As the holiday season approaches, in the waning days of this pandemic, it has never been more important to get out and support local businesses.

And to encourage more people to get out and frequent local shops, stores, boutiques, attractions and eateries, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce are asking people to share their experiences on social media with the hashtag #NiagaraMyWay for a chance to win a $200 gift card at the participating business of their choice.

“We can’t stress enough how important it is that people choose to do their holiday shopping at local businesses,” says Mishka Balsom, President and CEO of the GNCC. “Niagara’s entire business sector would benefit from having people out and about again, frequenting local shops, eating in local restaurants, spending time at local attractions. And when the business community benefits, we all benefit.”

Starting November 25^th and running for three weeks, each of the NOTL Chamber and the GNCC will be offering a $200 gift card to the business of the winner’s choice. To enter, snap a shot of yourself holiday shopping at a local Niagara store or eating at a local restaurant, and share it on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #NiagaraMyWay. The two winners will be selected after December 16^th.

“The pandemic has had a broad impact, and not the least of which has been on shipping and inventories,” says Eduard Lafforgue, President of the NOTL Chamber. “When you get out and shop locally, there are no worries about logistics or whether or not your item will arrive and, if it does, that it is the thing you actually ordered. When you shop local, you get the exact item you want, and can leave the store with it in your hand.”

#NiagaraMyWay is a multi-media initiative encouraging Niagara residents to shop locally. It is a unique and self-personalizing hashtag that invites people to participate with their own personalized Niagara experience to paint a broad mosaic of what Niagara means to different people.

“Keep in mind Niagara businesses employ Niagara residents,” says Mr. Lafforgue. “When we shop local, we are creating opportunities for our families, friends and neighbours.”

Learn more about #NiagaraMyWay at www.niagaramyway.com. Join the conversation and engage socially on Instagram @niagara_myway and on Facebook.

About #NiagaraMyWay

Developed in partnership between the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce, #NiagaraMyWay is a multi-media campaign designed to encourage people to support local businesses and share how Niagara is unique to them. It is a campaign that invites personalization, enabling users to interpret how they enjoy Niagara and share that experience with their social followers.

About the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business in Niagara, the largest business organization in the region and the second-largest Chamber of Commerce in Ontario, with 1,500 members representing 50,000 employees. More information on the GNCC is available at gncc.ca.

About the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce

As the leading business advocate in one of Canada’s most historic communities, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting economic growth and commercial achievement while providing information, resources, networking and learning opportunities necessary for its members to succeed. For more information, please visit niagaraonthelake.com.