Looking for ways to support local businesses during these challenging times? You can find everything you are looking for right here in Vaughan! Whether you’re shopping for friends, family or yourself, the City of Vaughan is reminding you to #ShopVaughanLocal.

Show your support for local businesses by:

• shopping online, curbside or safely in-person at a local business.
• buying gift cards from local stores to use at a later date.
• using filters to find local products when shopping with large online retailers.
• leaving a positive review on your favourite local business’ online profiles.
• sharing the local love by using #ShopVaughanLocal on social media.
  

As part of the Province’s response to the Omicron variant, Ontario transitioned into a modified Step 2 of its Roadmap to Reopen effective Jan. 5. Updated measures include retail settings, including shopping malls, being permitted to operate at 50 per cent capacity. For shopping malls, physical distancing is required in lineups, loitering is not permitted, and food courts are required to close.

Open for Business

To help you find local stores and businesses, visit the City’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.

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 pandemic is a priority. The #ShopVaughanLocal initiative and Open for Business directory are just a couple 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

Vaughan businesses can reassure a safe in-person 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 Safe Travels Toolkit – a nationally recognized program for tourism businesses, including restaurants, through the World Travel and Tourism Corporation and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). 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 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 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.

For more information, visit vaughanbusiness.ca/COVID.

Advisory consultations

The Economic and 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.

Support Vaughan Local

Tourism Vaughan and the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce have partnered to create the #SupportVaughanLocal initiative. The program showcases businesses in the city and encourages citizens to shop, dine and experience Vaughan. Visit SupportVaughanLocal.ca for more information.

To stay informed on the City of Vaughan’s latest business resources and initiatives, entrepreneurs can sign up for the Economic Development department’s eNewsletters at vaughanbusiness.ca/enewsletters.

For more information, visit the City’s COVID-19 webpage at vaughan.ca/COVID19.

Those who feel unwell and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19 should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on the virus, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19.

For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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