To help businesses challenged by online competition and government policies Norm Miller, MPP for Parry Sound – Muskoka, today launched a Shop Local campaign.
“Shopping local not only supports our local businesses but their employees and our whole community,” said Miller today in a statement in the Legislature.
“I did a business survey this summer and found that many businesses in Parry Sound – Muskoka are struggling to compete against online shopping while burdened with increasing hydro costs and other government policies,” said Miller.
“I will continue to push the government to make it easier to run a business in Ontario but in the meantime I hope the people of Parry Sound – Muskoka will come together to support our local businesses and local jobs.”
“Just this past weekend PC Leader Patrick Brown announced policies to help small business. Policies like a 28.5% tax cut for small business owners and competitive and stable electricity prices,” said Miller. “Unfortunately we will have to wait until after the election in June to introduce such measures.”
Miller will post a series of seasonal, shop local messages on Facebook and hopes residents will share the images to remind their friends and family about the importance of supporting local businesses.
“Our local businesses do a lot to support our communities in Parry Sound – Muskoka, so let’s do what we can to support these business and their employees,” said Miller. “Give a gift to your community this Christmas – shop local, buy local.”
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What is the secret to producing Cheap Maple Syrup in Quebec ? Why can’t Ontario producers match those prices with Cheap Maple Syrup from Ontario ? I was under the impression that all Maple syrup had to meet a certain Grade Standard.
I’m a firm believer in shopping local First. If it isn’t available locally then by all means shop on line or drive to another town. I run a small business and make a point to recommend to my customers other local businesses and products. I don’t want to see our town full of only big box stores with nothing locally-owned.
Nor do I want to see our town turned into another southern “look-alike”
That’s my problem with local I can’t afford more to come out of my pocket of that was the only choice I wouldn’t buy at all I can afford $15 for maple syrup but $25-30 would be a no go for me if I can get local products at same price absolutely I would buy them but if I can order on line and save $30 I must go that route if it means my kids get 5 presents under the tree instead of two I have to stop out of town
Dear Mr Miller
I agree with your support for shopping local however, I would like to even further that suggestion. I am the owner of Sugarbush Hill Maple Farm near Huntsville where I produce maple syrup and maple products sourced and produced here in Muskoka. What I would like to see is locals supporting locally sourced and produced goods first. Many of our large supermarkets source their syrups from Quebec which is NOT local. Quebec has the ability to flood Ontario markets with cheap maple syrup making it difficult for local producers to compete against from a cost point of view. Local syrup certainly can and does compete very favourably in quality however.
There are numerous other stores that try to sell locally sourced and Muskoka made or at least Ontario or Canada made items. Their competition, even though locally situated import a lot if not all their wares from abroad, notably China. These stores are local but there is nothing local about where their products are actually made.
So there are two “Buy Local” philosophies, one where the business is local but imports (from abroad) their items for sale and the local business that actually sells items that are locally made (Muskoka, Ontario, Canada)…the latter is the one we really want to encourage shoppers to frequent. If we don’t, we all know what will eventually happen to these truly local businesses.