October 2022 Economic Development Update:
Shopping locally supports business sustainability, creates jobs and is more environmentally friendly. To support the “shop local” philosophy, Sunrise Corner created a new online directory that promotes businesses and organizations that are physically located the RMs of Piney and Stuartburn.
At its most basic level, a directory of local products and services is important to both consumers and businesses. For residents, it allows them to easily find what they need close to home. For businesses, it ensures their potential customers can reach them quickly and conveniently.
However, the benefits of shopping locally are even more far-reaching:
- Money spent locally remains local, passing an estimated seven times among residents before leaving the community. Money spent outside our region delivers no benefit to the local community.
- Local businesses provide employment for people in our region. The more we shop locally, the more jobs created right here in our community.
- It’s convenient to shop near home and reduces our carbon footprint from having to drive long distances to get what we want.
- Local businesses sponsor community events and volunteer in a way that many far-away corporations may not.
Visit the directory on the Sunrise Corner website. You’ll be able to search by community, category or key word. Take some time to check out the businesses in your community, you may be surprised at what you find.
For those who prefer a paper copy of the directory, don’t fret. We are working to convert the current online directory to a hard copy booklet format that will be available at the RM offices in Vassar and Vita.
Best of all, listings are free for Sunrise Corner-based businesses and instructions are on the website to help you add or update your listing. If you’ve got any questions or need assistance, send me an email. Alternatively, if you see a business listed that is no longer operating, let me know. The more complete and accurate the directory, the more valuable it becomes to all residents in Sunrise Corner.
Monique Chenier
monique@sunrisecornermb.ca