Williams Lake area residents are being encouraged to shop local on Saturday, July 25 as part of The Big Spend, a national initiative aimed at helping businesses hit hard by COVID-19.
“We feel really strongly as people who live and work in Williams Lake that we need to support our businesses by shopping locally,” said Vanessa Riplinger, president of the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce.
Shopping locally is a good idea, she added.
“We want to try and keep our businesses supported and I believe other communities are feeling the same way during this whole COVID-19. This is just one way to do that.”
As the voice of business, the chamber decided immediately to support the initiative, she said.
If people want to record what they spend on Saturday, they can add their names to the list at thebigspend.com which will map spending across Canada that day and track the impact of the joint effort being made.
Buyers can also share a story or photo about where they made a purchase on Facebook or Instagram by using the hashtag #TheBigSpend or @TheBigSpend.
Downtown Williams Lake BIA executive director said she is a big supporter of The Big Spend initiative.
“I am happy to see businesses have engaged to promote this in our community,” Davis said. “I sincerely hope everyone can get out, and support our local businesses on July 25.”
In Canada, local small businesses provide nearly 70 per cent of all private-sector jobs in Canada. The goal of Saturday is to inject $100 million into the Canadian economy on this single day. Organizers say the day is meant to be more than a symbolic gesture of hope.
“It is a practical step we can take as part of a larger action plan for economic recovery in Canada. When we add the benefits of buying local to the positive impact of what economists call the “multiplier effect” we help create a snowball of growth for our communities,” said Tim Schindel, national director of Leading Influence and founder of The Big Spend campaign.”
Community organizations, chambers of commerce, churches and Canadians across the country will be part of this special effort to help kick start the Canadian economic recovery process.
The Williams Lake area has been hit by fires, the forestry downtown, mill curtailments, which all impact the local economy.
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