NORTH BAY -- The City of North Bay, along with the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, are encouraging people to shop local throughout the weekend in the city.
As diners enjoyed their meal at Bay Truck Stop off Hwy. 11, restaurant owner Tony Breault reflected on how his restaurant has been on the rebound since the province's stage three re-opening.
"It's been a real struggle since March," he said. "So having the stage three opening made our restaurant an opportunity for people to come. The importance of shopping local is paramount to the success of all businesses in this community."
As Breault's restaurant and other businesses find themselves recovering from the pandemic, the local chamber of commerce and city are trying to help.
"Coming through COVID-19, this is the weekend that we're focusing on Canada," said chamber president and CEO Peter Chirico. "We want people to appreciate what the businesses have gone though by supporting their local businesses."
The city proclaimed this weekend to be 'Canada United Shopping Weekend' and is encouraging consumers buy, dine and shop local.
Staycation in North Bay
"The hospitality industry, the restaurants and hotels have been severely hit," said Chirico. "Plan your staycation in Ontario and in North Bay. There's lots of great places."
The national branch of the chamber of commerce, Royal Bank of Canada, and more than 65 of Canada's leading brands are throwing their support behind the campaign.
Meanwhile, over at EcoTrex, an army surplus store, manager Wayne Sulliman credited customers for supporting local businesses during the pandemic, keeping his store and most merchants afloat.
"I want to thank our customers for being so loyal," said Sulliman. "Things have opened up substantially and stage three has given us an additional boost."
The weekend-long campaign is also raising money through its business relief fund to help small businesses with their recovery efforts.
