As we slowly and steadily return to our new version of “normal,” continuing to support our nearly 100,000 local businesses is as important as ever, especially this Christmas season and into the new year.

Yes, vaccination rates are rising and restrictions are easing. However, to ensure our small business community stays with us, it’s important to sustain our support for all things local.

Visit mississaugamade.ca as your launching point and utilize this vast resource. It supports and promotes local Mississauga products, businesses, artists, stories, activities and experiences within our community. It’s a centralized hub for everything Mississauga so residents, visitors or fellow businesses can easily shop local, source local and support local.
The site includes an easy to use marketplace that’s free for local businesses to sign up for, further showing the commitment the city has to supporting our business community.

From there, here are additional ways to smartly shop local:

Buy local gift cards
Picking up gift cards from local businesses helps them today by increasing their cash flow, which is the lifeblood for all businesses. Buying now increases their chances of being here later.

Support your local BIA
Connect with all five Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) across Mississauga (Clarkson Village, Cooksville, Malton, Port Credit, Streetsville) to see what incentives/campaigns they have on the go. These BIAs are a key component to supporting businesses within their boundaries, and our local neighbourhoods.

Hear ye, hear ye
Telling your family and friends via phone call, in person or text about some or all of your favourite local businesses a smart way to endorse them and potentially help that business get new customers. The exponential effect could be far reaching, and it can start with you.

Get social
Take what you just read and apply it to these businesses social media pages. As potential customers research a new small businesses, reading reviews and reviewing their social accounts can be highly influential.
Take the couple of minutes and write a personalized review, sign up for their newsletter, follow/like their social pages (every “like” counts) and consider putting up a post on your social channels to let your network know about your positive experiences.

Use your social platform
It’s one thing to support our local businesses social media pages and since you’re on it, utilize your own social platforms to spread the word. Whether it’s a picture or video about your excellent experience or “I finally found this cool item at a local shop,” leverage your network to boost our valued small business community.

Remember to use the hashtag #MississaugaMade on your posts and happy holiday shopping!