Canadians are putting their loonies behind their “glowing hearts” this holiday season. According to a new survey released recently by technology company Square, 62% of Canadians said they plan to go “pro-Canada” this Black Friday – with 62% reporting they’ll allocate more of their holiday budgets to support locally-owned, neighbourhood retailers.
While Black Friday has long been a cross-border shopping moment, that tide is turning, added Square. The majority (61%) of Canadians believe their communities will focus on supporting local businesses this year, compared to previous years when 57% shopped interchangeably from U.S. and Canadian retailers.
“This holiday season, we expect Canada’s Main Streets to truly shine,” said Lindsey Irvine, Chief Marketing Officer at Square.
Of those planning to allocate more of their holiday gifting and entertainment budgets to support Canadian-owned retailers this year, more than half (54%) are willing to pay up to 50% more to buy Canadian, said Square.
According to Square’s survey, the “Buy Canadian” movement is also playing out strongly in neighbourhood-based restaurants, cafés and bars:
- 66% of Canadians say they’re supporting more neighbourhood-owned restaurants than they did a year ago, and agree it “feels like a lasting, long-term change.”;
- 57% are making a special effort to meet friends and family at locally owned restaurants — a trend strongest among women (61%) and adults 35+ (59%);
- 82% say it simply “feels good” to support their neighbours and community-owned businesses;
- 7 in 10 Canadians report that local restaurants have a more homely feel (72%), are more likely to champion their communities (70%) and have friendlier staff (64%) who are “more likely to know my name” (53%).
Canadians will be able to see the power of local spending in real time beginning November 28 through Cyber Monday. Square and Afterpay will track Black Friday weekend transactions across its Canadian network, highlighting how communities nationwide support neighbourhood economies. To follow along, visit block.xyz.
Irvine said the momentum of consumers choosing to spend more of their holiday budgets at locally-owned, neighbourhood retailers “reflects a deep pride in supporting neighbourhood businesses and a growing recognition that every local purchase strengthens Canada’s economic backbone — its Main Streets.”
“Neighbourhoods are our North Star. When sellers thrive, neighbourhoods come alive and that’s the economy we’re excited to help build not just in Canada but around the world,” she said.
“Globally, we’re seeing a renewed movement toward neighbourhood commerce. Neighbourhood sellers want the same powerful tools as big enterprises — and Square’s role is to give them that competitive edge. From payments and payroll to marketing and analytics, we’re helping local entrepreneurs not just survive, but truly succeed by connecting them with their customers, staff and the community around them.
“This vision is shaping Square’s next chapter: deeper local investment in cities and neighbourhoods — ensuring every business, no matter their size, can compete on a global stage while staying rooted in their community.”
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