As we approach year three of the pandemic, our valued small business community has continued to do everything they can to stay open.

There have been various hardships and Mississauga has impressively stepped up and supported local.
While we're moving forward with vaccinations, small businesses still need our support.
Below, you'll find a list of ways that you can contribute, including some you can do for free!

Buy local gift cards
Picking up gift cards from local businesses helps them today by increasing their cash flow, which is the lifeblood for all businesses. Buying now increases their chances of being here later.
Whether it's a personal service/personal care business, a boutique store, or any number of our tens thousands of small businesses, there's something for you in Mississauga.

Support your local BIA
Connect with all five Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) across Mississauga (Clarkson Village, Cooksville, Malton, Port Credit, Streetsville) to see what incentives/campaigns they have on the go.
These BIAs are a key component to supporting businesses within their boundaries, and our local neighbourhoods.

Can you hear me now?
Telling your family and friends via phone call, in person or text about some or all of your favourite local businesses is a smart way to endorse them and potentially help that business get new customers. The exponential effect could be far reaching, and it can start with you.

Get social
Take what you just read and apply it to these businesses' social media pages. As potential customers research new small businesses, reading reviews and reviewing their social accounts can be highly influential.
Take a couple of minutes and write a personalized review, sign up for their newsletter, follow/like their social pages (every “like” counts) and consider putting up a post on your social channels to let your network know about your positive experiences.

Use your social platform
It’s one thing to support our local businesses social media pages and since you’re on it, utilize your own social platforms to spread the word. Whether it’s a picture or video about your excellent experience or “I finally found this cool item at a local shop,” leverage your network to boost our valued small business community.

Use the Mississauga Made website
Take advantage of the Mississauga Made website listings and the Shop Local one for ideas on where to shop locally.
These listings have info on stores that can fill nearly any need from home projects, crafts, to a new type of takeout. It's updated often so check back frequently.

Pick 2-3 meals to designate for local restaurants
We eat an average of 21 meals a week (3 meals a day x 7 days a week) so by picking a sustainable number of those meals to be taken care of by ordering locally, you're supporting our hard working restaurant community.

Skip the Apps
Apps take up to 30% in fees from restaurants, so skip the apps as much as possible, if not entirely, and order and pick up directly. Some may do their own deliveries independent from those pesky apps.
For non-food based items, and if you're comfortable doing so, consider doing a curbside pickup.

Use what you’ve got at home
It may be a small cost for restaurants but it's a cost nonetheless.
Using your own cutlery, napkins and condiments helps save costs for them, and if enough of us make small contributions, they’ll amount to a large one.