to rely on support from other levels of government to meet the challenges placed on them as a result of the pandemic. But she reiterated the city’s commitment to supporting the business community.

“As a city, we are always incredibly determined to do what we can,” she said.

“I know the Small Business Task Force has been absolutely critical in helping us understand how to support small business, and we will continue to listen to what they tell us.”