City of Brantford Launches #BrantfordTogether Campaign to Support Local Businesses

Brantford, ON – The City of Brantford Economic Development and Tourism Department is proud to launch a new social media campaign in support of our local businesses that are working hard to deliver their exceptional products and services to our community with minimal disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The #BrantfordTogether campaign will run across all of the City’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and websites for the next two months. The objective of the campaign is to support and promote local businesses and keep the community connected at a time when we need to stay apart to protect the health and safety of the community.

The campaign will include business features on the Discover Brantford blog and Facebook page, topics for discussion on social media (e.g. what is your favourite Brantford-based podcast?), Isolation Challenges (e.g. write a positive Google, Facebook or Yelp review of a local business) and things to see and do safely outside in Brantford while COVID-19 pandemic orders, regulations and strict guidelines remain in place (e.g. walk the downtown core and view Brantford’s Public Art collection).

Together, the City’s Economic Development, Tourism, and the Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre (BRC) divisions will work hand-in-hand with all businesses in Brantford, from small to large and across all industries.

“We want to use our online platforms to help the businesses we work so closely with during this very challenging time,” says Kevin Finney, Director of Economic Development and Tourism. “The purpose of this campaign is to shine a spotlight on our local businesses, by encouraging and providing a platform to share positive news stories online. Features will be posted each day highlighting the unique ways that businesses are adapting to and delivering services during the COVID-19 crisis. The BRC team will also be offering weekly online workshops that will directly address the current challenges facing small businesses.”

To respond to local business needs, last week the City launched a COVID-19 Business Supports and Resources Webpage, which provides key information from all levels of government, stakeholder organizations and access to informative online webinar sessions. It also features the COVID-19 Local Business Impact Survey, which has received over 100 responses to date. Survey responses will be used to understand the current challenges facing business and direct solutions required in the immediate to long-term from all levels of government.

“According to Statistics Canada, small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of our economy, supporting at least 70 percent of all jobs in Canada”, added Finney. “Local businesses make our community unique, help us stand apart from our neighbours, and keep our economy healthy and strong. Independent businesses are particularly vulnerable during prolonged closures because they don’t have the cash flow to weather a financial storm of this size.”

The public is urged to support local businesses by:

Shopping and spending your money locally
Liking, commenting and sharing positive news stories about our community
Writing positive reviews on Facebook, Google and Yelp

For more information, please follow the daily campaign on:

Facebook – Tourism Brantford, Economic Development, Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre
Twitter – Tourism Brantford, Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre
Instagram – Tourism Brantford, Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre

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Media Contacts:

Kevin Finney
Director of Economic Development and Tourism
City of Brantford - Economic Development & Tourism Department
kfinney@brantford.ca
519-751-9900 ext. 5055

Sara Munroe
Manager of Tourism, Culture & Sport
City of Brantford - Economic Development & Tourism Department
smunroe@brantford.ca
519-751-9900 ext. 5049

Mae Legg
Senior Small Business Consultant
Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre
City of Brantford – Economic Development & Tourism Department
mlegg@brantford.ca
226-387-0796