Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
ShoppinglocallyboostsNWTeconomiesfortheholidaysTuesdayNovember2520149INDUSTRYSMALLBUSINESSTHANKYOUTheMayorandCounciloftheTownofNormanWellswouldliketothankImperialOilResourcesLimitedfortheirgenerosityinprovidingthe1000000toassistresidentsandbusinesseswiththeirconversioncosts.TheTownCouncilwouldalsoliketothanktheorganizationswhohavedecidedtodonatetheirportionoftherefundtoassisthomeownerswiththeirconversioncosts.GovernmentofNorthwestTerritoriesImperialOilResourcesLimitedTownofNormanWellsEnbridgePipelinesNWInc.NorthernStoresNorthWestCompanyRampartRentalsYamouriInnLtd.Weareverypleasedwiththecommunityspiritthatwasshownbytheresidentsandbusinessesindiligentlyconvertingfromnaturalgastoalternatefuelsource.ByDALICARMICHAELItstartswiththeringingofabelltheopen-ingnotesofaChristmastuneovertheradio.Nextglintsofsparklyredandwhitegarlandsstartliningthefoyersofstores.Soonenoughthesubtletiesareoverandlocalbusinessesareofciallyembracingtheholidayspirit.ThisyearasfamiliespreparefortheirChristmasgivingcommunityshopsareask-ingtheircustomerstobuytheirgiftswithintheregionwheretheycangiveamuchneededboosttomanyresidentbusinesses.EverylongweekendthatwevehadsincethesummermanymanypeoplearedrivingtoGrandePrairietoshopsaidFortSmithsChamberofCommercepresidentJanieHobart.ItisveryverydifculttomeasurehowmuchbusinessislostbecauseyoudontknowsaidHayRiverChamberofCom-mercepresidentJanet-MarieFizer.AllyoucancompareisareyouupordownfromlastyearandIcantellyouthatalotofretailersaresayingtheyredownsome-wherearound10to14percent.NowisthatallbecauseitsgoingsomewhereelseoristheresomethingelsedrivingthatIcantanswerthatbutIsuspectthatwerelosingmorethanthattobothshoppingonlineandpeopleshoppingsouth.InthelastthreeyearsHayRiverhaslostasmanyas16businessesfromthecommu-nitythoughFizernotesthatnotallclosedoutofnecessity.Someofthosehavebeenforeconomicrea-sonsandsomeofthosehavejustbeenforlife-stylesomebodyhasjustdecidedtheywanttoretireandtheresnopurchaserfortheirbusi-nesssotheyjustcloseditdownFizersaid.Orishasbeenformultiplereasons.Iwouldsaythateconomicsisprobablythestrongestreason.Imeanifyoureinareallystrongeco-nomicclimatethenchancesareyouregoingtobeabletosellthatbusiness.MuchlikelocalcustomersheadingonlineorsouthfortheirmerchandiseFizersaidbusinessesinHayRivermustndcustomersoutsideofthecommunityiftheyaretothrive.IfyoucantdiversifyorbeoutsideofHayRivertheresnotabigenoughmarketheretosupportalotofsmallbusinessshesaid.FizerexplainedthathightransportationandpowercostsintheNorthcanhaveastrongimpactonthebusinessesofHayRiver.Therejustcomesapointwhereyouhavetoreallyevaluatewhetheryoucancompeteandwhenweretalkingcompetitionweretalkingbothonlineandwithpeopleshop-pingsouthshesaid.IfyoucantcompetehowlongdoyoucarrythatonCreatingincentivestoshoplocallyInasmalltownalotofbusinessesrelyonwordofmouthandlocalknowledgeoftheirbusi-nesssaidLindaMartingeneralmanagerofThebachaBusinessDevelopmentServicesInc.Ithinkbusinessownersneedtocontrolthemessagethatisbeingputoutthroughadvertisingthroughwhichtheygettorelaytheirbusinessvaluestheirbusinessservicesandtheirbusinessofferings.Bybrandingtheirbusinesstheyhavemorecontroloverit...ratherthanrelyingonwordofmouth.Itdoesntseemtobeseenasvaluableitseemstobemoreasanexpenseratherthanthevalueofcontrollingthatmessage.BoththeFortSmithandHayRiverCham-bersofCommercehavetakenthismessagetoheartdevisingincentivesinordertogetresi-dentstoshopwithintheircommunities.InadditiontoaMidnightMadnesssaleconsumersinHayRiverhavebeenparticipat-ingintherstRightHereinHayRivercam-paign.Shopperswereexpectedtocollectatotalofsixmagnetsbypurchasingitemsfromlocalstoresinordertobeenteredinadrawfora1000prize.SherriVegsofromHayRiverwaschosenatlastweeksChristmasparade.MeanwhileinFortSmithHobartandherteamhavebeenworkingontheirowncontest.WewillhaveballotboxesinallthemajorretailersHobartsaid.Ifsomeonespendsmorethan25theycantaketheircashregis-terreceiptwritetheirnameandphonenum-beronitandjuststickitintheballotbox.TheconteststartsonDec.1withearlybirddrawsonthe5thand12thandthegrandprizesannouncedonthe19th.Bothcommunitiessaidtheywillcontinuesupportinglocalbusinesseswithsimilarin-centivesinthefuture.ThemagnetpieceofthisinitiativewasthekickoffFizersaid.TheRightHereinHayRivercampaignhasonlyjuststarted.SantaClausrideswiththeHayRiverFireDepartmentandtheirfamilies.HayRivershowsholidayspiritwithChristmasparadeSantaClausandhismerryteamofHayRiverreghterelvesusherintheChristmasseasonatthetownsannualparade.BelowtheKinglandFordSalesoatfeaturessalesmanager-turned-croonerSteveMollbeltingoutsomeholidayclassics.PhotosScottClouthierPhotoHeatherFoubertHayRiverChamberofCommercepresidentJanet-MarieFizerSantaanddirectorSteveAnder-sonannounceresidentSherriVegsoasthebigwinnerofthecommunityMidnightMadnessdraw.