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Since 2017, Vancity and LOCO BC have been partnered with on area-based #BCBuyLocal campaigns. These campaigns have focused partially on the importance for small local businesses to capture more of the online market by improving their online presence through digital marketing and e-commerce. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted consumer shopping behaviour towards online ordering, and at the same time helped contribute to a cultural shift to support small local businesses. While Business Recovery and Launch Online grants have helped many businesses develop their online channel, few have the technical support they need, some did not qualify for grants, and others may be too cash-strapped after contributing 25% of their technology build out to budget for digital marketing.

In order to compete effectively online against multinational corporations with big marketing budgets, LOCO and Vancity are conducting a pilot project to provide technical expertise to businesses, an action plan, along with expertise and cash for implementation. The goal is to get some exposure at a time when the province is slowly lifting restrictions following the third wave of COVID-19. Consumers who are sitting on savings will begin to spend and travel more, and it’s important that we support local businesses to capture that spending to support a local recovery and the resilience of small local businesses.  

The pilot will offer 10 businesses the opportunity to:

1. Book a one hour one-on-one session with Crisp Media to workshop questions on: 
   • ecommerce
   • digital marketing / online lead generation and/or 
   • technology/software to streamline operations
2. Receive an action plan
3. Receive up to $1000 in funding to implement the action plan 
4. Receive support for implementation if required

The program starts immediately. The pilot will be offered on a first come/first served basis to businesses in the 7 areas in which Vancity and LOCO BC have partnered since 2017:

• Commercial Drive/East Vancouver
• Burnaby Heights
• Point Grey Vancouver
• Mission
• Ambleside-Dundarave West Vancouver
• Langley
• Squamish (ongoing June 2021)

Priority will be given to: Vancity members (required) and LOCO members (not required but preferred).

What's the process? 

1. Fill out the application - should take less than 10 minutes
2. We will contact you to book a one-hour coaching session
3. Receive your list of action items
4. Receive your funding 
5. Implement - yourself, or with support from Crisp Media

Apply Now

First Nations communities across the country are grieving. Here are 6 ways settlers can support them.

6 Ways to Support Indigenous People* .

In honour of Indigenous History Month, here are 6 actions we can each take to support Indigenous Peoples:

1. Support Indigenous Business ~ seek them out and discover their beautiful offerings 
2. Learn about the colonial history and ongoing impacts of colonization in Canada ~ read Indigenous authors
3. Learn the Indigenous names of the places you live and the places you visit
4. If you are non-indigenous and non-minority, recognize your privilege and how you can mobilize this for good
5. Have a conversation with your children, other family members and friends about the ongoing legacy of residential schools
6. Also have conversations about the Indigenous leaders, innovators, scholars, politicians, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, authors, doctors, lawyers, land defenders, elders and knowledge holders who bring their indigeneity into the world.
   *reprinted with permission from Sḵwálwen Botanicals. Folllow them on instagram, read their #BCBuyLocal impact story, shop their website, or buy at local retail partners.

Indigenous Businesses to Support

1. Sḵwálwen Botanicals (skwall - win) is an Indigenous business creating botanical skin care products. Honouring traditional Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) plant knowledge, they incorporate sustainably harvested plants and organic, high quality ingredients. Check out their #BCBuyLocal impact story on our website.   
2. Ravens Brewing Co. is a family-owned award-winning brewery and distillery in Abbotsford. Proud of their heritage and community, Ravens Brewing is an Indigenous Corporation focused on developing partnerships with local suppliers and businesses in the development of beers, spirits and other similar products.
3. Aboriginal & Eco-Tours offers you authentic Aboriginal cultural and eco-tourism experiences in and around Vancouver, Squamish and the Sunshine Coast. We also offer on-line Live virtual tours via Zoom, including corporate tours for your employees. Check out their #BCBuyLocal impact story on our website.   
4. Irondog Books is an Indigenous-owned bookshop and booktruck dedicated to bringing low cost reading to Səl̓ilwətaɁɬ, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territories (Metro Vancouver). 
5. Sister Sage is a producer and online retailer of wellness products made with traditional Indigenous ingredients. They hand craft beautiful modern self-care & wellness products including soaps, bath bombs, salves and smokeless smudge honors our ancestral teachings of sage, cedar, sweetgrass, lavender and more.
6. Satya makes products to soothe your dry, itchy and inflamed skin. It's more than a moisturizer. Whether you're dealing with eczema or simply stressed out skin, Satya is a proven effective topical anti-inflammatory that soothes + restores all types of skin.
7. Skwachàys Lodge is an Indigenous Arts Hotel in Vancouver, with rooms designed by local Indigenous artists and Vancouver interior designers and a gallery that features Indigenous artwork mostly from local artists. It is a social enterprise that provides the funding for 24 living and work studios for an “Artist in Residence” program in the building, and is owned and operated by Vancouver Native Housing Society, which is governed by an all-Indigenous Board of Directors.
8.  Salmon and Bannock is Vancouver's only Indigenous owned and operated restaurant. They use traditional ingredients with authentic flavours to create wonderful and delicious modern dishes.

9. Mr. Bannock Indigenous Cuisine is a food truck in North Vancouver that includes menu items including the bannock taco, bannock burgers, and Bannock eclairs. They've partnered with local and Indigenous businesses to build the menu, including Spirit Bear Coffee and One Arrow Meats.

10. The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre is a three-story, 30,400-square foot award-winning cultural centre designed to blend the traditional Squamish Longhouse with the Lil'wat Istken. Cultural Ambassadors share their knowledge and stories with guests, augmenting the information shared throughout the centre's curated collection of artifacts and contemporary pieces. The Centre includes Whistler's largest Indigenous gift shop, and Thunderbird Cafe, an Indigenous inspired eatery. 

Other ways to discover Indigenous-owned businesses:

• Lift Collective has a list of women-owned indigenous enterprises.
• Shop First Nations has a listing of First Nations owned businesses in different provinces. 
• The Indigenous Investment & Business Council has an Indigenous Business Directory.   
• The Small Business BC Marketplace lists many Indigenous-led businesses. 
• Check out the app from Indigenous Tourism BC. 

For other ideas, check out our blog post on supporting BIPOC-owned businesses.