Our business is helping local business

Local businesses are the engine of our economy, the anchors of our communities and the first place of work for millions of young Canadians and new Canadians. Sadly, most news coverage fails to reflect this reality; with businesses on Bay Street, not Main Street grabbing most of the headlines.

With reporters in more than thirty communities across Ontario, we know that local businesses have borne the brunt of this recent pandemic. Hit with the one-two punch of low or no consumer demand and difficulties in accessing government funding, many small businesses have been forced to close and many more are fighting to stay afloat.

This is our commitment to the businesses in our communities:

1. We will voice your concerns

Our reporters are telling the stories of how this crisis is affecting local businesses. Working with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business we have advocated for more financial aid for small and medium sized companies. At the time of printing, the Canadian government has delivered the most generous wage package for small business across all G7 countries.

2. We will help you keep the doors open

Our #togetherlocal program helps readers support businesses in their local community with savings up to 50% on gift certificates. We are also actively supporting local food businesses by letting our readers know which ones are keeping their doors open for takeout and delivery. Our marketing consultants are working with small businesses helping them find ways of staying connected to their customers.

3. We will help you navigate the system

We are devoting more of our coverage to identifying the problems faced by local business owners. And we are celebrating the creativity of small business owners who have reinvented themselves in the face of adversity.

4. We will tell your stories

Local businesses are run by family, friends and neighbours. Like the young shop owner, woken up at 3am, about a break-in at her clothing store in the east end. Or the hardworking restaurateur, owner of six businesses, and boss to 30, recently forced to lay off 20 of them. We report on their struggles, ambitions and realities.