As holiday shopping ramps up, downtown districts across Canada are working to keep spending close to home, supporting local economies and independent retailers. In Charlottetown, the Downtown Gift Card program allows shoppers to load a prepaid Visa to spend exclusively at participating local shops and restaurants.
This year, the card is accepted at more than 140 downtown businesses, and for one day this week, it was offered at a 20 per cent discount to encourage shoppers to visit small, independent stores. The program aims to bring more people through store doors, supporting businesses during one of the busiest seasons of the year.
Shoppers can purchase the card online for home delivery or pick it up in person at the Downtown Charlottetown Inc. office. The balance must be spent at participating stores within the downtown business improvement area, keeping money circulating locally. The sale is held multiple times each year, but the cards remain available for purchase year-round.
According to Downtown Charlottetown Inc. CEO Dawn Alan, the program encourages additional spending, with many customers purchasing more than the value of the card once inside a store. This not only benefits individual businesses but helps strengthen the downtown economy and the broader community.
While programs like the Downtown Gift Card support local retailers, it is also important this holiday season to emphasize the broader importance of supporting Canadian businesses. Choosing Canadian-owned businesses helps sustain local supply chains, protect jobs, and ensure that more of holiday spending stays within the country, reinforcing a stronger national economy.
Local retailers say programs like the Gift Card reinforce the value of community support. Lori Cheverie, manager at Bookmark, a longstanding independent bookstore in downtown Charlottetown, notes that holiday sales are critical for many small retailers. The store also prioritizes sourcing products and services from other Canadian businesses whenever possible, helping to support a wider network of local and national suppliers.
With at least 41 Downtown Gift Card programs already available across Canada, the initiative gives residents an easy way to support independent stores in their communities. Combined with mindful shopping that favors Canadian businesses, holiday spending can contribute to stronger local economies and a more resilient national market.
Source: Maria Sarrouh, CTV News
