Businesses facing uncertainty lean on community support

The Barrie Chamber of Commerce says it's never been more important to shop local, with many businesses facing uncertainty under the weight of pandemic restrictions.

"The smaller businesses that have been impacted by these restrictions are really what we need to focus on right now, and that's what we are calling on people to do," said executive director Paul Markel.

"Every dollar that you spend stays in our community. The stores that you shop at employ our residents, and those dollars stay on the ground."

Community support is what businesses like B'Spoke Kitchen + Market says will help them survive.

"It's essential to us being able to make it through these challenging times," says co-founder Chris Frechette. "The Barrie community has been quite supportive. I don't know what other places are like, but I know that downtown Barrie has felt very much like a community."

The Barrie Chamber is teaming up with Orillia and Ramara to encourage people to highlight local businesses through social media using the hashtag #IChooseLocal.

The Town of Innisfil is also rallying community support through its hashtag #ShopLocalInnisfil for a chance to win a $100 gift card to a business of choice.

The three-week campaign runs until Feb. 1.

"We want to do what we can to support local businesses being what they've gone through over the last two years," says Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin.

The City of Barrie says it's working with the chamber and Downtown BIA to help businesses keep their doors open.

"We are all banding together," says economic and creative development director Stephannie Schlichter.

Resources like Digital Main Street help business owners thrive online.

"It allows companies who are thinking about or may have some online or really want to better understand how they can have an online presence," Schlichter adds.

As for the #IChooseLocal campaign, the chamber says support runs out at the end of the month, but the hashtag will continue moving forward.