Laval suports ‘buy local’ Christmas campaign

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Working closely with the Legault government, as well as the City of Laval and a lobby of producers and retailers across Quebec, the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIL) has launched a campaign to encourage consumers to “buy local” as they contemplate their purchases for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

A $1.4 million campaign

Held at Laval branch of the Oberson Sports chain on des Laurentides Blvd., the launch attracted some notable stakeholding officials, including Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete who is a Delegated Minister for the Economy in the Legault cabinet, Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer and several local MNAs.

According to the CCIL, the goal of the $1.4 million promotion is to provide a boost to the local economy, while drawing attention to local businesses that cast Laval in a positive light.

The campaign will be implemented through various visual channels, including billboards located along Laval’s autoroutes, in buses and bus shelters, on social media and through in-store customer-contact and visual displays.

Made in Quebec

Among other things, store customers are invited to become actively involved by awarding “stars” to their favourite merchants and businesses, lighting up a virtual Christmas tree in the process.

Skeete, who was born and raised in Laval and is the Minister Responsible for the Laval Region, noted that buying local is increasingly a trend.

“The tendency towards local purchasing continues to grow, which is why it’s all the more relevant for businesses to obtain a meaningful and reliable certification like that offered by LPDQ,” he said, referring to Les Produits du Québec, a lobby group representing manufacturers and retailers who are based in Quebec.

Buy in Laval, Boyer urges

Mayor Boyer suggested it’s no coincidence the campaign is getting underway just as the Christmas season is also about to start. “Our city is filled with entrepreneurs, artisans and business operators who drive the dynamic in Laval, so that our city has become a choice destination for making purchases, be they for small or major occasions,” he said.

“By throwing our support behind this campaign, we are inviting each and every Laval resident to make a choice which can end up making a real difference,” he added.

Elfi Morin, general manager of the LPDQ, said that certifying products as having been produced in Quebec has advantages for businesses as well as for consumers. “Quebecers want to know where the products they are consuming come from,” she said.

Guaranteed by certification

“These certification marks – Product of Quebec, Made in Quebec and Designed in Quebec – guarantee the Quebec origin of non-food items, showcasing the talent and the innovation of our entrepreneurs, while underlining the positive impact that buying local has on our economy and our environment.

“By choosing certified products, we are doing much more than buying: we are investing in the future of our community,” added Morin.

Caroline De Guire, president of the CCIL, was more than pleased that the chamber had decided to partner with strategic players on the campaign rather than doing it alone.

“A campaign of this magnitude can’t be done alone,” she said. “We acknowledge the exemplary mobilization undertaken by our partners, all of whom answered the call with enthusiasm.”

Protectionism worries

But at the same time, De Guire noted that the campaign is being launched as new concerns have arisen among business owners in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada over protectionism, including access to materials and products coming from other regions and countries.

“This initiative is our way of responding meaningfully on behalf of our manufacturers and retailers, who are confronted by unprecedented disruptions in their supply chains, amplified by the rise of protectionism and a geopolitical context which is evolving constantly,” she said.

Part of the campaign distinguishes itself through the use of a new in-store advertising technology furnished by Laval-based AddAd Média. The company is providing animated light screens set up inside participating stores, featuring key messages and information about the importance of buying local.

Covid economic impact

The CCIL notes that although the effects of the Covid pandemic are for the most part over, the long-term economic after-effects stand to continue being felt for some time to come.

“In a context where the repercussions of the pandemic are still being felt, buying local more than ever is a key economic and social issue,” the chamber’s leadership said in a statement.

“The crisis revealed the vulnerability of global supply chains, underscoring the essential importance for having a local economy that is resilient.

“By choosing to consume locally, people from Laval are contributing towards strengthening the resilience of their community, while supporting the creation of jobs and reducing the ecological imprint.”