The federal government is distributing up to $7.2 million to Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta to encourage people to shop locally and support businesses in their community as they reopen. The government says it is part of a national investment of $33 million to support Shop Local campaigns across the country announced The funding will be provided through provincial and territorial chambers of commerce to support awareness-building campaigns that promote consumer confidence and local businesses. The amount of funding allocated to each chamber is based primarily on the percentage of small businesses in its region. Saskatchewan will receive $1.155 million.

Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce says, “This program has created additional opportunities for Saskatchewan businesses to prioritize opportunities for digital marketing and eCommerce to meet the reality of the growing ‘shop online’ demand by all consumers. We are confident this initiative will create more awareness around the thousands of great local businesses in this province and encourage a Shop Local mindset.”  Chambers may solicit applications directly from local organizations or associations or have open calls for proposals that promote consumer awareness and demonstrate benefits to the broader business community.

Possible uses for the funding:

-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.