I imagine we all hope to live in a community with a strong, thriving local economy, with vibrant mainstreets, with local trades persons and with an arts and cultural sector that is alive. How might residents strengthen this scene in Vanier?
Last Thursday, localists from across Ottawa gathered at HUB Ottawa to strategize on creating a unified Local First campaign for Ottawa. A Local First campaign? The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), of which the Ottawa-Gatineau Sustainable Enterprise Alliance is a member, suggests that such a campaign is about thinking local, about encouraging support of locally-owned businesses when possible, and about recycling money back into the local economy... BALLE points to the economic and social advantages that local businesses bring to a community; just think about knowing the chef, the shopkeeper or the artist.
To be sure, a focus on locally owned businesses is significant, guided by the idea that the money I spend at a locally-owned business is more likely to stay in the community – potentially reinvested elsewhere (a point backed up last Thursday with reference to research by Civic Economics). Thinking beyond any importance given to local ownership, encouraging a ‘think local’ mindset may help to ensure business viability – and the viability of local mainstreets. If we as Vanier residents think local, our first thoughts may be to assess whether we can find what we need on our mainstreets, like Montreal Road, Beechwood and McArthur (provided we know what is there).
So, what could a Local First mindset mean here? In 1960, local businesses founded the Montreal Road Merchants’ Association, attempting to stimulate redevelopment for merchants on Eastview’s main street (Ottawa Citizen, 1960). The idea must have held some merit; its President, Oscar Perrier, became Mayor in Fall elections under the banner of the “Eastview Citizens League.” Revived efforts led to the creation of the Vanier BIA in 1985, with its early 1990s tagline (to “Shop in Vanier”) clearly encouraging a Local First mindset. Today, the BIA continues to promote the district, hosting its semi-annual Awards Gala several weeks ago, recognizing numerous long-time, community-minded businesses.
As residents, we may wonder how we might further instill a Local First mindset within our community, and our city. How might we strengthen our neighbourhood’s economy? Would a “shop in Vanier” campaign be successful today? How might we create a deeper awareness by residents of the offerings available here? Here are three possible ideas.
First, it is interesting to see an Ottawa-based company, Ackroo, having recently launched a community-based loyalty program in Penticton, British Columbia, aiming to promote local businesses in the community’s downtown core, where residents’ earn rewards for local purchases. In addition to encouraging support of existing establishments, such a campaign may also demonstrate to potential new (quality) businesses that residents are keen to support them.
Second, our support of local skills and employment training may be another approach to thinking local. In its expanded facility, the Wabano Centre hosts several social enterprises, offering employment, entrepreneurship and skills development through space for sewing (beading and leatherwork) and catering (working with Ottawa chefs to train individuals in Wabano’s industrial kitchen). Another enterprise, Gourmet Xpress, offers participants training in customer service and in food preparation, and is oriented to helping individuals find and retain employment, while offering healthy catering options to the community. As they explain, “Every order through our catering service directly contributes to the well-being of our community.” Another social enterprise, EcoEquitable, is about to open on McArthur inside Heartwood House.
Third, we might support local artists and the arts industry. Earlier this spring, we saw the launch of a Vanier-based Artists Registry – through which local artists and arts industries may connect with one another, self-organizing towards potential collectives, artists markets or other initiatives (email to register). Perhaps we might think of ways to link the arts community to commercial storefronts, drawing on our community’s more affordable real estate. How might we draw on supports from Invest Ottawa, the Ottawa Community Loan Fund, or other sources?
There are no doubt additional possibilities, such as local engagement with Apt613’s Support Local month. Of course, while we may wish to support Vanier, we are part of an urban and regional economy, and BALLE aptly notes that “we will rarely be able to buy everything we need or use from local independent businesses.” However, they go on to suggest: “we are advocating that people first think local - look first for local and locally owned sources of the things they need and want - to maximize the impact of their daily actions and purchasing decisions.” Our efforts, here in Vanier and across the city, will only strengthen our own community.
(Mike Bulthuis)
Image: Bottom, from left: ‘Shop in Vanier’ (Vanier BIA, 1990), ‘Support Local’ by Steve St. Pierre (Apt613, 2012), ‘Be a Localist’ (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, 2013).
Source:
Ottawa Citizen (1960) “Eastview Group Plans ‘Mall’ on Main Street” (October 5, 1960)