Spend north or south of the border for Christmas shopping?
Posted December 3, 2010 8:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Loonie is hovering near parity again, and that means more Canadians could be lured south by those big box stores, and those great deals. But local businesses are asking you to shop here.
Granville Island for your produce, or Walmart? Clothing from a designer on Main Street or at Ross across the border?
On Vancouver streets, there’s an awareness and a desire to shop locally, buy things grown in BC, and made in Canada. But the reality is everybody has a budget.
One man tells us, “Family economics dictates that usually we’re shopping in bigger stores. But we tend to stay on this side of the border, a little patriotic.”
Another man says, “We shop locally and at big boxes. If we go to the states, it’s usually for the selection, not necessarily for the prices. It’s really convenience for me.”
Locally-owned businesses tout the benefit they offer: They typically buy from other local operations and stock more made here. They describe unique selections and great service – things shoppers don’t dispute, they just keep coming back to price.
Canadian retailers encourage us to spend here, reminding the taxes they generate help pay for everything from road repairs to health care, and 10 per cent of local jobs are in retail; work that depends on local purchases.
