Love. Shop. Local - A fresh approach to supporting local businesses
An innovative new strategy has been launched by the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce and is designed to support the local business community within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Love. Shop. Local is a prepaid Visa® gift card program, presented in partnership with Bouchier, who recognizes the importance of Community Investment and the need to support business during this time of economic uncertainty.
“We are proud to be partnering with the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce on such an important local initiative, at such a critical time within the Wood Buffalo region,” said Nicole Bourque-Bouchier, Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of Bouchier. “Love. Shop. Local. is an innovative way to encourage our local Wood Buffalo residents to get to know many of our fantastic entrepreneurs and their businesses, keeping our economy alive!”
According to the Chamber, more than 90 per cent of Alberta’s private-sector labour force is employed by small and medium-sized businesses. They passionately believe that small businesses are essential for sustaining economic growth in the region, and Love. Shop. Local represents the next step in the Chamber’s ongoing mandate to advocate for the RMWB’s business community.
“Residents of Fort McMurray can support participating local businesses through the use of specialized Love.Shop.Local prepaid gift cards,” said Dianna de Sousa, Executive Director of Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce. “Now more than ever we need to spend local whenever we can, to help our small businesses recover during and after these unprecedented times.”
Launched with incentives to encourage cardholders to discover the abundant retail, recreation, and service opportunities, the Love. Shop. Local. Prepaid gift cards are ordered, purchased, and distributed directly by the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce in denominations of $50.00 and $100.00. The cards can be used as a safe and secure payment method at participating merchants across Fort McMurray.
Featured on the cards is the work of local artist, Crystal Mercredi, of Life and Portraits. It is a gorgeous, award-winning photograph of the Region’s aurora borealis.
To celebrate the launch of Love.Shop.Local., the Chamber is giving away a gift card valued at $500.00. All are encouraged to learn more by visiting facebook.com/ymmchamber.
To learn more about Love.Shop.Local, view a list of featured merchants, become a featured merchant or to obtain a card please visit www.fortmcmurraychamber.ca/loveshoplocal.
