The Social Benefits of Local Christmas Shopping

Last weekend I started my  Christmas shopping at the River Market in New Westminster.  I bought some lovely gifts at a  'studio shop' that sells artisanal and social enterprise work. It got me thinking about the relative power of the dollars I am spending for Christmas that can be directed to further benefit my local community. Thanks to LOCO BC, I can do more than just think.   They  comissioned a compelling study of the benefits of local spending: 

 

  • A 1% increase in spending at local businesses creates 3100 jobs and $94 million in annual wages to BC workers.
  • For every $100 you spend at a local business, $46 is recirculated back into the local econonomy

 

Check out the awesome graphic below that shows how local spending can impact your community  (or download their PDF).  LOCO BC's mandate is to create a diverse, vibrant local economy in British Columbia by strengthening small and mid-sized businesses.

 

 

blog type: 
News
Issues & Ideas
tags: 
Local economy
Visualization