Small Business Week is About Supporting Local
South Asia Journal Desk
Supporting local has never been more important and is the theme of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s (OCC) annual ‘Small Business: Too Big To Ignore’ Campaign’ taking place during Small Business Week from October 17-23, 2021. Throughout the week, the OCC, along with 155+ chambers of commerce and boards of trade across the province, will encourage Ontarians to support local businesses in their community as well as amplify on-going advocacy and initiatives to promote and protect small businesses who have been hardest hit by the crisis.
“Small businesses have always been there for us and they need our business now more than ever. This Small Business Week, we encourage Ontarians to join us in celebrating and showing support for small businesses across the province by shopping local,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “Small businesses are cornerstones of our local economies and key to thriving communities—creating jobs, driving innovation, and generating wealth for us all.”
In addition to encouraging people to shop and support local, the ‘Small Business: Too Big To Ignore’ campaign will spotlight ongoing Ontario Chamber Network advocacy and initiatives such as:
Offering support to small businesses to help close the mental health action gap in partnership with Sun Life Financial through its “Mental Wellness in the Workplace: A Playbook for SMEs.”
Recognizing entrepreneurial diversity as a powerful strategy for Ontario’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity in The She-Covery Project: Confronting the Gendered Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Providing practical solutions to support small businesses as they fuel Ontario’s economic recovery vis-a-vis Capital is Key: Financing Entrepreneurship in Ontario After COVID-19.
Highlighting acute challenges facing small businesses in rural, remote & northern communities such as accessing capital being a longstanding barrier to expansion for First Nations entrepreneurs through Small Business, Big Impact.
Putting a spotlight on issues such as property tax rates that prevent small businesses from being able to flourish within their communities, resulting in less economic activity in Better Budgets: Bolstering the Fiscal Resilience of Ontario’s Municipalities.
Canadian Small Business Week takes place during the third week of October every year. This year, the celebration will occur October 17-23, 2021.
