By The Cape Breton Partnership
UNAMA’KI/CAPE BRETON: As the weather gets warmer and the snow piles disappear, giving way to the mud puddles that will soon be lush green hills and sunny landscapes, an annual rhythm has returned to our communities with Cape Bretoners and visitors alike taking in all our Island has to offer.
Farmers’ markets begin to open their doors, local festivals are just around the corner, and our downtown and commercial districts become re-energized with excitement. It’s a time of connection and activity, and a reminder of the impact our everyday choices have when we choose to support local.
Supporting local isn’t just a feel-good slogan or social media trend. It’s one of the most effective and accessible ways you can play a direct role in strengthening our economy while contributing to the vibrancy of our communities. Small businesses, local makers, and community-led operations are at the heart of our local economy across Unama’ki – Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia, and there’s never been a better time to show your support for them by choosing to spend your money locally.
Choosing to support local is an investment in your community, where the return on your investment is a more prosperous future for the community and your neighbours, friends, and family. And the best part about that investment is that it is then reinvested locally as well, whether it’s done when a local restaurant sponsors a local youth baseball team or when a local business in turn buys from another local business. This pattern continues on and on, moving the local economy forward, and it all started when you chose to think locally about your spending.
As Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization, we at the Cape Breton Partnership sincerely believe in supporting local as a major economic driver in communities throughout the Island.
Supporting local goes far beyond just retail shopping as well. It means hiring the local plumber to fix your next leak. It means visiting a local tourism operator’s experience for your next big date. It means choosing a local farm’s products for your next meal. It means filling that empty space on your wall with a beautiful painting made by one of the hundreds of inspired and talented artists we are so very lucky to count as neighbours.
It means celebrating what we have here, right in our own backyards in Nova Scotia.
Luckily, summer gives us plenty of ways to do that. Unama’ki – Cape Breton is home to dozens of farmers’ markets, craft shops, seasonal festivals, award-winning musical talents, unique tourism experiences, amazing cafés and restaurants, top-rated breweries and distilleries, globally recognized golf courses, creative fashion designers, and some of the most naturally-beautiful landscapes in the world. These aren’t just fun ways to spend a weekend. They’re opportunities to invest in the success of our region and our future.
If you’re looking for inspiration, the Province of Nova Scotia’s Nova Scotia Loyal campaign is a great place to start. It’s all about encouraging Nova Scotians to be proud supporters of local, encouraging businesses to be proud providers of local, and encouraging makers to be proud creators of local. The campaign’s message is simple: the more we choose local, the stronger our communities become. The Cape Breton Partnership is a proud partner of Nova Scotia Loyal and encourages anyone passionate about helping to make their community stronger to learn more and get involved at www.nsloyal.ca.
So, as you plan your summer, and even beyond the summer months, please consider where your money goes. A small shift in your routine can, and will, make a difference. No act is too small, whether it’s grabbing your morning coffee from a local café instead of a multi-national chain, booking your summer tour with a local guide instead of flying south, or picking up locally-grown food on your next grocery run. If you don’t already have a subscription and happen to be in the Strait Area, consider picking up a copy of The Reporter, a champion in local journalism and a valued Investor of the Cape Breton Partnership.
Supporting local doesn’t have to mean spending more. It just means spending more intentionally. It’s about seeing the value in what’s right here and recognizing the important role each of us plays in shaping our local economy, here in Unama’ki – Cape Breton or anywhere that is local for you.