Islanders can do their part to support Small Business Saturday October 24th by celebrating the vital role that small businesses play on Prince Edward Island. People are encouraged to show appreciation for their favourite locally owned stores by shopping locally.
“There is a long tradition on Prince Edward Island of supporting local business,” said Premier Wade MacLauchan. “We can affirm that attachment tomorrow and everyday by shopping at locally owned businesses.”
Small businesses drive the engine of the Prince Edward Island economy. There are over 6,200 businesses on the Island, the vast majority of which are small. In 2014, 24,900 people were employed by businesses with less than 20 employees. 23,600 were employed by businesses with 20 - 99 employees. The most recent figures show that PEI businesses contribute $953,000 GDP per business.
"Small businesses are the backbone of our provincial economy. The Prince Edward Island government has a number of programs designed to assist small business,“ said Economic Development and Tourism Minister Heath MacDonald. “As well, work is being done to implement a new strategy to encourage Islanders to buy more local products and services, which will in turn, create more jobs for Islanders.”
Last spring, Islanders Kirstin Lund, Brian Sharp, and Ghislaine O’Hanley came up with a successful social media campaign called 100 Local Dollars to encourage people to spend their money at local businesses and then write about it on facebook or twitter with the hashtag #100localdollars. The campaign is ongoing and support continues to grow.
“Small Business Saturday is a perfect opportunity for Islanders to support the local businesses who add so much to our communities,” says Erin McGrath-Gaudet, Canadian Federation of Independent Business Director, PEI and Intergovernmental Policy. “The day is all about honouring our friends and neighbours who work so diligently to make their small businesses thrive.”
Small Business Saturday is a campaign started by the CFIB to celebrate the all-important contribution that small, independent businesses make to their communities.