As the holiday season approaches, Mayor Jyoti Gondek visited Kensington to spotlight the 2024 Support Local Holiday campaign, encouraging Calgarians to shop locally and support their community. Now in its sixth year, the campaign reaffirms The City’s commitment to fostering vibrant neighborhoods and thriving local businesses.
“When you spend a dollar locally, you are not just making a purchase; you are investing in our city and directly supporting Calgarians. As the holiday season approaches, make an active choice to shop locally,” said Mayor Gondek.
The 2024 Support Local campaign highlights the joy of holiday shopping and community celebrations through a range of programs that showcase the unique offerings of Calgary’s local businesses:
• Parking Credit Contest: From now until December 23, Calgary Parking is giving away six $150 parking credits. Winners can redeem and share credits with family and friends through the MyParking App (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play).
• #ExploreDowntownYYC: The #ExploreDowntownYYC campaign showcases local businesses, events and activities to inspire Calgarians and visitors to come downtown and experience all it has to offer. Visit calgary.ca/exploredowntown to plan your adventure!
• Business Improvement Area (BIA) holiday promotion: Local BIAs have launched Christmas Shopping promotions to showcase great products and services. Deal and shops can be found on the BIA webpage. Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)
“When you shop local, you’re supporting neighbors, helping friends achieve their dreams, and preserving the character of our community,” said Erin Chrusch, leader of The City’s Business and Local Economy team. “Local businesses are the heart of our neighborhoods, contributing through sponsorships, events, and creating vibrant public spaces. Every purchase strengthens
our community and helps it flourish.”
Graeme Maitland, Chair of the Kensington Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) added: “Supporting local businesses is so important at this time of year. The holiday shopping season is a great way for us to show our support to these small businesses giving them a much-needed boost, purchasing unique gifts, and enjoying all that Christmas in Kensington has to offer.” Kensington Plaza recently underwent significant upgrades. Completed in December 2023, the project transformed the area with sculptured benches, trees, bike racks, improved surfacing, upgraded lighting, and flexible spaces for community events. This project was also recognized NEWS RELEASE with an honorable mention in the 2024 Mayor’s Urban Design Award (MUDA), highlighting The City’s dedication to innovative urban design and creating inviting public spaces.
In addition to the Holiday campaign, The City has piloted a varied of initiatives, to support the local business community. These include proactive measures to assist businesses leading up to and during construction, such as the Main Streets Business Support Grant pilot, which provided a one-time $5,000 grant to eligible businesses in Marda Loop and Bridgeland to help
manage construction impacts, and the BIA Financial Grant pilot, offering up to $25,000, which was expanded in 2024 to Montgomery on the Bow and Mainstreet Bowness BIAs to support
BIA-led initiatives during and after 2024 Bearspaw South Feeder Main repair. Other business-friendly measures include enhanced wayfinding, alternative parking solutions, business liaisons, and local marketing campaigns. Additionally, this year marked the 40th anniversary of Calgary’s BIAs, with celebrations highlighting their contributions to vibrant business communities through placemaking, local events, and public realm enhancements. The milestone was recognized with a citywide campaign, newsroom story, and the proclamation of BIA Week (October 8–14) by Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
Learn more about the Support Local campaign at calgary.ca/supportlocal. For tools and resources to support business, visit Business and local economy.
