With the big retail holiday shopping season coming up, many local businesses deemed non-essential are expecting to take a hit.
According to a CBC News article written by Jonathan Ventura, Manitobans have been ramping up their efforts to help local businesses through alternative options such as curb side pickup and online shopping.
Social media hashtags like #shopmanitoba or #shoplocalMB have been circulating on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as people step up to try and help local businesses closed because of the pandemic.
Manitobans have also created multiple one-stop shop online hubs such as the Winnipeg Etsy Street Team and fetchlocal.ca to help others focus their shopping on local businesses. Likewise, former Winnipeg Blue Bomber Obby Khan is among people who launched GoodLocal, which compiles local businesses into one online store.
In the article, SEED Winnipeg co-director Carinna D’Abramo Rosales says many local business owners don’t know how to apply or if they qualify for support programs from the federal and provincial governments, which adds to their uncertainty.
You can find that information below:
Information on the Manitoba Bridge Grant can be found here.
Information on the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy can be found here.
For more information on how to support local businesses or register businesses for these sites, visit:
Winnipeg Etsy Street Team (W.E.S.T)
*Note: You have to have an Etsy store to be featured on the Winnipeg Etsy Street Team.