CHAT News File Photo

By Chris Brown

Shop local

Shopping local more important than ever

Dec 15, 2020 | 1:45 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The push to shop local has been a constant for the City Centre Development Agency and other community boosters for years.

And it’s one that’s only gotten more important this year.

Jeremy Silver, board chair of the downtown group, admits they’re in a tough position this year.

On one hand, they want to get people downtown. On the other, with stores limited to 15 per cent capacity under provincial health measures for COVID-19, they’re asking people to come to stores they might not be able to get into.

Silver says they’re doing as much as possible to push people to shop at the local stores online, tagging and sharing wherever they can.

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Many businesses in and out of the downtown core are part of recent shop local initiatives like Shop YXH and ShopHERE.

Silver says you may save two or three dollars shopping on Amazon, but the impact of spending that money at a local store is more impactful.

“Those three dollars extra that you spend goes in your neighbours’ pockets who own these businesses. They live next door to you, they’re your friends, they’re your family, they’re your neighbours,” he said. “And when you spend money locally that money comes back to you, it’s reciprocal. When you spend money on Amazon, Jeff Bezos does not need your money.”

On Dec. 21, CHAT 94.5 is having Local First Day and will be giving away gift cards to 10 local businesses.