#ShopVaughanLocal this Thanksgiving
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Everything you need for
a festive long weekend is available in Vaughan
Are you heading out to shop for
last-minute ingredients to make a Thanksgiving feast? Or maybe you are looking
to dine-out or bring home some takeout. No matter how you plan to celebrate
this long weekend, the City of Vaughan is encouraging citizens to
#ShopVaughanLocal.
You
can show your support by:
- ordering takeout or delivery from a Vaughan restaurant or café.
- dining safely in a restaurant or on an outdoor patio in the city.
- shopping in-person, online or curbside at a local business.
- buying gift cards from local stores.
- sharing the local love by using #ShopVaughanLocal on social media.
To
help you find the right stores or businesses, visit the City of Vaughan’s Open for Business
online directory,
which
includes many services and Vaughan-based businesses that are open or providing
modified operations in-person, by phone, online, takeout or delivery in
compliance with provincial regulations. Vaughan businesses interested in being
included in the list may apply through this online form.
If you are looking for fun
fall adventures, check out visitvaughan.ca for the ultimate
staycation ideas – including family friendly escapes, delicious food and more,
right here in your own city. Look for the Safe Travels Stamp to know the places in
Vaughan that have adopted a global standard of health and hygiene protocols.
As COVID-19 continues
to evolve, the City remains committed to working with all levels of government
to support entrepreneurs and small business owners. Maintaining the
competitiveness of the local economy throughout the global pandemic is a priority. The
#ShopVaughanLocal initiative and Open for Business directory are just two of
the many measures introduced by the City to provide relief to the business
community and ease the financial burden caused by COVID-19. Here are some other
examples:
Consumer
confidence
As mentioned above, Vaughan
businesses can reassure a safe dine-in and shop-in customer experience through
two consumer confidence identifiers: the POST Promise and the Safe Travels
Stamp. These nationally and internationally recognized identifiers are visual
cues acknowledging that the business is working to prevent the spread of
COVID-19, following public health measures and supporting a safe return to
in-store experiences.
How to
apply:
- Make the POST Promise – a self-declaration for any type of business through a national not-for-profit corporation that was built specifically for this effort. Taking the POST Promise is a pre-requisite for the Safe Travels Stamp and the Vaughan Safe Travels Toolkit.
- Apply for the Safe Travels Stamp and Vaughan Toolkit – a nationally recognized program through the World Travel and Tourism Corporation and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) for tourism businesses, including restaurants. To apply, complete the Safe Travels Stamp application. Once confirmation from TIAO is received, email tourism@vaughan.ca to request the Vaughan Safe Travels Toolkit. This kit includes marketing assets to share the stamp on your business’ website, social media channels, e-newsletter, counter signs, window decals and more, all shipped free of charge.
Increasing consumer
confidence is part of an economic resiliency strategy for the City’s Economic and Cultural Development
department,
including Tourism Vaughan. For more information
and to apply, visit vaughanbusiness.ca/ConsumerConfidence. The City is also
reminding businesses that a business licence may be required to
operate within Vaughan.
Vaughan Business
Resilience Plan
On June 23, 2020, the
City launched the Vaughan Business
Resilience Plan
(PDF) as an immediate and long-term plan to help Vaughan’s business community
build capacity to adapt to the post-pandemic world. Through this plan, the Economic
and Cultural Development department will continue to:
- help businesses and the economy build resilience.
- build resilience into key economic opportunities and strategic sectors like healthcare, supply chain and manufacturing, and tourism.
- share Vaughan’s reimagined public spaces within physical distancing guidelines and invite the community to experience Vaughan’s culture and arts.
Advisory consultations
The Economic and
Cultural Development department offers advisory consultations via tele- or
video-conference, email and phone. The team is also hosting educational webinars.
For information, additional resources or to book a consultation, visit vaughanbusiness.ca.
To stay informed on the
City of Vaughan’s latest business resources and initiatives, entrepreneurs can sign
up for the Economic and Cultural Development department’s eNewsletter at vaughanbusiness.ca/enewsletters.
For updates and news as
they happen, sign up for Vaughan News and follow the
official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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