VANCOUVER, B.C. — Monday, November 27, 2017

The sixth annual Buy Local Week in BC kicks off today with a record number of participating communities around the province joining together to celebrate local businesses and the big impact of buying locally.

“Local businesses make unique contributions to our communities and to our economy, so it is important that shoppers think about buying locally as the holiday shopping season begins,” says Amy Robinson, founder and executive director of LOCO BC, which coordinates Buy Local Week in the province. “Canadians spend about $1,500 on travel, dining, clothing, food and gifts at this time of year. Buy Local Week encourages them to make sure that money benefits their communities, since every dollar spent locally keeps 45 cents in the community, creating 2.6 times the economic impact.”

BC Buy Local Week 2017 runs from November 27 to December 3 and is a partnership of leading BC municipalities, business groups and businesses across the province. Buy Local Week has been proclaimed by the Province of BC and other cities around the province.

Participating communities and business groups include the City of Vancouver, the Township of Langley, City of Surrey, Business Improvement Areas in Hastings Crossing, Point Grey Village, Kitsilano on Broadway, The East Village, Mount Pleasant, Commercial Drive, and Shop Local Port Moody. Other partners include the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, Northern Development Initiative Trust and Love Northern BA, the Surrey Board of Trade, Steveston Merchants Association, Think Local First Victoria, Creston Valley-Kootenay Lake Economic Action Partnership, the Squamish Chamber of Commerce, and several leading businesses including Happy Planet, B.C. Hothouse and SPUD.

“This year we’ve really extended our reach, partnering with recognizable local food brands to promote the campaign, so consumers can see how to buy local everywhere they shop,” adds Robinson. “And we’re working with new partners in Northern BC who promote buy local in 30 northern communities and represent 1600 independent businesses.

“Northern BC is one of the most colourful, diverse and eclectic regions in Canada, and we are proud to support Buy Local Week to showcase and support the unique shops, shopkeepers and communities throughout the North,” says Joel McKay, CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust which leads the Love Northern BC shop local program. “The Love Northern BC program promotes 1,500+ local, independent businesses throughout more than 60 communities across a region spanning Lillooet to Fort Nelson and Haida Gwaii to Valemount.”

As part of the Buy Local campaign, participating local BC businesses will be promoting their locally owned businesses, local grown and local made products with bright pink stickers online and in-store to make them easy for consumers to identify, and using the hashtag #BCBuyLocal on social media. Consumers are encouraged to share photos of their favourite local products and

businesses on social media, and look to bcbuylocal.com as a resource for BC products and businesses and holiday shopping events.

For more information about BC Buy Local, visit www.bcbuylocal.com.

About LOCO BC

LOCO BC is a non-profit local business alliance in British Columbia working to strengthen communities, grow the local economy, and build strong, sustainable businesses. LOCO BC coordinates Buy Local Week, an annual celebration of local business to promote the contributions that BC businesses make to our economy and our communities. The goal of the BC Buy Local Campaign is to illuminate the local market, making BC-based businesses, products, food and wines more visible to consumers.

About Northern Development Initiative Trust

Northern Development Initiative Trust combines funding with smart thinking to help Northern British Columbia thrive. The Trust was created for the north and is led by the north. Since 2005, Northern Development has found more than 2,700 ways to say “yes” to economic diversification in our region, attracting more than $1.3 billion in new investment to the region.