What does supporting local mean to you?

Supporting local can mean different things to different people, but generally it refers to choosing to purchase goods or services from businesses that are locally owned and operated. While some may consider a franchise owned by a local family to be local, others may prioritize supporting independently owned businesses. Ultimately, it's up to the individual to decide what "local" means to them and how they want to support their community.

What about the role of business owners. In my opinion it's important for business owners to consider where they purchase their supplies from. As customers, we also have the power to support our favorite stores and restaurants by choosing to shop there. The decision to shop local can be a complex one, with both pros and cons to consider.

I want to define what shop local means to my business, qcgifts.ca.   To me shop local means making the conscious choice to source products from your community as much as you can.  I have products such as sublimation blanks, that are not made in Canada. So local isn’t really an option in those cases.  But what I have been doing is digging into these questions.

Gradually, I'm making an effort to source locally as much as possible. I'd like to share a story about a particular item we sell – our hand towels. During last year's Cathedral Arts Festival, we debuted a batch of hand towels featuring an image of Saskatchewan that quickly sold out. While I had pressed other designs on towels before, these ones seemed to catch everyone's eye.

I knew that my product was good, but here's the kicker - I bought the blanks online, not from Regina. As my orders increased, I found a supplier with top-notch manufacturing capabilities. However, I was bothered by the lack of local sourcing options.

Following a meeting with a purchaser, I was left with a task- to dig into a question that had been bugging me: why can't I find this product locally? During that same week, I met with Amanda from WESK, my regular business advisor. I posed the question; my she suggested that I check out SaskAbilities. Although I had heard of the business before, I never fully understood what they did. I had assumed that their primary focus was helping people in our community who experience disabilities find employment. However, I realized that their services extended far beyond that.

As Amanda suggested, I contacted SaskAbilities and discovered that not only could they create the hand towels, but also deliver them quickly. Additionally, to support this local business, I would contribute to its growth and help sustain a great group of people. So the answer was a no-brainer. I ordered 100 hand towels on the spot.

Next on my list to find local- products made from steel, like mugs and water bottles- how can we get these made here? Don't we have a steel manufacturing plant? Have you ever considered purchasing steel products like mugs and water bottles locally? Perhaps it's worth exploring whether these products can be produced here in Saskatchewan.

For me, supporting local businesses is all about making conscious decisions and asking the right questions. Let's all take the time to explore our options and make informed choices that contribute positively to our Saskatchewan.

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