Please forgive us for the following reminder: Christmas is three weeks away.
We're sure that some of you have already started your Christmas shopping; a handful of you keeners might have already purchased everything for everybody on your list, thanks to the sales and the Christmas markets that have already taken place. But many of us have lots of work remaining before we're finished.
Some of us might be waiting for that two-month GST holiday/vote grab that will start Dec. 14 before we begin shopping in earnest.
But if you still have some Christmas shopping remaining, we can't emphasize enough the need to shop locally in these final weeks before Christmas.
There are numerous benefits associated with shopping locally. For starters, the money you spend in town stays in town. When you spend money at a local clothing retailer, a food outlet, an electronics store, or any one of the other great businesses we have down here, that money is staying here.
It helps that entrepreneur stay in business. It helps the owner continue the dream of entrepreneurship. It allows the owner to purchase more goods to offer to the community. It gives the opportunity for the business to support events, organizations and campaigns in the community. And it creates employment and better wages for those who work for that company.
Small business is a critical component of Estevan and other communities in the southeast. Yes, we have some big-box retailers and some large chains in the Energy City, but the bulk of our companies are classified as small or medium-sized, and they're the ones that ultimately make the biggest impact.
We have a number of businesses that are part of a national chain, but are owned by a local franchisee. Many restaurants and outlets are also a big part of the community with their donations and through their sponsorships.
Businesses pay taxes that in turn allow different levels of government to provide the services that we rely on. Some might say they're paying too much for taxes. But that's another conversation for another time.
Amazon does nothing for this area. You won't find them at any of our coming events. Amazon doesn't sponsor your local youth sports activities, it doesn't directly employ anyone in the area, and we're pretty sure it has yet to contribute a dime towards the Estevan Salvation Army's kettle campaign, the Community Hamper Association, the drive to bring an MRI scanner to the southeast, or any one of the other valuable fundraising efforts that are happening in our region right now that help local people.
But do you know who sponsors so many things happening in the southeast? Your local businesses.
This is an important time of year for our business community. For many of them, the Christmas shopping season will dictate whether they turn a profit this year, if they break even or if they lose money.
The past few years haven't been easy for them, either. They struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic. Some were closed for weeks or even months; others had to pivot with how they operated. They've had to deal with the impacts of inflation and the perennial increases to the carbon tax.
And if we have less money to spend because of inflation, it means they're going to have fewer customers.
Businesses in the Estevan area have been hurt by the uncertainty in the local economy associated with the murky future of coal-fired power.
Take a minute and imagine your community without that favourite retailer, that beloved business or that all-important supplier. It's not a pretty picture. Imagine having to go to another community for the services they provide. There are also businesses that you might not use, but many others rely on.
They're all pieces of the puzzle that help make a vibrant Estevan.
So, over the next few weeks, do as much shopping as you can locally. Your community's retailers will benefit. And that, in turn, creates a better community.
