Staying Safe While Shopping Locally

As the holiday season approaches, and with all of the news of late about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, FLU season and increasing RSV issues in children, we thought it would be good to pass along some ideas on how to stay safe while supporting small businesses.

The pandemic has had a substantial health, economic and social impact on everyone. Some of the hardest hit are owners and employees of local, small businesses across the country. Supporting them has never been more critical, and you should be pleased to know it can be done safely. Even so, personal situations may affect your shopping habits. Be aware of your limitations, and don’t take on more than you can handle. Follow these tips to ensure you do so safely.

In-person shopping, pickups and services

• Do some research to find out which small businesses are in your area

• Follow local stores and merchants on social media like Facebook and Instagram and engage with their content.
• another source is the advertising in your local newspaper
• if you have a local community centre, watch for bulletins and events online
• your municipality and library website can be a source of information
• you can search online for reviews of businesses in your area

• Check local and provincial public health resources for current public health measures where you live. This will help keep you and your family safe
• Small businesses are usually accommodating in making your shopping or service event safe. To reduce the time you spend indoors:

• Make a list and then look online or call to see if what you need is available
• If you have accessibility needs, contact them and ask about any accommodations they provide
• Request curbside pickup
• Use their delivery service if available

• Other ways to support merchants

• Order directly from the store rather than a third-party app
• Consider made in Canada first for food or merchandise
• If local products are not available close by, look elsewhere in Canada rather than internationally

• Online marketplaces usually have a Canadian store or will let you filter by sources in Canada

• Let your friends know by writing a favourable review about your favourite small business
• Buying gift cards from a local store to pass on to friends and family will encourage them to support local

Shopping nearby will help small businesses thrive and make it easier to shop locally in future.

Contact our office if you have any questions.